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KOKANEE COMING TO SOCAL? -- Jim Matthews column-ONS -- 08jan03
Anglers asking for kokanee plants locally
"How come Southern California doesn't have kokanee salmon?" asked Chris Schaffer, a Chatsworth angler who loves the trout-like gamefish that do so well in lakes and reservoirs in other parts of the state.
The simple answer is that no one -- either in the Department of Fish and Game or the angling public -- has pushed for these great gamefish to be planted in our local reservoirs.
Schaffer argues that kokanee offer several advantages and would make a good adjunct to trout and catfish plants. First, they will not spawn naturally and if the DFG decided the program wasn't working, they could stop planting the fish and they'd be gone in three years. Second, unlike rainbow trout, they won't hybridize with steelhead trout, which are an endangered species in many Southern California coastal waters. Third, they are susceptible to anglers at a different time of year than other species, usually biting best in late summer and fall.
The best part, according to Schaffer, is that the costs of rearing, transporting and planting the kokanee would all be taken care of by the California Inland Fisheries Foundation, Inc. http://www.kokanee.org. The foundation works with the DFG, solicits grants, and takes private contributions to plant fish. This would be their first foray into Southern California.
Probable locations are the new Diamond Valley Reservoir, which is expected to open to fishing sometime this summer or early fall, and Lake Gregory in the San Bernardino Mountains, but Cachuma, Casitas, Piru, Pyramid, San Vicente and Jennings have all been tagged as possible locations for the small salmon.
"In Northern California, people are having a blast with them. They're easy to catch and good to eat," said Schaffer, the author of "The Definitive Guide to Fishing in Southern California" and its companion book "The Definitive Guide to Fishing in Central California" http://www.fishingcalifornia.net.
Trolling is the most common way for anglers to catch kokanee, but they require light lines and a delicate touch, said Schaffer. The soft-biting fish seem to stay in certain areas in large concentrations. This means that once you catch a fish, there is a good likelihood that you can go back and forth over the same area and catch a limit fairly easily.
Schaffer, who has fished 1,132 different waters in California while doing research for his two books (and the Northern California version which he hopes to publish in two or three years) said that kokanee are extremely popular in the central and northern part of the state. He knows they would be a great addition to Southern California waters, giving anglers a great gamefish that can be caught from July through October, a time frame when there is limited trout fishing in this region.
Schaffer and Sep Hendrickson, the executive director of the Inland Fisheries Foundation and a well-know trout fishing guru, will both be talking about the introduction of kokanee during their presentations this week at the International Sportsman's Expo in Pomona. Anglers can get a schedule of speakers and times for each day at the expo website, http://www.sportsexpos.com.
The ISE show, which features over 300 exhibitors from the hunting and fishing arena, a kid's fishing pond, hourly seminars from experts in the field, a fly-casting pond, and much more, will run today through Sunday this week at the Fairplex at 1101 W. McKinley Ave., Pomona. Hours are noon to 8 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $9 for adults with kids 12 and under free. Discount coupons that knock $2 off the price on weekdays and $1 on weekends are available at Sportmart and Long Drug Stores.
Anglers asking for kokanee plants locally
"How come Southern California doesn't have kokanee salmon?" asked Chris Schaffer, a Chatsworth angler who loves the trout-like gamefish that do so well in lakes and reservoirs in other parts of the state.
The simple answer is that no one -- either in the Department of Fish and Game or the angling public -- has pushed for these great gamefish to be planted in our local reservoirs.
Schaffer argues that kokanee offer several advantages and would make a good adjunct to trout and catfish plants. First, they will not spawn naturally and if the DFG decided the program wasn't working, they could stop planting the fish and they'd be gone in three years. Second, unlike rainbow trout, they won't hybridize with steelhead trout, which are an endangered species in many Southern California coastal waters. Third, they are susceptible to anglers at a different time of year than other species, usually biting best in late summer and fall.
The best part, according to Schaffer, is that the costs of rearing, transporting and planting the kokanee would all be taken care of by the California Inland Fisheries Foundation, Inc. http://www.kokanee.org. The foundation works with the DFG, solicits grants, and takes private contributions to plant fish. This would be their first foray into Southern California.
Probable locations are the new Diamond Valley Reservoir, which is expected to open to fishing sometime this summer or early fall, and Lake Gregory in the San Bernardino Mountains, but Cachuma, Casitas, Piru, Pyramid, San Vicente and Jennings have all been tagged as possible locations for the small salmon.
"In Northern California, people are having a blast with them. They're easy to catch and good to eat," said Schaffer, the author of "The Definitive Guide to Fishing in Southern California" and its companion book "The Definitive Guide to Fishing in Central California" http://www.fishingcalifornia.net.
Trolling is the most common way for anglers to catch kokanee, but they require light lines and a delicate touch, said Schaffer. The soft-biting fish seem to stay in certain areas in large concentrations. This means that once you catch a fish, there is a good likelihood that you can go back and forth over the same area and catch a limit fairly easily.
Schaffer, who has fished 1,132 different waters in California while doing research for his two books (and the Northern California version which he hopes to publish in two or three years) said that kokanee are extremely popular in the central and northern part of the state. He knows they would be a great addition to Southern California waters, giving anglers a great gamefish that can be caught from July through October, a time frame when there is limited trout fishing in this region.
Schaffer and Sep Hendrickson, the executive director of the Inland Fisheries Foundation and a well-know trout fishing guru, will both be talking about the introduction of kokanee during their presentations this week at the International Sportsman's Expo in Pomona. Anglers can get a schedule of speakers and times for each day at the expo website, http://www.sportsexpos.com.
The ISE show, which features over 300 exhibitors from the hunting and fishing arena, a kid's fishing pond, hourly seminars from experts in the field, a fly-casting pond, and much more, will run today through Sunday this week at the Fairplex at 1101 W. McKinley Ave., Pomona. Hours are noon to 8 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $9 for adults with kids 12 and under free. Discount coupons that knock $2 off the price on weekdays and $1 on weekends are available at Sportmart and Long Drug Stores.
