Colorado's Kokanee Salmon Spawn

Each fall, Colorado's kokanee salmon swim nearly 30 miles upstream from Blue Mesa Reservoir to the Roaring Judy State Fish Hatchery in Almont, Colorado. Here, CPW biologists and hatchery staff collect eggs from these unique, landlocked sockeye salmon. The eggs are then raised at the hatchery and the fish are restocked in 26 different lakes and reservoirs across the state. Because the fish are both raised and restocked at the Roaring Judy hatchery, the fish return here to spawn and complete their lifecycle each year. Kokanee typically live about 4 years in a reservoir before they spawn and die. .

Learn more about CPW's fish hatcheries.