The Kokanee Salmon's Spawning Migration Up The Green River

Last October when Nick and I were fishing the Green, the first thing we noticed was all the dead fish in the river.  As I approached the river, indeed it looked like a Kokanee Salmon grave yard; all these decaying fish lying on the bottom of the river. 

I attended my 30 year high school reunion a couple of years ago and an old friend of mine came up to me and said “you know what I remember about you?  That oral report you gave on salmon.”  I had forgotten about that.  Even now, I am remembered for my interest in fish.

The Kokanee Salmon from Flaming Gorge do their spawn run in the fall and swim up to spawn in the river in which they were hatched.  Since the Fontenelle Dam on the Green River would stop any further migration on this river, the majority end up spawning in the few miles of river below the dam.  In fact, the river is closed to fishing in the fall the first mile below the dam. 

 

These adult salmon which are three to five years old average 15 to 18 inches long.  They turn bright red on their bodies and dark green on their heads.  The bright red spawning salmon are way past the point where they would be good eating.  The male's jaws become deformed with a pronounced kype and they grow humped backs. 

 

After spawning, the kokanee soon die, thus completing the salmon life cycle or as we learn in the movie Lion King, the circle of life.  The dead salmon not only provide food for predators and scavengers, but as they decompose, the water is fertilized increasing plankton growth which the newly hatched fry will eat.  The fish are so interesting, somewhat grotesque looking and such a unique experience to see that I thought it would be worth mentioning and sharing a few pictures.