Another Shot at Kokanee?

[Zach Matthews]

Hey guys-

This is partly to see if anyone around the area would like to join me in this.

Here’s the deal.  Nantahala Lake in North Carolina has kokanee salmon – not huge but some look to go around 3-4 lbs. based on the pictures, and they are bright red, sockeye-strain salmon.  (Kokanee are just freshwater sockeye, like rainbows are to steelhead).

The upper waters of Nantahala are inaccessible due to private ownership and North Carolina’s status as one of those landowner-owns-the-streambed states.  Thus, this will be a boating expedition.

I hope to catch the fish at “the chain” – the chain that cuts off access to the upper river, by jonboat, which can be rented at a dock on Nantahala.  The local landowners are not likely to be friendly – Nantahala is a very very hoighty toighty area with whole sections of the banks fenced behind guardhouse fences.  

I suspect a jonboat rental is about $50.  This may not pan out at all but I am planning another shot in October, probably the third or fourth weekend.  (The second is our Fontana trip).  If anyone would like to join me please shout!

Zach

[Cameron Mortenson]

While living in Colorado a few years ago I fished for Kokanee in Lake Carter just outside of Loveland a couple of times.

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