Kokanee salmon in Taylor Creek above Lake Tahoe in October.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iloAtHpVn-g#t=49.395519

[tcorfey]

So my understanding is that DFW sets up weirs on the Little Truckee above Stampede as well as on Taylor Creek. Then when 1.5 million eggs are collected they remove the weirs on the Little Truckee but leave them on Taylor Creek or are they removed there also. Don't the browns spawn soon after?

I understand that the Kokanee are not native to the Tahoe area but what is the science behind collecting the eggs.

[Mark Kranhold]

Very cool the Black bears are catching on to this! Sagehen creek gets a healthy run of Kokanee and it a sight to see, especially with all the aspens in fall colors. A full spectrum of mother natures colors, from yellow aspens to fiery red Kokanee.

[PV_Premier]

So my understanding is that DFW sets up weirs on the Little Truckee above Stampede as well as on Taylor Creek. Then when 1.5 million eggs are collected they remove the weirs on the Little Truckee but leave them on Taylor Creek or are they removed there also. Don't the browns spawn soon after?

I understand that the Kokanee are not native to the Tahoe area but what is the science behind collecting the eggs.

I have similar questions. I have heard about but not yet witnessed the LT "egg bite". I am aiming to figure it out this fall. Where are the weirs set up at?

[John Sv]

The Weir is above Stampede, about 2 riffles up from the 'normal fall height' in the first big pool. Pretty cool and worth a visit. Pull off on Penny Pines road at Sagehen Summit and walk/bike ride down, or drive in from Kyburz flat. Weir gets taken down right after the egg take. I have seen a few browns spawn in this reach but see way more in Sagehen.

No idea what happens at Taylor.

Kokanee are big biz. Very popular sport fish. I think they are raising them in some valley hatchery but use the Stampede eggs. Super tasty fish- fun to catch on a fly when you can too.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

The original game fish in Tahoe was the giant Lahonton Cutthroat trout.

The Mackinaw or Lake Trout, Kokanee (land locked dwarf Sockeye salmon), Rainbow trout and Brown trout were introduced.


Looks like some of the "fish people" want to go back to just indigenous fish?


Fish history in Lake Tahoe:

.http://terc.ucdavis.edu/ed-outreach/documents/tic-tahoefishspecies.pdf

[Morgan]

From my understanding Fallen leaf lake used to have a kokanee hatchery for the fish. That broke somehow and released the salmon from the hatchery into tahoe. Now the kokanee swim up Taylor creek to spawn in October when they release water from Fallen leaf into Tahoe. This allows the kokanee to swim upstream and spawn. I dont believe any eggs are collected these days. All natural Im pretty sure.

Dont quote me on all this. But this is the story I have heard and gathered over the years.