KOKANEE SALMON: Kokanee are a land-locked form of the Pacific sockeye salmon. The
DEP currently maintains a kokanee salmon fishery in West Hill Pond (New
Hartford/Barkhamsted). Mature kokanee are trapnetted from West Hill Pond and transported
to the Burlington State Trout Hatchery for spawning during the fall. Additional eggs are
sometimes obtained from out-of-state sources (when available) to reach stocking goals
(approximately 50,000 fry per year) and/or to add genetic diversity. After eggs are incubated
and hatched, kokanee fry are reared and stocked in the spring. In 2009, nearly 51,000 fry were
released into West Hill Pond.
1
Historically, popular kokanee fisheries also existed in East Twin Lake and Lake
Wononskopomuc, however, these two fisheries collapsed following illegal introductions of
landlocked alewife. When surplus eggs are available, fry are also stocked into East Twin Lake
and/or Lake Wononskopomuc. In 2009, 51,400 fry were released into East Twin Lake and
25,800 fry were released into Lake Wononskopomuc. The great news for anglers is that a
strong kokanee population has returned to East Twin Lake. In 2008, large adults were
sampled for the first time in many years, and in 2009 over 800 16-inch adult salmon were
sampled. The return of kokanee in East Twin Lake may be related to a concurrent decline of
the lake’s alewife population. There is hope that a very exciting and popular kokanee fishery
can be reestablished at East Twin Lake.