06-11-2023, 02:25 PM
As the human population expands so does the people who fish. The Kokanee popularity has exponentially increased. Until fairly recently the only two reservoirs to hold Kokanee were the Gorge and Strawberry. East Canyon at one time held a small population of Kokes but that was way back in the 50's & 60's and it died off. The pressure on the Gorge and Strawberry to fish strickley for Kokes has gotten to the point that the population has taken a beating. I only fish weekdays and even then, some days the parking lots fill up with trucks and boat trailers. I also think that Covid had something to do with the amount of people fishing. People were not going in to work and consequently more fish days were had. The downturn of the Koke populations coincides with the dates of Covid. I don't fish the Gorge but I do fish Strawberry and have been fishing it way before it was enlarged (my parents had a cabin at Clarks Camp) and I think Strawberry gets fished to death. Too much pressure.