Colorado Parks and Wildlife will give away kokanee salmon in Durango at 3 p.m. on Nov. 6, 13, 20 and Dec. 4 at the boat ramp at Lake Nighthorse.
The fish will be available following spawning operations at the reservoir. Anyone wanting fish must present a 2015 Colorado fishing license. The number of fish each person receives will be determined by the number of kokanee collected by CPW staff and the number of people who show-up for the give-away. Fish are distributed as equally as possible.
To get to the boat ramp, go west on La Plata County Road 210 behind the Office Depot shopping center to the top of the hill. CPW staff will be at the entrance to check licenses and direct traffic. Because of traffic concerns, people are asked to arrive at the gate no earlier than 2 p.m.
The Bureau of Reclamation has granted CPW limited permission to conduct the give-aways at this location. Those attending will be required to stay in their vehicles until the give-away starts. People must stay in the parking lot and will not be able to walk around any other part of the property.
Each give-away should be completed by 4 p.m.
People interested in receiving fish should bring a small cooler or other container. Most of the kokanee are 10 to 13 inches in size. These tasty fish can be filleted and are easy to prepare.
Kokanee are a freshwater, land-locked sockeye salmon. It is not native to Colorado but is well suited to Colorado’s large reservoirs.
For more information on kokanee and all Colorado’s fish species, go to: cpw.state.co.