Osoyoos sockeye 2020

sly_karma

Crew Member
Return numbers look promising so far, decent chance there will be a sport opening for Osoyoos Lake sockeye this August. 12-15,000 per day being counted at Bonneville at present, and the majority of these are Canada-bound. Seems like the run is slightly later than usual, normally it has peaked by July 1. You can follow the counts at http://www.fpc.org/currentdaily/HistFishTwo_7day-ytd_Adults.htm. Wells Dam is the last count point before the Okanagan River. Fisheries notice for this opening - if it happens - will be 3rd or 4th week of July.

Could be interesting if water temps stay low like they are now, the fish may well run directly up to Skaha rather than holding in Brewster Pool or Osoyoos Lake. To balance that, stream flows are still at max in the Okanagan River and likely to stay that way for a few more weeks to get the lake back below full pool again. The lake looked like it was cresting in the second week of June, but widespread rainfall has caused it to kick upward again. Levels are holding steady now and should start to come down by the weekend. Still a foot above full pool and there are lots of crawl spaces around the place pumping out water.
 
In recent years the opening has been first half of August. IIRC in 2014 it was extended to run the entire month due to abundance. I just checked the site linked in my OP and no sign of the peak having passed Bonneville yet: 20,500 yesterday and 229K total to date. The leading edge of the run crossed Wells Dam earlier this week.

The sport opening seems more likely with upwards of a quarter million fish returning. ONA will run their commercial fishery as well.
 
I'm in Osoyoos from the 19th to the 25th of July. Probably a bit early. Would be amazing to get a chance to fish while I'm there.
 
I'm in Osoyoos from the 19th to the 25th of July. Probably a bit early. Would be amazing to get a chance to fish while I'm there.

looking at past notices looks like they tend to open it around July 31
 
looking at past notices looks like they tend to open it around July 31
Yeah. I never really thought to move the Osoyoos trip to August cause well, Im usually fishing Chinook locally! Might have to make the switch for the coming years.
 
We've only had openings in even years of late. 2019 was the weak year of the cycle and 2017 was heavily affected by heat, many fish stalled in Brewster Pool and didn't come further north. I doubt there'll be a strong run in 2021. The next dominant year is 2022.
 
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