Lake Tahoe is home to a lot of really cool wildlife. One of my favorites is its population of Kokanee salmon, a small landlocked subspecies of Sockeye salmon. Though they’re non-native, the fish are special to me. I have a lot of memories of visiting the Taylor Creek stream profile chamber and watching the creek turn bright red with the spawning each fall. I loved seeing above and below the surface in the chamber and seeing the fish behavior and the beauty under the surface. I kind of credit these fun family trips with my early interest in the underwater world.
I’ve shot a lot in Lake Tahoe, but this was one of the first times I set out to specifically photograph the Kokanee. It’s a little tough to access these fish. The spawning event draws thousands of tourists and visitors each year. I wanted to avoid setting a bad example by stepping in the water, as the salmon reds could easily be damaged. I laid on the bank and balanced on some of the shoreline rocks to get these images. If you go to see them (spawning is usually between September and October), please take care of the area and stay on established paths. Also, watch out for bears!
