Division of Aquatic Resources

DAR Fisheries Technician Mark Sueyasu (in green) and his team of volunteers have kept the trout program running for the last 28 years.

The 2022 Kōkeʻe trout season closed at the end of September with 3,033 fishers harvesting 19,500 trout. A substantial increase over the previous two seasons which saw lower participation in the fishery due to covid restrictions and the dip in tourism during the pandemic.

Kauaʻi families enjoyed being able to fish throughout the season without having to apply for a lottery. Fishing remained strong though June and July, and even into August. With the exception of a rainy opening day, dry weather kept the road and reservoir banks in good condition all season.

The largest trout this year was 18” and 2 lb 14 oz. The fish were a little bit on the smaller side this year due to the high survivorship of the juveniles and increased competition for food and space in the reservoir. The hot and dry summer also contributed to lower water levels and reduced water quality which affects the fish.

This year also marks a major milestone for the trout program. Mark Sueyasu who has run the program for 28 years will be retiring at the end of the year. DAR is grateful for Mark’s many years of hard work and dedication to the program. Raising tens of thousands of trout each year is no small feat!

Next year’s trout eggs have already arrived at DAR’s Anuenue Fisheries Research Center (AFRC) from Mount Shasta hatchery in California and are being hatched and reared at AFRC until the water at Puʻu Lua reservoir cools down enough to bring them over to Kauaʻi. Usually this happens in late October or November.

Once the juvenile trout are brought over, they are raised in the floating hatchery platform at Puʻu Lua until they are big enough to avoid being eaten by any holdover fish and then DAR technicians release them into the reservoir and continue to feed and care for them until the season opens.

For more information about the trout program, see the article in the April 2022 issue of Hawaii Fishing News. The 2023 season is expected to open in mid-June and run through the end of September. Once the opening date is determined, it will be announced on the DAR website.