edible notables
SOMETHING’S FISHY
Watch the annual running of the salmon in South Lake Tahoe.
WRITTEN BY JENNIFER RACHEL BAUMER
This fall, gather up the family and head to South Lake Tahoe for two days filled with fun, educational activities. Taylor Creek Visitor Center will come alive with the sights of the annual running of the Kokanee salmon for the Fall Fish Fest. The event, a 24-year tradition, is Oct. 5 – 6 this year.
The Fall Fish Fest takes place in October, when water is released from Fallen Leaf Lake and flows into Taylor Creek. The rush of water encourages the salmon to spawn, creating a remarkably colorful display of jumping, flopping red fish in the cool, shallow water, which reflects the surrounding fall foliage. During the festival, U.S. Forest Service biologists will be stationed along the half-mile loop of the Rainbow Trail nature walk to answer questions about the area and salmon. Kokanee salmon, lake-dwelling cousins of the ocean-dwelling Sockeye salmon, aren’t native to Tahoe, but were introduced in 1944.
Besides watching the enchanting vibrant red, migrating fish, participants can enjoy an 8-ounce barbecue salmon filet dinner that includes corn on the cob, a dinner roll, and a drink. While the menu wasn’t set as of press time, other choices likely will include barbecued hotdogs and hamburgers, baked potatoes, nachos, chips, and cookies.
The festival includes interactive events for children such as fish painting, sponsored by California Conservation Corps; a treasure hunt for educational materials put on by California Inland Fisheries Foundation; booths run by local organizations featuring information about local wildlife; and an interactive play, Drama of the Kokanee, at the outdoor Lake of the Sky Amphitheater on Sunday at 2 p.m. On Saturday, also at 2 p.m., Wild Things will take the stage; the show features live wild animals that have been rescued but can’t be returned to the wild. In addition, on Sunday, Tahoe Mountain Milers and Sagebrush Stompers will present Kokanee Trail Runs, a half marathon, 5k, and 10k, as well as a children’s half-mile Tadpole Trot. Race day registration begins at 8 a.m.
And, if you’re lucky, you might see a mama bear teaching her cubs to fish, says Tom Millham, Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care center secretary/treasurer, who has handled the food portion of the festival since the first year.
Jennifer Rachel Baumer is a Reno-based freelance writer interested in the Fall Fish Fest’s wildlife and races.
If you go
U.S. Forest Service Visitor Center at Taylor Creek is located three miles north of the “Y” in South Lake Tahoe. Take Highway 89 north past Tallac Historic Site. The festival runs from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 5 – 6. Admission is free; food is individually priced. For details, visit www.Fs.usda.gov/main/ltbmu and search for Fall Fish Fest.
