According to the regs manual a Kokanee/Sockeye have gold eyes. This fish definetely had gold eyes. Determining if it is a Kokanee or Sockeye depend on the length of the fish. Less than or greater than 15 inches. My tape measure was in hand and I had my regs manual in the boat for verification before I put the BONK on it. I know in the picture the fish looks huge but indeed it was not big at all compared to some of the other trout I have been pulling out of the big lake lately (big for a Kokanee though). Believe me, the last thing I wanted to do was keep a fish I was not completely sure was legal to do so knowing both Kings and Sockeye are filling the big lake right now. After we cleaned the fish it was very apparent that the fish was not a migratory fish. It had no eggs or sperm sack similar to other large resident Cutts and Bows I have caught so far this season. Also, I caught this fish really shallow, which is not a depth that you would normally find migratory Sockeye.