Want to Fish for Chinook? Mark the South Fork off Your List

CHALLIS, Idaho – If you were planning a trip to fish for chinook on the South Fork of the Salmon River – Idaho’s popular salmon fishery – you might want to plan another venue, such as the Lochsa River or Upper Salmon.  

Chinook season opened today on the latter two fisheries, upstream of Challis, but the South Fork is closed for chinook fishing.

According to Idaho Department of Fish and Game:

When fisheries managers set the summer seasons earlier this month, fish were later-than-usual crossing Bonneville Dam on the Columbia, but at the time, it appeared there would be enough fish to support a modest season on the South Fork of the Salmon River. Unfortunately, not enough fish have returned for sport harvest.

"The front end of the run appeared to be near the forecast, but midway through the run, the bottom fell out," anadromous fish and hatcheries coordinator Sam Sharr said in the prepared statement.

Salmon fishing will also continue on a short section of the lower Salmon River and Little Salmon River until further notice.

 Source: Idaho Department of Fish and Game