The upper reaches of the Salmon River continued to fish well over the past week. The majority of angler effort was located upstream of the East Fork in location code 19, while angler effort downstream of Salmon, ID in location codes 15 and 16 remained low. Anglers harvested an estimated 28 hatchery adult Chinook in location code 17 which produced a harvest rate of 59 hours per Chinook kept. Near Challis, ID in location code 18, anglers harvested an estimated 71 hatchery adult Chinook and 13 hatchery jacks which produced a harvest rate of 26 hours per Chinook kept. Anglers upstream of the East Fork in location code 19 harvested an estimated 138 hatchery adult Chinook and 56 hatchery jacks which produced a harvest rate of 32 hours per Chinook kept.
Water conditions on the upper Salmon remained good throughout the past week. Currently, the Salmon River is flowing at 2,440 cfs through the town of Salmon, ID which is 51% of average for today’s date. Upriver near the Yankee Fork, the Salmon River is flowing at 1,430 cfs which is 55% of average. Mid-morning water temperatures over the weekend were in the low 50s near Stanley, ID and in the low 60s near Salmon, ID.
As of Friday June 24th, 166 hatchery adult Chinook had returned to the Pahsimeroi Hatchery and as of Sunday June 26th, 304 hatchery adult Chinook had returned to the Sawtooth Hatchery. - Brent Beller, Salmon Region Fisheries Technician