Chinook Head Back to Idaho

Anglers can expect to be fishing by mid-April on a spring chinook run projected to be more than triple last year's. Biologists are predicting 114,000 to 167,000 chinook over Lower Granite Dam-the last major dam before the fish enter Idaho. The run was estimated at 43,300 last year and 75,000 the year before. Most of the salmon - 70 to 80 percent - will be hatchery fish. Anglers are allowed to keep only hatchery salmon. Wild salmon must be returned unharmed to the water. Fishing will be opened on the Salmon River, Clearwater River and Little Salmon River.