Drift Boat Chinook Salmon Fishing
Description
King Salmon, the biggest & baddest Salmon of them all! It's amazing how bright and hard fighting these fish are, even when they're over 500 miles upstream of the Pacific Ocean! Come join us in the fun!
Fall & Spring Chinook Salmon fishing are very different. In the spring we rush to where we think we have the best odds of finding fish, drop our anchor, and wait for the bite! In the Fall, we hop hole-to-hole searching for bites. Different seasons bring different styles of fishing. We don't exclusively target Salmon in the fall, we target them alongside Steelhead, too. Make sure you're prepared for both!
We primarily fish two different ways for Salmon: Plugs, & side-drifting! We can retain hatchery or wild Fall Chinook, and must release wild Spring Chinook. There's nothing like bringing home a Salmon caught on the Salmon River!
Fall Season: Mid September - October 31
Spring Season: Mid/Late May - Mid June
Price: $240/angler (minimum 2 spots per boat)
What to Expect
When?: Fall Chinook: September 15-October 31 Spring Chinook: Mid May-Mid June
Where?: Salmon River - Riggins, Idaho. We have a 59 miles of amazing scenic river we are permitted to fish for Chinook Salmon on.
Price?: Fall Chinook & Steelhead - $240/angler (minimum 2 spots per boat)
How long?: Full day - 10 hours
What kind of fishing techniques are used?: Drift Boat gear fishing, plugs, drifting bait.
Can we fly fish?: We do not offer fly fishing trips focused on targeting Chinook Salmon.
What else can we catch?: Book your trip between September 15 & October 31 for a chance at some Steelhead, too!
Can we do a longer trip?: Definitely! Book as many days in a row as you want! Booking multiple days on the river is a great way to see more river & really take advantage of its amazing Salmon fishing opportunities.
Are there wildlife?: There are tons! We frequently see Deer, Elk, Bald Eagles, Osprey, River Otter, & more on our trips!
What does SRD Provide?: Experienced Salmon fishing guides, all fishing gear needed, snacks, coffee, water, & a comfortable heated drift boat.
What do we need to bring?: Idaho Steelhead Permit & Fishing License, lunch, camera, sunglasses, drinks of choice
How should we dress?: Dress warm & with multiple layers! Expect variable weather in the Spring & early fall. Bring quality rain gear & check the forecast beforehand!
Note For Spring Chinook Only: Spring Chinook Salmon seasons and timing change year-to-year, please call ahead so we can talk about season & run status! We start our days early! As of February, 2025 we currently only offer Fall Chinook Salmon Fishing*
Note For Fall Chinook Only: Fall Chinook Salmon season overlaps with our Fall Steelhead Season. We encourage anglers to have both Steelhead tags & Salmon tags when coming for a trip! We always expect mixed bags during these times!
Gear & Equipment
For Fall Chinook Fishing: We primarily backtroll plugs, dive bait, and side-drift.
For Spring Chinook Fishing: We anchor-fish plugs & dive bait
We exclusively use Lamiglas Rods & Shimano Reels in our boats.
Catch & Release Rules: On the Salmon River, the Fish & Game commission sets the "limits" for fish retention annually. We may retain hatchery fish (clipped adipose fin), and must release all wild-origin fish (intact adipose fin). In the Fall season we may retain both hatchery & wild origin Chinook Salmon
Pricing Details
2025 pricing: $240/angler (required minimum of 2 seats purchased)
Our drift boats can support up to 3 anglers per boat.
Terms & Conditions
Reservations: A 50% deposit of final trip price is required to reserve your date & boat at the time of booking.
Your final payment will be due within 14 days of your trip launch. This payment will be auto-charged to the card on file if final payment is not received within 14 days of your trip launch.
Refunds: All Deposits & Final payments are NON-REFUNDABLE.
Cancellations & Date Changes: 14+ days prior to your trip launch: Change of date with no charge allowed.
14 days to 72 hours prior to your trip launch: Change of date allowed +20% rebooking fee.
72 hours prior to your trip launch: No date change accepted. Trip cost will be forfeited.
"No show" cancellation: Trip cost will be forfeited.
Transfers: Transfer of your launch date & deposit or full payment to another guest or party is acceptable at any time prior to your trip.
Cancellations due to safety: Within our discretion & professional experience, we may deem river flows or any other ongoing events of nature unsafe for any reason. Clients will be given the option of to cancel their trip and receive a full refund or rebook for another date.
Other: We do not cancel trips based on weather forecast or current weather conditions. Please come prepared for the elements.
Salmon River Drifters, LLC reserves the right to cancel a trip for any person at any time. If this occurs prior to your trip launch the reservation holder will receive a full refund of trip cost
Physical Requirements
N/A
Permit & Tag Application Process
You are responsible for purchasing a fishing license from Idaho Fish & Game. For Steelhead & Salmon Fishing you will need an Idaho Fishing License & a Steelhead (or Salmon) Permit, they will both need to be printed out and in your possession. For Bass fishing, just a general fishing license is required.
For out of state residents you will need to purchase a "3 Day Salmon & Steelhead Permit". This counts as both your Fishing License & Steelhead/Salmon Permit.
For Chukar hunting, residents will need a general hunting permit. There are no special permits for Chukar. Out of state residents will need to purchase a "3 Day Hunting-Small Game" license.
Please come with your license & permit in hand. We will verify that you are in possession of it before we depart. If you order online from IDFG please allow AT LEAST 10 business days lead time before your trip, or select the "E Tagging" option and verify that your GoOutdoorsIdaho app displays your permits correctly.