Chinook (King) Salmon
Oncorhynchus tshawytscha
The Largest Pacific Salmon — Alaska's Signature Gamefish
- Average size
- 15–30 lb typical · 50+ lb trophies
- Peak season
- Late May–mid July
- World record
- 97 lb 4 oz — Kenai River, Alaska (1985)
- Experiences
- 5
Chinook are the largest species of Pacific salmon and the apex river fish of the North Pacific. Fish over 30 pounds are common in the primary runs; fish over 50 pounds — "tyees" in BC, "smileys" on the Kenai — are the reason anglers book trips. The Kenai River holds the all-tackle world record at 97 pounds, caught in 1985.
Modern chinook fishing is divided between saltwater trolling/mooching (Southeast Alaska, Haida Gwaii, Puget Sound) and river fishing (Kenai, Nushagak, Tsiu, Karluk, Naknek). The saltwater programs offer reliable numbers; the river programs offer trophy shots and the cultural weight of catching a king in its natal river. Southeast Alaska lodges like Baranof Wilderness Lodge combine both in a single trip.
Best Methods
- ● Downrigger trolling in saltwater with cut-plug herring
- ● Back-bouncing cured roe in rivers
- ● Swinging large flies with heavy sink-tips
- ● Mooching with herring in the Inside Passage
Gear Notes
12–14 weight fly rods for river chinook. 25–30 lb mono or braid for conventional. Saltwater trolling uses downriggers and 6–8' medium-heavy rods with 30–50 lb mainline. Skagit-style shooting heads with T-14 or T-17 for swinging.
Where to Catch Chinook Salmon
5 vetted experiences across 3 countries.
King Pacific Lodge, British Columbia, Canada
King Pacific Lodge is the ultimate luxury/adventure/ecotourism vacation spot located in the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest on the west coast of British Columbia.
Sonora, British Columbia, Canada
Sonora Resort is situated in Desolation Sound among the Discovery Islands off Vancouver Island, voted #1 Luxury Hotel in Canada by TripAdvisor. Spectacular eco adventures meet luxurious accommodations.
Southern Lakes Fishing Safaris, New Zealand
Southern Lakes Fishing Safaris provides guided fly fishing for Brown and Rainbow trout in the Southern Lakes region of New Zealand's South Island, encompassing three World Heritage National Parks based out of Wanaka.
Suskeena Lodge, BC, Canada
Suskeena Lodge is located on the Sustut River in Northern British Columbia, where the Sustut has the largest average steelhead found in any river in the Skeena watershed.
The Lodge at Whale Pass, Southeast Alaska
The Lodge at Whale Pass is situated in the heart of the Inside Passage, only a 45-minute floatplane trip from Ketchikan with no set arrival or departure days.
Explore Other Species
Browse our full species catalog.