Best chinook salmon lakes in Idaho
13 Idaho waters list chinook salmon (official records or labelled estimates), 2 mapped with survey or official-chart depth data. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality, leading with the waters in our reviewed search catalog — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. The king. Deep, cold open water all summer; staged off river mouths in fall. Follows the 42-52°F band.
- Lake Coeur d'Alene — 210 ft · Survey depth data · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 19 public access sites
- American Falls Reservoir — 53 ft · Approximated contours · Crappie, Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Coho SalmonWhy #2: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · no verified access record attached
- Anderson Ranch Reservoir — 303 ft · Survey depth data · real survey depth contours · Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Chinook SalmonWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
- Salmon River (Upper) — 10 ft · Approximated contours · Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Steelhead, Cutthroat TroutWhy #4: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · 9 public access sites
- Deadwood Reservoir — 38 ft · Approximated contours · Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, KokaneeWhy #5: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · no verified access record attached
- Lower Goose Creek Reservoir — 19 ft · Approximated contours · Walleye, Channel Catfish, Rainbow Trout, Chinook SalmonWhy #6: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · no verified access record attached
- Chesterfield Reservoir — 21 ft · Approximated contours · Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Brown Trout, Cutthroat TroutWhy #7: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · no verified access record attached
- Lost Valley Reservoir — 21 ft · Approximated contours · Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Cutthroat TroutWhy #8: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · no verified access record attached
- Rose Lake — 30 ft · Approximated contours · Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Rainbow Trout, Chinook SalmonWhy #9: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · no verified access record attached
- Kelso Lake — 48 ft · Approximated contours · Bluegill, Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Brown TroutWhy #10: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · no verified access record attached
- Bull Trout Lake — 46 ft · Approximated contours · Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Brook TroutWhy #11: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · no verified access record attached
…plus 2 more Idaho waters holding chinook salmon.
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How to use this ranking
The order is a map-planning ranking, not a claim about today's fish population. It favors larger mapped waters and gives survey-backed contours a three-times data-quality boost. Agency population surveys, current regulations, access and recent conditions should make the final decision.
Compare maximum depth across 37,233 lake records · See Idaho waters with public access data
When to fish chinook salmon in Idaho
- Spring 5–40 ft — Cold surface water lets kings feed shallow — warm-water pockets near river mouths and the first drop-off hold bait and fish.
- Summer 50–120 ft — Kings ride the 42-52°F band well below the thermocline — deep basins and steep structure where bait schools stack.
- Fall 10–50 ft — Spawning-run fish stage off tributary mouths before running the rivers — the year's best big-fish window.
- Winter 30–90 ft — Immature kings winter deep and scattered; a slow deep troll finds loners.
Also in Idaho: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best yellow perch lakes · best coho salmon lakes · best steelhead lakes · best lake trout lakes · best brown trout lakes · best brook trout lakes · best kokanee lakes · best lake whitefish lakes · best cutthroat trout lakes
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