Best chinook salmon lakes in Idaho
13 Idaho waters hold chinook salmon, 2 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — 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 max · survey depth data · 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 max · Crappie, Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Coho SalmonWhy #2: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Anderson Ranch Reservoir — 303 ft max · survey depth data · 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 max · Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Steelhead, Cutthroat TroutWhy #4: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 9 public access sites
- Deadwood Reservoir — 38 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, KokaneeWhy #5: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Lower Goose Creek Reservoir — 19 ft max · Walleye, Channel Catfish, Rainbow Trout, Chinook SalmonWhy #6: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Chesterfield Reservoir — 21 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Brown Trout, Cutthroat TroutWhy #7: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Lost Valley Reservoir — 21 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Cutthroat TroutWhy #8: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Rose Lake — 30 ft max · Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Chinook SalmonWhy #9: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Bull Run Lake — 273 ft max · Chinook SalmonWhy #10: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Kelso Lake — 48 ft max · Bluegill, Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Brown TroutWhy #11: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Blue Lake — 12 ft max · Channel Catfish, Rainbow Trout, Muskellunge, Chinook SalmonWhy #12: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Bull Trout Lake — 46 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Brook TroutWhy #13: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
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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
Chinook Salmon elsewhere: Ontario · British Columbia · Québec · Michigan · New York · Washington · California · Alaska