Chinook On the Move to Idaho

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho can add more one sign of spring to its list: Three Chinook salmon have crossed the final dam before entering Idaho — signaling the first days of warm weather and the onset of angling season for the big fish.

The Idaho Statesman reports the salmon are expected to arrive from their journey up the Columbia River in smaller numbers this year. More than 600 fish had crossed the first dam in Bonneville by Monday, lower than the 10-year average of 4,757 by that date. But that doesn't mean Idaho anglers should panic: A run delayed by a week or so can skew the first batch of numbers. Last year, more than 116,000 Chinook crossed the Lower Granite Dam on their way to spawn in Idaho.