Beginning in July, summer chinook salmon begin their spawning migration into the Rogue.
Due to lower river levels and warm water temperatures during the summer, they hold for several weeks or longer in the estuary area. This provides excellent trolling conditions until late October during most years and is a great time to go fishing on the Rogue.
Summer Chinook salmon average around 18 or 20 pounds but some tip the scales up to 50 pounds.
A large Chinook is a prized and sought-after catch for a sporting angler. The Chinook is blue-green, red, or purple on the back and top of the head, with silvery sides and black spots on its tail and the upper half of its body.