The Top Places To Fish for Salmon in the United States

You know them. You love them. Whether a chinook or pink,  salmon has been a favorite game fish of many anglers since time immemorial. In the US, it remains a must-catch for every American angler. Not only is its meat delicious and healthy, but it also offers a challenge to every angler seeking to catch it. 

Because of their value, one of the first questions asked by anglers looking for them is, “Where do I find them?” This article aims to provide anglers with the top places to fish salmon in the United States so you don’t have to struggle to research where to find them yourself. After all, if you know where to find salmon, you can better prepare yourself for catching them. 

Where to Catch Salmon in the US

1. Lake Ontario, New York

One of North America's five Great Lakes is Lake Ontario. It is a good place to go fishing for salmon, as chinook and coho salmon abound in its waters. Lake Ontario serves as the main waterway for the rest of the great lakes to the Atlantic Ocean. This means that salmon need to cross Lake Ontario on their way to their breeding grounds, making it a good spot to catch them in large numbers. The most popular salmon caught in its waters is the chinook salmon because of its large size and prized meat, but you can also find atlantic salmon and coho salmon. The best time to go salmon fishing here is from May until October. 

 2. Kenai River, Alaska

If there’s one place you should go salmon fishing in the US, it’s Alaska. And no discussion of salmon fishing in Alaska would be complete without mentioning the Kenai River. Because the river produces such large salmon sizes, the local government has a separate record for salmon caught there. Why a different record, you may ask? Because Alaska gives a trophy certificate for huge salmon catches to anglers. Your catch must weigh at least 50 pounds to qualify for this certificate. But since 50-pound chinook salmon are abundant in that river, the standard was increased to 75 pounds. It should give you an idea of how large the salmon are here. If you want to visit this river, May to August is the best time to go. 

3. West Branch Penobscot River, Maine

Even though the population of Atlantic salmon has declined greatly in Maine, there are still areas where you can catch salmon. A place that an angler should particularly visit is the western branch of the Penobscot River. Book your trip there in advance because the area gets busy. Sometimes the lodgings in the area get fully booked so quickly that you’d have to reserve a spot two years in advance! An excellent spot to do flyfishing for salmon in the river is at Ripogenus Dam to Abol bridge. Remember to practice catch and release because you are only allowed to bring home one salmon. It helps preserve and increase the number of salmon. The fishing season here is from April to August.

4. Lake Oahe, South Dakota

Believe it or not, salmon can also be caught in the Midwest. Lake Oahe offers chinook salmon to anglers looking to catch these fish without going too far north. Although salmon is not native to the Lake’s waters, it was introduced by the local government to provide additional game fish. To acclimate salmon in the lake, the Whitlock Bay Spawning Station was built to keep salmon numbers in the lake. Winter is the best time to catch salmon here, but large salmon can also be caught in its waters during the summer. 

5. Bristol Bay, Alaska

Home to the largest run of sockeye salmon, it would be impossible for us not to include Bristol Bay in our list. The area is not easily accessible, though. You would have to get on a plane to get there. If you’re up for the challenge, you’ll be greatly rewarded by a huge number of sockeye, chinook, and coho salmon. The Kvichack, Naknek, and Togiak rivers flow through the bay, which are all prime spots for catching salmon. The best time to go here if you want to make the most of your trip is from June to September. While you’re here, you might like to go to the Kenai River and make the most of your Alaskan salmon fishing experience.