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fishing forecast

chinook salmon

Oncorhynchus tshawytscha · Salmonidae · predator

Freshwater

The largest Pacific salmon, brought to southern Chile by aquaculture and the release of juveniles. Today it runs up dozens of Patagonian rivers on its own in summer, with fish over 10 kg.

Also called: salmão-chinook, salmão-rei, chinook, king salmon

Scientific illustration of Chinook salmon
common size
70–110 cm
maximum
150 cm
common weight
6–20 kg
record/max.
61.4 kg
depth
1–10 m
ideal water
8–14 °C
location

Sample location: choose yours to see the forecast for where you fish.

period

Reading the weather across 3 global models and 31 simulations…

the species

everything about the chinook salmon

overview

who is the chinook salmon

Native to the North Pacific, it was introduced into southern Chile through stocking programs and escaped from farms. Over recent decades it formed self-reproducing populations in Chilean rivers and reached rivers in Argentina, including some that drain into the Atlantic. It is anadromous: it hatches in a river, goes to sea, grows for a few years and returns to its home river to spawn, late summer and autumn. It dies after spawning. Adults that run up the river no longer feed properly, but they strike lures by reflex and aggression. It is the largest freshwater sport fish in Patagonia, and fish of 8 to 20 kg are common. Being invasive, researchers monitor its impact on native fauna.

fun facts

  • It dies after spawning: at the end of the season rivers are left with carcasses, which carry nutrients from the sea into the environment.
  • Its spread through Patagonia is one of the rare cases of Pacific salmon establishing itself on its own outside its native range.
how to recognize it

identification

Large, spindle-shaped body, deep in adults. At sea and at the start of the run it is silvery, with a greenish-blue back and small black spots on the back and on both lobes of the tail. The gum of the lower jaw is black, the surest sign of the species. At spawning it turns olive, dark red or purplish, and males develop a hooked jaw (kype). Trouts do not have a black gum and are much smaller.

distribution

where found

open on the large map

Does not occur in Brazil. Exotic, native to the North Pacific. Established populations in rivers of southern Chile, mainly from Los Lagos to Magallanes, and in rivers of Argentine Patagonia, including the Atlantic slope.

Habitat: Large, cold rivers during the spawning run: deep pools, main channels and lake outlets. Juveniles live in the river, and adults spend their feeding phase at sea.

calendar and clock

when to fish

best season

time of yearbest: Jan–Mar
JanFebSeaAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

The run happens in the southern summer and early autumn: December to April, with the peak usually falling in January and February in Chilean rivers. Each region's legal calendar governs.

best time of day

0h6h12h18h sunrise ~6amsunset ~6pm

Daytime, with peaks at dawn and dusk. Fish on the run strike more at dawn, late afternoon and on overcast days, when they are moving through the channel.

weather, water and behavior

what affects the chinook salmon
sensitivity The little bars show how much each factor affects this species. Five full: it feels it a lot.

cold and cold fronts

Tolerates cold water; the run is driven by season and flow, not by cold.

atmospheric pressure

Little direct effect; rain and rising flow matter more.

moon

Little effect.

rain

Rain that raises the flow prompts new fish to enter the river.

water level

Rising flow brings in new fish; a very low river leaves salmon idle in the pools and wary.

noise

Fish in a deep pool tolerate some noise, but a boat overhead spooks them.

wind

It hampers casting heavy fly lines; little effect on the fish.

depth

Main channel and pools of 2 to 6 m; the lure must reach close to the bottom.

technique, gear and bait

how to fish

rod
spinning 8' to 9', 15 to 30 lb; or two-handed fly #9 to #10
spinning / baitcasting reel
spinning reel 4000 to 5000 with a strong drag; large fly reel with plenty of backing
line
braided line 30 to 50 lb; fly: sinking heads
leader
fluorocarbon 25 to 40 lb
hook
single hooks 2/0 to 5/0, barbless where required

lures

  • spoon 20 to 40 g
  • large spinner #5 to 6
  • mid-water plugs
  • large, heavy streamers

natural baits

  • natural bait is usually banned for salmonids; check the regulations

accessories

  • very large landing net or release cradle
  • luvas
  • waders with a belt
  • long-nose pliers

tip from an angler

Run the lure slowly and deep through the channel where the salmon rest. The first run is long: let the drag work and follow the fish along the bank.

what the law says

rules for the chinook salmon

Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
Conservation: Exotic and invasive in southern South America; the carcasses after spawning alter the rivers, and the impact on native fish is under study.

Chile: license and limit of 3 fish or 15 kg per day

3 fish or 15 kg per day (whichever comes first)confirm with the agency

In recreational salmonid fishing in Chile's inland waters, including Chinook salmon, the general rule published by Sernapesca is a maximum of 3 fish or 15 kg per angler per day, with a valid recreational fishing license and one rod per person. The season is set by region (in Magallanes, 2025-2026: Oct 16 to Apr 14), and some rivers and lakes are catch-and-release only. In some regions live or organic bait is banned for salmonids.

Source: Sernapesca — Ley de Pesca Recreativa nº 20.256 and regional season resolutions (official notices from 2023 and 2025)

Argentina (Patagonia): season-based regulations

permit required; bag limits and release rules vary by habitatconfirm with the agency

Chinook salmon and trout fishing in Argentine Patagonia follows the Reglamento General de Pesca Deportiva Continental Patagónico, renewed each season by the Patagonian provinces and the Administración de Parques Nacionales (for 2025/2026, Resolución APN 417/2025). A fishing permit is required, and opening dates, bag limits and mandatory release sections vary by lake and river. Check the season regulations before keeping any fish.

Source: Resolución APN nº 417/2025 (Boletín Oficial, Dec 9, 2025) and General Regulation of Patagonian Inland Sport Fishing

catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.

Heavy fish: do not lift it by the tail or gills. Keep it in the water, support the belly and release it facing the current. Fish already in advanced spawning die in any case after reproduction.

in the kitchen

Red, fatty flesh, excellent when the fish is silver and freshly arrived from the sea. Dark fish in spawning have pale, soft flesh.

calculator

how much it weighs without taking it out of the water

Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01047, b = 3.04; FishBase (estimativa bayesiana para o gênero e o formato do corpo)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.

estimated weight

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sources and references

The season weights (months), the time of day and the sensitivities (cold, pressure, moon, wind, rain, tide, strong light, murky water and noise) are the app's editorial estimates, based on the literature below and on the field experience of anglers and guides. They are not official data nor a measurement made for this species, and they may vary by region and year. Closed seasons and legal rules appear in the rules section, with the norm and a link.

  1. scientific FishBase — Oncorhynchus tshawytscha (ficha da espécie)Names, distribution, biology, length-weight relationship, country list and references. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
  2. scientific IUCN Red List — Oncorhynchus tshawytscha (avaliação global: Pouco Preocupante, LC, 18/09/2020)Global assessment. Link given on the FishBase entry (Red List, version 2025-2).
  3. scientific Correa, C.; Gross, M. R. (2008). Chinook salmon invade southern South America. Biological Invasions 10: 615-639.DOI checked in Crossref.
  4. scientific Soto, D. et al. (2007). Establishment of Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in Pacific basins of southern South America and its potential ecosystem implications. Revista Chilena de Historia Natural 80(1).DOI checked in Crossref.
  5. scientific Pascual, M. A.; Ciancio, J. E. (2007). Introduced anadromous salmonids in Patagonia: risks, uses, and a conservation paradox. In: Ecology of Fish Introductions. Dordrecht: Springer, p. 333-353.DOI checked in Crossref.
  6. official Sernapesca (Chile) — Comenzó la temporada de pesca recreativa en la región de Magallanes (16/10/2025)Official notice with the 2025-2026 season in Magallanes, mandatory license, a limit of 3 fish or 15 kg per day, and habitats with mandatory release.
  7. official Argentina — Resolución APN nº 417/2025 (Administración de Parques Nacionales): aprova o Reglamento General de Pesca Deportiva Continental Patagónico, temporada 2025/2026Published in the Boletín Oficial on Dec 9, 2025. The text approves the regulation and annex for the southern national parks; dates, bag limits and release sections are in the annexes.
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