This river is an appropriate home for another great symbol of wildness, the Chinook salmon. Though the massive runs of the past have dwindled to only a fraction of their former glory, they stubbornly persist.

Hatcheries have helped the Chinook overcome the dams and numerous other obstacles threatening their very existence. In fact, strong hatchery runs allowed Salmon fishing to resume recently on tributaries like the Little Salmon and the South Fork.

For Nez Perce fishermen catching salmon is a continuation of a centuries old way of life. Whether dip netting fish in the Rapid River or hunting for salmon with a traditional gaff hook along the South Fork, for Nez Perce it's a vital tradition.

Aaron Miles-Nez Perce Fisherman "The salmon is a very integral part of our way of life. It's so much different than sports fishing. Of course it's going to be a thrill ride trying to go after them, but they're going to be eaten. They're going to be there for my family and that's what's important to me."

Salmon aren't the only anadromous fish in this river system, and the changing seasons offer anglers other opportunities. Early each spring Nature loosens its hold on the icy waters of the Salmon River. As the river slowly reawakens from its winter slumber the quiet solitude is broken by a new fishing challenge...steelhead trout.

There's nothing like the pull of ten pounds of ocean going trout to get your blood flowing. It's a fishing fever that is shared by many of the anglers who compete in the all women's Steelhead Fishing Derby that takes place annually near Riggins Idaho.