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Sockeye Returning to Stanley Basin by Staff Challis Messenger, August 25, 2025

On July 23, the first sockeye salmon of the year swam into a fish trap in the Sawtooth Basin near Stanley, Roger Phillips with Idaho Fish and Game reports.

During the last decade, the first sockeye's arrival has become predictable in late July or early August, but what's now routine was doubtful three decades ago when the remnants of Idaho's sockeye were swimming toward extinction, Phillips said.

More than 1,000 sockeye have migrated past Lower Granite Dam this summer. That dam is about 40 miles downstream from Lewiston and about midway through their migration. Between 2015 and 2024, the annual Idaho sockeye return has averaged 221, which ranged from a low of 17 to a high of 774.

To reach the Sawtooth Basin, sockeye must swim 900 miles upstream from the Pacific Ocean and climb 6,250 vertical feet. Historically, about 50 to 60 percent of the sockeye that cross Lower Granite Dam eventually reach their destination, Phillips said.

After crossing Lower Granite, the fish have about 450 miles to go. Their trek can be hampered by a variety of factors, including low water in the Snake and Salmon rivers. Warm temperatures from summer heat can slow their progress, deplete their energy and make their final migration to the Sawtooth Basin difficult.

Earlier this summer, hot weather and potentially lethal hot water prompted biologists to truck 164 sockeye from Lower Granite Dam directly to the Eagle Hatchery to ensure spawners are available to produce the next generation, Phillips said. That may be a recurring strategy as summers become hotter and rivers are warmer during sockeye migrations.

Sockeye returns are still modest compared with Idaho's other salmon and their future is not guaranteed, Phillips said.