The Salmon Run

Last week, my neighbor saw a grizzly bear walking down South Big Springs Loop Rd towards the springs. It seemed a bit bold for the grizzly until I heard that the salmon were spawning at the headwaters of the Henry’s Fork. The dinner bell had been rung.  Idaho Fish and Game were busy, trapping and relocating some of the returning Kokanee Salmon to surrounding tributaries.  

The Kokanee are a landlocked version of the Sockeye Salmon and can achieve sizes of three to five pounds. The salmon reach maturity in four years and the males develop the toothy, hooked jaw and a dark red coloration as they prepare to spawn. The eggs hatch in 114 days after being laid and the fry will migrate to the lake that their parents called home.  The salmon run culminates with the death of all participants. This presents a protein bonanza for grizzly bears, eagles and other predators.  Nothing goes to waste as the circle of life continues…

I took a ride up the river near Henry’s Fork Outlet a few days after the Fish and Game had completed their mission. There were numerous salmon carcasses floating in a willow-edged stream.  Those who enjoy camping, hiking or fishing along these streams should be aware that bears are intently feeding and don’t tolerate interruptions. Use extreme caution along stream banks with poor visibility.

September has always been my favorite month in Island Park. The nights become crisp but the days are still warm. Bull elk bugle in a primeval effort to impress the ladies. The aspen and scrub maple are about to cloak themselves in vibrant colors. Nature allows the male salmon to dawn fall colors as harbinger of what is to come.