Actually there where 4 pairs as of last year that returned to the Winchuck. They been there coming back for several years now. As anybody can figure out that's there natural stream. Guess long long ago there was a good run of them in a lot of the streams down there and up the coast too. Just like they had 7 chum salmon return to South Fork of the Coos River last year. My dad use to talk about the canneries that lined the mid section of the Coos River when he was young(worked there to by shotgun shells for duck season)and all the salmon that the canneries would process from the Coos River system. Just like the striped bass over commercial harvesting ended things pretty quickly.

Great river to go for a paddle in. It's been a few years, but my wife and I used to paddle up it and have a picnic. Also, I remember as a teenager snorkeling in the Smith River in the early summer and being pleasantly surprised to see a school of salmon flash by us. Don't know what kind they were, but probably King or Coho. Haven't done that in years but your experience makes me want to do it again. I hope I see the flashes of the past. Thanks.