I am thinking that any river that dumps into the Pacific ocean north of the California border would be my top pick . The Rogue being my favorite for large chinook salmon, green sturgeon and steelhead .... . The North Umpqua being my favorite "just got a few hours to fish " river and the Elk river if you are looking for just plain old bad a$$ Chinook with sea lice on their backs in a river you can wade accross ... Heck any river is my favorite as long as I am standing on its banks or drifting its currents in my boat .... Von Warner