Differentiating various species of salmons

If you’re new to salmon fishing, chances you’re finding it tough to differentiate which particular type of salmon you have caught. In order not to violate any fishing laws or potentially facing fines or even more severe outcomes, it is important that you understand the regulations and also train yourself to be able to differentiate what species from the others.

Learning about different species of salmons is not as difficult as you may think. The following general descriptions should help you in terms of identifying five different salmon species. While identifying salmon, we based on mature salmon and the young ones are not included. Also bear in mind that some salmons may have different names as far as salmon fishing is concerned.

Chinook – It is also known as the King and blackmouth. In terms of size, it is the largest of the Pacific salmon, it has a distinctive black coloration to the lower gums and can be easily identified as blackmouth. Chinook has the characteristics of olive or brown in coloration on the back with darker black coloration on the sides. Many small, dark spots can found on the back.

Chum – It has a habit of not moving far in land and usually stay close to salt water. In terms of size, chum is the second largest of the Pacific salmon species and are easily identified by their red to purplish blue color and horizontal bars. Distinctive and pronounced set of teeth makes chum stands out from the rest of salmons.

Coho – It is also known as Silver salmon, relatively smaller as compare to Chinook or King salmon. They are characterized by having have a bluish green color to the skin on the head and back. Depending on the seasons, the sides of the Coho may be wine colored or even a very brilliant red. Certainly, the cover of the gills will not change and it very reddish throughout the year.

Sockeye – has very unique red color and often mistaken as coho due to the red coloration at cover of the gills. Sockeye could spend up to two years in fresh water lake before migrating out to the seas and are unique in this aspect because other species don’t do the same. Unlike his cousins, sockeye doesn’t have distinct spots and the female is less brilliantly colored than the male. Male Sockeyes have a noticeable hump on their back just in front of the dorsal fin.

Kokanee – it never venture out of fresh water lake to the seas; spending its entire life cycle in land. It is almost identical to the Sockeye, being red in color and males having the dorsal hump.

Have a salmon identification book or pictures of different species will definitely be handy when you’re unsure of which type they belong to. Do your part in terms of conservation and return fish to the water whenever limits are reached!