Salmon

Pacific salmon are one of the most important sport and commercial fish in the world. Along the Pacific coast of North America, it is played an important role as a primary food source and as a cultural emblem, especially for many Native American groups.

The two main types of sportfish salmon found in Pacific Ocean waters and major river systems that lead to the ocean are the Chinook or King salmon and the Coho salmon. They are found north of San Luis Obispo in California all the way to the Bering Sea. Other salmon found in Pacific waters include sockeyes, chum, and pink salmon, all of which are less desirable to anglers.

The Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) is the largest member of the Salmonidae family and also the scarcest. It and the Coho (Oncorhynchus kisutch) are anadromous species, meaning they can spawn in freshwater (salmon spawn in freshwater rivers) and can adapt to live an entire existence in freshwater. Both have been stocked in the Great Lakes with much success and they have become an important commercial catch.

Salmon have an elongated and slightly compressed body. It has a cone-shaped head, and is colored blue to gray at the top and progressing to silvery on the sides and belly. Cohos are lighter colored, with silvery sides with dark spots on the back. One very distinguishing mark is Cohos have whitish gums, while Chinooks have black gums. Chinooks range from between 8 and 20 pounds, with fish being progressively larger the farther north they are found. Cohos are typically smaller, in the 3 to 12 pound range although they are a more acrobatic fighter on the line. The IGFA-recognized record for Chinook is a 97 pound, 4 ounce fish caught in the Kenai River in Alaska in 1986. For Cohos, the record is 33 pounds, 4 ounces.

Both species have short life spans similar to other types of salmon, from three to five years. The fish migrate in the summer into the freshwater rivers in which they were born, in order to spawn. Chinooks spawn around age four, Cohos at age three. They do not eat during this time, and once they spawn, they rapidly deteriorate and die. Adult salmon eat a variety of baitfish and also crustaceans and squid.

While salmon can be aggressive, they are also well known as being finicky. A certain type of bait or lure may be appealing for a short time, but will then be ignored the next day. One key to fishing for salmon is to arrive on the water early in the day. The fish are sun-sensitive, which means the first and last hours of daylight are the best time to catch fish, especially in the morning. They also have very good eyesight and can be spooked easily.

Catching salmon in open water almost always means trolling. Many anglers use downriggers to get to the proper depths where salmon are feeding. Downriggers employ a steel cable and 8 to 12 pound weights to help keep the line at a desired depth. Once a fish strikes, the angler’s line is released from the cable, allowing them to properly fight and land the fish. Anglers often set downriggers at various depths, helping to narrow down the feeding zone. Once a fish strikes in a certain zone, some of the other downriggers can be adjusted to discover if a group of fish has been located. Popular baits used with downriggers include minnow plugs and spoons. Many anglers also swear by the added use of metal attractors known as dodgers, which are 8" inch long silver or silver-gold flashers that are place two to three feet behind a lure. The flash and vibration are known to attract salmon.

If live baits are used in open water, anchovies and alewives are a popular choice. They are often trolled using the same methods used for artificials.

Once salmon enter spawning streams, they often strike baits out of either instinct or aggression, since they are no longer feeding. Anglers should consider the salmon population in their area/stream before fishing for spawning salmon. Popular lures for stream salmon include spoons and spinners that are in the familiar red color of salmon eggs. Many anglers use mesh bags of eggs as bait, which is very effective.

Salmon are sought after by flyfishermen when they are in rivers. Flyfishing for salmon often requires the use of sinking line, as the fish like to hold near the bottom.

Spinning or baitcasting tackle for Chinooks and Cohos needs to be capable of handling long runs and the strain of deep trolling. Chinooks require the heaviest equipment due to their larger size and deliberate style of fighting.