| |
|
What are the
Different types of Salmon?
|
| |
 It would be far too easy if each species of
Salmon had but one name. Where would be the
mystery, the delicate confusion, of just one
name per salmon?
So, we suppose that salmon have their true,
scientific name and the other name we made up to
sound good. Here they are:
King Salmon (aka Chinook Salmon). This is the
big dude, the man, the lunker of all lunkers.
King's are usually between 25 and 60 lbs. when
caught in the river and their skin is silver,
turning red the longer they are in fresh water, as they spawn. The males develop a
longer head and hooked jaw. The females
bellies fill with maturing eggs as they
get ready to spawn. The
Gulkana and
Klutina rivers contain Kings in
abundance, during the spawn.
Sockeye Salmon (aka Red Salmon, aka Kokanee
Salmon). Reds are considered the best eating
salmon of them all. Sockeyes are usually between
5 and 10 lbs. and are also found in great
abundance in the Gulkana and Klutina rivers.
Red's begin their spawn silver as well, but they
turn very Red, with a emerald head, as they
spawn. The males develop a long head and hooked
jaw, also developing a humped back. Kokanee
Salmon are simply Red Salmon that live in
land-locked lakes and streams.
 Silver Salmon (aka Coho Salmon). As their name
indicates, these salmon are silver colored in
the ocean. Their coloration doesn't Redden all
that much in the river.
Chum Salmon (aka Dog Salmon). These salmon are
quite large, sometimes approaching the King in
overall length (but not usually weight.) They
become very mottled as they spawn, becoming
white, pink and brown. Their backs hump up,
their jaws form into grotesque hooks, and their
heads lengthen considerably as they get deep
into the spawn. They're called Dogs simply
because they're only really good to feed to the
family pooch (yuck.) While large, they don't
fight much. They're like pulling in a snagged
tire. We don't have these either in our rivers.
Pink Salmon (aka humpies). Pinks are also
considered second class citizens of the salmon
world. They are fairly tasty when they're fresh,
but they're not considered good when classed
against other salmon. Also, they're relatively
small - average no more than a few pounds. These
salmon are fished heavily in the ocean because
of their great numbers - to be used, most
typically, as pet food. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
