| Fisherman should know how to identify the | | | | time of the year. |
| salmon fish that they catch. This is very | | | | 3. Chum – which is another of the salmon |
| important because it is against regulations to angle | | | | species does not come too close to the shore or |
| for certain kinds of salmon fish species and it | | | | inland and prefers to stay in salt water. This is the |
| would not do you any good to violate the law as | | | | second largest of the species of Pacific salmon |
| you would be liable to pay a fine and maybe | | | | and is clearly recognized by the purplish blue to |
| undergo severe outcome. You should only catch | | | | red color and its horizontal bars. These fish have a |
| what you have a license for. It is quite easy to | | | | very pronounced set of teeth which are very |
| learn how to identify the various salmon fish | | | | unique. |
| species. Some of the tips given below will help | | | | 4. Sockeye – could be mistaken for the Coho |
| you with this. | | | | because of its extreme red color. These fish do |
| The tips given below will only pertain to the | | | | not move into the ocean and salt water until they |
| mature salmon fish and not to smelts and juvenile | | | | have spent two years in a lake during the initial |
| fish. | | | | stage of their lives. The female is not as brightly |
| 1. Chinook – which is one of the names given | | | | colored as the male fish and there are no distinct |
| to a species of salmon fish is also known as the | | | | spots on this fish. There is a noticeable hump on |
| black mouth and king. Different species of salmon | | | | the back of the male Sockeyes just in front of |
| fish go by different names. The Chinook is the | | | | the dorsal fin. |
| largest amongst the species of Pacific salmon, and | | | | 5. Kokanee – which is very much like the |
| can be easily recognized by the well-defined black | | | | Sockeye, lives all its life in fresh water and does |
| coloration of the lower gums. The king salmon or | | | | not go into salt water ever. The color and physical |
| Chinook is brown and olive in color on the back | | | | features are just like the Sockeye. |
| and has a dark black color on the sides. This fish | | | | To be really in a good position to identify the |
| also has many dark small spots on the back. | | | | different species of salmons, it is a good idea to |
| 2. Coho – or Silver salmon which is another | | | | bring a book on salmons along with you so that if |
| name for them, are not as big as the king salmon | | | | you are not too sure you can always look for |
| or the Chinook in size. The head is a bluish green | | | | help. If you find that you have gone beyond the |
| color and so is the back. The gill covers are | | | | limit of your catch or have the wrong species of |
| reddish right through the year, but the sides are a | | | | salmons it is better to return the catch to the |
| brilliant red or wine color and this depends on the | | | | water. |