Top-Rated Kodiak Inshore Fishing at Driftwood Lodge

Chinook Salmon

# Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) Chinook salmon is also known as King Salmon and is the largest of the Salmon species. It is a popular game and commercial fish. Oncorhynchus tshawytscha is similar to its brethren Coho salmon and Rainbow trout. King Salmon has silver sides and blue-green back. It has black spots on the head, back, tail, and all the fins. It also has a black mouth and gums. Wild salmon are well known for their hard fighting ability and excellent table fare. ## Chinook Salmon Size and Weight Chinook salmon is a large fish and it can grow from 12 to 39 inches and weighs around 7 to 15 pounds. But depending on the habitat, weight can exceed 20 - 30 pounds. ## Chinook Salmon Interesting Facts • They can live up to 7 years. • This specie is anadromous. They migrate to Seawater and later return to spawn in freshwater. • Oncorhynchus tshawytscha die soon after spawning. • King salmon have reddish-pink or orange meat. • Males are more colored than females and have a distinguished nose and upper jaw. • Chinook salmon leaves a water body if the habitat starts degrading, making it a good indicator of the water conditions. ## Chinook Salmon Habitat Young Chinook salmon can be found in freshwater and estuaries. Adults move into the open Ocean for better nutrition and food. The fish can also be found in cold streams, especially in hiding places such as tree roots. Snow melting into lakes and streams also helps their environment. ## Chinook Salmon Spawning Chinook salmon are ready to spawn from 2 to 7 years of age. Female makes redds or gravely nests and lays the eggs. Depending on spawning time and temperature, hatching takes place in early spring or late winter. ## Chinook Salmon Food Young Chinook salmons feed on plankton, insects, small fish, and invertebrates. Adult Salmon in Ocean also enjoy many organisms such as sand lance, pilchards, squids, herrings, and crustaceans. ## Chinook Salmon Fishing Chinook salmon is sensitive to light so they stay at water bottom mostly. So, anglers should use weighted baits. The best time for fishing them is early morning or in the evening. Ship Creek in Anchorage, Alaska, and Lake Oahe in South Dakota are among the top spots to fish them. • Fly fishing King salmon is very exciting, but keep in mind to not swing too far and keep the fly swimming in water. • When Salmon fishing in lakes, down-rigging and trolling works best. • Anglers can also still fish in deep water using a herring. • Trolling is also an effective method using plugs, spoons, live or dead bait. ## Chinook Salmon Baits and Lures Fly Fishing: when selecting flies for king salmon, most of the time exact fly pattern is not overly important. However, depending on a bunch of variables (light, water levels, location, etc.) fly color can make a big difference. Some examples include rhea tube intruders, bunny leeches, marabou tubes, shanked intruders, minnows. On a bright day lean towards bright color combos like chartreuse/blue or pink/orange, and for cloudy/dark days blue/black and purple/black color combos. Other Fishing: Use of plugs, spoons, trolling flies, live or dead bait, sand shrimps ## Chinook Salmon Distribution Chinook can be found in the colder water of the Pacific Ocean from the coast of Alaska, Western Canada, Oregon, Idaho, Washington State, and Northern California. It has been introduced in Great Lakes of United States and can also be found in Japan and Russia.

Coho Salmon

# Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus Kisutch) Coho salmon is a famous sport and commercial fish. It is very acrobatic in nature and is a good fighter. It is also known as silver salmon. The fish is similar to Chinook salmon (but not as large), Rainbow trout and Brook trout. Wild Salmon is well-known for its tremendous taste. Coho Salmon has dark blue-green back, silversides, and white belly. Black spots are present on the back and upper sides of the tail. Mature Coho Salmon has maroon to reddish sides and dark backs. ## Coho Salmon Size and Weight Coho Salmon can be 12 to 30 inches long and weighs about 8 to 12 pounds. Silver Coho caught from the Great Lakes, weighed 33 pounds 4 ounces and so, holds the world record. ## Coho Salmon Interesting Facts • The fish, Oncorhynchus Kisutch, is anadromous in nature. • They die soon after spawning. • Silver Salmon has a bright orange/red meat. • Males have extended upper and lower jaw developing a hook (kype), making it impossible for them to close their mouths. • Coho salmon is said to live up to 5 years. • This fish can jump vertically up to 6 feet. ## Coho Salmon Habitat They tend to live in calm and quiet areas under debris and can be found in large rivers connected to the ocean. During the early stage, the juvenile Coho salmon spends its time in freshwater. After growing a bit, the fish moves to live in estuaries or brackish water (mix of fresh and saltwater) and later migrates into the ocean. ## Coho Salmon Spawning A female Oncorhynchus Kisutch is ready to spawn at age of 3. Gravel nests are made by the female and fertilized eggs are laid. Eggs hatch in 6 to 7 weeks. Depending on the temperature of the water, eggs hatch in late winter or early spring. ## Coho Salmon Food Coho Salmon can eat aquatic insects, smaller fishes, squid, herrings, pilchards, crustaceans, and sand lance. ## Salmonidae Family Coho salmon share the Salmonidae species order with trout. Other popular salmon include the Sockeye salmon (red salmon), Chinook salmon (King salmon), Atlantic salmon, Pink salmon & Chum salmon. ## Coho Salmon Fishing Salmon is a desired game fish well known for their fight. What makes the coho and all salmon unique is their migration from the river to ocean and back to the river. The Pacific Ocean salmon can be found in Alaska, Canada, Washington, Oregon and in Northern California. Katmai National Park, Alaska is famous for Coho salmon fishing. • In fast waters, swinging spinners is a popular decision. • For holding water, twitching jigs are recommended. Buy a jig with long tail for better movement in the water. • You can also use float fish roe for Coho Salmon fishing in both traveling and holding water. For this, fasten a cut roe with hook and swing it into the water. • Coho Salmon is a renowned game fish and anglers enjoy its fly fishing. As the Silver Salmon are fighters, to fly fish for them you can use a single hand rod with a strong handle for better lifting power. ## Coho Salmon Baits and Lures Fly fishing flies include leaches, various minnow patterns, or wooly buggers are good starts. Bright patterns such as chartreuse, pink and Fuchsia. Spin casting lures include plugs, spoons, trolling flies, live bait like minnows and roe. ## Coho Salmon Distribution Coho Salmon can be found in North Pacific Ocean. The fish also ranges from Alaska streams and rivers to Central California and from Southeast Alaska water bodies to Central Oregon. It is also reported in Baja California, Mexico.

Pacific Halibut

Pacific Halibut (

Hippoglossus stenolepis) Fish Description

The Pacific Halibut is one of the largest flatfish in the world (2nd biggest, next to its close relative, Atlantic Halibut). It’s a saltwater fish that thrives in deep cold waters. It has a muddy brown color and dark-brown spots. Its body is more elongated than most flatfishes and shaped like a diamond. 

They’re strong swimmers and eat a variety of fishes from the bottom of the ocean - cods, turbots, pollocks, octopi, crabs, and shrimps. They also sometimes eat fishes from the pelagic - salmon, herring

Interesting Facts About the Pacific Halibut 

• Pacific halibuts are called demersal fish, these are fish that stays in the bottom of the ocean, just like stingrays.
• Almost all halibuts are “right-eyed”, which means they are facing up with the “right side” of their face and the left side is the bottom. 

Pacific Halibut Size

The Pacific halibut is a large fish that can grow up to 8 feet long and 5 feet wide and weigh up to 500 lbs. Their average weight is 20-40 lbs, but catching 100 is pretty common. As of now, there is no average length of the Pacific Halibut. They mature at the age of 8 for males and 12 years old for females.

Habitat & Distribution of the Pacific Halibut

The Pacific Halibut mainly lives in the deep waters of the northern Pacific region. They usually prefer depths 20-1000 feet, but they can go as deep as 3,600 feet. They prefer the cold temperatures of 37°-46°F and are mostly found on or near continental shelves.

In the U.S., their range is from California up to the Chukchi Sea. Good fishing spots are the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea. You can also find Pacific halibuts in nearer areas such as the coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington.

Pacific halibuts migrate in a clockwise manner, from northwest to southeast. A good time to catch these fish is in summer, where they are more active in their feeding grounds and are closer to shallow waters. During winter, they go to deeper waters to spawn their eggs.

Fishing Techniques for the Pacific Halibut

Being bottom-dwellers, make sure you equip yourself with gears for deep fishing. Try to aim the sweet spot for fishing Pacific Halibut which is 150-500 feet. They like to stalk their prey from the bottom and being strong swimmers, it’s good to make a chase with your baits to tease the halibut. To send your baits to the bottom, use a 1-2 lb weight. Slightly cast your line forward to get the fly down and retrieve it fast every once in a while to check. Just leave the rod attached to the rod holder slightly bounce the rod up and down attracting the halibut. It’s a waiting game for this fish.

Fly fishing for Pacific halibuts is rare but it’s doable. For Fly Rods, use a 50-pound monoline with fast sinking heads and a 12-15 heavyweight rod with a 16-lb snippet. Recorded fly fishing for Pacific halibuts can go as heavy as 138 pounds. For spinner rods, use a 6-7 feet heavy rod with a 60-lb line and 1-1.25 lb lead. 

Recommended baits are pink salmon heads and bellies, squids, herring, and octopus. To further catch the attention of the Pacific halibut, use some fishing attractants. For lures, use jigs or spoons that make some noise to attract them They’re known to use their sight and hearing in more shallow waters but in deeper waters, they hunt with scent.

Pink Salmon

Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus Gorbuscha) Fish Description

Also known as the Humpback Salmon, the Pink Salmon is the smallest and the most abundant among the Pacific Salmon. The Pink Salmon appear as bright silver in the oceans but in streams, they gain back their light yellowish-white underbelly. Some others have a dull green color. Though, it highly depends on where they are.

Pink Salmon are most noted for their slight hump on their back, hence their name. They also don’t have teeth on their tongues. But Pink Salmon have large black oval spots on their back and their tail fins. They also have deep forked-tail and an anal fin that has 13-17 soft rays.

Pink Salmon Diet and Size

Pink Salmon often eat plankton. However, they also eat smaller fish, squid, and occasionally – Aquatic Insects. Pink Salmon average between 4.8 lbs (2.2 kg) in weight. However, someone managed to record a pink salmon being 30 inches and weighing around 15 lbs (6.8kg).

Interesting Facts about the Pink Salmon

• Pink Salmon often have a short life cycle of around 2 years.
• Pink Salmon love cold water.
• The crustaceans that Pink Salmon eat are what make the salmon’s fillet pink.
• A lot of people love eating pink salmon. Some even say that pink salmon are known for their omega-3 content. However, pink salmon may not be good for those who have high uric acid as it can cause gout.
• Pink Salmon is eaten in different ways. It can be smoked, baked, fried, and grilled. Some cuisines like employing the poêle method, allowing it to cook in its own juices. This helps achieve a crispy skin but soft texture.
• In Asian countries, Pink Salmon can be eaten raw. Japanese usually serve it as sushi or nigiri where it’s known as Sake.
• Southeast Asian countries often eat their Pink Salmon grilled. Some also eat it as part of a sour soup called Sinigang which is usually a tamarind soup-base with some vegetables such as swamp cabbage, tomatoes, and eggplant. Some people may also use Bilimbi or Kamias as the base of the soup.
• Pink Salmon are commonly enjoyed for their fillet and their belly. Eastern countries also enjoy eating from the head.
• The belly of the Pink Salmon is said where all the Omega-3 oils are.
• Pink Salmon often don’t interbreed. But when they do, their hybrids often come out sterile.

Pink Salmon – Fishing Techniques: How to Fish for a Pink Salmon

For fishing Pink Salmon, you’ll need a medium action rod. As for the reel, it will depend on how you’re catching them. For casting, you’ll need a reel that holds 150 yards. Or at least, 8 to 10 lbs. For a jig, some anglers recommend brightly colored jigs. The most color that anglers use is pink in order to attract the pink salmon. This may be to fool the fish into thinking that the jig is a crustacean. They also use a pink hoochie which looks like a squid.

To make it more attractive, some people smear fish oil onto the jig to attract them. Some use herring oil. Others use squid oil.

Pink Salmon is a good fish to start for beginners. Anglers would often say that the Pink Salmon is one way to start if one wants to mimic the pros. 

Pink Salmon Habitat 

Pink Salmon loves cold water especially if it’s around 10 degrees Celsius. They’re native to Pacific and Arctic coastal waters and rivers. Pink Salmon sometimes are in creeks and lakes. But they do like their place in rivers. They also stay in sea basins. 

Sockeye Salmon

Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus Nerka) Description

Sockeye Salmon

Sockeye Salmon (Salmonidae family) is a small fish compared to other species in the salmon family. Wild sockeye salmon have a metallic blue-green back, silver sides, and a white belly. Unlike other pacific salmon, it lacks distinct black spots, but few specks can be found on the back only. There are none on their fins and tail. When they return to the freshwater spawning grounds, the sockeye's head turns green, and their body turns red. 

Size and Weight 

The average Sockeye Salmon is 18 to 32 inches and weighs 4 to 15 pounds. 

Habitat and Distributions 

Sockeye Salmon Map of Habitat

The Sockeye Salmon are born in rivers and streams that are tributaries of the Pacific, then as adults, travel to the Pacific Ocean. They return to the rivers during spawning season. Due to the degradation of its habitat and overfishing, studies show that this salmon species' population is in decline. 

The Northern Pacific Ocean and its tributaries are native points of these wild salmon. They range from Bristol Bay, Alaska, to the infamous Copper River. They are found in many areas of British Columbia and as far south as the Sacramento River, California. They can travel inwards up to 900 miles.

Interesting Facts

Sockeye Salmon are also called red salmon and blueback salmon. 

They are anadromous in nature, which means they travel from freshwater to seawater and then later return to their hatching point to spawn. They can identify their home stream using their smell and will travel incredible distances to return for spawning.  

All salmon species have a unique spawning process where they watch the nest, dying shortly after spawning. 

The landlocked sockeye are called kokanee and are not anadromous. 

Wild salmon is a well-known delicacy, fetching top dollar. A salmon fillet with orange or pink meat has high nutritional value. 

Diet

Juvenile Sockeye feed on zooplankton, amphipods, and insects. Once they reach the ocean, the adult sockeye diet comprises small adult fishes, larvae, and sometimes squid. 

Fishing Techniques - How to Catch Sockeye Salmon

Salmon fishing is one of the most exciting experiences for the fly fisherman. Alaska and British Columbia are renowned for their Sockeye Salmon runs. 

The best time for fishing sockeye is May through September. At this time, t

he fish swim upriver and close to the bottom. With their mouths opening and closing, the trick is to find the right lure for the water level and place it where the leader is at mouth level. Large flies are for high water and smaller ones are best for low water. When the water temperature is over 60 degrees, salmon have a greater desire to go after a dry fly. When fishing in the fall, the most successful flies are traditionally larger and very colorful. If you are unsure about what size fly you should be using, your best bet is to start with a #6 wet fly. A 7-9 weight 9-foot fly rod is good to catch a feisty red salmon.

Anglers who are bait-casting should use spinning rods in the 8 - 20 pound range. Sand shrimp and salmon roe are popular live baits. Small spoons, spinners, small flies, and streamers are good lures.

Is Sockeye Salmon Good to Eat?

Sockeye salmon is a delicious and nutritious fish that is renowned for its rich flavor and beautiful red color. Its rich flavor and texture make it a versatile ingredient that can be cooked in a variety of ways, from grilling to poaching. Compared to other salmon like the popular Chinook Salmon, Sockeye is an oilier fish with deep red flesh. It has a stronger flavor and a sturdy flesh which makes it stand up to grilling. 

This delicious fish is not only packed full of flavor, but it's also loaded with a wide range of health benefits. From improving heart health to reducing inflammation, Sockeye salmon is one of the best foods you can eat when it comes to your overall well-being. 

The wild-caught variety, in particular, is abundant in essential vitamins, minerals and heart-healthy fats. With its bright red flesh, sockeye salmon is not only a feast for the eyes, but it is also packed with omega-3 fatty acids, which help to lower the risk of heart disease. Additionally, it contains vitamins B12 and D, both of which are vital for optimal brain and immune system function. Sockeye salmon is also rich in potassium, which is crucial for healthy muscle function, and selenium, an important mineral that helps to support the body's antioxidant defense system. Eating wild-caught sockeye salmon is not only delicious but also an excellent way to nourish your body with essential nutrients.

World Record

The world record for sockeye salmon is 15 pounds 3 ounces and was caught on the Kenia River in Alaska by Stan Roach.