Photo by Rob Foster on iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0
Chinook salmon
Oncorhynchus tshawytscha
- When
- Jul–Oct — July, August, September, October. Earlier in the south, later in the north.
- Where it holds
- River mouths and staging areas in late summer, then up the tributaries.
- How to know it
- Black gums at the base of the teeth, small black spots on both tail lobes, and real size — often over 10 kg.
- What to know
- King salmon. In the Great Lakes an introduced fishery; on the Pacific, the wild runs are tightly regulated.
- The tactic
- Trolled spoons and flashers off the river mouth; drifted roe once they run.
- Caution
- Pacific chinook seasons change year to year and sometimes week to week — check before you go.
Seasons, size limits and catch limits change every year and differ by water body. Check the current regulations for your province or state before you fish.
Found in these regions
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