Chinook Salmon Fishing Guide

The chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) is the largest of the five Pacific salmon species and the most culturally and economically significant fish of the Pacific Northwest. Known as 'king salmon,' chinook can exceed 100 pounds — the world record is 97.25 pounds, caught in Alaska's Kenai River in 1985. Chinook complete complex ocean migrations of 1,000+ miles before returning to spawn in the river where they hatched. The fish undergo dramatic physiological changes during the spawning migration: the silver ocean body turns dark red-to-brown, the male develops a hooked jaw (kype), and both sexes stop feeding entirely. Distinct 'spring run' and 'fall run' populations exist in most major river systems, with spring fish typically larger and more prized. After spawning, all chinook die, their decomposing bodies providing nutrients that support the entire river ecosystem.

Chinook Salmon is a freshwater species.

Habitat

Pacific Ocean from California to Alaska and across to Japan and Russia; freshwater rivers from California's Sacramento and San Joaquin systems north to Alaska. Spawn in large mainstem rivers and major tributaries with cold water, clean gravel, and sufficient depth — the Kenai, Yukon, Columbia, and Sacramento are the most significant US systems.

Diet

Highly piscivorous in the ocean, consuming herring, anchovies, smelt, sand lance, and squid to build the massive fat reserves needed for the spawning migration. Do not feed in freshwater during the spawning run — river fish are caught by triggering aggression or territorial responses.

Fishing Techniques

• Trolling with flashers and spoons
• Back-trolling plugs
• Float fishing with roe
• Fly fishing egg patterns
• Jigging with colored jigs

Best Seasons

Summer, Fall

Size & Records

Average weight: 20 lbs. World record: 97.25 lbs (Kenai River, Alaska, USA (1985)).