There are 7 types of Salmon
Chinook
Chinook salmon are the most well known type of salmon in North America. Also known as King salmon, they are the largest of the salmon species. Americans often refer to Chinook as “Kings” because they are the “King” of salmon.
Coho
Coho salmon are seen as the most hard fighting salmon for their size and are fun on light tackle. Americans often call them “Silvers” probably because they don’t turn color quite as quickly while heading up the rivers to spawn.
Sockeye
Sockeye salmon are seen as the best eating salmon. They are also the most tricky to catch unless they are in large schools. Most Sockeye salmon are caught in commercial seine nets. During the 1980’s sportsfisherman started to figure out how to catch sockeye on a fishing line.
Read more about Sockeye salmon…
Chum
Chum salmon are generally harvested by commercial fisherman in seine nets as well. The Chum eggs are a prize for many Japanese people who love caviar. Chum salmon look quite ugly by the time they make their way up the river to spawn.
Read more about Chum salmon…
Pinks
Pink salmon are seen as the least desired to catch as they are quite small, don’t fight much and give off quite a putrid smell. They are the most plentiful of the salmon species.
Atlantic Salmon
Wild Atlantic salmon are on the east coast of North America, the Great Lakes as well as in Europe. Atlantic salmon are the most durable of the salmon species making them the prime salmon to put in “farms”. Not to be confused with “Hatchery” salmon, farmed alantic salmon are reared all over the world. Be careful when buying salmon to make sure that you are buying wild salmon and not farmed salmon. Wild Atlantic salmon are a hard fighting salmon and lots of fun to play.
Steelhead
Steelhead are ocean going rainbow trout. Part of the salmon family, Steelhead spend most of their time in the ocean, however, they are rarely caught here and are most well known for being caught in rivers as they come back to spawn. Steelhead will often spawn several times before they die unlike the other salmon species.