#pacific salmon

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Strange salmonSo after the Pink salmon I promised some bonus fish, and here they are! These three weStrange salmonSo after the Pink salmon I promised some bonus fish, and here they are! These three weStrange salmonSo after the Pink salmon I promised some bonus fish, and here they are! These three we

Strange salmon
So after the Pink salmon I promised some bonus fish, and here they are! These three were also featured on the poster. They’re all a bit unusual; they’re either a salmon but don’t behave like one, or vice versa. In order they are:

Steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss irideus)
Also known as: Rainbow, redband (trout)

Steelhead are the anadromous form of the Rainbow trout. Meaning they, just like salmon, live at sea but are born and return to spawn in freshwater. However, unlike salmon, they don’t die afterwards. After regaining their strength at sea they may return multiple times, and Steelhead as old as 11 years have been found spawning. Unlike regular rainbows these fish develop very salmon-like heads when spawning, with long faces and slight kypes. Their beautiful spotting is very fine and unusually regular on the tail. This unique patterning is always present and can be used to identify them even at sea. Thanks to the rich marine environment, Steelhead grow big: 48" (122 cm) and 55 lbs (25 kg) is maximum, but 20-30″ (50-75 cm) and 5-20 lbs (2.5-9 kg) average. 

Coastal cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii clarkii)
Also known as: Sea-run cutthroat, Harvest (trout)

Coastal cutthroat are the anadromous form of the regular Cutthroat trout. Unlike Steelhead and Pacific salmon, Cutthroat do not make lengthy migrations out to sea. Often they just hang out in estuaries for a few months, spending much of the rest of the year in freshwater. Not all upriver migrations are to spawn either; sometimes they just want to overwinter or feed. When fresh out of saltwater Cutthroat can be quite silvery, with pale throat slashes. But as they approach spawning they become more and more yellow and the slashes that give them their name more pronounced red. Coastal cutthroats don’t grow very big: 24″ (60 cm) and 8 lbs (3.5 kg) is the recorded maximum, but average is 10-16″ (25-40 cm) and 1-5 lbs (0.5-2 kg). 

Kokanee salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka)
Also known as: Kennerly’s salmon/trout, Kokanee trout, Silver trout, Little redfish, Kikanning, Walla

Kokanees are the landlocked form of the Sockeye. Instead of venturing to sea, they spend most of their time in lakes, swimming upriver from them to spawn. Their pocket size and habitat should make identification easy enough. Interestingly, they often bear spots on their back and tail, something Sockeyes never have. The red on their gill covers can also be more extensive. The comparatively nutrient poor lake environment keeps Kokanees at an almost dwarf size compared to Sockeyes. Maximum size is 20″ (50 cm) and 6.25 lbs (3 kg), but don’t expect more than 9-12″ (23-30 cm) and 1-3 lbs (0.5-1 kg) on average.


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Pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha)Also known as: Humpie, Humpback (salmon)For the final illustratiPink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha)Also known as: Humpie, Humpback (salmon)For the final illustrati

Pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha)
Also known as: Humpie, Humpback (salmon)

For the final illustration we have the smallest and the most numerous of the Pacific salmon. Pinks are also the shortest lived, completing their entire life cycle in just 2 years. Unlike the other species they have no variation in lifespan - the cycle is followed very strictly. Interestingly, this has created genetically separate odd- and even-year spawning populations which never interbreed. Rivers will usually have a majority of one or the other, occasionally completely switching over. “Humpies” are unmistakable and it’s not hard to see where they get their nickname. When entering the river to spawn, males grow an incredibly humpback. The soft pinkish green depicted here are early spawning colours; eventually they turn a dark purplish black. The white belly splotches are unique and can identify them even when spawning colours are still developing. Like Chum, Pinks go straight to sea after hatching. The large spotting on the tail is ever-present and will identify them at all times, also in salt water. It is at sea that the Pink salmon is most commercially valuable. They have been hunted and canned in Alaska since the late 1800′s and still about 400 million are killed yearly, making up most of the annual Pacific salmon catch. Maximum size is 30 inch (76 cm) and 15 lbs (7 kg), but 18-25 inch (45-60 cm) and 3-5 lbs (1.5-2 kg) is average.

This may have been the final true Pacific salmon, but there’s some bonus fish coming…


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