When Is A Good Time To Catch Salmon

Alaska is renowned for its wild salmon. The flavour of Alaskan salmon depends upon fat content and the environment in which it matured. Alaska’s pure waters and the abundance of natural food give Alaska salmon unparalleled flavor.

Although salmon are caught in Alaska’s spotless waters year-long, fishing season in port and southcentral Alaska actually heats up in late May, when the prized king salmon returns home to spawn in the area’s glacier-fed, freshwater streams.

The remaining 4 sorts of Pacific salmon-sockeye, coho, buddy and pink-are also found in the general area.

Many anglers are now making an attempt to catch what’s known as a “grand slam”-all 5 species of salmon. Some say a straightforward way to recollect which kind is which is to match them up with the fingers on your hand.

&8226 ; Thumb-Chum salmon (Dog). The best fishing for this fish is mid-July to late Aug. Chum salmon have a firm texture, tempting orange-pink color and fragile flavour that makes it a perfect fish for smoking. The average weight is eight pounds and they can grow to be twenty-five to twenty-seven inches long.

• Pointer finger-Sockeye salmon ( Red ). Most available late May to early June or mid-July, sockeye salmon are the second most abundant Alaskan salmon species. This species turns from a silvery color to a bright red body and green head as they start the journey upriver to spawn. Their average weight is six pounds and they can grow to virtually three feet in length.

• Middle finger-King salmon (Chinook). The best fishing for king salmon is mid-June to mid- July. The largest species of salmon in Alaska, they are prized for their color, high oil content, firm texture and succulent taste. Average weight is roughly twenty pounds and length goes from thirty to 40 inches.

• Ring finger-Silver salmon ( Coho ). With its orange-red flesh, firm texture and delicate flavor, cohos are really preferred among locals. The best fishing for them is found in early August to mid-September. Cohos are the second largest of the species, with average weights of 12 pounds, and range from 25 to 35 inches in length.

• Pinky finger-Pink salmon (Humpy). At the height of their run, millions of pinks swim up the freshwater rivers and streams to spawning grounds. Pinks are the littlest and most abundant of the species and average about 2 - 3 pounds. The best fishing for pinks happens in mid-July to late August.

To get more recipes and cooking ideas, visit cooking101.org and while you are at it, you might also want to have a look at salmon dip.

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