Salt Water Fishing

KING SALMON – Chinook

This highly prized sport fishing species is fabled for it’s size and strength in northern Southeast Alaska, but grows the largest and is a powerful, enduring fighter. King salmon inhabit the waters of Southeast Alaska year-round. Large king salmon bound for spawning grounds and weighing up to 70 pounds are around from late April through June. Immature kings ranging from 10 to 40 pounds come through the Sitka area and remain in the area to feed during August and September. Persistent anglers can find a few scattered fish throughout winter. Anglers visiting the Sitka area most frequently ask, when ís the best time to fish for king salmon? Fishing improves greatly with spring weather in late April, but the prime time is from late May through the month of June.

In the ocean, the Chinook salmon is a robust, deep-bodied fish with bluish-green coloration on the back which fades to a silvery color on the sides and white on the belly. Colors of spawning Chinook salmon in fresh water range from red to copper to deep gray, depending on location and degree of maturation. Males typically have more red coloration than females, which are typically gray.

SILVER SALMON – Coho

Found in coastal waters of Alaska from Southeast to Point Hope on the Chukchi Sea and in the Yukon River to the Alaska-Yukon border. Coho are extremely adaptable and occur in nearly all accessible bodies of fresh water-from large transboundary watersheds to small tributaries.

Adults usually weigh 8 to 12 pounds and are 24 to 30 inches long, but individuals weighing 31 pounds have been landed. Adults in salt water or newly returning to fresh water are bright silver with small black spots on the back and on the upper lobe of the tail fin. They can be distinguished from Chinook salmon by the lack of black spots on the lower lobe of the tail and by their white gums.

One thing is for sure, hooking a Silver fresh from the ocean in a stream, with light tackle, is a truly exciting experience!  

PINK SALMON – Humpback or “Humpy”

Found in coastal waters of Alaska from Southeast to Point Hope on the Chukchi Sea and in the Yukon River to the Alaska-Yukon border. Coho are extremely adaptable and occur in nearly all accessible bodies of fresh water-from large transboundary watersheds to small tributaries.

Adults usually weigh 8 to 12 pounds and are 24 to 30 inches long, but individuals weighing 31 pounds have been landed. Adults in salt water or newly returning to fresh water are bright silver with small black spots on the back and on the upper lobe of the tail fin. They can be distinguished from Chinook salmon by the lack of black spots on the lower lobe of the tail and by their white gums.

One thing is for sure, hooking a Silver fresh from the ocean in a stream, with light tackle, is a truly exciting experience!  

RED SALMON – Sockeye

Sockeye salmon are one of the smaller species of Pacific salmon, measuring 18 to 31inches in length and weighing 4-15 pounds. Sea-going sockeye salmon have iridescent silver flanks, a white belly, and a metallic green-blue top, giving them their “blueback” name. Some fine black speckling may occur on the back, but large spots are absent. Sockeye salmon are prized for their firm, bright-orange flesh.

Indigenous Alaskans considered sockeye salmon to be an important food source and either ate them fresh or dried them for winter use. Today sockeye salmon support one of the most important commercial fisheries on the Pacific coast of North America, are increasingly sought after in recreational fisheries, and remain an important mainstay of many subsistence users.

CHUM SALMON – Dog Salmon

Chum salmon are the most widely distributed of all the Pacific salmon and generally occur throughout Alaska. Like most other Pacific salmon species, chum salmon spend most of their life feeding in saltwater, then return to fresh water when mature to spawn once in the fall then die. They range south to the Sacramento River in California and the island of Kyushu in the Sea of Japan. In the north they range east in the Arctic Ocean to the Mackenzie River in Canada and west to the Lena River in Siberia.

Chum are the most abundant commercially harvested salmon species in arctic, northwestern, and Interior Alaska, but are of relatively less importance in other areas of the state. There they are known locally as “dog salmon” and are a traditional source of dried fish for winter use.

HALIBUT

The Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis) was called “haly-butte” in Middle English, meaning the flatfish to be eaten on holy days.

Halibut and other flatfish are flattened laterally, and swim sideways, with one side facing down and the other facing up. The upper side is typically gray to brown, or nearly black, with mottling and numerous spots to blend in with a sandy or muddy bottom. The underside is typically white. Virtually all halibut are right-eyed, meaning both eyes are found on the upper, dark side of the body. The scales are quite small and buried in the skin, making the skin appear smooth.  The maximum reported size is over 8 feet in length and over 500 pounds.

Pulling a large Halibut up from the bottom is quite a workout!

OTHER BOTTOM FISH

Adult black rockfish (Sebastes melanops) have a mottled gray-black body often with dark stripes from the eye to the gill plate. These fish are characterized by having a bass-shaped body, a large mouth, and spinous dorsal fin. The spines are venomous and may cause pain or infection; however, are not extremely toxic, but should be handled with care. They are also quite delicious! With white flaky flesh similar in taste to Grouper.

Lingcod (Ophiodon elongatus) belong to the family Hexagrammids. Contrary to their name, they are not true cods, but are greenlings. Lingcod are voracious predators and can grow to weigh over 80 pounds and measure 60 inches in length. They are characterized by a large mouth with 18 sharp teeth. Their color is variable, usually with dark brown or copper blotches arranged in clusters. Ling are aggressive fighters on the line and are usually hooked when the bait gets too close to the bottom while salmon fishing. While incredibly ugly, they are extremely tasty!