King or Chinook Salmon
The chinook salmon is an anadromous fish that is the largest species in the
salmon family. It is a Pacific Ocean salmon and is variously known as the king
salmon, tyee salmon, Columbia River salmon, black salmon, chub salmon, hook bill
salmon, winter salmon, Spring Salmon, Quinnat Salmon and blackmouth. Chinook
salmon are highly valued, due in part to their relative scarcity compared to
other salmon along most of the Pacific coast.
Description
The chinook is blue-green or purple on the back and top of the head with silvery
sides and white ventral surfaces. It has black spots on its tail and the upper
half of its body. Its mouth is often dark purple. Adult fish range in size from
33 to 36 in but may be up to 58 inches in length; they average 10 to 50 pounds
but may reach 130 pounds . The current sport-caught World Record is 97.25 pounds
and was caught in May 1985 by Les Anderson in the Kenai River in Alaska. The
commercial catch world record is 126 pounds caught near Rivers Inlet British
Columbia in the late 70's.
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How to catch an Alaska
king salmon By Alaskan Fishing Vacations
For the fisherman on
an Alaska fishing vacation the best way to catch the Alaska king salmon is to
obtain the services of a professional Alaska fishing guide who works for an
established Alaska fishing lodge. These fishing guides will be sure to be
licensed professionals and lodge owners will not sacrifice their reputations
with unqualified guides. State of Alaska Department of Fish and Game statistics
show in recent years that the unguided angler will spend nearly 40 hours fishing
before he will even hook an Alaska king salmon. Guided Alaska fishing
vacationers will often only spend a few hours before they hook their king salmon
and land one. Since the Alaska fishing vacation may be of short duration,
success of the fishing trip may depend on the fishing guide. Not only will the
guide have the knowledge and experience to achieve success, the right equipment
and tackle and fishing hot spots will be known.
Alaska Fishing Vacations recommends that
you purchase at least a
minimal vacation package
before you try to go it alone. With the nearly 24 hours of daylight in the
season then you will have plenty of time to fish the banks on your fishing
vacation. In the Kenai saltwater, most fishing for king salmon is done by
trolling cut herring or herring attractors. Trolling weights, divers, diving
lures are directly related to the run of the 30 foot tides in Cook Inlet, speed
of the troll and the depth at which the salmon or their feed are spotted.
Downriggers set at various depths increase the chances of success. T-spoons,
Kwikfish, flashers , are all used by experienced guides. On the Kenai River and
the Kasilof River guided anglers in drift and power boats enjoy success by back
trolling a Jet-planer with Kwikfish, Flatfish, Magnum Wiggle Worts, Tadpollys,
Spin-n-Glos, and salmon egg clusters. Back bouncing with an appropriate lead
weight instead of a jet planer is also extremely effective for guided anglers.
It must be said that the Alaska fishing guides knowledge of boat handling and
the water is of utmost importance. Bank fisherman on the Kasilof, Anchor River,
Deep Creek, and Ninilchick river as well as the Kenai are successful using a
weight and casting a Kenai Special with a single hook or casting and bouncing
large spoons such as the Pixie Spoon off the bottom rocks is a successful tactic
as is casting #6 Vibrax upstream and reeling in as the lure bounces off the
rocks. Fly fishermen using attractor flies like the coho or Alaskabou have had
their share of hook ups. Bank fisherman beware, no matter what Kenai water you
are fishing, be prepared to run when you hook that king salmon!
