• Site Map
• Blog
  
• Butcher Beef Videos
• Butcher Fish Videos

 

 

 

 

 

Identifying Types of Salmon

Image courtesy Wikipedia

Unless you are an avid fisherman, identifying salmon by species can be a bit challenging.  Having a whole, head-on fish makes the process much easier than trying to identify a salmon from skin-on fillets.  Identifying skin-off fillets of salmon can be very difficult as even the color of the flesh can change within species.  The video below shows how to identify the following salmon species: Chinook, Sockeye, Coho, Chum, Pink, Atlantic, and newly classified Steelhead.

Atlantic Salmon Identification

Atlantic Salmon have one, or several, large black spots on their gill cover (King, Coho, Sockeye, Chum & Pinks do not have this mark, and Steelhead have many small spots on the head).  They have "x" shaped spots along the back mostly above the lateral line, and no spots on the tail which has a small fork shape.  The Caudel Peduncle is thick.
The video description of Atlantic Salmon starts at 9:15.

Image courtesy BCSalmon.ca

Chinook (King) Salmon Identification

Chinook is the largest of the salmon species with maximum weights reaching over 50 lb with average commercial weights ranging between 11 - 20 lbs.  King Salmon have many black round  spots along their back and sides above the lateral line.  The tail has a moderate fork shape with small black spots on both the upper and lower portion of the tail.  They have black gums (hence the nickname "Blackmouth Salmon"), small eyes, and the Caudal Peduncle is narrow in relation to the rest of their body.
The video description of Chinook Salmon starts at 4:48.

Image courtesy BCSalmon.ca

Chum Salmon Identification

Chums reach a maximum weight of up to 20 lbs with average commercial weights ranging between 6 - 12 lbs.  They are steel-blue in color, have large scales, and may have large black splotches on the body, but no spots like King, Coho or Pinks.  Their eye has a large pupil.  Their tail has no spots and it has silver streams which radiate from the Caudel Peduncle which is narrow. During spawn, Chum have an olive-green & brown back with vertical bands of redish-purple on its sides, the the tips of the pelvic and anal fins turn white.
The video description of Chum Salmon starts at 10:27.

Image courtesy BCSalmon.ca

Coho Salmon Identification

Coho can grow to about 25 lb with average commercial weights ranging between 5 - 12 lbs.  Like King Salmon, Coho also have black round spots along their backs above the lateral line, although not as many spots as a King has.  On the tail, Coho have round black spots only on the upper half (Kings have spots on the upper and lower portion of the tail).  They have  white gums with a little black "trim" on the outside. The Caudel Peduncle is thick and there are white streaks on the upper and lower part of the fish where the Caudel Peduncle meets the tail.  During spawn, Coho turn red below the lateral line and keep their other distinguishing traits.
The video description of Coho Salmon starts at 6:42.

Image courtesy BCSalmon.ca

Pink Salmon Identification

Pink Salmon are generally smaller than other salmon species and have a softer, less firm body structure.  They reach a maximum weight of up to 15 lbs with average commercial weights being 4 - 8 lbs.  They have small scales and black spots (fewer than a King) mostly on their backs but may also have larger black splotches on their sides.  They have black oval spots (not round like a King or Coho) on both lobes of the tail.  During spawn, Pinks get a large hump on their backs, hence the nickname "Humpy Salmon".
The video description of Pink Salmon starts at 7:52.

Image courtesy BCSalmon.ca

Sockeye Salmon Identification

Sockeye are blue-green above the lateral line and have no spots on their back or tail.  They reach a maximum weight of up to 16 lbs but average commercial weight is 6 - 8 lbs.  They have large scales and a narrow Caudel Pedunckle.  During spawn, the head is green but the entire body becomes red both above and below the lateral line.
The video description of Sockeye Salmon starts at 11:16.

Steelhead Identification

Steelhead have recently been reclassified as a salmon species.  They can grow to about 40 lbs but average weight ranges between 8 - 11 lbs.  They have small spots uniformly scattered on their head, on the body mostly above the lateral line, and both lobes of the tail which is square shaped.  Their head is shorter than other salmon species and has a redish/pinkish patch on the gill cover which extends down the lateral line.  They have a thick Caudel Peduncle.
The video description of Steelhead starts at 8:42.

 

 

 

 

Did you find the information about Identifying Types of Salmon useful? Or did you notice something which is missing on this page?
If so, please leave a comment.