Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum
Fishing in British Columbia => General Discussion => Topic started by: Stu on September 13, 2009, 10:51:33 PM
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Hi,
I am new to salmon fishing and never really bothered about the different kind of salmon and how to ID them.
But now I am bitter by the Salmon bug and having difficulties finding a simple to read Salmon ID chart.
That's Why I come up with the idea of creating one. I am planning to create a one letter page that would be easy to print for
every new fisherman. I gathered the following information from the web and I would ask you kindly to add or correct whatever you think it is
easier way to ID the different species. ( remember it is for novices like me who possibly never seen a certain kind of salmon except on diner plate with potatoes :) )
If this works I'm planning to create a PDF file with possibly some small pictures that everyone could download and print.
Any comments about this idea is also appreciated.
There it goes:
Chinook:
Identification Characteristics:
* Olive brown to dark brown in color, almost black on back and sides
* Many spots on its back
* Few spots on fins
* BOTH upper and lower part of tail fin has spots
* Lower gum line is black
* Range in length from 24 inches (2 feet) to 60 inches (5 feet)
Spawn Timing:
* September through mid-December
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Chum:
Identification Characteristics:
* No distinct black spots on back or caudal fins
* Males are dark blue above with reddish-purple vertical markings and well developed teeth
* Females less colorful, often with horizontal bar along sides
* Lower gum line is black
* Range in length from 30-42 inches
Spawn Timing:
* November through late December
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Coho:
Identification Characteristics:
* Back and head dark bluish-green
* Lower sides brilliant red to wine color
* Gill cover reddish
* Spots on back and UPPER lobe of tail fin only
* Lower gum line is light colored
* Range in length from 17 to 38 inches
Spawn Timing:
* Mid-October through early January
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Kokanee
Kokanee SalmonKokanee are the land-locked form of sockeye salmon.
Identification Characteristics:
* In males, back and sides are bright red to dirty red-gray, head is bright to olive green, tail is green to black
* In females, colors not as bright, but red above lateral line
* Possible spots on back or tail fin
* Males have a large dorsal hump
* Range in length from 10-18 inches
Spawn Timing:
* Early August through late December
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Cutthroat Trout:
Identification Characteristics:
* Head blunt, jaw long - extends past eye
* Small black spots on head & body extending well below lateral line, and on all fins
* Red to yellow streaks on underside of jaw
* Faint to no red on sides of spawning fish
* Length up to 30 inches
Spawn Timing:
* Spawns February through May
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Sockeye:
Identification Characteristics:
* In males, back and sides are bright red to dirty red-gray, head is bright to olive green, tail is green to black
* In females, colors not as bright, but red above lateral line
* NO distinct spots on back or tail fin
* Males have a large dorsal hump
* Range in length from 20-28 inches
Spawn Timing:
* Early August through late December
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Steelhead:
Identification Characteristics:
* Head blunt, jaw short - does not extend past the eye
* Distinct dark spots on dorsal fin
* Square-shaped tail fin with radiating pattern of spots
* Often has reddish stripe along sides, gill cover reddish
* Length up to 45 inches
Spawn Timing:
* Late March through early June
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Pink:
* tail heavily marked with large oval spots
* tiny scales
* the tail of a pink has no silver in it
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The descriptions seem to be of specimens in full spawning colours.Should be noted as such or changed to/or include fresh run description.
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There are dozens of pages like that across the net why bother making another one?
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Sam Salmon is right, there are tons. No point really.
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There are dozens of pages like that across the net why bother making another one?
I was not looking into making a website.
What I wanted to do is to put it together so it can be printed on one letter (paper)page,
and have it handy if needed.
If such a page already exists please let me know because I am obviously inept to Google it.
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pick up a copy of the regs, its all in there
these are helpful too
http://www.fishingwithrod.com/fish_profile/index.html
http://fishbc.com/adventure/angling/game_fish/index.phtml
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Obviously I am unable to explain what I was trying to do, so never mind.
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Obviously I am unable to explain what I was trying to do, so never mind.
I think you did a great job. This is perfect for my friend who just got into salmon fishing and wanted something quick that he could print out and keep in his tackle box. All the other pages he found had each fish on a different page so he would have to compile everything himself into something like what you posted to print.
Thumbs up to you.
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I think you did a great job. This is perfect for my friend who just got into salmon fishing and wanted something quick that he could print out and keep in his tackle box. All the other pages he found had each fish on a different page so he would have to compile everything himself into something like what you posted to print.
Thumbs up to you.
That was exactly my intention, it is nice to have all the info of the fishes on the web or in books , but when the fish is on the hook and unsure about it, a quick chart is the best way to go, and there is no time to go trough books or do a google search on the Iphone.
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The descriptions seem to be of specimens in full spawning colours.Should be noted as such or changed to/or include fresh run description.
I will try to do that tonight, thank you for pointing that out.
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Stu I think the best way to make up something like that would be to devote a single page to each species. That way you can include the normal and spawning pictures and both descriptions. You can also leave a little space for notes or anything else you think of after you make it. Inevitably things will have to be left out if you try to condense all of that information into a single page. Its funny, if you spend all the time putting this together you may find find that you remember all of the descriptions anyways :)
Jordan
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You are probably right about that Banny.
But since I'm doing the work already, I like to share it with fellow novices,
I just know way too good how hard it is to get into fishing if you don't know ppl who fish.
As the matter of fact if Fishingwithrod.com didnt exist I would probably still don't know
how to catch a Salmon and, all the other tings I learned here.
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I have finally managed to get the first draft done.
I would like to ask your help find eventual errors that went in.
Also any comment to improve it is highly appreciated.
Thank You.
DL Link:
http://www.filefactory.com/file/a0a4892/n/SalmonID_pdf (http://www.filefactory.com/file/a0a4892/n/SalmonID_pdf)
Sorry for the crappy hosting site, it was the fist I could find that didn't required lots of info to create an account.
P.s: all the pics are stolen taken from the web, I hope I won't get in troubel for that ;D ;D ;D
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This probably would've saved the embarrassment of keep having to ask a guy what fish I was looking at today. lol
I knew what they were, but I wasn't confident I was right.
But with the brand new "Tell Me What I Caught, Stu Edition" I won't have to be embarrassed anymore and for a change, I can be the one with the knowledge.
I was trying to sound like an infomercial that comes on the channel no one watches at 3:20am that's more enticing than ever. LOL
Honestly though, thanks for this Stu.
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I just noticed, this page doesn't have pinks and sockeyes in their "spawn season colors(?)"
I still appreciate this and am not complaining, but just wanted to bring it to attention.