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[Juiceboxluver]

I've asked a couple of guys on the vedder before about eatn Pinks that have been in pretty rough shape an all they said was " There great in the smoker" 

[Mark102]

Haha well I don't know any better so had to try it... It's edible but definitely not as good as the chrome ones.

[hue-nut]

People eat pinks that look like that?

my thoughts x2

[Rodney]

Everyone has to start from somewhere. You learn and know better as you go along. I have pictures of my kept chum salmon so coloured that no features in the Photoshop can save them.

[dmoney]

I agree, Mark- those fish are pretty far gone, but props to you for eating them and not wasting them once you decided to bonk them. I wish I had a picture of the first chum I ever retained. I thought it was the most beautiful fish in the universe, but knowing what I know now, it was well past it's "best-before" date   It stank up the whole house when I cooked it, lesson learned

D$

[Sandman]

Pinks and Chum turn colour very quickly once entering freshwater so you need to use more than that to judge the quality of the meat.  Those pink look fine as the belly flesh is still quite white.  When the bellies darken, especially for chum, then they should not be bonked as the meat quality will be low.  I have cooked both chrome chum and pink and slightly coloured ones and the difference is slim.

[purplehelmet]

I started-out years ago keeping "brown-betties."  Now I'm such a snob I threw back Pinks 2 weeks ago that only had a couple of sea lice as opposed to 9 or so.  I suppose if people eat them it's no harm no foul.  I also think the fish has earned the right to spawn once it gets higher in the river...  Past the gauntlet of predation f/ birth to spawning it has endured.  That smoker thing makes me crazy as stated below... 

[JAwrey]

I started-out years ago keeping "brown-betties."  Now I'm such a snob I threw back Pinks 2 weeks ago that only had a couple of sea lice as opposed to 9 or so.  I suppose if people eat them it's no harm no foul.  I also think the fish has earned the right to spawn once it gets higher in the river...  Past the gauntlet of predation f/ birth to spawning it has endured.  That smoker thing makes me crazy as stated below... 

I agree...why would you waste your quota hahaha

Haha well I don't know any better so had to try it... It's edible but definitely not as good as the chrome ones.

Thats the spirit!!  Next time count the lice

[purplehelmet]

I was slaying them so I had the luxury

[milo]

I started-out years ago keeping "brown-betties."  Now I'm such a snob I threw back Pinks 2 weeks ago that only had a couple of sea lice as opposed to 9 or so. 

The number of lice is no indicator of freshness. The presence of the tail in the louse IS.
I have caught pinks in the Fraser and the Squamish with tailed lice on them. How's that for fresh? 

[purplehelmet]

Louse?  Is that singular for lice?  Anyhou, that's what I meant, of course

[milo]

Louse?  Is that singular for lice? 

aYup!

[dereke]

 Those pink look fine as the belly flesh is still quite white.

We will have to agree to disagree on that. Call me a meat snob but those are well past good table fare. As for your theory about this and that with chum and pinks you are right that both species turn fast in fresh water and even start to turn out in the salt. To me that just means get them fresh or don't kill them. There is no other way of doing it through my  eyes I guess but to each there own. There are a few ways to tell if your fish is going to be decent other than the obvious. If you have the fish you want to retain at the shore first off keep it in the water. You can gently press behin the head on the shoulders, if the meat is firm and the skin doesn't feel like a slug  it's an indication of freshness. Also the further along a fish get the scales dissolve into the skin starting from the top of the fish down to the belly. Scales to the top can be a good tell tale as well. White bellies is pretty species specific as you can see by those pinks, chum it's a sure way to tell though. The biggest thing is if you are really questioning it it's probably better off left to do it's thing...

[dereke]

The number of lice is no indicator of freshness. The presence of the tail in the louse IS.

I had no idea Milo, sweet fact.

[bbronswyk2000]

Imo pinks are only good for catch and release. I would never kill one for myself. Sure if smoked properly they would be good but why bother if you have other species ( sockeye,springs,coho) I think all the hype about pink fishing is funny, in 3 weeks they will just be in the way and a pain in the arse

This is a terrible way of looking at things. Its reeks of being spoiled. Pinks are great fun on the fly or light weight tackle. When caught fresh and smoked they taste great and just the perfect size.