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[Eva]

Hello.
 I am new to fishing the Fraser river and was wondering how one can tell the difference between Red and White Springs while they are still alive. Are there special markings?

So the Capilano River coho have a "c" on their noe as opposed to the Seymour River coho's having an "s"? i caught a htchery coho the other day that had nothing on it's nose, so i was curious.

Thank you very much./

[Fishin Freak]

There's been discussions on this before, i'd advise you do a search.

[DragonSpeed]

Eva....It's sometimes hard for people to give good advice because their tongue is so firmly planted in their cheek

[Eva]

For those that commented, thank you for the tips and advice. Is there any other way to spot that from any coloring or shape of the fish?

thank you again.

[Eva]

I did do a search, but the results just brought me back to this thread. if there was previous information on this subject posted please add a link.

thank you.

[Fish Assassin]

Yupper and the Vedder Springs have a VS on there nose for Vedder Spring if you get a VC that is Vedder Coho.  You have too look really hard to see it but it is there.

To tell the difference with a white spring to a red spring, again look at the nose, as it would be a VWS or VRS Vedder white spring or vedder red spring.


Hope this helps


C.F

You're one funny guy CF !  

[FishOn]

Eva, lift the gill plate and look at the collar. On a red spring you will see a reddish tinge behind the white fleshy skin of the collar.

[pinkwool]

Eva, are you going to ditch the White in hope of catching the Red. If it's Fraser in May-August, don't even try it. The Fraser whites are better tasting fish than Reds (subject to culinary adjustments). If it's Vedder in Fall then there are no Reds in the reiver at that time (99.9%). For other streams follow the above hints.

[Redeye]

Eva, lift the gill plate and look at the collar. On a red spring you will see a reddish tinge behind the white fleshy skin of the collar.

FishOn is exactly correct.

[DocSpratley]

Eva, if you actually are a woman and look remotely close to your avatar picture, I will personaaly take you out and explain the differences between whites and reds for you.  
If you are a 325# dude from a trailer park in Whalley, DaveG could probably help you out.

Honestly though, you can check the under the gill plate right near the mout CAREFULLY. Whites will be white and reds will have a peach/pink or red color.

I also tend to find the spot markings on the back of the FRASER whites are much more spread out and fewer of them. Reds seem to have either alot more spots or none.

Whites



Reds



Now it may be just my eyesight messed up from the chronic abuse, but I also seem to notice the reds have blacker mouths.

The Vedder whites are a whole new ball game, they get a distinct green tinge to them once in the system for a while, and they should only be kept if you plan on giving them to someone you want as a future enemy.  

[Gooey]

Eva, I would not recommend trying to quickly identify a white or a red, after a long battle they should be killed or released immediately.  I saw a guy on pegleg beach a 30 lb white...as it lay on its side in the sand he fiddled with the gill plate to open it up. My buddy Bug Pumper had helped him land the fish and when the guys saw it was a white he told BP to release it.  

BP told me that that fish was dead, gone, it wasnt going to be revived.  An old man walked up the bar and took it off that guys hands for him.

If you are that new to the sport that you are asking these questions then you wont notice a difference in taste if you actually get one to the beach (or table)!

[dennisK]

The Vedder whites .... should only be kept if you plan on giving them to someone you want as a future enemy.  

sigh, one of the greatest fish for sport and the table - i wish folks would not give them such a bum rap. just because white's do not lend themselves well to the BBQ - they get slagged.  i wonder if it was reversed and the white spring was angling for baseballed capped unshaven fishermen - would the fish be correct in saying, "geeze another unkempt human - only good for fertilizer"

[DocSpratley]

sigh, one of the greatest fish for sport and the table - i wish folks would not give them such a bum rap. just because white's do not lend themselves well to the BBQ - they get slagged.  i wonder if it was reversed and the white spring was angling for baseballed capped unshaven fishermen - would the fish be correct in saying, "geeze another unkempt human - only good for fertilizer"

Umm, Dennis, if you read a little more carefully, I say VEDDER whites. I have no problem with the Fraser whites at all. As long as I catch them above the Harrison. These fish have a long way to go, so their fat reserves are enormous. This gives them the rich, full of Omega3, juicy taste that upper Fraser Chinook are renowned for. They can also stay in relatively good condition up to areas such as the Shushwap. PS...these fish are excellent on the BBQ!

The Vedder/Harrison stock is a completely different scenario. Most seasoned anglers can tell the difference in a heartbeat by either colour,smell or both. There is a reason they usually turn booty by the time they hit the Limit hole. They are a localling spawning fish, so they ripen up VERY quickly, eliminating the need for those oh so delicious excess fats.

BTW if, in your opinion, "whites do not lend themselves well for the BBQ", how the hell can you still call them "one of the greatest fish for sport and the table" in the same sentance.

[dennisK]

sigh, one of the greatest fish for sport and the table - i wish folks would not give them such a bum rap. just because white's do not lend themselves well to the BBQ - they get slagged.  i wonder if it was reversed and the white spring was angling for baseballed capped unshaven fishermen - would the fish be correct in saying, "geeze another unkempt human - only good for fertilizer"

BTW if, in your opinion, "whites do not lend themselves well for the BBQ", how the hell can you still call them "one of the greatest fish for sport and the table" in the same sentance.

because i only use the bbq in about 10% of my salmon cooking (worked at a restaurant for 5 yrs so i have about 25/30 recipes for non-bbq fish).

and vedder springs rock, you just have to fillet and SKIN them - smell is gone then (do not make steaks - more versatile fileted). and...to make them even more creamy and halibut like, soak the filets in milk in the fridge for 5-6hrs.

you can substitute the flesh as you would any other white fish - and create raja impressive curried salmon, spring fish cakes avec dijon creme,  bisques,  broiled, blackened,  in a stirfry, in a most awesome bouillabase, gumbos... etc.

problem is that (delicately put) most of the men who catch vedder springs aren't cooks...a lot of the guys i know can't tell the diff between a shallot and a clove of garlic   sacre bleu!

also chicks dig a man good in the kitchen - his skills are transferable to other rooms in the home too...wink wink.

[DocSpratley]

Sounds good, I'll have to try it with some of the Fraser white I have let in the freezer.
IMHO though, a truly good salmon shouldn't need marinating and sauces and extra frillies to make it palatable. But I am a little spoiled.