COHO,
CHINOOK,
SOCKEYE
CHUM,
(best
smoked)
The above are the preferred species of Pacific salmon to eat:
The Fraser, Harrison and Lillooet systems all have good stocks of fish.
The Chinook (Spring or King) comes with White or Red flesh i.e. Red Springs
(preferred) and White Springs. Cut into steaks and season on the BBQ.
The favorite eating fish would have to be the Sockeye known worldwide for it's flavor.
Sockeye Salmon Lox and smoked Sockeye are found in great restaurants,
and Deli's everywhere. This fish has lots of oil to carry it's taste.
Coho (Silvers) or sliver salmon are decent eating.
The meat is firm but fairly bland, Good poached and stuffed.
The Chum salmon and Pink salmon are not targeted by commercial fisherman in any
big way and their stocks are at all-time highs.
The Chum (dog) salmon is used for canning and are often smoked. Due to it's size, nasty looks
and easy access, the "Chum" is often under-rated but is still good eating and excellent smoked.
The Pink salmon due to it's inferior flesh firmness is mainly canned or eaten fresh the same day it is caught.
Fishing charters available to the Fraser , Harrison, Lillooet, Stave and other rivers and lakes.
We have guides with techniques to target any of the five species. British Columbia's
rivers and lakes also have a variety of trout such as Cutthroat, Bull, Rainbow, Steelhead,
Dolly Varden and even a landlocked salmonid the Kokanee. Whitefish, Burbot and
White sturgeon to round out the mix.
* Atlantic Salmon Are escapee's from Fish Farms. If you catch one
REPORT TO D.F.O. IMMEDIATELY! DO NOT RELEASE!
All salmon are great sport-fish. The best use of them economically and
conservation wise, is Catch and Release Sport-fishing.
For most sport-fishermen the Sockeye and Coho are the most fun.
Sockeye are fast, strong and don't give up easily. Difficult to keep hooked and
soft mouthed they spit out a lot of hooks.
Coho (Silvers) are acrobatic and leap high in the air during their high speed runs.
Coho are favored more for their fighting ability than as food.
The big King salmon (Chinook) fight long and hard and tend to stay down in the water.
The average weight is over 20 lbs. but some reach up to 100lbs! These are the largest
of the Salmonids and are a real test of skill to land.
The Chum salmon are big, toothy and very strong, they are known as tackle busters.
They develop teeth that resemble a dog's while spawning hence the nickname
"Dog salmon" they are excellent smoked and with weights hitting 30 lbs.
they can wreck lighter lines.
Pink salmon due to their size are ideal for Fly-fishing and spin-casting and give up a
good fight on lighter tackle. "Humpies" as they are known will take a wide variety
of baits or lures while spawning.
With five species of Pacific salmonids here in British Columbia we are blessed with many angling choices.
Come see the beauty of the mountains, lakes and rivers of the Fraser Valley British Columbia, Canada.
For more information on Pacific salmon check out the links below:
