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| The term |
The term, SALMON, is the common name for several species of ] of the ] family. Several other fishes in the family are called ]. Salmon live in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. | ||
| Salmon are |
Salmon are ]: they are born in fresh water, migrate to the ocean, then return to fresh water to reproduce. Folklore has it that the fish return to the exact spot where they were born to spawn and modern research shows that usually at least 90% of the fish spawning in a stream were born there. In Alaska, the crossing over to other streams allows salmon to populate new streams, such as those that emerge as a glacier retreats. How they navigate is still a mystery, though their keen sense of smell may be involved. In all species of Pacific salmon, the mature individuals die within a few weeks of spawning. | ||
| The various species of salmon have many names. | |||
| ==== Fishing for salmon -- from the "Boy's Own Book of Outdoor Sports" (early 1900s) ==== | |||
| Oncorhynchus nerka is called sockeye, red, or blueback. This species is found south as far as the Klamath River in California in the eastern Pacific and northern Hokkaido Island in Japan in the western Pacific and as far north as Bathurst Inlet in the Canadian Arctic in the east and the Anadyr River in Siberia in the west. | |||
| This most delicious of fish sometimes grows to an immense size for a frequenter of fresh water. Salmon begin to run up certain northern rivers in April and stay there until the latter end of July, when they return to the sea. It is while thus running that they are taken by anglers and salmon fishermen. They deposit their spawn at the extreme point that they reach on the river, and by the time they return, the young fry are ready to return with them. The same young ones follow their parents up the river the year following, having grown to be about six inches in length. At the end of the second year they weigh from five to seven pounds, and it takes them six years to attain their growth. | |||
| Some young fish spend as long as four years in fresh water lakes before migrating to the sea. In rivers without lakes, many of the young move to the ocean quite soon after hatching. These salmon mature after one to four years in the ocean. | |||
| The salmon, like the trout, is timid and easily frightened. When they become alarmed, they move very rapidly in the water, and go a great distance without stopping. It is, therefore, necessary to be extremely cautious in fishing them, and requires skill and perseverence. The most wary and scientific anglers have their patience tried in taking this fish, whose instinct leads it to astonishingly artful and singular efforts to escape. The feeding grounds of the salmon are swift streams, and deep lakes, with gravelly and pebbly bottoms, where there are easily outlets to the sea. The time for fishing them is early in the morning or late in the afternoon, and they may be taken from May until August. In the first of the season, worms, small fish, or shrimp, is the usual bait; but in July and August they are partial to the fly. | |||
| Some sockeye salmon live and reproduce in lakes and are called "kokanee". They are much smaller than the ones that go to the ocean (rarely over 14 | |||
| The tackle used for salmon, should combine strength with imperceptibility. A large sized reel is necessary, with some two hundred yards of line made of silk and hair combined, or a grass line is sometimes used. The leader should be four or five feet long, made of twisted gut, and with a swivel sinker, or a swivel alone in fly fishing. The rod should be fifteen to eighteen feet long, and elastic at the end. The proper hook for worm and live bait is te Kirby and Limerick pattern. Nos. 0 to 4; and Nos. 0 to 3 in fly fishing. Fishing with artificial flies is often very successful, the flies being made of gray and gaudy feathers. | |||
| inches long). | |||
| This species is netted for commercial canning, especially in Bristol Bay, ], site of the largest harvest of sockeye salmon in the world, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. The species has been preferred for canning due to the rich orange-red color of the flesh. More than half of the sockeye salmon catch nowadays is sold frozen | |||
| Oncorhynchus tshawytscha is called chinook, king, tyee, spring salmon, quinnat, tule, or blackmouth. | |||
| This species grows to a great size and may migrate for hundreds or thousands of miles up freshwater rivers to spawn. The young live in freshwater as fry for some time. Maturity occurs between the second and seventh year of life. | |||
| Oncorhynchus gorbuscha is called pink or humpback | |||
| This species is found from northern California and Korea, throughout the northern Pacific, and from the Mackenzie River in Canada to the Lena River in Siberia | |||
| .The young hatch by mid-winter and migrate to the ocean by spring. They move into the deep ocean in the fall where they stay for two years. When mature, the pink salmons return to spawn close to the coast, some in intertidal areas. | |||
| Beginning in the late nineteenth century, fish traps were used to supply fish for commercial canning and salting. The industry expanded steadily until 1920. During the 1940’s and 1950’s, pink salmon populations declined drastically. Fish traps were prohibited in Alaska in1959. Now most pink salmon are taken with purse seines and drift or set gillnets. Some increase in population is evident. | |||
| Oncorhynchus keta is called chum or dog or calico. | |||
| This species has a wide geographic range: south to the Sacramento River in | |||
| California in the eastern Pacific and the island of Kyushu in the Sea of | |||
| Japan in the western Pacific; north to the Mackenzie River in Canada in the | |||
| east and to the Lena River in Siberia in the west. | |||
| Most chum salmon spawn in small streams and intertidal zones, especially among stalks of eelgrass. The young feed on small insects in streams and estuaries, then move out to saltwater in the fall. They mature after three, | |||
| four, five, or six years. Some chum travel more than 2,000 miles up the Yukon River. | |||
| Oncorhynchus kisutch (Walbaum) is called coho or silver. This species is found throughout the coastal waters of Alaska and up most clear-running streams and rivers. | |||
| The eggs hatch in the spring. Young often spend the first winter in off-channel sloughs. Some fish leave fresh water in the spring, spend summer in brackish estuarine ponds and then migrate back into fresh water in the fall. Coho spend one to three winters in streams (or up to five winters in lakes) before migrating to the sea. | |||
| This species is a fighting fish and provides fine sport in fresh and salt water from July to September, especially with light tackle. | |||
| Coastal dwellers have long respected the salmon. Most peoples of the Northern Pacific shores had a ceremony to honor the first return of the year. For many centuries, people caught the salmon as they swam upriver. A famous spearfishing site on the Columbia River at Celilo Falls was inundated after great dams were built on the river. Now, salmon are caught in bays and near shore. Long drift net fisheries have been banned on the high seas. | |||
| External Link: http://www.state.ak.us/local/akpages/FISH.GAME/notebook/notehome.htm | |||
Revision as of 04:15, 6 September 2002
The term, SALMON, is the common name for several species of fish of the Salmonidae family. Several other fishes in the family are called trout. Salmon live in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
Salmon are anadromous: they are born in fresh water, migrate to the ocean, then return to fresh water to reproduce. Folklore has it that the fish return to the exact spot where they were born to spawn and modern research shows that usually at least 90% of the fish spawning in a stream were born there. In Alaska, the crossing over to other streams allows salmon to populate new streams, such as those that emerge as a glacier retreats. How they navigate is still a mystery, though their keen sense of smell may be involved. In all species of Pacific salmon, the mature individuals die within a few weeks of spawning.
The various species of salmon have many names.
Oncorhynchus nerka is called sockeye, red, or blueback. This species is found south as far as the Klamath River in California in the eastern Pacific and northern Hokkaido Island in Japan in the western Pacific and as far north as Bathurst Inlet in the Canadian Arctic in the east and the Anadyr River in Siberia in the west.
Some young fish spend as long as four years in fresh water lakes before migrating to the sea. In rivers without lakes, many of the young move to the ocean quite soon after hatching. These salmon mature after one to four years in the ocean.
Some sockeye salmon live and reproduce in lakes and are called "kokanee". They are much smaller than the ones that go to the ocean (rarely over 14 inches long).
This species is netted for commercial canning, especially in Bristol Bay, Alaska, site of the largest harvest of sockeye salmon in the world, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. The species has been preferred for canning due to the rich orange-red color of the flesh. More than half of the sockeye salmon catch nowadays is sold frozen
Oncorhynchus tshawytscha is called chinook, king, tyee, spring salmon, quinnat, tule, or blackmouth.
This species grows to a great size and may migrate for hundreds or thousands of miles up freshwater rivers to spawn. The young live in freshwater as fry for some time. Maturity occurs between the second and seventh year of life.
Oncorhynchus gorbuscha is called pink or humpback
This species is found from northern California and Korea, throughout the northern Pacific, and from the Mackenzie River in Canada to the Lena River in Siberia
.The young hatch by mid-winter and migrate to the ocean by spring. They move into the deep ocean in the fall where they stay for two years. When mature, the pink salmons return to spawn close to the coast, some in intertidal areas.
Beginning in the late nineteenth century, fish traps were used to supply fish for commercial canning and salting. The industry expanded steadily until 1920. During the 1940’s and 1950’s, pink salmon populations declined drastically. Fish traps were prohibited in Alaska in1959. Now most pink salmon are taken with purse seines and drift or set gillnets. Some increase in population is evident.
Oncorhynchus keta is called chum or dog or calico.
This species has a wide geographic range: south to the Sacramento River in California in the eastern Pacific and the island of Kyushu in the Sea of Japan in the western Pacific; north to the Mackenzie River in Canada in the east and to the Lena River in Siberia in the west.
Most chum salmon spawn in small streams and intertidal zones, especially among stalks of eelgrass. The young feed on small insects in streams and estuaries, then move out to saltwater in the fall. They mature after three, four, five, or six years. Some chum travel more than 2,000 miles up the Yukon River.
Oncorhynchus kisutch (Walbaum) is called coho or silver. This species is found throughout the coastal waters of Alaska and up most clear-running streams and rivers.
The eggs hatch in the spring. Young often spend the first winter in off-channel sloughs. Some fish leave fresh water in the spring, spend summer in brackish estuarine ponds and then migrate back into fresh water in the fall. Coho spend one to three winters in streams (or up to five winters in lakes) before migrating to the sea.
This species is a fighting fish and provides fine sport in fresh and salt water from July to September, especially with light tackle.
Coastal dwellers have long respected the salmon. Most peoples of the Northern Pacific shores had a ceremony to honor the first return of the year. For many centuries, people caught the salmon as they swam upriver. A famous spearfishing site on the Columbia River at Celilo Falls was inundated after great dams were built on the river. Now, salmon are caught in bays and near shore. Long drift net fisheries have been banned on the high seas.
External Link: http://www.state.ak.us/local/akpages/FISH.GAME/notebook/notehome.htm