The waters in and around Ketchikan, Alaska are teaming with life. It would be an understatement to say that our waters have an abundance of trophy fish.
- King Salmon (also known as Chinook)
- Silver Salmon (aka Coho)
- Pink Salmon (aka Humpback)
- Chum Salmon (aka Dog or Keta)
- Pacific Halibut
- Yelloweye Rockfish (aka Pacific Red Snapper)
- Ling Cod
Kings are available from mid-May through mid-July.
Silvers are available from early July through September.
Pinks are available from early July through mid-August.
Salmon Identification
CHINOOK SALMON
aka SPRING / TYEE / QUINNAT
Identifying Characteristics:- – Black gum line
- – Tail can be bright silver to dark with spots on both sided of lobes
- – Small irregular shaped black spots on back, dorsal fin, and both lobes of tail
- – Weight – up to 100 lbs
- Limit
- Limits on king salmon vary from year to year. Check the current Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary for non-resident limits on kings.”
Legal Chinook Must Be At Least 28 Inches In Length!
SILVER SALMON
aka COHO
- Identifying Characteristics:
- – White gum line
- – Tail has spots on upper lobe only
- – Usually has spotting on back and dorsal fin
- – Weight – up to 20 lbs
- Limit
- – Resident – Six Per Day
- – Non-Resident – Six Per Day
PINK SALMON
aka HUMPBACK / HUMPIE
- Identifying Characteristics:
- – Large spots on back and large black oval blotches on both tail lobes
- – Very small scales
- – Smallest salmon species in Alaska
- – Tail has good V shape to it
- – Weight – up to 8 lbs – up to 24 inches
- Limit
- – Resident – Six Per Day
- – Non-Resident – Six Per Day
CHUM SALMON
aka DOG
- Identifying Characteristics:
- – No distinctive spots on back or tail
- – Large eye pupil covers nearly the entire eye
- – Tail may have silver streaks throughout
- – Vertical bars or faint outlines on side (tiger stripes)
- – Weight – 6 to 18 lbs or more – up to 18 inches
- Limit
- – Resident – Six Per Day
- – Non-Resident – Six Per Day
SOCKEYE SALMON
aka RED
- Identifying Characteristics:
- – No spots on body
- – Tail has no silver color or spots
- – May have fang-like teeth at tips of jaw
- – Long slender gill rakers
- – Weight – 4 to 8 lbs – up to 28 inches
- Limit
- – Resident – Six Per Day
- – Non-Resident – Six Per Day
NOTE: Sockeye are rarely caught on sport gear, as they are plankton eaters