Chinook Salmon ( Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)

Chinook occur from Alaska south to the Sacramento River system. They are relatively long lived which allows this species to attain the largest size of any Pacific salmon. They average about 25 lbs. and  have been recorded over 100 lbs. Generally they mature at an age of 4-5 years, although some runs were known to live up to 10 years. Chinook tend to spawn in larger rivers and are the least abundant of the Pacific salmon. In south Puget sound the Chinook salmon are at very low numbers and are going to be listed and protected under the endangered species act this year.

Chum Salmon ( O. keta)

Chum salmon are the second largest Pacific salmon and they average about 12 lbs. before they return to their natal streams to spawn. Chum salmon generally prefer to spawn in the lower reaches of streams and in some cases even in areas of tidal influence. They are very abundant in  many Puget sound streams as with most of their range north of the Columbia river although there are exceptions. This might be attributed to two different reasons. First,the Chum salmon is the least valued salmon for a food fish and is not fished as hard as the other species. Second, this species is least dependent on the freshwater habitat because they migrate to the marine environment immediately up hatching and emerging from the gravel substrate of the stream bed. This is an advantage for this species in times of degraded freshwater enviroments caused by activities such as logging, road building, farming. and urbanization. Even with this advantage in life cycle requirements the summer chum of Hood Canal has been listed as endangered.

Coho Salmon ( O. kisutch)
Of all the Pacific salmon the Coho is the most popular as a sport fish and is highly sought as food fish. Most live 3 years to maturity and average about 10 lbs. at this time. The Coho is native to coastal and interior streams from south of San Francisco to Alaska. Coho prefer to spawn in smaller streams. The juvenile fish  live in the stream of their birth( natal stream) for 1 year and are very dependent on a healthy freshwater enviroment.  The population of this species is depleted in much of it's range.

Pink Salmon (O. gorbuscha)     The Pink salmon is the most abundant salmon and makes up more than  half of the commercial salmon catch. This species only lives 2 years and is the smallest of the Pacific salmon at 3-5 lbs. Like the Chum salmon, the Pink salmon prefers to spawn in the lower reaches of streams and they also leave the freshwater enviroment immediately upon hatching.

Sockeye Salmon (O. nerka)     The Sockeye salmon is the second most abundant salmon species and it makes up to 25% of the commercial catch on the west coast. It reaches a size of about 12 lbs. at maturity. Sockeye salmon prefer to spawn near a lake so that their young can rear in the lake. This species has been known to travel great distances to their natal lake, for instance, the endangered Redfish Lake Sockeye in Idaho travels 1600 km. from the ocean to spawn.

Steelhead (Rainbow) Trout ( O. mykiss)     The Steelhead (rainbow trout) occurs from the Bering Sea to southern California. The steelhead is the sea-run or andromous form that occurs wherever there is access to the sea and the rainbow or resident occurs where there isn't. Steelhead require a healthy freshwater environment as their juveniles spend one year in the natal stream before going to the ocean. The adults spends 1 or 2 years in the ocean before returning to the natal stream. Steeelhead can reachup to forty pounds in weight although they average much less. They are a very popular fish with sports fishermen. Today populations are generally depressed over much of it's range.

Cutthroat Trout (O. clarki)         The coastal cutthroat trout have similar habitat to the steelhead. They are found in both sea-going and resident populatons in coastal and interior streams. They require a healthy freshwater enviroment because of the use of this habitat by the juveniles for two -three years. The adults are also dependent on the freshwater habitat because they spend up to half the year in the stream. They prefer to spawn in small, swift streams in the winter or spring.  These fish rarely exceed fifteen inches in length but have been recorded up to thirty inches in length.

eggs: each female may lay 2-4 thousand

alevin: newly hatched fish with yolk sac

fry: small salmon that have absorbed the yolk sac

smolt: juvenile salmon that are ready to go to sea

adult: may stay in the ocean 1-5 years and then return to the stream of their birth o spawn. All species except steelhead and cutthroat die after spawning--in two weeks the salmon ages as much as humans do in twenty to forty years.