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King Salmon
Chinook salmon are easily the largest of any salmon, with adults often exceeding 40 pounds individuals over 120 pounds have been reported. Chinook salmon are very similar to coho salmon in appearance while at sea (blue-green back with silver flanks), except for their large size, small black spots on both lobes of the tail, and black pigment along the base of the teeth.
Recommended line weight:
20-30# test
Recommended lures:
Pixies, 1/2-1 oz | Vibrax spinners size 4-6 | Kwikfish, Flatfish and wiggle warts sizes 8-15
Recommended bait:
Cured salmon eggs | Shrimp | Herring and Sardine wraps
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Red Salmon
The size of an adult returning to spawn may measure up to 2.8 feet in length and weigh an average of 8 pounds. The adult spawners are unique in appearance. They typically turn bright red, with a green head; hence they are commonly called "Red" salmon in Alaska. During the ocean and adult migratory phase, sockeye often have a bluish back and silver sides, giving rise to another common name, bluebacks.
Recommended line weight:
12-17# test
Recommended lures:
Reds are known to be very tight lipped while running up the rivers. Because Reds arent aggresive a technique called "flipping" is used with flies sizes 2-8. |
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Pink Salmon
The pink salmon is the smallest of the Pacific salmon found in North America with an average weight of about 3.5 to 4 pounds and average length of 20-25 inches. An adult fish returning to coastal waters is bright steely blue on top and silvery on the sides with many large black spots on the back and entire tail fin. Its scales are very small and the flesh is pink. As the fish approaches the spawning streams the bright appearance of the male is replaced by brown to black above with a white belly; females become olive green with dusky bars or patches above and a light-colored belly.
Recommended line weight:
4-6# test
Recommended lures:
Pixies, 1/4-3/4 oz | Vibrax spinners sizes 2-4 | Kwikfish, Flatfish and wiggle warts sizes 3-12 |
Silver Salmon
The size of an adult coho may measure more than 2 feet in length and can weigh up to 36 pounds. However, the average weight of adult coho is 8 pounds. Coho salmon have dark metallic blue or greenish backs with silver sides and a light belly and there are small black spots on the back and upper lobe of the tail while in the ocean. The gumline in the lower jaw has lighter pigment than does the Chinook salmon. Spawning fish in inland rivers are dark with reddish-maroon coloration on the sides.
Recommended line weight:
12-17# test
Recommended lures:
Pixies, 1/4-7/8 oz | Vibrax spinners size 3-5 | Kwikfish, Flatfish, wiggle warts and Salmon Props sizes 4-12
Recommended bait:
Cured salmon eggs | Shrimp | Herring and Sardine wraps |
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Chum Salmon
Second only to Chinook salmon in adult size, chum salmon individuals have been reported up to 3.6 feet and 46 pounds. However, average weight is around 8 to 15 pounds. Chum salmon are best known for the enormous canine-like fangs and striking body color of spawning males (a calico pattern, with the front two-thirds of the flank marked by a bold, jagged, reddish line and the posterior third by a jagged black line). Females are less flamboyantly colored and lack the extreme dentition of the males. Ocean stage chum salmon are metallic greenish-blue along the back with black speckles. They closely resemble both sockeye and coho salmon at this stage. As chum salmon enter fresh water, their color and appearance changes dramatically. Both sexes develop a "tiger stripe" pattern of bold red and black stripes.
Recommended line weight:
12-17# test
Recommended lures:
Pixies, 1/2-3/4 oz | Vibrax spinners sizes 3-4 | Kwikfish, Flatfish and wiggle warts sizes 4-12 |
Cutthroat Trout
Adult coloration varies widely with habitat and life history: resident fish living in bog ponds are 6 to 16 inches long, are golden yellow with dark spots on the body, dorsal, and caudal fin, and have a vivid red slash mark under the jaw (hence the name cutthroat); free-swimming residents in large landlocked lakes can exceed 24 inches long, are uniformly silver with black spots, rosy gill covers, and a faint slash mark. Sea-run cutthroat are smaller, seldom more than 18 inches long. They are bluish-silver with dark or olive backs and less conspicuous black spots-the characteristic slash is a faint yellow. Lack of a distinct slash mark in sea-run and resident forms has led anglers to confuse the fish with rainbow trout. Cutthroat can be positively identified by the presence of minute teeth between the gills behind the base of the tongue. |
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Dolly Varden
Young Dolly Varden have about eight to ten wide, dark parr marks or oval blotches which contrast with the mottled olive-brown color of their body. The sea-run fish are silvery with an olive-green to brown color on the dorsal surface and numerous red to orange spots on their sides. The mature males become brilliant red on the lower body surface and the lower fins become reddish-black with white along the leading edges. Mature females are similar but are less brightly colored. Males develop an extended lower jaw which hooks upward, fitting into a groove which is formed in the upper jaw. A hook also forms in the females but is considerably less developed. |
Grayling
The Arctic grayling is an elegantly formed cousin of the trout. With its sail-like dorsal fin dotted with large iridescent red or purple spots, the grayling is one of the most unusual and beautiful fish of Alaska. Grayling are generally dark on the back and have iridescent gray sides. They have varying numbers of black spots scattered along the anterior portion of both sides. The adipose, caudal (tail), pectoral, and anal fins are dusky brown and the pelvic fins are often marked with pink to orange stripes. |
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Halibut
Halibut are more elongated than most flatfishes, the width being about one-third the length. Small scales are imbedded in the skin. Halibut have both eyes on their dark or upper side. The color on the dark side varies but tends to assume the coloration of the ocean bottom. The underside is lighter, appearing more like the sky from below. This color adaptation allows halibut to avoid detection by both prey and predator. |
Lake Trout
Lake trout have a body shape similar to that of trout and salmon. They generally have small, light, irregular shaped spots on a silvery-to-dark background; but color can vary considerably at different seasons and between populations. Males and females are similar, with males having a slightly longer, more pointed snout. Lake trout can be distinguished from other chars by the absence of pink spots and their deeply forked tail. The flesh of lake trout varies from creamy white to deep orange. |
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Northern Pike
The Alaskan pike is the same species that is so popular with midwestern anglers. It has an elongated body and head. The snout is broad and flat, shaped somewhat like a duck bill. The jaws, roof of the mouth, tongue, and gillrakers are armed with numerous sharp teeth which are being constantly replaced. A single soft-rayed dorsal fin is located far back on the body. The pike is variable in color. A fish from a clear stream or lake will usually be light green, while a pike from a dark slough or river will be considerably darker. The underparts are whitish or yellowish. The marking on the sides form irregular rows of yellow or gold spots. Males and females are similar in appearance but females live longer and attain greater size. Pike up to 20 pounds are common in some Alaskan rivers, lakes, and sloughs, and fish weighing up to 30 pounds and measuring 4 feet in length have been caught. |
Rainbow Trout
Rainbow trout possess the well-known streamlined salmonid form, though body shape and coloration vary widely and reflect habitat, age, sex, and degree of maturity. The body shape may range from slender to thick. The back may shade from blue-green to olive. There is a reddish-pink band along each side about the midline that may range from faint to radiant. The lower sides are usually silver, fading to pure white beneath. Small black spots are present over the back above the lateral line, as well as on the upper fins and tail. In some locations, the black spots of adults may extend well below the lateral line and even cover the entire lower side. Rainbow trout are positively identified by the 8 to 12 rays in the anal fin, a mouth that does not extend past the back of the eye, and the lack of teeth at the base of the tongue. River or stream residents normally display the most intense pink stripe coloration and heaviest spotting followed by rainbows from lake and lake-stream systems. Spawning trout are characterized by generally darker coloration. |
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Sheefish
The sheefish is a member of the whitefish family but is distinguishable from the more common whitefish by the strong extended lower jaw. The body profile is streamlined and the color is silvery with a darker coloration on the dorsal surface. It often displays a phosphorescent purple sheen when taken from the water. Males and females are similar, but females live longer and attain greater size. Sheefish in the Selawik-Kobuk area may weigh up to 60 pounds, while in Interior Alaska they seldom exceed 25 pounds. |
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Alaska Sport Fishing Records
Alaska Trophy Fish Program
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