Pacific Salmon Species

Salmon

Chinook

Time of year: All season
Limits*: Max. of 4; 2 per day
Other names: Spring, king, tyee, blackmouth
Grouse Nest Resort record: 63 pounds
Size range: 18 – 70+ pounds
Identification: Largest of the salmon. Make powerful, determined runs when fought, rarely leaping, battles with large chinook often last a half-hour or more. Lightly spotted blue-green back; dark mouth with black gums at the base of the teeth; V-shaped silvery tail, the top and bottom generally covered with spots.

Coho

Time of year: Late June through October
Limits*: Max. of 8; 4 per day
Other names: Silver, hooknose, blueback
Grouse Nest record: 24 pounds
Size range: 7 – 20+ pounds
Identification: Notorious for their wild, fast and erratic fight, frequently punctuated by acrobatic leaps out of the water. Bright silver in colour; white mouth, with white gums at the base of the teeth; silver tail with spots usually on the top and a wide base.

Chum

Time of year: Late June through October
Limits*: Max. of 8; 4 per day
Other names: Calico, dog, keta
Grouse Nest record: 21 pounds
Size range: 8 – 20+ pounds
Identification: Noted for long runs and aggressive tactics—pound for pound the toughest fighting ocean salmon. Large mouth with well-developed teeth in both jaws; white tip on the anal fin; lack of spots on back; slightly forked tail, with silver streaks and a narrow base.

Pink

Time of year: Early July through September
Limits*: Max. of 8; 4 per day
Other names: Humpback, humpie
Grouse Nest record: 9.5 pounds
Size range: 4 – 10+ pounds
Identification: Smallest of the salmon, but a good fight when taken on lighter tackle; occasional leaps and short runs along the surface. Tiny scales on silver bodies; white mouth with black gums; V-shaped tail, which isn't silver-coloured like other salmon, covered with large oval spots on top and bottom.

Sockeye

Time of year: May through August
Limits*: Max. of 8; 4 per day
Other names: Red, blueback
Grouse Nest record: 10 pounds
Size range: 4 – 10+ pounds
Identification: Abundant at Silver-blue in colour, with prominent glassy eyes; small black speckles on their back with distinct large scales; moderately forked tail, with no black spots.

*Total combined limit for all salmon species is 8

Bottom Fish

Halibut

Time of year: All season long
Limits: max. of 3; 2 per day
Other names: flattie, hally, flounder
Grouse Nest record: 207 pounds
Size range: 15 – 300+ pounds
Identification: Will feel like a dead weight when reeling up from the ocean floor, with occasional determined deep runs, but will fight erratically once they’ve broken the surface. Flat, diamond-shaped body; mottled brown topside, white underbody; both eyes on top of head; large symmetrical mouth; small scales. Any halibut over 70 pounds is a female carrying millions of eggs.

Lingcod

Time of year: All season long
Limits: of 3; 3 per day, size limitation in effect year round.
Other names: blue cod, leopard cod
Size range: 10 – 25+ pounds
Identification: Can offer a fight similar to salmon when initially hooked. Large mouth with very sharp canine-like teeth, small smooth scales, colour varies with environmental conditions but generally dark mottling, with light golden spotting over brown, grey, green shades; gray-white belly. A very durable fish with a very high survival rate when released.

Rockfish

Time of year: All season long
Limits*: max. of 4; 4 per day
Other names: red snapper, scorpion fish
Size range: 4 – 12+ pounds
Identification: Numerous types in a wide variety of colours; all have wide mouths and spiny dorsal fin; most common is yellow-eye rockfish, which have a bright orange-red to orange-yellow body and bright yellow eyes. Should be fished very selectively—when brought to the surface rockfish will rarely survive being released.