Red spring vs white spring
- Thread starter Tockeyetalmon
- Start date
Whites seem to fight harder for some reason. Last week my son had epic battle with a 15lb white. I saw it early in the fight so new it was a teen but if I hadn’t I would have bet high 20’s
Once it was on board I told my son that will be a white for sure.
At the cleaning station we were talking about it and a guy says you can tell through the gill plate. He looked and said nope it’s red.
I opened it up and sure enough it was white. Although it was a bit marbled.
Love the whites for smoking. I go fishing for them when I hear they are around. I don’t like them as much otherwise. Although I have had a few good meals.
They are fatty so I think they are good if bled, kept cold and eaten fresh. They are smokers after they hit the freezer.
My opinion.
SpringVelocity
Crew Member
I think its pure ********. I like them both. See no difference myself.
Viking
Well-Known Member
Have you ate a capilino white?
Might sway your opinion lol.
Pineapple Express
Well-Known Member
For serious!??!
wildmanyeah
Crew Member
Thats because they are watermarked, Don't hear the fishermen in Campbell river complaining about the taste of cap fish.
WATERMARKED:
Describes the darkened, dulled skin of a salmon as it sexually matures and enters freshwater prior to spawning.
SpringVelocity
Crew Member
Pretty sure he was joking.
Sentinel
Active Member
I think with both colors it is about where they are bound and where you catch them. Reds and whites going back to natal waters in a shorter watershed suffer from lack of fat and flavor in my opinion. Both colors that are from far reaching watersheds where the fish still have a long journey once the hit the mouth, are generally much oilier with higher fat content. These fish are primo eats no matter what color. Of course the closer they are caught to the estuary will effect table quality negatively as well. I love a good oily white but probably my favorite is a upper Columbia river red caught off the west coast this time of year.
Ripperoflips
Active Member
Nothing beats a 10-12lb. fresh red spring except sockeye, that said I'v had some feeder whites that aren't bad but the heavier ones are best smoked. It's easy to tell the difference, the whites are a lighter colour flesh around the the gill plates, but you have to be careful not to harm the gills if you're going to release it.
cby
Well-Known Member
I picked up a 23lb white at Otter, I always look under the gill plate. This one was really hard to tell. it looked Red. Open it up, more white than anything but once cut up for dinner and canning its was more marble towards the middle to tail end. To be honest I do like red better, yes white smoked or canned is awesome. White spring in New York is a hot commodity. I usually don't eat the white spring. But on this occasion, i cleaned it and bled it right away and put on ice. It might have been the best tasting fish I have ever had. It was oily and almost tasted like chicken. My wife and I could not believe it. I don't think this is the case with most but it sure opened up my eyes. I still like Red as its hard for others to understand white spring on the dinner table. The mind plays tricks as it wants it to be red in the mind. Yes Blind fold might be the key. I will keep trying to convince my self there is no difference.
Hoochiebob
Well-Known Member
On the bbq or baked, its gotta be a red spring. But if poached and served chilled, hands down a white. The oily and fishy taste that can be prevalent in the whites seem to disappear when done this way,and the flesh stays moist and delicate where the reds tend to get too flaky and dry.
Great table fare on a hot summer night!
Great table fare on a hot summer night!
MadJigga
Well-Known Member
Tell me more.....
wolf
Well-Known Member
I did a blind taste test to to most fussiest women I know same brine same smoke time same everything as she said WHITE is disgusting she tried both pieces of fish and ohhhh guess what she like the white better swore up and down we fooled her ....ill be honest it all comes down to where and when you get fish as to the taste on table fare , Chum for instance near a river getting bars on them no thanks fresh in ocean silver and clean yes........ A spring thats near the river mouth getting gold and slimy i dont care if its red or white its breaking down and slimy no thanks,
I said earlier on another post about the fish we are getting off of sooke (chef side of me coming out) ive never seen such great looking healthy fish in our waters. When you cut the filet in half im seeing nice fatty white lines in the belly meat and thick bellies. usually these fish are in the pre spawn mode and putting the efforts into the roe or sperm and get thin and lose the fat content. very very healthy fish.
I said earlier on another post about the fish we are getting off of sooke (chef side of me coming out) ive never seen such great looking healthy fish in our waters. When you cut the filet in half im seeing nice fatty white lines in the belly meat and thick bellies. usually these fish are in the pre spawn mode and putting the efforts into the roe or sperm and get thin and lose the fat content. very very healthy fish.
Hoochiebob
Well-Known Member
I'll give you a hint. Look up South Beach diet cold poached salmon, then tailor it to your taste.Took the 32lb I caught last year to a party done this way.Not a flake left at the end.
My spin on it is going to the grave with me........
(shhhh! dont tell anyone! Jalapenos!)
wildmanyeah
Crew Member
Fresh or pickled?
Hoochiebob
Well-Known Member
Fresh man, always fresh!
It'ssooooeasy
Member
Each to her own......I personally have never had a ‘bad’ whitey and actually prefer the oiliness and rich flavour
But what do I know......I like mule deer
wolf
Well-Known Member
same with me BUD all comes down to how you prepare and care or it , I butcher game meat for people and you would be shocked at what people "think" is clean, my favorite line so far what does it matter if it has dirt and hair on it its getting all ground up anyways......
