Newbie question: pink or spring

[alctel]

So i caught my first salmon. 80 foot, coho killer.

I logged this as a spring originally (it being barely over the minimum size) due to the little spotting on the flanks and the depth I caught it but the more I look at the pictures the more it looks like a pink, esp the tail with the big spots.

It has teeth on the tongue though which pinks don't have... What's the best way to tell?

 

[kingblazer84]

Looks like a PINK to me

 

[peetz]

Its a PINK ...

 

[17 ft sea ranger]

The small little scales that get all over the boat and you......is for sure a pink.

Pinks are very soft if you squeeze them
the spots on the tail are more oval then round, Spring salmon they are round.

for sure a pink

 

[tubber]

pink. oval spots on all of tail, very small scales, bright blue/silver colour when fighting this time of year. It's not unusual to confuse a very small spring with a pink based on the spots and a hint of purple on the flanks for a new fisher. It's good to ask. The more you catch the easier it will be. Bleed and gut before filleting to help keep blood off your meat.

 

[spring fever]

Definitely a pink. Small scales as well as the elongated tail spots!! Congrates by the way on your first salmon!

 

[profisher]

Springs and Coho have prickly sharp teeth along the gum line which if you rub down on them will cut your finger and draw blood. Pinks, chum and sockeye have no teeth along the gums except when close to entering fresh water and the males develop teeth on the end of the jaw.

 

[bigdogeh]

congrats,
pink as everyone else has stated. a strip of belly from a pink makes really good halibut bait. they're similar in looks to the sockeye (size, small scales) but most prefer the taste of sockeye over pink.
looks like your having fun out there...

 

[Big Green Machine]

If it fought like a wet sock and then, once netted, went crazy in your boat, bumped its head and bled all over you, and the boat, it's a Pink. Congrats though, nothing like getting your first Salmon, sincerely

 

[mhbradley]

The small little scales that get all over the boat and you......is for sure a pink.

I agree - The size of the scales is usually the clearest giveaway that it is a pink and not a spring.

 

[alctel]

Thanks guys!

 

[FisherTim]

The clearest give-away is in the mouth. Springs are all black, pinks are black in the bottom jaw, but white on the top:

. And the fact that they go absolutely ape$hit as soon as you get them in the boat...


Sent from a PayPhone

 

[Kildonan]

If it fought like a wet sock and then, once netted, went crazy in your boat, bumped its head and bled all over you, and the boat, it's a Pink. Congrats though, nothing like getting your first Salmon, sincerely

Hahaha. Ain't that the truth. Lol

 

[Cuba Libre]

If it fought like a wet sock and then, once netted, went crazy in your boat, bumped its head and bled all over you, and the boat, it's a Pink. Congrats though, nothing like getting your first Salmon, sincerely

LOL!!!!! Aint that the truth


Hey Kildonan-- weird coincidence , darn nearly identical posts back to back

 

[alctel]

I got a chinook today, and the teeth were very VERY different (I managed to slice my finger open on them). Don't think I'll have much more trouble telling them apart . It also felt a LOT chunkier and meatier.

 

[Wyrguy]

Here's a great visual resource that I use and it makes things easier for any Newbies in the boat.

http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/points/salmon-saumon-eng.html

I just wish they had something similar posted at some of the ramps... Seen too many wild coho and the odd sockeye being cleaned lately... [emoji35]
(also a bit disturbing to hear guys calling on the radio part way thru the day asking what the limits are [emoji37] check the regs before you head out, the fish checkers keep track of all that and Ottawa will 'pass judgement' on ALL of us based on the info!)

Just my $0.02

Wyrguy


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[bgillard]

I'm glad you asked the group, try to work on your ID. I have charged many fishermen for keeping undersized chinook they thought were pinks or coho. I have a saying, if you don't know, let it go! Otherwise it may cost you $150.00 if we inspect you.

And yes, it's a pink.

Since you are new, I'm going to offer some advice: Pink's meat protein bonds break down very quickly. As a result folks fined their meat very soft and not as nice as other species. If you kill a pink quickly and ice it down, the protein bonds won't break down and the meat will stay firm. I've seen so many fishermen with their hard fought for fish, baking in the sun just getting ruined. Freeze up some ice (milk jugs etc) and take a towel to wet and cover your fish...keep them out of the sun. You and those you feed your fish to will be much happier with what you bring home.

let me know if you want some help with your ID. Bryce.Gillard@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

 

[alctel]

I fish from my sailboat (which I live on) so I have access to a fridge/freezer - that is some great advice, thanks! I'll jam any fish I get in the fridge ASAP

 

[Rockfish]

I got a chinook today, and the teeth were very VERY different (I managed to slice my finger open on them). Don't think I'll have much more trouble telling them apart . It also felt a LOT chunkier and meatier.

View attachment 19086

Not a 100% sure given the angle of the photo but it looks to me like that is a clipped hatchery Chinook. Only some Chinook are clipped, but that is another clue it is not a Pink. Only some Chinook and Coho get clipped and very rarely some Sockeye but the odds of getting a clipped Sockeye are very long.

 

[seadna]

Not a 100% sure given the angle of the photo but it looks to me like that is a clipped hatchery Chinook. Only some Chinook are clipped, but that is another clue it is not a Pink. Only some Chinook and Coho get clipped and very rarely some Sockeye but the odds of getting a clipped Sockeye are very long.

With that tail - spots on the bottom - it's DEFINITELY a chinook and NOT a coho!