Red Salmon Animal Information
Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) - A.K.A. Red Salmon, Blueback Salmon. Gazing at the nearly invisible fish below, you begin flipping your fly into the water. A flash of silver catches your eye, and suddenly the blueback erupts from the water twisting and turning, showing off moves never seen before. After tap-dancing on the surface and a fine rendition of the underwater waltz, the red dances its way into your net and onto the supper table. The name Sockeye comes from a poor translation of the native word, suk-kegh, meaning red fish. Their ocean colors are a blueish green back with metallic silver sides. They lack the black spots found on the Chinook, Coho, and pink salmon. Sockeye’s spawning colors are red on their sides and back, green on their head and upper jaw, and white on their lower jaw. They usually spend one to four years at sea before returning to their natal stream. If a juvenile male returns after one year at sea, it is called a “jack”. Some populations of sockeyes spend their entire lives in freshwater and are called kokanee. The kokanee are usually smaller (rarely over 14 inches) when compared to their ocean going relatives. The Sockeye is the third most abundant species of Pacific salmon and highly prized for their rich red-orange colored flesh. The average weight is 6 to 8 pounds.
