How to Identify a King Salmon

• Black gum line at the base of the teeth ("blackmouth"), inside of mouth dark
• Black spots on the back AND on BOTH lobes of the tail
• Silver body with greenish-blue back, small scales, silver retained on the tail
• Robust, deep body with a broad, firm tail that holds its shape when gripped
• Anal fin shorter-based than a trout's; large sharp teeth

Tell it apart: Spots across BOTH tail lobes plus a solid black gum line (the "blackmouth") confirm King/Chinook over Coho, which shares a dark mouth but has WHITE gums and spots only on the upper tail lobe. (An adipose fin alone proves nothing, every salmonid has one.)

How to Catch King Salmon

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• Peaks May through July offshore — troll anchovies or hoochies behind a flasher off a downrigger, or mooch a whole herring on the drift.GearTrolling flashersSalmon hoochie squidsMooching leader rig
• Peaks August through October on the fall river run — drift cured roe, back-bounce or back-troll plugs and spinners through holding water.GearSalmon drift roe rigsKwikfish-style plugsSpinner blade lures
• Best June through August — troll a whole or plug-cut herring behind a flasher off the downrigger, working the bait close to bottom.GearTrolling flashersHerring teaser rigsDownrigger trolling combo
• Peaks June-September in cold offshore water; troll meat rigs, spoons and flashers deep on downriggers, following thermoclines as summer heat pushes fish down.GearMagnum trolling spoonsFlasher meat rigsTrolling rod combo
• Tight summer run peaking June-July; troll cut-plug herring and flashers on downriggers in salt, or drift bobber-and-yarn and spoons through holding river holes.GearCut-plug herring rigTrolling flashersSalmon mooching rod

When & Where King Salmon Are in Season

King Salmon Regulations

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