Salmon identification?

[Maxum]

I am never completely sure what species of salmon I am catching. Is there a good site with pictures and identifications?

BTW - is a steelhead a trout or a salmon?

[Priority1]

A Steelhead is a Rainbow trout gone wild. There is a pretty good fish ID in the booklet that comes with your fishing license.

[SUPERTRAMP]

Trout will have a white mouth and gums, Kings will have a black tongue and gums, Coho have a dark mouth but not completely black like a King and they have a greenish back and are very much a scale slipper. The Michigan book that has the fish regulations has a great ID guide for most species. U might want to remember that Steelhead have a square tail and the salmon are slightly less square.

Good luck.

[Rayman96]

Is there a good site with pictures and identifications? BTW - is a steelhead a trout or a salmon?

The following website has what you need!

http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/identification/pac_salmon.htm

Here's one more!

http://www.salmonuniversity.com/species_salmon_index.html

Edited May 19, 2010 by Rayman96
added information

[Fishwhisperer]

The easiest way to distinguish a King from a Coho is to try grabing it by the tail. You can hold a King, but a Coho will slip threw your hand.

[Paulywood]

I alway struggled with it until I started using the mouth. All white mouth, steelhead. White mouth, black gums, coho. All black mouth, king. Now, sometimes when you first take them out of the water they can trick you, especially in the cold water in the spring. But after they have been in the box for a while the mouth will usually darken if they are a king or coho.

[mayvillemark]

The michigan DNR web site has them all on file! http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10364_18958---,00.html

[Legacy]

This might help a little http://www.legacysportfishing.com/Fishing.aspx

[spoonfed]

A coho also seems to spin the net into knots and leave alll there scales on the deck!!

[Adam Bomb]

Nice links guys.....And dont worry, its not too difficult. Youll get the hang of it. Another way to discern a King from Coho is that you can pick a king up by the tail and swing it like a hammer if you wanted to. Cant do that with a Coho as itll slip through your hands.

Steelhead

King

Coho

From left, 2 Coho, 3 Kings and 2 Steelhead

[Maxum]

Can you pick a king up by the tail easily because of the shape of the tail or does it have less slime?

[tbromund]

Can you pick a king up by the tail easily because of the shape of the tail or does it have less slime?

Because of the shape of the tail, it is rigid. A coho's tail is not and will fold up on you.

Tim

[Maxum]

Thanks to all for your input!

I picked up a few copies of the 2010 Michigan Fishing Guide with the "Know Your Fish - Common Fish Species" guide. I plan to lamenate one and leave it in the boat.

Spent yesterday at DeTour but didn't need the guide because we didn't catch any fish to identify