Alaska King Salmon Facts and Fishing Tips

by Marcus Weiner

Chinook (king) salmon are purple / blue / green backed with big black spots on their backs, dorsal fins and both lobes of the tail. They are chrome sided and have white bellies. They have a black pigment along the jawline, giving them the nickname “blackmouth.” When Chinook enter freshwater, they begin to transform into their spawning appearance. Bodies turn red, heads get dark, males develop a hooked type and teeth grow longer.

Biology

Chinook are born in freshwater and spend one year in the river they were born before heading to sea for 1- to 5 years. Larger fish are typically those that stay in the ocean for 4- or 5 years. Small male fish that mature after one year in the ocean and head back to their natal rivers are referred to as “jacks.” Kings typically return to freshwater in May through July. An average mature king is about 15 pounds; specimens exceeding 50 pounds are possible.

Where to Find Chinook in Alaska

Chinook salmon can be found in many rivers across Alaska. Current hot spots include the Kasilof River and Ship Creek in Southcentral; and Alagnak, Togiak and Nushagak rivers in Southwest. Kings begin to show up in late May and continue to enter rivers into July. They are caught extensively in the saltwater in Southeast and Southcentral. Some of the best places to find a saltwater king in Alaska are Sitka, Craig, Yakutat, Seward, Homer and Kodiak (Larsen Bay, city of Kodiak and Old Harbor are reliable locations on the Emerald Isle). Mature kings are caught from these locations in April through July. Winter kings—immature kings growing larger at sea—are caught throughout the year from most of these ports.

How to Fish Them

There are many ways to catch a king salmon. In the saltwater, the predominant techniques include trolling and mooching. Most trolling is done with downriggers, presenting flashers and lures / bait. Anglers who mooch typically use a banana weight and plug-cut herring pinned onto a double-hook rigged leader. Rods need to be stout enough to handle a fish that is very powerful and could weight up to 40 pounds. Trolling rods in the 9-foot range, rated for 15- to 40-pound-test, with a medium action are a good starting point. Moochers can go for something a little shorter and with a faster action. In freshwater, kings will eat all kinds of lures and presentations. Common ones include boondogging or backbouncing Soft Beads, casting and retrieving spinners, backtrolling plugs, swinging flies, twitching jigs…..choose your favorite and grab a rod and reel to handle Alaska’s biggest salmon.

Rivers:

• Nushagak
• Alagnak
• Togiak
• Kasilof
• Ship Creek

Ocean:

• Sitka
• Craig
• Yakutat
• Seward
• Homer
• Kodiak

Always check current area ADF&G regulations before fishing.