Salmon Species of the Northwest

Species of Salmon: Need a new party trick?

Here is a little trick to remembering the 5 main species of salmon in the Pacific Northwest. 

Starting with your thumb.

            Thumb = Chum (they rhyme)
            Pointer finger = Sockeye (point to your socks and your eye)
            Middle finger = King/ Chinook (the biggest salmon)
            Ring finger = Silver/ Coho (many rings are silver & “Silver” is the nick name for Coho)
            Little finger = Pink (your pinky finger)

There is also the Steelhead. This salmon species is different because it can live after spawning.

Click on the website below and learn more about each individual species. You can click on the status map to see where each species typically migrates. Which species do you think travels the farest from it's home stream?

http://www.salmonnation.com/fish/meet_species.html

Feel free to share any interesting facts you learned or connections you made.