Pacific NW folks (salmon)

[tH3_Guy]

I have tasted salmon caught inland and it was super fishy and this is coming from a guy who loves fish sauce
Fish was still pretty silver

I am curious if salmon caught in the ocean tasted more like store bought salmon (wild or farm raised)

Or is something happening to them as they get ready to breed and starts moving inland which changes the meat.

[Hogsticker2]

I don't know if saltwater salmon tastes like store bought, but I can tell ya it tastes a hell of a lot better than salmon not caught in the salt. I'm not much of a fish eater, but my old man is and he says it doesn't get any better. I can tell you that catching a 15 pound coho on light tackle is the most fun I've ever had. They are maniacs

[MondayMonkey]

I don't know if saltwater salmon tastes like store bought, but I can tell ya it tastes a hell of a lot better than salmon not caught in the salt. I'm not much of a fish eater, but my old man is and he says it doesn't get any better. I can tell you that catching a 15 pound coho on light tackle is the most fun I've ever had. They are maniacs

What Hog said. I've never had store bought salmon (can't say I can ever even remember buying fish thank god I live in the PNW where you can get almost anything you'd want if you have access to a boat). Salt however definitely tastes better than fresh. I always take my medium TSR rod when coho fishing in the ocean. When you get on them to the point where you're watching them swim up and pull your line off of the down rigger at 6ft it's time to cast for them. So much fun.

[MondayMonkey]

I don't know if saltwater salmon tastes like store bought, but I can tell ya it tastes a hell of a lot better than salmon not caught in the salt. I'm not much of a fish eater, but my old man is and he says it doesn't get any better. I can tell you that catching a 15 pound coho on light tackle is the most fun I've ever had. They are maniacs

What Hog said. I've never had store bought salmon (can't say I can ever even remember buying fish thank god I live in the PNW where you can get almost anything you'd want if you have access to a boat or kayak). Salt however definitely tastes better than fresh. I always take my medium TSR rod when coho fishing in the ocean. When you get on them to the point where you're watching them swim up and pull your line off of the down rigger at 6ft it's time to cast for them. So much fun.

[darrin]

Was your inland salmon landlocked or coming up the river? Maybe the fish you ate was starting to turn. When that happens, the flesh can taste bad. There is no comparison between ocean salmon (wild) vs farm raised. The wild fish eat bait (squid, krill, herring, sardines, anchovies...etc) and the farm raised eat pellets. You can see this in the meat. The wild fish have more fat and don't need dye to make the flesh orange! Now I have caught king salmon in the rivers and that meat can equal ocean fish. Just depends how far and how long that fish has been in the river.

[tH3_Guy]

Thanks for that feedback.

My salmon was coming up the river in the sacamento region.

[darrin]

I've caught some fish around Chico that looked decent but the flesh was just mush. Sometimes it's hard to tell, as I've also caught some pretty nice fish and the meat was just beautiful. You can always book a trip to fish the Klamath. Every fish I've ever taken from there has been perfect. Good luck with your salmon. I hear the fish are already up by the Barge Hole. Some pretty big fish, too.

[tH3_Guy]

Thanks. Yeah I saw a nice silver with scales hook up this week 35 lbs. Taking a break from bass. Trying to land my first salmon.

[SCSS]

Yeah I saw a nice silver with scales hook up this week 35 lbs.

The IGFA world record is only 33lbs. 4 oz.

http://wrec.igfa.org/WRecordsList.aspx? ... on,%20coho

[tacklejunkiejake]

All i can say the best tasting salmon i ever ate was in sitka alaska fresh as fresh can be.

[Hogsticker2]

I don't know much about the area you're fishing, but if you can book a trip to get on some Coho, I guarantee you won't be disappointed. 8.5 to 9 foot medium action rod and some 12-15 lb. mono, you're in for a real treat. 3 to 5 good, long hard runs with an acrobatic display each time. Fish between 8-15 lbs. taste the best IMO. If I'm fishing unfamiliar waters I will book a guide for one day, and then take my boat using what I learned for the remainder of the trip.

[Quillback]

I was a salmon fishing junkie when I lived outside of Seattle. No doubt that ocean caught salmon are as good as it gets but there are exceptions. When there was a sockeye season on lake Washington, those fish were excellent eating. But probably the best eating IMO is a bright Columbia river springer (Chinook).

Usually if a river caught fish has only been in the river for short period of time, they are edible. But if not, either release them or put them in the smoker.

[darrin]

You're right about springers. I've had Klamath springers and the meat is dark red and full of flavor. These fish really fatten up before coming up the river and you can see the fat in the meat. Just great tasting fish. Man, I miss the Klamath.

[HdnRibs]

Thanks. Yeah I saw a nice silver with scales hook up this week 35 lbs. Taking a break from bass. Trying to land my first salmon.

Got my first salmon last Monday at the Freeport bridge on the Sacramento. 20 lbs or so. Bright silver and tasty as heck. The flesh was very red, firm and with a mild flavor.

Heading back out this afternoon. Let us know when you hang one!

[tH3_Guy]

Nice!

I went out for few hours yesterday off from riverside. Nada! Did not see anybody from bank or boat land one.