Chinook
Chinook salmon at the ocean phase.
Photo: Takuji Oyama, VAMSC
Scientific Name: Oncorhynchus tshawytscha
Names: Chinook, Tyee, King, Spring
Size: Up to 57 kg
Range: Central California north to Kotzebue Sound,
Alaska, and south to Hokkaido Island, Japan.
Time in Freshwater: Varies from a few months to
more than a year
Time of Runs: Spring, fall or winter
Age of Spawners: 3-6 yrs; 5-6 yrs is more common
in the North
Prey as Adult: Other fish, especially herring,
and invertebrates, such as squid, shrimp
Prey as Juvenile: Small fish and crustaceans
Predators: As juveniles - predatory fish, diving
water birds and small mammals
No. of Eggs: 2,500 -5,000
Distinct Features: Moderate-sized spots on body;
forked tail; ocean adults have brownish backs with purple flush;
fry have oval parr marks
Notes: The largest of the Pacific salmon, chinook
prefer large rivers; they migrate up the Sacramento, Columbia, Fraser,
Skeena, Nushagvat and Yukon rivers. While only about 200 rivers
support large chinook runs, this species of salmon is native to
more than 1,000 rivers and streams in North America.
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