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How to tell the difference between Chinook and Coho Salmon

135K views 29 replies 25 participants last post by  b ruff 
#1 Ā·
This is one way to tell the difference between Chinook and Coho. Usually you can tell the difference before you have them in the boat by the way they fight.

 
#2 Ā·
I prefer to open them up and count pyloric caeca myself that's a sure fire way to tell them apart. If it's under 100 it's a coho. It just gets a little tricky on the release. :cool:

But in seriousness, the color of the mouth as a whole can be misleading. The proper question to ask is what's the color of the tissue where the teeth erupt from the jaw? If it's black it's a chinook, white coho.

Spotting is more of a generalization. I've seen coho with some spots on the bottom half of the tail.
 
#11 Ā·
I prefer to open them up and count pyloric caeca myself that's a sure fire way to tell them apart. If it's under 100 it's a coho. It just gets a little tricky on the release. :cool:

But in seriousness, the color of the mouth as a whole can be misleading. The proper question to ask is what's the color of the tissue where the teeth erupt from the jaw? If it's black it's a chinook, white coho.

Spotting is more of a generalization. I've seen coho with some spots on the bottom half of the tail.
Now if you know the purpose of the pyloric caeca, I'll be VERY impressed.:flowered::)

While the color of the mouth may seem missleading..........IT'S PRIMARY, as Doc shows below. I've had this debate on the water with other anglers and sorry, but the gumline RULES. All the other sure fire ways of determining species are the truly misleading ones. There are just too many exceptions. :whistle:





Lots of subtle variations on size shape and location of spots.

The definitive criterion that will be used to enforce the identity of the fish is the gumline. Nothing else counts.

Look a the color of the gumline.... as the poster above said, particularly the tissue where the teeth erupt.

If it's light (light grey or white).... it will be enforced as coho.

If it's dark (graphite or black).... it will be enfoced as chinook.

The other most striking feature on the lower jaw of a coho is the distinct alternating dark/light/dark banding along the edge of the mouth. It is unmistakable.

Lower jaw of coho salmon. Note the distinct banding pattern of dark to light to dark.</SPAN>


Diagram and two photos showing coloration of lower jaw of chinook salmon.
Note that the coloration at the base of the teeth is consistent with the area inside and outside i.e. no distinct banding coloration although colors can vary substantially.</SPAN>




yep.........
 
#3 Ā·
Im glad to see these threads because where I spend most of my river time, there is only seasons on chinook and steelhead. But lately I have seen and heard of quite a few silvers being caught, and I have bonked one that was questionable. We are allowed to keep silvers wild or hatch, but its still good to know what your looking at. Thanks, Drifter.
 
#7 Ā·
Lots of subtle variations on size shape and location of spots.

The definitive criterion that will be used to enforce the identity of the fish is the gumline. Nothing else counts.

Look a the color of the gumline.... as the poster above said, particularly the tissue where the teeth erupt.

If it's light (light grey or white).... it will be enforced as coho.

If it's dark (graphite or black).... it will be enfoced as chinook.

The other most striking feature on the lower jaw of a coho is the distinct alternating dark/light/dark banding along the edge of the mouth. It is unmistakable.

Lower jaw of coho salmon. Note the distinct banding pattern of dark to light to dark.</SPAN>


Diagram and two photos showing coloration of lower jaw of chinook salmon.
Note that the coloration at the base of the teeth is consistent with the area inside and outside i.e. no distinct banding coloration although colors can vary substantially.</SPAN>
 
#8 Ā·
Black mouth = King
White = Steelhead
Black mouth and white gums = Coho

These are all Coho. The bigger pic put up quite a thread a few years back.





I think this is from Cali.



I keep these in my boat, seal in plastic.
Copy at will.
 
#13 Ā·
Yea for the "banding" on a Coho, I was always told that it looks like an Oreo cookie in it's mouth, Black white black. There is some overlap though. You can have Chinook with some white and some Coho with alot of black.

Classic Coho and Chinook are easy to I.D. It's the ones with this overlap that are hard. When it really comes down to the nitty gritty it's what color is at the base of their teeth, not between the teeth. If it has too much of the wrong color, trust your instinct and just toss him back.
 
#15 Ā·
I have noticed the mouth color on freshly caught silvers in the Columbia is dark initially but turns white after a while. A large coho with a dark mouth is difficult to distinguish from a chinook. I recently caught an 18# Coho that because of its size made me initially think chinook. The mouth was sort of dark but the fish had few and very small spots. It also took a spinner fairly near the surface and faught like a silver. After a discussion with nearby fishermen, I concluded it was a Coho. A half hour later the mouth turned white. I was relieved that my conclusion that it was a Coho was confirmed.
 
#18 Ā· (Edited)
Oh the questions hurt my head....but....
Is this photo in the ODFW Regs that they say is a Coho actually a Steelhead?
I ask because of the white / grey tongue.

They second photo is a Cali fish ID posting which makes it a little more confusing.
 

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#20 Ā·
There are several differences but the surefire way for me to tell is to look at the tail...if there are spots on the lower half of the tail, it is Chinook. No spots on lower half of tail, Coho. Also, for me, I will look at the back of the fish as it is coming in...green, Coho, black or brown, Chinook. See if you can pick out the Chinooks in this photo...
 

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#27 Ā·
While all of these ID methods MAY come in handy for folks who have a hard time with this issue, the only that WILL be enforced by the DFW's will be the color of the mouth and the lower gumline.

COUNT ON IT!
 
#28 Ā·
I have been amused at the variety of identification methodology.

It made me dig out my old college text book. Pacific Fishes of Canada.

It is THE definitive text for "keying" out a fish that you may encounter in our waters.

I will quote;

Recognition: recognized by black spotting confined to the back and upper lobe of caudal fin and NO BLACK ALONG THE BASES OF THE TEETH.
The teeth are needle like and firmly set. The 19 to 25 rough gill rakers are widely spaced. Pyloric caeca less than 85.


So, feel free to rub the tail and measure the spots but ultimately those variable characteristics are NOT VALID. Check those gum colors.................. :twocents:
 
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