What features will allow me to identify the red spring from the white spring.
I've only seen the meat colouration difference. Someone stated that
looking under the gill plate, you can find the key. What is the key? Thanks.
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"Biologists will tell you that the colour of a salmons flesh is due
to genetics. eq. the early chinook run up the fraser consist of a lot of
white flesh.
I had an interesting observation about 10 years ago in Saanich Inlet. A
large run of feeding Chinooks came down the inlet in May. They were feeding
on squid. The squid were in heavy abundance
The Salmon stayed on the squid for May and June. in May the flesh of the
salmon was red.
Early June the flesh was marbled white and pink. This leads me to believe
that feed has a lot to do with flesh colour. Show me a rainbow trout that
feeds almost exclusively on fresh water shrimp and I will show you
a red fleshed trout. White fleshed Salmon have a tenancy to be oilier. Is
this because they have been feeding on baitfish.
Just food for thought"
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White springs in the river turn a greyish green when they start to turn
in the rivers, while reds turn blackish red. At least this is what I have
found and I have more than a few of each. I can usually tell the differance
between a white and a red even in the chuck.
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In saltwater white springs are generally the bigger ones I belive, all red
ones I've caught have been 15lbs max, while our white springs have been
in excess of 25lbs on more than one occassion.
Saanich Inlet sure isnt what it used to be! Would be great if it can return.
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There are a lot of big reds. Obviously you do not fish the frieghtors or
QA in May or June. Besides the best tasting fish are the smaller ones in
my opnion.
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I've found that the whites have lots of bigger oval spots while the
reds have smaller round spots.
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Really? Expected to be rpoven wrong. AnywaysI agree with you, the big ones
arent that great. Somebody gave us part of a 48lb spring last year, tasted
really dull.
Guess its just luck about the reds. Well, if its a big fish i dont care
what kind of salmon it is. lol
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Hey guy's, the easy way to tell a white from a red is to look under
the gill plate. Gently lift the plate up, under the plate where the gill's
rest at their end's, the skin of the fish is transparent, so you can
see the colour of the flesh. Of course you might be releasing the fish so
be carefull, if you can't do it quick and easy, let it go. |