Oncorhynchus tshawytscha

ALSO KNOWN AS Chinook salmon, Spring salmon, Tyee

King salmon are the most highly prized salmon in the culinary world. Their meat has a rich, buttery taste and is softer than other wild salmon species. The meat is almost always red except for the rare white-meat variety. Although lighter in colour, a white king salmon’s meat tastes the same as the darker variety. King salmon is also low in sodium, a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, and a very good source of protein, niacin, vitamin B12, and selenium.

King salmon are given their name because they are the largest of the Pacific salmon species. They grow to be as long as 4.9 feet and up to 129 pounds, but typical length and weight are about 3 feet and 30 pounds.

In the ocean, king salmon are blue-green on the back and top of the head with silvery sides and white bellies. They have black spots on the upper half of the body, dorsal fin, and tail. These salmon also have a black pigment along the gum line, thus the nickname “black mouth.” In freshwater, during spawning season, kings change to olive brown, red, or purplish. Males are distinguished by their “ridgeback” condition and hooked upper jaw. Females are distinguished by a torpedo-shaped body, robust mid-section, and blunt nose.

These salmon range from California’s Monterey Bay to Alaska’s Chukchi Sea. They are harvested in commercial, recreational, and subsistence fisheries in the ocean and inland waters of the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. Commercial troll vessels catch salmon by “trolling” their lines with bait or lures through groups of feeding fish. Some trollers freeze the salmon at sea to produce a premium product.

Coldfish’s king salmon is available fresh or frozen, dressed head on/head off, and in fillets, steaks, and portions.

King Salmon Sizing

Sold toted or in 100 lb boxes.

Product boxed and sold via Airpack or Icepack. Our general markets are eastern Canada and all over domestic USA.