Northwest Fishing Magazine July 2025 Volume 4 Issue 10 - Flipbook - Page 12
hump that forms on the
back of male pink salmon
as they return to rivers and
approach spawning time.
Males also develop gnarly
hooked upper jaw during
spawning season.
weighed 11.56 pounds. The
freshwater state record was
caught on Oct. 11, 2007,
by Adam Stewart in the
Stillaguamish River (closed
in 2025) and weighed 15.40
pounds.
In the marine environment,
a Chinook has large black
spots on back, dorsal fin,
and both the upper and
lower lobes of the tail. They
have a dark mouth and
black gum line and large
prominent teeth, and a
silver pigment on the tail.
The Puget Sound pink
return usually begin to
arrive in July, and the run
peaks in mid-August. In
South Puget Sound, the
bulk returns during the last
week of August and early
September. Pink fishing in
the Strait of Juan de Fuca
and Puget Sound was very
productive in 2021 and 2019
during late summer.
A pink salmon averages 3
to 5 pounds but can
grow up to 15 pounds or
larger. They are the fastest
growing of the five Pacific
salmon species and mainly
return in large numbers
during odd-numbered
years after spending two
years in the ocean before
migrating to local rivers.
The Washington state
saltwater record for a pink
salmon was caught on Aug.
25, 2001, by Jeff Bergman
at Possession Point and
TIPS & TACTICS
A pink likes pink and will
chase just about any lure,
spoon, jig, or fly as long as
the color is hot pink. Part
of the reason why they’re
attracted to anything pink
is that the color resembles
plankton or krill, which
is part of their main
diet. While I direct your
attention to that specific
color scheme, be sure
