KNOW YOUR FISH
TYPES OF SALMON
IN ALASKA
KING • SOCKEYE • COHO • PINK • CHUM
THE QUICK ANSWER
WHAT ARE THE 5 TYPES OF SALMON IN ALASKA?
Alaska has five species of Pacific salmon: king (Chinook), sockeye (red), coho (silver), pink (humpy), and chum (dog). King is the largest, typically 15 to 40 pounds, while pink is the smallest, averaging 3 to 4 pounds, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G).
The quickest way to tell them apart is the mouth and the tail: whether the gums are black or white, and whether the tail has spots on both lobes, the top lobe only, or none. The comparison table below covers all five. Sizes and identification marks come from ADF&G's Alaskan Salmon Identification and Fishing Guide.
Last reviewed October 2026.
SIDE BY SIDE
HOW DO ALASKA'S SALMON SPECIES COMPARE?
| SPECIES | OTHER NAMES | TYPICAL ADULT SIZE | MOUTH / GUMS | TAIL | KENAI RIVER RUN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| King (Chinook) | Chinook, king, tyee, blackmouth, spring | 15–40 lb, 34–50 in | Black mouth, black gumline | Spots on both lobes | Early run mid-May–late June; late run early July–end of July |
| Sockeye (red) | Red, blueback | 4–12 lb, 18–24 in | — | No distinct spots | Mid-July–mid-August (Russian River early run mid-June–mid-July) |
| Coho (silver) | Silver | 8–12 lb, 24–30 in | Black tongue, white gumline | Spots on upper lobe only | Late July–mid-October |
| Pink (humpy) | Humpback, humpy | 3–4 lb average, 15–24 in | White mouth, black gumline | Large oval spots on both lobes | Mid-July–August; large runs in even-numbered years |
| Chum (dog) | Dog, calico, keta | 7–18 lb, 24–34 in | — | No spots; silver streaks along fin rays | Not listed on ADF&G's Kenai run-timing chart |
Sizes, mouth, and tail marks: ADF&G Alaskan Salmon Identification Guide (pink mouth from the ADF&G pink salmon profile). Run timing: ADF&G Kenai, Soldotna & Homer Run Timing. ADF&G's run-timing charts show when fish are present, not whether a fishery is open. A dash means ADF&G's guide gives no mouth mark for that species.
ONCORHYNCHUS TSHAWYTSCHA
WHAT IS A KING (CHINOOK) SALMON?
King salmon are the largest of the five Pacific salmon and Alaska's state fish. ADF&G puts typical adults at 15 to 40 pounds and 34 to 50 inches. The world-record sport-caught king, 97 pounds 4 ounces, came from the Kenai River in 1985.
How to identify: black irregular spots on the back and dorsal fin and on both lobes of the tail, plus black pigment along the gumline, which is why some areas call them “blackmouth.” Spawning kings keep their spots but turn deep maroon or dark olive.
Eating: ADF&G calls kings excellent table fare for their high oil content and rich, moist meat. The flesh can be red or white.
On the Kenai: the early run comes mid-May to late June and the late run early July to the end of July. Kenai kings are tightly managed. In 2026 ADF&G closed both the early-run and late-run Kenai king fisheries by emergency order. More in our king salmon guide and king vs sockeye on the Kenai. Sources: ADF&G Chinook profile, Fishing the Kenai River.
ONCORHYNCHUS NERKA
WHAT IS A SOCKEYE (RED) SALMON?
Sockeye are a smaller, abundant salmon, typically 4 to 12 pounds and 18 to 24 inches. They are also called red salmon and blueback, and ADF&G calls them the most economically important salmon in Alaska.
How to identify: no distinct black spots on the back or tail. In salt water they are bright silver with a metallic green-blue back. Once in fresh water their bodies turn bright red and their heads green, and males grow a humped back and hooked jaw.
Eating: ADF&G describes firm, bright-orange to dark red flesh and says sockeye is the fish that fills most Alaskans' freezers.
On the Kenai: ADF&G lists the main Kenai sockeye run from mid-July to mid-August, with Russian River runs from mid-June to mid-July (early) and mid-July to mid-August (late). See our sockeye salmon guide. Sources: ADF&G sockeye profile, ADF&G ID guide.
ONCORHYNCHUS KISUTCH
WHAT IS A COHO (SILVER) SALMON?
Coho, called silver salmon in Alaska, usually weigh 8 to 12 pounds and measure 24 to 30 inches. ADF&G calls them a premier sport fish and the most acrobatic of the Pacific salmon.
How to identify: bright silver with small black spots on the back and on the upper lobe of the tail only. They have a black tongue with a white gumline. That white gumline and clean lower tail lobe are how ADF&G says to separate a coho from a king. Spawning coho turn dark with maroon-red sides.
On the Kenai: late July through mid-October. See our silver salmon guide. Sources: ADF&G coho profile, ADF&G ID guide.
ONCORHYNCHUS GORBUSCHA
WHAT IS A PINK (HUMPY) SALMON?
Pink salmon are the smallest and most numerous Pacific salmon, averaging 3 to 4 pounds and 15 to 24 inches. Spawning males grow a large hump on their backs, hence the names humpback and humpy.
How to identify: large oval black spots on the back and on both lobes of the tail, very small scales, and a white mouth with a black gumline. Pinks live on a strict two-year cycle, so odd-year and even-year runs are separate populations.
Eating: ADF&G says pinks are very good to eat when caught in the ocean or just returning to spawn, with pale flesh, a mild taste, and excellent texture. They have a lower oil content than other salmon. Because they are easy to hook and land, ADF&G also recommends them for kids.
On the Kenai: mid-July through August. ADF&G notes pink runs on the northern Kenai Peninsula come in large numbers in even-numbered years. Sources: ADF&G pink profile, ADF&G Northern Kenai fishing info.
ONCORHYNCHUS KETA
WHAT IS A CHUM (DOG) SALMON?
Chum salmon, also called dog or calico salmon, typically weigh 7 to 18 pounds and measure 24 to 34 inches. ADF&G says they are the second-largest Pacific salmon after kings and the most widely distributed.
How to identify: no dark spots on the back or tail, and silver streaks along the rays of a deeply forked tail. That last mark separates a chum from a sockeye in salt water. Spawning chum develop green-and-red or purple “calico” vertical bars, and males grow a hooked snout with large canine-like teeth.
Eating: ADF&G says chum flesh is lighter in color and oil than other salmon, but firm and flavorful when caught fresh. In Arctic, Western, and Interior Alaska they are prized as dried winter food.
On the Kenai: ADF&G's Kenai run-timing chart does not list chum. Statewide, ADF&G says mature chum return to their streams in July and August. Sources: ADF&G chum profile, ADF&G ID guide.
ON THE WATER
WHERE CAN YOU FISH THESE SALMON ON THE KENAI?
Marlow's on the Kenai is a family-run lodge in Sterling, Alaska, on the middle Kenai River and about 3 hours from Anchorage. Four riverfront cabins each have a full kitchen and private dock access, and the fish cleaning station is on site.
Before you come, check what's running on our Kenai River fishing report, which draws on ADF&G fish counts, and pick up the right Alaska fishing license.
COMMON QUESTIONS
ALASKA SALMON SPECIES FAQ
WHAT ARE THE FIVE TYPES OF SALMON IN ALASKA? +
Alaska has five species of Pacific salmon: king (Chinook), sockeye (red), coho (silver), pink (humpy), and chum (dog). King is the largest and Alaska's state fish; pink is the smallest and the most numerous.
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST SALMON IN ALASKA? +
King (Chinook) salmon. ADF&G says adults typically weigh 15 to 40 pounds. The world-record sport-caught king, 97 pounds 4 ounces, came from the Kenai River in 1985, and the largest on record, 126 pounds, was taken in a fish trap near Petersburg in 1949.
HOW DO YOU TELL A KING SALMON FROM A SILVER SALMON? +
Look at the gums and tail. ADF&G says kings have a black mouth with a black gumline and spots on both lobes of the tail. Silvers (coho) have a white gumline and spots only on the upper lobe of the tail.
WHICH ALASKA SALMON TASTES BEST? +
Taste is personal, but ADF&G calls king salmon excellent table fare because of its high oil content and rich, moist meat, and says sockeye's dark red meat is the fish that fills most Alaskans' freezers. Pink has pale, mild flesh, and chum flesh is lighter in color and oil.
WHICH SALMON RUN IN THE KENAI RIVER? +
ADF&G's Kenai run-timing chart lists king, sockeye, coho, and pink salmon. Kings run mid-May through July, sockeye mid-July to mid-August, coho late July to mid-October, and pinks mid-July through August, with big pink runs in even-numbered years. Fisheries can be closed by emergency order, as Kenai kings were in 2026.
WHY ARE SOCKEYE CALLED RED SALMON? +
Sockeye are silver in the ocean but turn bright red with a green head as they return upriver to spawn, which gives them the name red salmon. In salt water their metallic blue-green back also earns them the name blueback.
ARE PINK SALMON GOOD TO EAT? +
Yes, when fresh. ADF&G says pink salmon are very good to eat when caught in the ocean or just returning to spawn, with pale flesh, a mild taste, and excellent texture. They have a lower oil content than other salmon.
SOURCES
WHERE THESE FACTS COME FROM
Species facts come from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and were last checked in October 2026. Run timing varies year to year, and ADF&G can close or restrict any fishery by emergency order.
- ADF&G: Alaskan Salmon Identification and Fishing Guide (PDF)
- ADF&G: Chinook salmon species profile
- ADF&G: Sockeye salmon species profile
- ADF&G: Coho salmon species profile
- ADF&G: Pink salmon species profile
- ADF&G: Chum salmon species profile
- ADF&G: Kenai, Soldotna & Homer Run Timing (PDF)
- ADF&G: Northern Kenai Peninsula fishing information
- ADF&G: Fishing the Kenai River (PDF)
- ADF&G: Southcentral emergency orders
START PLANNING
FISH THE KENAI
FROM A RIVERFRONT CABIN
Marlow's on the Kenai is a family-run lodge in Sterling with four riverfront cabins, private docks, and a fish cleaning station. Our guests rate us 5.0 on Google. Call Dan Rusk or check open dates.