Atlantic Salmon
Also known as King Salmon
(Not Pacific Kings) and King Fish
Salmo Salar
By Timothy Kusherets
The Atlantic salmon receives the lion’s share of worldwide distribution.
Some of the names these fish are identified with are: landlocked salmon, black
salmon, Sebago, grilse, saumon atlantique (French), lachs (German), laks (Norway),
and lax (Sweden). It is the slender cousin to the Pacific Chinook with marked
differences in physiology. The telltale markings of the Atlantic only mildly
change by regions; however, the large black spots are found throughout the length
of the body. The oblong and circular spots are sparsely distributed from the
dorso-lateral area to the back and about the head; which increase in number
the closer they get to the spawning cycle. The inside of the mouth is white
with short sharp teeth. The male produces a pronounced kype during the spawning
cycle where the female does not. Prior to inland migration males and females
look identical; however, the maxillary extending past the orbits of the eye
identify the male from the female out in the open ocean. Though its size compared
to the Chinook is only slightly smaller and is the longest-lived salmon; it
dose not die after spawning; unlike that of its Pacific cousins. The anal fin
ray count is 10 to 12. During the spawning cycle the coloring of this salmon
ranges from olive green to rust colored red. With little deviation, even by
region, most Atlantics can be taken during the late summer and fall months in
fresh waterways. During the oceanic migration they feed on baitfish, herring,
smelt, candlefish, and anchovies.Out in the open ocean they can be found along
the coastlines of the North Atlantic. These fish are found in eastern North
America, Iceland, Norway, U.K., Sweden, Germany, France, Spain, and Portugal.
The distribution of these fish has been hotly disputed in their mode of migration
and the systems they frequent. Olfaction and circadian rhythms are fundamental
triggers for seasonal and spawning migrations. Internal mechanisms on the basis
of photo entrainment allow these fish to ascertain time due to light filtration;
this theory is thought to tell fish when to head back to natal streams where
distribution becomes apparent.
Anglers and commercial fishermen compete for the estuarine fish; however, as
they move inland it is the fly and drift fishermen that catch most of these
fish. The fight of the fish can be determined on the basis of size. Those fish
over thirty-pounds will head into current while those under don’t. Smaller
fish will become aerial and jump as high as five to six feet when hooked. Offerings
for these fish will be on the smaller size, though spoons and spinners have
been known to work well. Corkies and flies often take most of the fish. Tailing
an Atlantic seems to subdue it long enough for anglers to release it. The debate
on how to tail a fish is always under dispute; whether under-hand or overhand,
tailing works.
Atlantics are known to be jumpers and as such throw many hooks. One way to counter
jumping Atlantics is to put the tip of the rod under the surface as it is aerial
causing the currents to take up any slack created by the jump. Once the fish
is beneath the surface take to rod out of the water. As the larger specimens
make their ways into the current anglers are advised to get beneath the fishes
position. By getting down current the fish is forced to work twice as hard.
These fish will always pull in the opposite direction of pressure and as such
afford the opportunity for light line anglers to fight the larger specimens
with little threat of a fish breaking off.
Without the aid of a scale anglers can calculate the size of this fish with
the formula: length times girth squared, divided by eight hundred e.g. 37”
x 25” x 25” /800 = 28.906 pounds. If fishermen don’t have
a measuring device they can use dollars for size comparison with photographs
for later calculations. Rods can be pre-measured and marked for size comparison
prior to release of fish back to the water.
It is a hotly debated premise amongst scientists that salmon cannot see red
in the open ocean; while some concede this theory they introduce the idea of
macular change during the spawning cycle; and that’s where the debate
gets really heated. However, anglers the world over know that the color red
works well on this fish in both the marine and freshwater environments essentially
making the arguments about changing physiology of the eye a moot point.
© Timothy Kusherets 2004/08
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