Sockeye Salmon

Sockeye Salmon

(Oncorhynchus nerka)

Also known as Red’s or Blueback(describing the blue sheen on the dorsal surface of the fish when they first enter the fresh water).

Average size: 6-10lbs

Alaska state record: 16lbs

Tackle used: Being plankton feeders during their lives in the salt water, Sockeye salmon can be very finicky and challenging to hook. Most Sockeye salmon fisherman use small sparsely tied flash flies, some anglers do well using simply a small red hook.

Habitat: Sockeye salmon are the most abundant of all the pacific salmon species, some of the river systems getting returns of up to two million Sockeye.Like the Chums, Sockeye tend to run the shallow water on the edges of the rivers, and it is not uncommon to see a steady stream of moving fish for days on end.