Sockeye salmon, prized for their tasty pink meat, can be found in the pacific ocean for most of their life but come in to spawn in freshwater rivers all over the coast. Their average weight is 5-15 Ibs.
Usually they live 3 to 5 years before spawning upstream and dying. All pacific salmon die after spawning time.
Coho salmon, also called Silvers, ranging from 5-12 Ibs. run each year up from the pacific ocean into freshwater streams and rivers to lay eggs (and fertilize them). Average life time for Silvers is 2-4 years.
Chinook (Spring or King) salmon are the largest type of salmon in the pacific ocean. Living up to 8 years long Spring salmon can weigh from 5 to 126 Ibs. Although the average weight along the northwest coast is 30 Ibs. Landing one of these guys is a true trophy. A Spring salmon is called a Tyee if it weighs over 29 Ibs.
Chum salmon or Dog salmon, live 2 to 5 years and are the least sought after as a sport fish out of all salmon. On average they weigh 7-14 Ibs. but have been recorded to weigh over 30 Ibs. and up to 38.5 inches in length. Chum salmon have the widest range out of all pacific salmon.
Pink salmon, also named Humpies after the hump the develops on males while spawning, are the smallest of the pacific salmon. They live two years and usually weigh 3 to 6 Ibs. but can weigh as much as 12 Ibs. putting up a good fight once you have them on the line. Pinks are not as desirable for meat as Sockeye, Coho, or Spring salmon.
