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Sockeye Salmon
Species Information
| Scientific Name: | Oncorhynchus nerka |
| Common Names: | sockeye, red salmon, blueback salmon, kokanee |
| Environment: | Lake, River, Stream, Inshore |
| Ideal Temp: | 51-58°F (11-14°C) |
About Sockeye Salmon
Sockeye salmon is an anadromous species of salmon found in the Northern Pacific Ocean and rivers discharging into it. This species is a Pacific salmon that is primarily red in hue during spawning. They can be up to 84 cm in length and weigh anywhere from 2.3 to 7 kg. Juveniles remain in freshwater until they are ready to migrate to the ocean, over distances of up to 1,600 km. Their diet consists primarily of zooplankton. Sockeye salmon are semelparous, dying after they spawn. Some populations, referred to as kokanee, do not migrate to the ocean and live their entire lives in freshwater.
Sockeye salmon is the third most common Pacific salmon species, after pink and chum salmon. Oncorhynchus comes from the Greek '-ychos' meaning nail, and 'rhyngchos' meaning snout. nerka is the Russian name for the anadromous form. The name "sockeye" is an anglicization of suk-kegh (sθə́qəy̓), its name in Halkomelem, the language of the indigenous people along the lower reaches of the Fraser River (one of British Columbia's many native Coast Salish languages). Suk-kegh means "red fish".
The sockeye salmon is sometimes called red or blueback salmon, due to its color. Sockeye are blue tinged with silver in color while living in the ocean. When they return to spawning grounds, their bodies become red and their heads turn green. Sockeye can be anywhere from 60 to 84 centimeters in length and weigh from 2.3 to 7 kg. Two distinguishing features are their long, serrated gill rakers that range from 30 to 40 in number, and their lack of a spot on their tail or back.
Sockeye Salmon Fishing
| World Record: | 6.88 kg (15 lb 3 oz) - Kenai River, Alaska, USA |
| # Fish Caught: | 54669088 documented in database. |
| Earliest Record: | 1/1/1860 12:00:00 AM and located at 45.30905, -117.20761. |
| Latest Record: | 3/11/2025 2:23:00 PM and located at 37.76659, -120.84715. |
| Common Techniques: | Casting, Fly, Jigging, Trolling |
| Popular Lure Types: | Flies, Jigs, Spoons, Topwater |
| Fishing Spots: | 1871 Sockeye Salmon fishing spots. |
Latest Sockeye Salmon Fishing Reports and Spots
Simple Kenai River Sockeye Salmon Rig Rigging for sockeye salmon isn’t complicated or at least it shouldn’t be. It’s best practice to use the (
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5 ways to land way more sockeye salmon on the Kenai river: Use heavy gear – Sockeye salmon run around 5-8 pounds on the Kenai River but it’s no (
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0OhjaWjBjA When planning an Alaska fishing trip few experiences rival the thrill of reeling in sockeye salmon (
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http://jimruskfishingalaska.com Hello Kenai River Anglers Well the Summer is going by so fast and I can not believe it is already August here o (
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http://jimruskfishingalaska.com Hello Alaska Anglers Well it is that harvest time of year here on the Kenai and the annual Sockeye Salmon harve (
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7/4/2024 Fishing Report We hope everyone has plans for an awesome 4th of July weekend! If those plans include some fishing let us offer up our (
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When it comes to salmon fishing in Alaska the Kenai Peninsula is a world-class destination. From its pristine waters to the unscathed wildernes (
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http://jimruskfishingalaska.com Hello Kenai River Anglers well it is almost mid March here on the Kenai in Alaska and the 2024 fishing season i (
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http://jimruskfishingalaska.com Hello Kenai River Anglers well it is late February here in Alaska and the 2024 Alaska fishing season is just a (
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Seattle is known for its world-class salmon fishing and for good reason. The city is located on the Puget Sound which is home to five different (
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