Salmon Identification Guide

Salmon are streamlined members of the family Salmonidae famous for their spawning migrations. Several species share the name, and they overlap with trout and char.

Key identification features

• Streamlined, silvery body at sea, often developing color and a hooked jaw (kype) at spawning.
• A small fleshy adipose fin between the dorsal and tail — a hallmark of the salmon family.
• Spotting patterns on the back and tail that vary by species.

Telling species apart

• Atlantic Salmon: few X-shaped spots, no spots on the tail, silvery at sea.
• Chinook (King): black gums and small spots on both lobes of the tail.
• Sockeye: turns bright red with a green head when spawning; few spots.
• Coho: spots only on the upper tail lobe, white gums.

Salmon vs. trout and char

Salmon are generally more streamlined and migratory; char (like brook trout) have light spots on a dark body, the reverse of most salmon and trout.

Where you'll see one

Salmon occur in the North Atlantic and Pacific, running from the sea into rivers to spawn. The adipose fin plus species-specific spotting confirms the identification.