-
Step 1
Examine the size of Chinook salmon. They are easily the largest salmon, with adults averaging 33 to 36 inches, but they may grow to 58 inches. They average 10 to 50 pounds, with the record being 126 pounds.
-
Step 2
Observe adult coloring. Chinook salmon have a blue-green back while they are at sea with a small black spot on the tail and black coloring on the base of the teeth.
-
Step 3
Find Chinook salmon off the western coast of the United States as far north as the Bering Strait and as far south as southern California. They also may be found from the coast of Siberia to Hokkaido Island, Japan.
-
Step 4
Understand the life cycle of the Chinook salmon. Like other salmon, they swim upstream to spawn. The female builds a nest, or redd, using larger gravel and prefers a higher water flow than other salmon. She lays several pockets of eggs and guards the redd for up to a month until she dies.
-
Step 5
Expect the juvenile Chinook to spend up to two years in freshwater before migrating to the ocean to mature. They usually remain at sea for two to four years before returning to fresh water.
