Salmon Fishing

Salmon is a well-known food fish in many parts of the world. When caught fresh and cooked, salmon can prove to be quite inviting as the main entrée, in both color and texture. Salmon is found in the Atlantic and Pacific waters, the Great Lakes, and many other enclosed lakes. The Kamchatka Peninsula in Alaska is recognized as the habitat for the world's largest salmon run.

As a food fish, salmon is high in nutritional value. Studies have shown they are high in protein and in Omega-3 fatty acids, and overall low in fat levels. Rather than capturing salmon, another option is to purchase farm-produced salmon from a hatchery. It is suggested that fresh-caught salmon can be lower in contaminates often found in fish, such as methyl mercury.

The salmon family's defining genetic characteristic is that they are anadromous. In effect, salmon are born in fresh water. As they mature into their juvenile stage, salmon migrate to the ocean, where they spend most of their adult life. The exception to this is their return to freshwater where they are able to reproduce. Due to this characteristic, anglers may depend on knowledge of a salmon's maturation level and the season to find their catch.

As popular as salmon are to the fishing industry, it is no wonder that Atlantic salmon are on the Endangered Species List. These salmon, previously known to run from Lake Ontario southward towards Connecticut, and from the White Sea in Russia to Portugal, are becoming increasingly harder to find. As their numbers are being reduced, many of their original runs are completely disappearing. This is alarming to many populations that depend on the Atlantic salmon industry for their livelihoods.