Chrome fish with white meat, whats wrong

[fisherman1042]

Have been catching brite brite fish with white fleash, Umpqua and Coos system, 3 out of 4 from Laverne park were white meated but chrome, one out of the Umpqua very very bright but white flesh. Anyone else seen this? never ever caught fish like these, even spawned out run backs never this white.

 

[Tacomasteelheader]

I am having the same problem i just think the fish have held back for so long out towards the lower river or ocean and its taken its toll on the meat. I have had one that had white meat that was chromeish and another that was dark with good meat. Idk its strange. What gives poeple ?

 

[plumb2fish]

Some fish are genetically unable to process the carotenoids that turn the flesh orange/red maybe this adaptation is occurring in steelhead and not just white kings....

 

[Scott M]

Genetically inferior hatchery raised fish? Naaaaa!

 

[hobster]

I do know the bucks darken faster and their meat can still be good and hens can be bright chrome with white meat. Were they hens? There have been a lot of dark fish on the Sla w lately, must be cause they are hanging out in the river longer cause the waters so low.

 

[jamisonace]

salmon with white meat are highly prized. About 3/100 have white meat and commercially they only go to the finest restaurants. This may be the case with steelhead as well but I do not know.

There are a few theories about why they don't turn orange. I think you can google "ivory king salmon" for more info.

 

[Santiam338]

We have caught 3 white meated fish this year...All hens with eggs...One on the Siletz, one on the Nestucca and one on the Siuslaw...

I don't remember any white meated fish in 2011 or 2012...

If there was a way I could tell before cutting them open I would let them go, but they look like good fresh fish...

Strange for sure..

 

[halibuthitman]

white steelhead and kings are much higher qaulity due to a 15-20% higher oil content.. they are higher in omega 3 and are simply the finest smoker fish you can get, you literaly cannot dry out a white fish, typicaly only females of both species have this trait-

 

[billfisher]

We have caught 3 white meated fish this year...All hens with eggs...One on the Siletz, one on the Nestucca and one on the Siuslaw...

I don't remember any white meated fish in 2011 or 2012...

If there was a way I could tell before cutting them open I would let them go, but they look like good fresh fish...

Strange for sure..

Got one on the Alsea, and thats what I was thinking.

Thanks HHM, makes me feel better, except I gave most of it away

 

[Yogidabear]

maybe it's all the bleach I dump into the river when I was cleaning my boat? Sorry.

 

[billfisher]

:shock: , :think: , :lol:

 

[eugene1]

Nice info HHM, I knew about the ivory kings, but didn't know the phenomenon extended to steelhead. Also, I thought it was genetic in nature, so I'm surprised that you guys are getting them in hatchery fish that should be somewhat homogeneous. Very cool though.

white steelhead and kings are much higher qaulity due to a 15-20% higher oil content.. they are higher in omega 3 and are simply the finest smoker fish you can get, you literaly cannot dry out a white fish, typicaly only females of both species have this trait-

 

[bass]

Were the fish big porkers? Then they just must be the other white meat

Diet is what causes the color of a fishes flesh. I believe that fish that eat food with carotenoids have orange flesh. Carotenoids are in the krill and shrimp that they eat. Perhaps the white fleshed fish eat more fish and less krill. Maybe the spend their ocean time in a different area. It may also be that they do not absorb the carotenoids from their food.

 

[fisherman1042]

Fish health specialist from the stae has responded to me and i have foward this thread, has anyone eaten one? i am afraid to.

 

[eugene1]

Nice! let us know what they think.

 

[RunWithSasquatch]

Fish health specialist from the stae has responded to me and i have foward this thread, has anyone eaten one? i am afraid to.

I ate one of them Casper fish from last week. Well the wife and I ate HALF of one, the other half is in the freezer... for now.

As far as I could tell, it tasted like, well like a winter steelhead. Which isn't saying a lot. Meat wasn't mushy or anything.

Was no springer though.


I didn't tell the wife anything different, I did put a bunch of extra crap on it to try and hide the flavor, she seemed to like it a lot...:think: