How to tell if a salmon is still good

[travis162]

ok so my buddy got a salmon it is a pretty big hen and i went over while he was cutting it up. it is pretty dark and has some white spots and i think it was just getting ready to spawn because none of the eggs are connected to a membrane. and the meat is kinda white. any help would be much appreciative.

 

[beaverfan]

I sure wouldn't eat it. When the flesh turns white they're too far gone in my opinion.

 

[adambomb]

I caught this fish today, I would probably pass on anything much darker

 

[travis162]

i appreciate it and ya the meat is way lighter in color then that and this fish is black compared to the one you have and the flesh is turning white in areas

 

[FishKiller23]

Yea bucks cut better even once they start to turn color u can still get a good buck.

 

[Fishtopher]

From my experience, you can catch a fish this time of year thats semi chrome, cuts brite, perfect color, and is just MUSH! Fingers poking through while trying to cut a filet type mush....

 

[Mike123]

Sometimes a good way to tell is look at the fleshy part just under the gill plate towards where the meat of the fish is. This will be near the color of the meat.

 

[halibuthitman]

if there is still sea lice on it...

 

[metalmania]

Coho hens need to be light bronze or better to bonk. Bucks need to be bronze with some red coming through or better to bonk. I wouldn't bonk any red bucks or black hens.

 

[jeffcycles]

I was speaking with a fella at Ollie Damons who mentioned an ODFW guy said checking the eyes is a great indicator. If they are starting to cloud over, then the fish is going to be mushy.

 

[EastCountyRookie]

bonking coho when they are past prime

bonking coho when they are past prime

the hens I always bonk because i love getting a quart of eggs out of 1 hen and the bucks eventually make a great smoked snack on the river

 

[EastCountyRookie]

bonking hens

bonking hens

i bonked a hen on the 17th of oct. and the hen was bronze stuffed full of eggs. I didn't even clean the fish because the meat was white, i through it in the bag and tossed it in the trash when i got home here are what the eggs look like

 

[metalmania]

i bonked a hen on the 17th of oct. and the hen was bronze stuffed full of eggs. I didn't even clean the fish because the meat was white, i through it in the bag and tossed it in the trash when i got home here are what the eggs look like

Unless there chrome they often aren't worth eating, but you can still get good eggs out of light bronzers. Sometimes even the darker fish have good skeins in them.

 

[fishtales]

I try to only catch what I will need for the day if the quality of the fish is in question. If it cooks right and tastes good then i will go out the next day and catch another. I think that a lot of the darker fish are on their last leg but depending on your tastes their are some good fish still out there.

 

[HAMBONE]

ok so my buddy got a salmon it is a pretty big hen and i went over while he was cutting it up. it is pretty dark and has some white spots and i think it was just getting ready to spawn because none of the eggs are connected to a membrane. and the meat is kinda white. any help would be much appreciative.

MAN ON MAN WHY DID HE KEEP IT. WHAT A SHAME.........:naughty:

 

[Fishtopher]

I wouldnt say ashame, more like a learning experience. Live and learn bro.

 

[youngbuck307]

MAN ON MAN WHY DID HE KEEP IT. WHAT A SHAME.........:naughty:

why a shame??? you have to learn sometime??? Not so bad when its a clipped HO and not a native fish.... i have seen so many clipped fish spawning this week its crazy were going to have a lot of natives here in a few years it looks like

 

[bigdog]

MAN ON MAN WHY DID HE KEEP IT. WHAT A SHAME.........:naughty:

Why a shame? It was a fish that was going to die soon anyways and loke was said before that is that less of hatchnate that we aren't allowed to keep. If anything he did the fish a favor and ended its pain early lol.

But for food wise I wouldn't keep anything that has white spots. Most people think that the eggs are only good if still in the skien but even if the are singles they can still be cured and use. If you trout fish they are great and for other fish you can use spawn sacks.

Once again thats just my thoughts for what ever they may be worth
CJ

 

[HAMBONE]

I'm a bit surprised you would ask. The fish is not eatable what so ever. Even smoked it is not good. It has no earthly good except to give us all the next batch of fish. If it was a decent size fish it had 4000 to 6000 eggs that went into the trash.

You even stated
But for food wise I wouldn't keep anything that has white spots. Most people think that the eggs are only good if still in the skien but even if the are singles they can still be cured and use. If you trout fish they are great and for other fish you can use spawn sacks.

Why a shame? :naughty::naughty:

 

[Fishtopher]

I'm a bit surprised you would ask. The fish is not eatable what so ever. Even smoked it is not good. It has no earthly good except to give us all the next batch of fish. If it was a decent size fish it had 4000 to 6000 eggs that went into the trash.


Why a shame? :naughty::naughty:

Just what we need. More inferior hatchery offspring competing with natives.naughty