Saltwater Fishing - Atlantic Salmon Fishing Tips & Info

 

Atlantic Salmon

Salmo salar

Distinguishing Markings: 

Two dorsal fins including one adipose fin, a narrow pointed tongue with four to six small teeth, dark pectoral fins, forked tail, and nine rays in anal fin.

 

Size:

Averages about 8 to 10 pounds

 

Distribution:

This native of the North Atlantic Ocean is known throughout the world as an exciting sport fish.  Atlantic salmon have been introduced to freshwater environments around the world.

 

Habitat:

In the spring, Atlantics prefer the upper, warmer layers of the lake near shore, but in summer they retreat to deeper, cooler water. Then as fall approaches they again come shoreward as they head toward their spawning stream and the cycle repeats.

 

Food Preference:

Crustaceans, smelt, alewives, and any other available fish meal.

 

Spawning:

Lake-run adults enter their parent streams to spawn, and each river or stream has a characteristic time when this happens.  Females choose a gravel-bottomed riffle above or below a pool, and dig a nest, or redd.  As she lays her eggs the male simultaneously releases sperm.  Then the female pushes gravel back over the eggs. When spawning is finished the adults may rest in the river for a time and then return to the lake, or the male may remain in the river all winter.  Some Atlantic salmon live to spawn more than once.

 

Fishing Tips:

While on their spawning run they do not feed, but will often strike aggressively at artificial flies.  Use the same trolling methods that work for chinook and coho.

 

See Also:

 

Activity:
Saltwater Fishing

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