Chum
The calico tiger of late fall — last fish of the season, biggest roe.
Quick IDWhite mouth/gums; no spots; calico bars spawning; white anal-fin tip; dog teeth.
The fish
Chum are the second-largest Pacific salmon and the last to spawn each year, which makes them the fish that extends the river season after everything else is done. Spawning chum are among the most striking fish that swim — bold vertical calico bars of green, purple and red — and the males grow the enlarged canine "dog teeth" that give them the name "dog salmon." Their roe is the largest and most prized of any salmon. Underrated as a sport fish, a fresh chum on light tackle is a genuinely strong, dogged fight.
