Chum Salmon Identification Guide
How to recognize a chum salmon by its white-tipped fins and calico bar pattern in spawning males.
Read the full Chum Salmon encyclopedia entry →
Key identification features
- Ocean-phase body is silvery with fine speckling but no large black spots, and larger scales than pink salmon
- Spawning males develop a bold calico or tiger-striped pattern - vertical maroon and olive-green blotchy bars along the sides
- Large, canine-like teeth become prominent during spawning, giving rise to the nickname "dog salmon"
- White tips on the anal and pelvic fins are a reliable year-round field mark
- Pronounced hooked jaw develops in spawning males, though without the extreme back hump of pink salmon
Common look-alikes
- Pink salmon: has large oval spots on the tail fin, which chum salmon entirely lacks
- Coho salmon: shows black spots on the back and upper tail plus white gums, while chum has no large spots and instead relies on white-tipped fins for identification
- Sockeye salmon: also lacks large spots but never develops chum's calico bar pattern or white fin tips
Where you'll see one
Chum salmon range across the North Pacific from Oregon and the Pacific Northwest through British Columbia and Alaska to Siberia, Japan, and Korea, spawning in the lower and middle reaches of coastal rivers.
Frequently asked questions
How do I identify a chum salmon without large tail spots?
Check for white tips on the anal and pelvic fins - this mark holds true year-round, even in the silvery ocean phase.
How do I tell spawning chum from spawning pink salmon?
Chum shows a calico pattern of maroon and olive bars along the body, while pink salmon males instead develop a pronounced humped back and lack the bar pattern.