Fish species of salmon swim the North American side of the Pacific. All five are members of the genus Oncorhynchus. The American Fisheries Societies recognizes the following common names for the five species: chinook, coho, sockeye, chum, and pink. The list of common names for salmon is considerably longer. Here’s the short list:
Chinook: kings, tyee, springers, springs (in Canada), blackmouth, winter springs in Canada. Coho: silvers, hooknose, northern hooknose (in Canada).
Sockeyes: red salmon, kokanee (landlocked form).
Chum: dogs, “silver-brites” (market name).
Pinks: humpy, humpback salmon
Chinook and coho form the lion’s share of the sport catch. Chinook are by far the largest Pacific salmon. The best to learn your salmon is to fish for them. There’s no teacher like experience, and fishing is more fun than studying pictures in a book.