12 ROD & CREEL 



CHAPTER II. 

 THE SPORTING FISH OF B. C. 



SALMON. From time to time one hears discussions amongst 

 anglers about the different species of salmon on the Pacific 

 Coast, and the statement is frequently made that it has been 

 decided by Ichthyologists that our salmon are not real salmon. 

 While a lengthy chapter on this subject would be out of place 

 in a book of this kind, a few words on the subject, presumably, 

 will be of interest to many who read this book. 



First of all it may be stated that it is incorrect to say that 

 our salmon are anything but salmon. It has, however, been 

 decided that our salmon, while identical in general characters 

 with the "Salmo" family of the Atlantic Coast, differ anatomic- 

 ally in a number of way and also differ in their reproductive 

 instincts. In consequence our fish, instead of being grouped 

 with the genus "Salmo," have a genus of their own called 

 ' * Oncorhynchus. ' ' 



Spring Salmon (Oncorhynchus tschawytscha). Sometimes 

 called "Tyee," "King," "Silver Spring." These fish attain the 

 greatest weight of all our salmon and they probably live a year 

 or two longer. They vary considerably in size and colour, so 

 much so that many people think they are of different varieties. 

 No difference in anatomical structure has been discovered and 

 the difference is probably due to the various "runs" of fish 

 changing their appearance and size according to the water and 

 amount of feed available in it. For example, take the ordinary 

 "Spring." This fish is caught all along the coast, more or less 

 all the year round and inhabits shallow water and, is of bright 

 color in consequence. Then take the so-called "Tyee;" this fish 

 only puts in an appearance when spawning time approaches ; 

 the rest of the time it probably scatters in deep water, where 

 competition for food is not so great, the result being it attains 

 greater size, and the depth of the water it lives in gives it a 

 deeper colour. 



The flesh of these fish also varies in colour considerably, 

 some being quite white, others with just a pink tinge, and others 

 quite pink. The reason for this change has not yet been dis- 

 covered. The fact that white-fleshed fish become more com- 

 mon towards fall might tend to the theory that the spawning 

 season had something to do with it, except for the fact that the 

 "Tyees" of Campbell River are invariably a deep pink. Water 



