SALMON FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 
31 
Like the king salmon, the red salmon travels long distances up the rivers, pushing 
on to their sources; but it is chiefly a lake spawner, while the king salmon prefers the 
headwaters of the jwincipal l ivers to their small tributaries. 
Red salmon arrive at St. Paul, Kadiak, according to Mr. Washburn, agent of the 
Alaska Commercial Company, in June, and there is only one annual run. This gentle- 
man also states that there is a little run of small red salmon in Little Afognak River 
as early as April 1, but the principal run comes in June or July. In a river just 10 
miles distant from the Little Afognak the first run does not arrive until about May 20. 
At Karluk, in 1889, and around Kadiak generally, the species arrived late, and the 
catch up to the end of July was small everywhere. Turner records the 1st of May 
as the time when the natives of Attu Island prepare weirs ( zapor of the Russians) 
to obstruct the passage of the red salmon to their spawning-grounds. The species 
does not appear to be common on the coast of Norton Sound, according to Mr. Nelson, 
but is more abundant in the Lower Yukon, the main run occurring about the middle 
of August and lasting sometimes only two or three days, but usually a week or ten days. 
At the end of August, 1889, the red salmon were still running into Karluk River, 
but had greatly diminished in numbers and had become so dark in color as to be unfit 
for canning. In 1890 the run continued at Karluk very late, and a large portion of 
the catch was obtained in October and early in November. At Afognak the run 
usually lasts only during the first three weeks of July, although they first appear about 
the middle of June, and a few small ones occasionally come about the 1 st of April. The 
runs of fish appear to vary a good deal from year to year. Some of the fishermen at 
St. Paul believe that every fourth year is a good salmon year. Mr. Hirsch says that 
in Cook Inlet, the Ninilchic, Kusilov, Kenai, and Sushitna rivers all have salmon runs, 
but the kind of fish varies from year to year. An unexpected run of humpbacks may 
prevent the red salmon altogether from entering its chosen river. 
Mr. Hirsch also says that in coming from the sea the red salmon approach from all 
directions. They have been seen about miles distant from the land, and when they 
approach nearer the schools break up. This species is very much given to jumping 
entirely out of the water, and it is not unusual to see a dozen or more in the air at a 
time. At Karluk the fish play around in the kelp beds, especially when frightened 
by the seines, and here they are perfectly safe from the fishermen. They do not 
linger long in salt water after arriving on the coast. Fresh-run fish sometimes go 
into the river with the tide and out again the same day with the ebb. 
Young fish occasionally accompany the adults, but all I examined proved to be 
males. On the 13th of August, 1889, I obtained a male red salmon 11 inches long to 
the root of the tail. This example contained numerous intestinal worms. 
It is asserted by Mr. Hirsch and others, who have had much experience with 
the red salmon, that no spawning fish of this species ever leave Karluk River alive. 
Natives of Karluk say that they can catch salmon any time during the winter through 
the ice on Karluk River and lake. They assert, also, that all the red salmon die in 
the spring, most of them in April. 
After entering the rivers the red salmon may return to the salt water, but if the 
spawning season be near at hand and the spawning-grounds remote, they travel up 
the stream very rapidly. I have seen them playing about in the rapids, apparently 
