Chum salmon, Dog salmon (Oncorhynchus keta, Rus. Keta)

Chum is the second numerous species of Pacific salmon after pink salmon. Silverbrite salmon differs from pink salmon, king salmon, cherry salmon and silver salmon with total absence of spots on its spite and tail fin. Chum that enter a river can have some weak signs of spawning dress like pinky or grey cross streaks. In their full spawning dress chum differ from other salmon by bright coloring of red-green and black cross streaks. Spawning males typically grow an elongated snout or kype and have enlarged teeth so that they are not able to close their mouth.

It enters almost all rivers of Kamchatka especially the Kamchatka river and rivers of north-western and north-eastern coasts.

Chum has summer and fall forms. Fall one has big size, weight, spawning power and more rapid growth rate. When chum is 3-10 years old, it enters Kamchatkan rivers in July-October. Usually 4, 5, 6 year old chum take part in reproduction. Chum salmon spawns in August-September in the upper reaches of rivers and tributaries (springs) higher than pink salmon; on reaches of rivers with small pebble ground, in places with abundant rise of underground waters.

Adult chum usually weigh from 2.2 to 5.4 kg (4.9-11.9 lb), with an average length of 62-71 cm (24-28”). Chum from 1,7 to 5,4 kg (3.8-11.9 lb) of weigh with an average length of 52-78 cm (20,5-30.7”) enter rivers of western Kamchatka.