King salmon or Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tschawytscha, Rus. chavycha)

King salmon is the biggest of all Pacific salmon and the biggest of fresh water fish in the North-East. It differs from other salmon with mighty body covered with dark points and small spots.

This species is spread very broadly but in Asia the King salmon is great in number only in Kamchatkan rivers such as the Kamchatka, Apuka, Pakhacha, Bolshaya, Tigil.

It can reach 147 cm (57.8”) of length and 57-61 kg (126-135 lb) of weight. Usually individuals of 78-103 cm (31-41”) and 5.5-17 kg (12-38 lb) are caught in the Kamchatka river. Its river run is in May-July. Its spawning is in June-July to the end of August, at all length of rivers from tiding zone to very upper reaches. When king salmon is 4-7 years old, it enters rivers for spawning.

Chinook salmon is an important marketable species and also it is good for sport fishing.