51 Inch Chinook Salmon Found

Doug Killam, Associate Fisheries Biologist for the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) found this monster Chinook while conducting a Salmon Survey on Battle Creek in California.  The average salmon for the area weighs between 20 and 30 pounds.  This behemoth most likely outweighed the states 88 pound record when it was alive.

51 inch salmon found on Battle Creek in California

Chinook Salmon are born in freshwater rivers then move to the ocean to mature.  Later in life (usually 3-4 years, but as many as 8 years) the Salmon returns to the same river that it was born in to spawn.  Since Chinook Salmon die shortly after spawning, DFG biologist frequently walk the banks in search of carcasses to count the number of fish that may have spawned.

In recent years the number of Chinooks that have made it upriver to spawn has dramatically decreased.  Hopefully, this specimen was able to successfully spawn and pass along its superior genes before dying.