Kodiak Island on the Gulf of Alaska is a virtual feed station for predatory fish. Needlefish, candlefish, and herring all congregate here by the millions to spawn and hatch and grow. They provide an abundance of food for the king salmon who are voraciously feeding in the surrounding ocean all year round.

King salmon spend many years in the ocean. Some grow to enormous size. The real big ones though, are only here in the spring because they leave the ocean to run up the rivers to spawn in June. We catch 50 and 60 pounders in June, July, and August but these are not fully mature fish. The big ones, the mature ones, are in Alaska in late April and May chasing the large herring that are spawning here. 

They are the 70 and 80 pounders. These are not colored fish that act like old bulls when you catch them in the river. They are chrome bright ocean going kings that rip line off the spool like missiles, that sound deep beneath the surface on one run and explode into the air on the next. These fish rush the boat and create slack on even the most experienced ocean fishermen. 

These big fish are known by many names.  The Alaska Department of Fish and Game reports that "The chinook salmon has numerous local names. In Washington and Oregon, chinook salmon are called chinook, while in British Columbia they are called spring salmon. Other names are quinnat, tyee, tule, blackmouth, and king."  Whatever you call them, they are exciting to catch and wonderful to eat.