Bad rap for river caught Pink Salmon

[Anonymous]

I don’t know where I should post this because it is about Salmon I caught in a river but it is also about cooking it and the taste, although it doesn’t have a recipe. Consequently, someone can put it in the proper place if this isn’t it.
I am making my stand for the Pink salmon also know as the Humpy. I think they have a bad rap. They do taste good. They are wonderful smoked and grilled on my Traeger Pellet Grill.
The first one I put on the BBQ in Sept., I liked it. I just had one tonight that has been in the freezer for 2 months and it was great.
I have a dry rub recipe for smoking fish and this time I also put it on the one I was going to BBQ. I grilled it for an hour on Med. It was delicious.
My granddaughter who is 18 months even liked it, although her Mother won’t eat fish.
I was almost afraid to try it because of what others had said.

[A9]

They have a bad rap indeed. Salmon snobs won't even target them....

Without a doubt it's 4th in terms of the best tasting salmon. It does beat out a Chum...But 4th doesn't mean they are bad or not worth eating...

Everyone will disagree about the first three best tasting salmon in terms of what's 1st, 2nd and 3rd (those salmon being=Sockeye, silvers, kings) but it doesn't mean that Pinks are a *bad* tasting fish...

I'll keep them fresh out of the salt and stick em right on the BBQ. I've never kept a pink that turned colors, and fishing for them in rivers was just for CnR purposes...

As long as you properly bleed and ice your pinks right after the catch, you should have a good set of fillets, which should come out good on the bbq...

[Toni]

I have never iced them. I put them on a stringer and then put them in the river. I try to bleed them but there is still a lot of blood in the carcass when I clean them.

[Jake Dogfish]

I agree they definately get a bad rap. I really like eating them. I can't believe anyone would even compare one to a chum. I have caught chrome bright chums before and tried to cook them. Totally awful! Chums are only smokeable IMO. Pinks are great on the barby. I would put the edible order like this:(notice gaps)


Sockeye

Silver



Chinook
Pink













Chum

[Jake Dogfish]

Also I forgot to mention, like Sam said bleeding them can make a big difference. Not just in the table quality, but also if you have eggs as well...

[Toni]

I hope that I am able to catch a Chum this year. I have never fished for any before. But I have heard that Keta salmon and Chum are the same. I have bought Keta at the store and loved it so I am waiting to catch them. I am about to smoke my last Pink tonight. They just don't seem to last very long around my house.
I think so far the Silver was my favorite. It has been long time since I caught a King so I don't remember. I have only had store canned sockeye(which I love).
My order is;

Silver
Pink
Steelhead

Crappie
Perch (fresh water or salt)
Cod (various ones in that family)
Hake

King?
Soceye?
Chum?

[A9]

Yep "Keta" is the new word the use because Chum doesn't attract the buyers like a secret word like Keta might. Same thing. Just a different name for marketing purposes....

[Derrick-k]

BBQed
Chrome Native Steelhead
Silver
Sockeye
Big King's, I think the bigger the moister
Pinks
Never had a chum


Smoked
Chrome Native Steelhead
Pink probably because they are oily
Silver
King
Never had smoked sockeye but I am smokeing some chum right now.

[A9]

I hope you release native steelhead now...

[Derrick-k]

If they are hooked in the eye or are bleeding to death, I don't hesitate to keep them, but I havn't had to keep one in 3 years.