The term ‘salmon’ comes from the Latin word ‘salmo’ which means ‘to leap’. Salmons have eight fins. Some of them are arranged on each side of their bodies in pairs. The pelvic fins are located on the belly while the pectoral fins are below the shoulder.

Their respiratory process happen through the gills. They have strong muscles and swim bladders, which help them maintain their buoyancy. The Atlantic salmons are well-known for their power and speed.

Historical facts

The discovery of salmon took place about 5,000 years back. It has been of great significance in the livelihood and culture of the people living in the coastal areas. They not only relied on salmon for their food but also for some spiritual guidance. The coastal dwellers often made good use of the entire fish.

They used the waste as well, creating certain items out of it. Its bladder was turned into glue and toys were made from its bones. The skin of salmon was useful for making shoes and clothes. The indigenous tribes residing on the coast of the Pacific held the first salmon ceremony.

Types

There are six types of salmon in the Pacific Ocean:

1. Salmo Salar

The Salmo Salar is popular as the Atlantic Salmon. Most of the Atlantic salmons that are commercially available are farmed. The farmed salmon have earned a bad reputation with regards to sustainability.

2. Chinook Salmon

Also known as King Salmon, they’re the ones with the best taste. The color of their flesh ranges from white to deep red. Chinook Salmon are also popular owing to their high fat content.

3. Red Salmon

They’re also known as Sockeye Salmon. Red salmons have a rich flavor and bright red-orange flesh. They turn deep red when they move upstream from the ocean to spawn. Owing to their dark flesh color, many call them ‘reds’.

4. Coho Salmon

Owing to their silver-colored skin, they’re known as Silver Salmon or Silvers. Their flesh is bright red in color with a delicate texture.

5. Pink Salmon

The most common among the salmons found in the Pacific, the pink salmon is also called Humpback Salmon. They’re quite popular for their light-colored flesh and low-fat content. The flesh of pink salmon has a good flavor. Their distinctive hump on the back is the reason why they got the name humpback salmons or ‘humpies’.

This hump develops on their backs only when they spawn. Pink salmon are available in fresh, smoked, or frozen forms, but they’re often stored in cans.

6. Silverbrite Salmon

Popularly known as ‘chum’, this type of salmon also has the names Dog Salmon and Keta Salmon. The term ‘dog salmon’ comes from its dog-like teeth. In order to get away from the negative association of the word ‘chum’, the term ‘keta salmon’ is appropriate.

Keta is a smaller fish with an average weight of about 8 pounds. The color of its flesh ranges from pale to medium-color. When compared to the other varieties of salmon, the keta salmon has a lower fat content.

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Slots with the fishing theme are extremely popular among the anglers who play online slot games. This is because such games allow them to enjoy a few spins while they wait for their next catch. So, if you’re one of them, here are our three best picks for you:

1. Fishin’ Frenzy

This online slot would give the right doses of excitement for gamers who are fans of sport fishing. Fishin’ Frenzy has everything on its reels that you need for a delightful fishing trip. These symbols include boats, rods, cute blue flounders, tackle boxes, life belts, and more. The peaceful soundtrack in this game would be enough to get you in the mood to play. This is well-complemented with the bright and uplifting visuals.

As you wait for the fish, you can have fun playing this uncomplicated game. The fishing boat scatter symbols give you 10, 15, or 20 free spins. This online slot also has bonus games that would surely improve your chances of wins. With 5 fishing rods, you can win a payout of 1000x. The 5 pelican symbols would give you a 2000x payout.

2. Lucky Larry’s Lobstermania

One of the best aspects of Atlantic City is the presence of some fabulous lobsters. A fully-grown lobster weighs up to 4 pounds and has claws that are almost the size of your hand. Besides, they also have a great taste. If you’re looking for a lobster-themed online slot, Lucky Larry’s Lobstermania would be a perfect choice.

In this game, Larry is a lobster who is lively with a larger-than-life personality. He lives in a small bay, which is ideal for fishing. Larry loves to share the good things in his life with his friends. Besides being an entertaining game with a fishing theme, it also has a lobster scatter and 2 wilds. It also has some excellent symbols such as a fishing boat, boathouse, a buoy, and a lighthouse.

You’ve got a mission in this game. You’ll need to help Larry and his friends escape from custody. This will give you some excellent prize multipliers. You can win a jackpot prize of 50,000 coins if you catch them in the Lobstermania Buoy Bonus round.

3. Fishing Cash Pots

Yet another fantastic fishing-themed online slot, Fishing Cash Pots has some great visuals. Besides, you’ll also like the cheerful symbols on the reels, such as anchors, red buoys, and a few others. A special symbol in this online slot game is an old pro fisherman. You’d want to keep an eye out for him in the game. He is the one who can get you a lot of wins.

However, you’ll need to get him on your side. You can do this by landing at least six bluefish symbols on reels 1 to 4. You can then get the fisherman on reel 5. This would trigger the Fisherman Bonus feature. With the fish stacking, you’ll get 5 free spins to enjoy more potential wins.

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However, you’ll never be disappointed with your fishing trip if you hire a reliable and experienced fishing guide. Here are some of the essential qualities of a good fishing guide you must consider before hiring one:

1. Good knowledge of local waterways

A fishing guide must know the local waterways inside out. This knowledge would be extremely useful if you’re visiting a water body for the first time. In certain situations, a fishing guide can also be of great help even if you’re a seasoned angler. Besides having a good knowledge of the local waterways, a fishing guide will have the best plan for attack.

This is helpful when the fish are most active. It would give you plenty of opportunities to have a good catch of fish. If your fishing guide has a good knowledge about fish found in other regions, it would be a bonus.

2. A sound knowledge of fishing gear

You might not know the most efficient way to utilize your fishing gear. Even if you have a checklist of everything needed for your fishing trip, it might not help. An experienced guide would know what gear you need to bring for your fishing trip. Having a guide would be helpful in taking the most economical decisions.

You’ll also get to learn some valuable lessons and tips. Learning from the best guide and experiencing things firsthand would be an advantage. This would be particularly helpful in preparing for your next excursion.

3. The ability to take quick decisions

One important fact worth considering is that you can’t control the actions of the fish. So, there’s always a possibility of having a slower day. This is why it’s always good to have a fishing guide. Experienced guides have the ability to think on their feet and would even have a backup plan.

Such backup plans involve changing the bait or trying a different location. No matter what challenges a particular situation may present, an expert guide always come up with the best solutions.

4. A positive attitude

It’s important to have someone who is not overtly negative as your fishing guide. A guide who believes in the power of positivity can maintain a good mood throughout your fishing trip. On the other hand, if your fishing guide is overtly negative, it can easily spoil your mood.

Having someone with a positive demeanor is extremely important during such trips where there’s no guarantee of rewards. There are some exceptional fishing guides who can lighten up the trip to a great extent. They’re usually the ones who provide some comedic relief, swap stories, and are quite cheerful.

5. Passionate about fishing

You’ll truly enjoy your trip if you have someone who is extremely passionate about fishing. Besides, the guide must also have the necessary skills in fishing to be able to guide you properly. The last thing you’d want is having someone who’s assisting you only to get compensated for it.

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Most of the sturgeon prefer smaller prey, especially when they are small themselves. They often feed on the filter feeders residing near the bottom of water bodies. In this process, they sweep the muddy beds of water bodies while searching for their preferred food.

How sturgeons have their food

As they don’t have teeth, the sturgeon sweep the bottoms of the water bodies while looking for their prey. Once they’ve found one, they suck it up through their mouth that acts like a vacuum. Then they swallow and digest it whole. Usually, they’ll eat anything that they allow to enter into their mouths.

The sturgeon have a range of senses to help them in their search for food. They can also find their food in complete darkness. Surprisingly, the sturgeon don’t use their visual senses while searching for food. Instead, they can chemically sense, taste, and feel their prey with the help of their barbels. They’re situated at the front of their heads.

A barbel is quite similar to the whiskers that cats have. Besides this, the sturgeon have electroreceptors in their heads, which allow them to feel electrical signals from their prey. This gives them the chance to hone in on their prey with greater accuracy. The sturgeon also like leaping out of water. This behavior has become a reason for their popularity.

Foods that different species of sturgeon eat

Of the 27 different species of the sturgeon, 9 reside in the United States. While most of the sturgeon of North America are found in freshwater, some migrate through saltwater at times. The largest and stronger inland fish species of North America are the white sturgeon. They live for over a 100 years and grow up to 20 feet in length.

Although the white sturgeon migrate inland to spawn, they reside in rivers and estuaries close to the ocean. They eat shrimp, fish eggs, clams, and also the other fish. When they grow large, they can also include the large fish into their diets. Some of the massive fish that they prey on are flounder, salmon, and herring.

One can find the lake sturgeon in freshwater environments across North America. They feed on clams, leeches, crayfish, and small fish. Worms, snails, and slugs are the other foods that they prefer. A rare sturgeon species is found only in Alabama within the Alabama River’s 130-mile stretch.

These sturgeon grow only up to 2 to 3 feet. They eat invertebrates and other fish that are smaller in size. The Atlantic sturgeon, bay dwelling sturgeon, and shortnose sturgeon are found in the Chesapeake Bay. They feed on crustaceans, shrimp, mollusks, and worms.

Many people keep the sturgeon as pets. The species that they keep as pets include the diamond, sterlet, and Siberian sturgeon. A major part of their diet is protein. Additionally, they need vitamins and minerals in their food to keep themselves healthy.

The post An Insight Into the Food Habits of Sturgeons appeared first on westsideguide.com.

Owing to the fascinating motion of fly casting, fly fishing is among the most beautiful forms of angling. Many of the anglers consider this activity as some sort of meditation. In several parts of the world, many individuals practice fly fishing as a catch-and-release activity.

It means that the angler releases the fish into the water immediately after catching it. This prevents the fish species from going extinct and preserves their population for the coming generations.

Normal angling and fly fishing

One main difference between normal angling and fly fishing is the fishing line. In fly fishing, the line serves as the weight casting the bait. The casting techniques used in this case is quite different from normal angling. Fly fishing is a method of casting the line.

It doesn’t place too much significance on the lure’s weight. Generally, this weight is useful for pulling line from the reel during the forward motion of a cast.

Saltwater fishing vs freshwater fishing

Usually, the anglers use dry flies that are similar to the ones on the surface of the water for fly fishing. In some cases, anglers use nymphs imitating the underwater insects. They’re often the imitations of baitfish or the organisms that are similar to it. One can practice fly fishing in saltwater as well as freshwater.

If the choice is freshwater, the anglers use fly fishing in rivers, streams, creeks, ponds, or lakes. The ones who choose saltwater can go fly fishing in flats. These are shallow areas of the oceans located in regions such as the Caribbean.

Single hand casting

A fly is too light in fly fishing and doesn’t usually serve as the cast’s weight. A fly line is heavier than a normal line used for angling. It has to be cast, therefore, with the right technique. A loop form transports the fly to the position that the angler desires.

In a basic form, the angler whisks back the line over the shoulder. The casting technique that’s used the most in fly fishing is single hand casting. As the name implies, the angler executes the cast with only one hand. The use of overhead cast technique is common among the anglers.

Double hand casting

Double hand or spey casting is usually done in larger rivers. It’s obvious from the name that the anglers use both hands in this casting technique of fly fishing. They use longer and heavier rods in this fly fishing technique. The large roll cast was developed in the region surrounding the River Spey in Scotland. It was used to fish for salmon in big rivers.

This technique of casting requires no space behind the caster. Hence, it was used when the overhead cast was made impossible because of high banks. Today, the fly fishing enthusiasts use two-handed rods for other species in many more situations.

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One good thing about fishing or angling is that anyone can try it and have some fun with it. However, if you truly want to become a good angler, there are a few things that you must have:

1. Knowledge

Just picking up a fishing rod and heading to any of the water bodies nearby is not enough. You’ll need to do some research and gain knowledge on different species of fish in your area. Besides this, you must know the best locations for the activity, local weather, and water conditions.

The more you know about these things, the better you will become. With a little more practice, you’ll also get better at trying new tactics. You’ll also need to stay updated on the latest fishing equipment available in the market.

2. Observation

Successful anglers are always good at reading their surroundings. For this, they really have to be observant about everything, such as the weather and location of the fish. Such observations would help you formulate some effective techniques and strategies. Your observations would also allow you to know what works and what doesn’t.

3. Patience

When you’re out there near the water, you’ll spend more time waiting for the fish. So, rushing to get a good catch won’t be of any help. If your aim is to become a good angler, patience is a virtue that you need to have. You must learn to take some time gathering information, making a plan, and making your best moves. Mostly, you’ll need to have the patience to wait for the fish to come to the bait.

4. Determination

While it’s necessary to have the patience required to learn and develop your skills, you also need determination. This is one of the most important qualities that would help you become a successful angler. Success in this field is a combination of many things. They include research, practice, and pure luck.

None of them would be of much help if you don’t have the determination to see it through. It’s easy to come up with a plan before you get to the water. Sticking to your plan and not giving up would be challenging.

5. Adventurous

You must be willing to take your chances and make some changes if you want to succeed in angling. It’s boring to go to the same place, use the same equipment, and catch the same fish. To make this activity exciting and fun, you must get a bit adventurous.

You must be eager to try new spots, new techniques, new species, and the latest technology. This helps you get rid of monotony and allows you to develop new ways of catching fish.

6. Environment-friendly

If you’re into angling, you’ll be spending a lot of time outdoors in nature. So, it’s obvious that you should respect the environment around you. If you don’t love being surrounded by nature, you won’t get better in angling. You must also respect the natural surroundings. The best way to show this respect is to make sure that you don’t leave any traces of litter.

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The steelhead migrate to the ocean and return to its freshwater tributaries for spawning. On the other hand, the rainbow trout don’t leave freshwater. The steelhead are larger and less colorful than the rainbow trout. These are the major differences between these two forms of the species. Now, let’s take a look at the most interesting facts about steelhead:

1. The two distinct runs of steelhead

In the world of steelhead fishing, the two distinct runs of this fish species is well-known. Owing to these runs, the steelhead are termed as ‘summer-run steelhead’ and ‘winter-run steelhead’. The summer-run steelhead begin migrating during the spring and summer seasons.

The winter-run steelhead move to freshwater during the winter months. They enter the freshwater system at a relatively developed stage of maturity. This begins around November and continues through May. At this point, their bellies are robust and their attention concentrated. They have a limited amount of time to spawn after transitioning from saltwater to freshwater.

The summer-run steelhead begin entering into freshwater as early as April. They enter in large numbers during the warmer months. Their numbers begin to decrease by November. Sexual maturity in the summer-run steelhead greatly differs from the winter-run steelhead. The reproductive organs in summer-run steelhead begin to mature only after they make their transition from saltwater to freshwater.

The comfortable water temperatures and mild weather play an important role in increasing the metabolism of the summer-run steelhead. Despite the differences in their timing of migration, both these types typically spawn during spring or early summer.

2. Time taken for migration

Upon reaching the stage of maturity, both summer-run and winter-run steelhead follow a certain migration pattern. The winter-run steelhead is always up against the clock of Mother Nature. They mainly dominate the tributaries that are located within 100 miles of the ocean. On the other hand, the summer-run steelhead can remain in freshwater up to a year. They travel hundreds of miles away from saltwater.

Both the types of steelhead can survive up to a year in freshwater without feeding in large quantities. The summer-run steelhead require more time as they make long journeys and encounter major obstacles on the way. The summer-run steelhead must ensure that they make it to their spawning beds on time.

3. The presence of otoliths

The otoliths in steelhead are also known as ‘earstones’. They are located on their head at the back of the fleshy part of their brain between the ears. An otolith is a part of the hearing and balance system in the steelhead. It is solidified calcium carbonate that mainly comes from water.

As the steelhead grow older, new crystals of calcium carbonate begin forming. They allow the binding of trace elements with the otolith, which causes the development of layers. For the biologist, this composition and build-up is extremely important. Scientists can determine the steelhead’s age and the properties of water bodies they have occupied earlier from the otolith.

They can also know from the otolith how long each steelhead has been in freshwater as well as saltwater. It can also identify the fish that have returned to freshwater for spawning more than once. The biologists can also identify the specifics about the age of the fish with the help of their scales.

Despite this, the biologists consider the scales unreliable because they can become misconfigured or damaged during migration for spawning.

4. The role of body fat reserves in migration

There are many similarities between the spawning habits of the steelhead and rainbow trout. One of the unique facts that many don’t know is that the rainbow trout can fertilize steelhead eggs. Similarly, the steelhead also have the ability to fertilize the eggs of the rainbow trout. There have been studies in recent times based on such data.

In this process, the amount of lipid body fat within a steelhead is specifically noted. The healthy fish that don’t have the desperation to gain body mass may possibly remain in freshwater. This can avoid the dangers associated with ocean travel entirely. A fish seeks saltwater if it’s low in body fat. Once it enters the saltwater, it feeds heavily until it attains a substantial size.

High amount of body fat is often because of water temperatures as fish found in cold water have greater lipid reserves. As one travels further down a river system, the water gets warmer. This prompts the fish to move to the ocean owing to their lower reserves of body fat.

According to the latest research, the male juvenile steelhead show a higher inclination to be in freshwater. This is due to the fact that they don’t need to gain more mass than the egg-bearing females. Besides, they have the ability to spawn with multiple females many times.

5. Adaptability of the steelhead

The steelhead have showed a greater degree of adaptability over the years, which is beyond what anyone can comprehend. It is, perhaps, the result of the choices that they have made historically. In some parts of Russia, the steelhead have reportedly spawned almost ten times. Despite having such features, their survival rate is decreasing drastically.

The smolt-to-adult return (SAR) rates of the steelhead have varied historically between 10 to 20 percent. Biologists use the SAR rates to calculate the percentage of fish returning as adults. The SAR required to maintain the existing population levels of steelhead is 2 percent. Currently, the data shows a significant decrease, as the SAR rate is as low as 1 to 2 percent.

There’s another worrying aspect with regards to their population levels. It is the misconception that they return to spawn again during their life cycle. The belief that the steelhead do not decay is a faulty assumption. Most of the steelhead do perish after spawning while attempting to return to the ocean. The male fish tend to eject their sperm multiple times while spawning. This results in a severe fatigue in them.

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This card must be returned to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife when you’re done with the fishing activity. The waterways in the state have specific season dates, rules for catching and releasing fish, and catch limits. You must, therefore, check the rules and regulations before embarking on your fishing trip. Now, let’s take a look at some of the places in the state that are ideal for fishing:

1. Fish Lake

This is one of the family-friendly and peaceful spots for fishing in Washington. It is located at a distance of about 20 miles north of Leavenworth. Abundant in brook trout and rainbow trout, this beautiful lake has a long shoreline. It also has two docks. This would make it easy for you to find a quiet fishing spot.

You can also bring a boat without internal combustion motors. A canoe or a kayak would be perfect for the trip. Waterfront RV camping is available at the nearby Lake Wenatchee State Park.

2. Green Lake

It would be quite convenient for you to reach Green Lake. This is an excellent location for those who are seeking a decent family-friendly spot for fishing. It offers multiple boat launches, two fantastic spots for swimming, and three fishing piers. You can find plenty of brown trout and rainbow trout in this lake. On some occasions, you can get a good catch of channel catfish.

3. Yakima River

Yakima River is one of the popular places for fly fishing. It stretches for over 200 miles throughout Central Washington. During your trip you can camp at the Palouse to Cascades State Park located near Easton. Upon heading south, you can find over 60 miles of fishing spots.

They’re located between the Palouse to Cascades State Park and Roza Dam. The most common species of fish you’ll find here are cutthroat trout and rainbow trout.

4. Snoqualmie River

For those who are from Seattle, one of the most convenient places for fishing would be Snoqualmine River. You can fish for trout above the Snoqualmie Falls, which is situated near the Snoqualmie town. Another great option would be to head to Middle Fork, which is located below the falls.

It’s the best place for fly fishing. Steelhead, salmon, and cutthroat trout are the species of fish available here. Make sure you check the rules and regulations before heading to this spot. The rules and regulations for fishing vary according to the seasons of the year.

5. Columbia River

Columbia River is an ideal spot in Washington for those who want to go fishing for the salmon. If you’re traveling in an RV, you can park it in Maryhill State Park. You can then spend a few days fishing in Lake Umatilla. This lake is located in Goldendale above the John Day Dam. This would be a perfect spot for walleye fishing. If you want to fish for smallmouth bass, the best place would be the shore at Umatilla Park.

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The salmon also carry certain therapeutic characteristics. It possesses some potent antioxidant properties and are effective in treating nutritional deficiencies. It also has many benefits in store for the heart, eyes, brain, and other vital organs of your body. Here are some of the health benefits that you get from salmon:

1. Good for your heart

According to the recent studies, consuming baked or boiled fish lowers your heart rate. This significantly reduces the risk of heart-related diseases as well as heart failure. The salmon ar rich in omega-3, which is extremely good for your cardiovascular health.

Observations made during some independent studies indicated that the Japanese had reduced risk of heart diseases. This can be attributed to their diet, which mainly consists of fish. The amount of fatty acids found in the salmon largely contribute towards a healthy heart.

2. Improves brain functions

The presence of omega-3 fatty acids in the salmon plays a major role in reducing agressiveness and depression. This was even confirmed by the American Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Salmon consumption improves various brain functions and its cognitive abilities. It is particularly beneficial for children in the age group of 4 to 12 years who have mood problems.

A study on the impact of salmon consumption in mothers came up with some interesting observations. The findings showed that the mothers who consumed salmon had children with higher IQs. They also had improved social, motor, and communication abilities.

3. An excellent source of potassium

This is especially true in case of wild salmon. It contains 13% of the recommended daily value (RDV) of potassium per 0.13 kg. Apparently, wild salmon has more quantities of potassium than a medium-sized banana. The presence of potassium in the salmon helps in controlling blood pressure. Additionally, it reduces the risk of a stroke significantly.

4. Contains selenium

Although a human body requires only a small amount of selenium, including it in your diet is still necessary. Selenium is a mineral found in certain foods and in the soil. It helps in the maintenance of bone health and reduces thyroid antibodies caused due to autoimmune thyroid disease.

Besides, it also lowers the risk of cancer. A 100-gram serving of salmon consists of about 75 to 85 percent of the daily selenium requirement. Patients with low selenium levels can boost the quantity of this mineral in their blood.

5. Boosts good cholesterol

A salmon gets its distinctive red color from astaxanthin, which is a substance with many positive health benefits. It helps in reducing the amount of bad cholesterol in your body, which boosts the quantity of good cholesterol. Astaxanthin helps in reducing oxidative stress and inflammation considerably.

It protects your arteries by preventing the buildup of fatty plaque in them. This substance also protects the neurological system by operating with the omega-3 fatty acids.

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