Are chum salmon good table fair if cought in the salt?

[DoubleJ]

If they're caught in the salt, before they turn, can you reasonably steak them up and consume like kings and coho?  I've only had them smoked and I understand, even out of the salt their flesh is a little softer than the others but, is it really bad enough to smoke them only?

[CastleRocker]

I've eaten a LOT of Chums, both from the salt and the fresh.  I would put them on par with a Silver or a fall run Chinook any day.  If done correctly, they can make some of the absolute best smoked-canned salmon due to the amount of oil they contain. 

[FC]

I've eaten a large number of them too both from salt and fresh water. While I wouldn't compare them to a silver they aren't bad at all if still bright and well cared for once caught. They are also very good smoked.

[BigGoonTuna]

i've never caught a chum with any kind of oil content.  i think that's somewhat of a myth.  i used to give them to people that don't care for the taste of salmon, because they're so mild.

[PolarBear]

When I was in SE Alaska bright chums were what we smoked for the guests.  They smoked up fine but I know that not many folks in that area would touch them once they got close to fresh water.  You might be able to catch some bright chums in Carr Inlet pretty soon.   

[offdahook]

chun it all good dey my fav!

[thegeneral]

ODH you the man when it comes to fishing.

[DoubleJ]

Was looking to run herring under a float in the canal out a bit from Tahuya in about a month

[Bullkllr]

Nice bright chum is good! It's also excellent deep fried like fish and chips (which is an under-rated way to cook salmon imo).

I have only one thing to say about darkening river chum:

"Chum: I hope it's not what's for dinner"

[Hunterman]

Smoke 'em if they come out of the salt. Let the river eat 'em when they get there.

Hunterman(Tony)

[wsmnut]

A bright chum is good eating!  Enjoy.

Wsmnut

[Todd~Mod]

The secret to good table fare is bleed! Gut! And ice ASAP.

[SkookumHntr]

 

[MarkyMark]

Top Foods sells chum labeled as "Keta" for about $15 a pound... Go figure.

[FC]

Top Foods sells chum labeled as "Keta" for about $15 a pound... Go figure.

lol I've seen that at Winco too!

[BOWHUNTER45]

To me ...nothing smokes better than a Chum 

[_TONY_]

Smoke 'em if they come out of the salt. Let the river eat 'em when they get there.

Hunterman(Tony)

100% agree

[RadSav]

Any bright chum is still 100% better than farm raised salmon or steelhead.  So they are not at the level of bright line caught Steelhead, Sockeye, Chinook or Silver...What is?   Still pretty dang good if you ask me!

They fight good, show up in big numbered waves and they will hit just about anything bright or shinny.  That makes them a hoot load of fun and worth the effort IMO.  I've had more than one sixty+ fish days up on the Vedder.  Throw in a couple monster Tyees' and salmon fishing doesn't get much more fun than that!  Table fare is just the icing on the cake

[Soady]

To me ...nothing smokes better than a Chum 

 Well maybe a good Macanudo and whiskey while you watch the chum smoke! Get yer priorities right man!

I do agree though, I like catching and smoking chums when they are dime bright fresh from the Nasty.

[Dirty Mike]

Why go all the way to Tahuya johns creek is right down the road from ya. I've caught some nice bright fish there

[tmike]

My deckhand in AK would always pick chums over reds or silvers for home pack for what it's worth. They are good if taken care of properly.

[LongTatLaw]

They fight great...love em on a 5wt fly rod...  will spend much of the October and Nov weekends putting big chum numbers on the board. No matter how bright I don't care to eat em...Ive caught some shinny bright pretty fish pullin plugs but even smoked they arent my cup of tea. Then again...Ive got 100lbs of Alaska caught King fillets so I can be picky. I wouldnt let us sway ya...give it a shot...different strokes.

-dave