RIVER FISH · Pacific migration
Chum salmon
Oncorhynchus keta
A Pacific salmon that hatches in freshwater, grows at sea and returns to rivers to spawn, often traveling far inland before completing its life cycle.
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Meet the fish
- Habitat
- Pacific coastal and ocean habitat as adults, with freshwater rivers and tributaries used for migration and spawning.
- On the menu
- Young fish eat small aquatic prey; at sea they feed on crustaceans, mollusks and fish.
- Size context
- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service reports adults commonly around 24 inches and roughly 6–15 pounds, with larger fish possible.
- Range & local context
- Native around the North Pacific from western North America through Alaska and across to Asia.
Living with the river
Water & habitat
Passage, temperature, flow and access to spawning gravel all matter during migration. A rising river can add context but is not proof a run has arrived.
Seasonal life
Adults return from the ocean to freshwater spawning grounds; timing varies by run and river. Like other Pacific salmon, they die after spawning.
Why this song? A salmon song for a salmon that makes one of the great river-to-ocean-and-back migrations.
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Before you go
Salmon seasons, run protections and harvest rules are highly local. Use the exact river's current fish-and-wildlife regulations.
Use the linked agencies and the relevant river guide for current regulations, closures and consumption advisories. A species profile is not a fishing license or a statement that harvest is allowed.
Editorial review: . Regional size examples are labeled; maximum lengths are not typical sizes.
More river fish
Keep exploring species connected to the same river-guide network.