Fish ID
King (Chinook) Salmon
Largest Pacific salmon. Central Valley fall-run kings push up the Sacramento, Feather and American in late summer and fall.
Key ID marks
- Black mouth and gums
- Spots on back and both lobes of the tail
- Darkens and colors up as it spawns
Mouth ID
Black gums and black mouth interior — the #1 way to tell a king from other salmon and steelhead.
Typical size
10–30 lb
Best season
Late summer through fall in rivers
Where
Sacramento, Feather, American rivers; landlocked kings in Don Pedro, Oroville, Folsom, Berryessa
Look-alikes
Steelhead (white mouth), coho (white gums, rare inland).
Fish & Game notes
Salmon seasons have been closed or tightly limited in recent years. Always check current CDFW emergency regs before fishing.
Current CDFW regulations →