| Photo Information |
Copyright: Christopher Campbell (cjcampbell)
![Silver Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 28 W: 0 N: 57]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/s-n-g.gif) (270) |
| Genre: Animals |
| Medium: Color |
| Date Taken: 2007-11-19 |
| Categories: Fish |
| Camera: Nikon D200, AF VR-Nikkor 80-400mm ED |
| Exposure: f/5.6, 1/90 seconds |
| More Photo Info: [view] |
| Photo Version: Original Version |
| Date Submitted: 2007-11-24 5:41 |
| Viewed: 513 |
| Points: 0 |
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
Chum salmon in Shoofly Creek near Belfair, Washington. These fish weigh between ten and fifteen pounds on average. They will swim for miles like this in very shallow water and even across rain-soaked lawns and wet roads. The large teeth are grown at the end of the fish's life cycle and enable it to hold onto roots or branches in the water so that it is not swept downstream while spawning. They also prevent the fish from eating.
This is a winter run Hood Canal chum, not one of the summer run listed as 'threatened' on the endangered species list. We have not seen a summer run chum in Shoofly Creek for more than twenty years. Chum prefer small creeks and streams over large rivers.
Chum, unlike other salmon species, are poor jumpers and even a log that has fallen across the creek will stop their progress. They are not a particularly strong fish and by the time they reach the spawning beds their condition has deteriorated so much that they are completely exhausted. They will die within hours of spawning.
They prefer to travel at night, laying up under creek banks or hiding under bridges and in culverts during the day, but near the mouths of creeks such as this one their activity is dependent on high tide.
Natural selection appears to favor mediocrity in chum. The largest and fastest will try to swim up their creeks too early before there is enough water for them to spawn. The smallest are too weak. This is where nature favors the average.
Chum have the least commercial value of all salmon. It usually costs more to harvest them than they are worth. Those that are caught are usually smoked or dried for the European market. You can smoke chum; the hard part is keeping them lit. :-)
Chum salmon are very skittish and will flee at the sight of humans or other threats. They have very good eyesight. However, they are easily photographed with long lenses. |
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