IrishLadOntario

No, no, no!

 

Chinook salmon flesh is pink when they enter the rivers. So is the flesh of rainbows. Salmon turn white in the rivers. Bows and specks will also turn white when they are not well fed. Sometimes you can see this in specks caught thru the ice in late winter.

In that case then, is it better to eat a salmon with pink flesh and stay away from any that have turned white? 

As I understand it, salmon flesh is pink due to the marine krill and shrimp they consume. Farmed salmon is fed with fish pellets loaded with compounds to 'dye' the flesh pink. Great Lake salmon have a very different diet than marine salmon and therefore do not take on any pink color. 

I dont think it is anything to do with necrosis, great lake steelhead have white flesh too and they do not necrotise like pacific salmon. It is mostly to do with the marine diet. 

I am looking to eat a salmon soon so i hope it tastes good. 

No need to get out of hand lads... fishing is better being cooperative rather than competitive really!

Thanks everyone!

 

IrishLad: both are from the lake.  The first off a jetty and the other while on the water.

yeah they look very fresh... nice job

yes nice fish indeed! how far upstream from the mouth did you catch these babies!!??