Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta), also called Keta or Dog Salmon, are the next salmon to enter the river shortly after King Salmon. Chum Salmon is probably the most underrated out of all five species of Pacific salmon. It’s debatable but Chum Salmon, pound for pound are the hardest fighting salmon out of all five species. They are willing to strike almost every fly, lure, and jig and will hit them like a speeding freight train! On the strip, the swing or drift, they will take every inch of your backing off your reel and send you running for the boat!
Recommended Gear
We recommend 7 weight to 9 weight quality rods with actions that are well suited for casting in windy conditions. Durable reels with a medium to strong disc drag are necessary. Spool capacity should be at least 150 yards of 20-pound backing. A floating line along with at least one sink tip is usually best. Sink tips should be 5 feet to 15 feet with a medium-to-fast sink rate and 10 to 15-pound monofilament.
