Salmo Genus – Pacific noble salmon

Kamchatka trout (Parasalmo mykiss, Rus. Mikizha)

It is the only species that habits in Kamchatka and has several names like Kamchatkan salmon, semen, trout. In addition it has been still discussed by taxonomists if it belongs to any definite genus of fish.

Appearance of this fish is very variable and includes fish with typical silver body with numerous dark spots and individuals with bright many-colored body with streaks or without them with pink, yellow, red, blue and other colors.

Kamchatka trout is spread mostly in water bodies of Kamchatka peninsula. Some individuals might be met in water bodies of mainland shores of Okhotsk Sea, in the Amur river estuary and the Commander Islands. Migrating form (Kamchatkan salmon) is met only in tundra rivers of Western Kamchatka and rarely of Eastern. Fresh water Kamchatka trout habits all over the peninsula. These forms have different colors. The migrating one has a few dark spots almost on all body but mostly on its tail; there is a pale pink streak along the lateral line, which is hard to notice sometimes. The fresh water form has a body covered with numerous black spots with a bright-red or crimson streak along the lateral line.

Kamchatkan salmon lives about 8-9 years. It can reach up to 100 cm (40”) of length and 12 kg (26 lb) of weight. Its average size is 61-81 cm (24-32”), and weight is 4-10 kg (8.8-22 lb). Kamchatkan salmon enters rivers in the fall and stays in pits all winter actually without feeding. Spawning starts in early June. After spawning it does not die and goes down to sea, and returns in 2-3 years.

Kamchatkan salmon is a specially protected species of fish. In 1980-es it was registered in the Red Book .

Fresh water Kamchatkan trout lives about 10 years. Its length is about 70 cm (28”) and weight is up to 3 kg (6.6 lb). Its average weight is .5-1.5 kg (1.1-3.3 lb). It spawns every year.

Spawning happen in spring, in May or June. They prefer rapid current, and rarely calm reaches of river. Its favorite stop places are breaks and separate trunks in the fast current. And also washed banks where current passes by.

Kamchatkan trout is good for amateur sport fishing.

Steelhead salmon and rainbow trout are analogs of Asian noble salmon In America.