Sea fish
Chinook salmon
Oncorhynchus tshawytscha
Get to know the species, pick your region, find your spot.
- Habitat
- Nehir ağzı · iskele · kumsal · nehir · açık su
Best times of day
When in the day it bites best, month by month.
- Active at dawn and dusk
- Poor at night
In October
-
Dawn Best 85
0.5 h before sunrise → 2.5 h after
-
Midday 60
1.5 h before midday → 1.5 h after
-
Dusk 70
1.5 h before sunset → 0.5 h after
Not productive at night
Moon phase
Effect of the moon on night fishing; the scores compare the phases.
- New moon 50
- First quarter 55
- Full moon 50
- Last quarter 55
Best phase: No clear effect
Windows across 12 months
| Best times of day | JJan | FFeb | MMar | AApr | MMay | JJun | JJul | AAug | SSep | OOct | NNov | DDec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dawn | 85 | 85 | 85 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 85 | 85 | 85 |
| Midday | 60 | 60 | 60 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 60 | 60 | 60 |
| Dusk | 70 | 70 | 70 | 85 | 85 | 85 | 85 | 85 | 85 | 70 | 70 | 70 |
| Night |
Windows follow sunrise and sunset; clock times change with place and date. Scores are relative within the month: 100 is the best window of the day.
4 sources · confidence medium
Habitat
Where it lives and in what kind of water: ranges compiled by the research.
Depth
0–375 m
mostly 0–100 m
Water temperature
0–25 °C
ideal 16–20 °C
Salinity
Migrates between fresh and salt water
0–35 ‰
Shore types
- Delta / alluvial shore
- Cove / inner bay
- Pier / quay
- River / stream mouth
- Inside harbours
- Harbour mouth
- Strait shore
Bottom
Lives in open water
- Seagrass
- Seaweed
Ranges from FishBase, AquaMaps and the literature; a general tendency, not a hard limit.
Confidence: shore type high, temperature high
Bait and tackle suggestions
Recorded baits and fishing techniques.
Bait by month
Baits documented for shore fishing, month by month and by water clarity.
In October
By water clarity
Pelagic sight hunter — Chases baitfish shoals by sight. Lures shine in clear water; in murky water its hunting range shrinks.
- Clear Visibility: over 8 m
- Natural first, lures also work First natural bait: Fish roe · Very suitable Usually in this water: Live baitfish or a whole fresh fish; thin fluorocarbon leader, no float or a light one. First lure: Spoon · Suitable Usually in this water: Hard minnow/stickbait, slim metal jig; fast, erratic retrieve. Colour: Blue-green back, Silver, White
- Slightly coloured Visibility: 4–8 m
- Lure First natural bait: Fish roe · Very suitable Usually in this water: Live or fresh whole fish; normal size. First lure: Spoon · Very suitable Usually in this water: Spoon, metal jig, popper/topwater; medium-fast retrieve. Colour: Silver, White, Blue-green back, Pink
- Moderately coloured Visibility: 2–4 m
- Lure First natural bait: Shrimp · Very suitable Usually in this water: Cut oily fish (sardine/mackerel) with chum; under a float or at mid-depth. First lure: Spinner · Very suitable Usually in this water: Spinner, paddle-tail shad, metal jig one size up; vibration first. Colour: White, Fluorescent, Gold
- Murky Visibility: 1–2 m
- Natural first, lures also work First natural bait: Shrimp · Suitable Usually in this water: Oily fish fillet, bloody chunks; chum for a scent trail; fish slower. First lure: Spinner · Suitable Usually in this water: If you must, a rattling vibe/lipless; near the bottom, slow. Colour: Dark silhouette
- Very murky Visibility: under 1 m
- Natural bait First natural bait: Shrimp · Suitable Usually in this water: A large, bloody chunk of oily fish; refresh the bait often. Catches usually drop. First lure: Spinner · Weak Colour: Dark silhouette
12-month bait calendar
- January
- Out of season
- February
- Out of season
- March
- Out of season
- April
- Out of season
- May
- Natural baits: Herring, Fish roe, Anchovy, Shrimp Lures: Metal jig, Spoon, Spinner
- June
- Natural baits: Herring, Fish roe, Anchovy, Shrimp Lures: Metal jig, Spoon, Spinner
- July
- Natural baits: Herring, Anchovy, Fish roe Lures: Metal jig, Spoon, Spinner
- August
- Natural baits: Herring, Anchovy, Fish roe Lures: Metal jig, Spoon, Spinner
- September
- Natural baits: Fish roe, Herring, Shrimp Lures: Metal jig, Spoon, Spinner
- October
- Natural baits: Fish roe, Herring, Shrimp Lures: Metal jig, Spoon, Spinner
- November
- Out of season
- December
- Out of season
This is the usual pattern; the water and weather on the day can change it. Colour is fine-tuning: bait type, size and action come first. Confidence: natural medium, lures medium. Colour and presentation guide
Fishing rules
The regulation holds no separate minimum size or closed season entry for this species. The provisions for Türkiye as a whole apply.
Before you go, check local area and method restrictions.
Species profile
- Scientific name
- Oncorhynchus tshawytscha
- Water type
- Saltwater
- Other names
- Chinook salmon
