Ivory (White) King Salmon taste test

[Rock Doctor]

It was not all that long ago that white King Salmon were looked upon with a bit of distaste. Ive heard comments like "they're oily, slimy, skunky, etc". They used to cost less than your typical red King, now they cost more. High end restaurants are paying thousands of dollars to fly Whites all across the country, and even the world. Some anglers believe they can tell if they catch a White just by how it acts when caught (A White will dive deep, a Red will run away from the boat). They are not really common or uncommon, approximately 5% (1 in 20) are Whites.

All salmon eat small marine crustaceans (shrimp, krill and crabs) that are rich in astaxanthin, a carotenoid that is found in most sea life. White king salmon do not have the ability to metabolize these pigments from their food sources, leaving their flesh white. The ability of salmon to metabolize and store the red-orange pigment carotene in its muscle cells is determined by their genetic make-up.
Research has shown that when two white kings are mated they produce white king offspring, and red kings when mated, produce red kings. It’s a bit more complicated when a red king and a white king mate. The ability to process carotenoids is a dominant trait and the inability is determined by a recessive trait. Dominant traits are manifested more often, and so white kings are in the minority.
We did catch 2 or 3 on our last trip, so we decided to have a taste test. White and Red King salmon cooked over an open fire. In my opinion, the White is ever so slightly better. A little more oily, buttery, and slightly less "fishy".









RD

[Buckwheat]

I agree 100%. A friend caught a 44lber in the Alberni inlet a few year back. We all got a piece and I smoked mine. Best smoked salmon ever. Last yr I caught one off the beach at Ucluelet, not as big but just as tasty.

[Salavee]

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For sure there was a distaste for White Springs in the marketplace. Back in the 60's I recall we were paid about $1.25/lb for troll caught reds, but only about $0.50/lb for whites. Glad there weren't all that many whites around. White meat Salmon weren't too palatable methinks.. but I couldn't tell the difference between the two.

[Drewski Canuck]

Kitamat has marble springs. Product of the hatchery having re and white Springs in the holding tanks from two different runs that were mixed.

Very cool looking when filleted.

Drewski

[Wes_G]

I caught a marbled one fishing rivers inlet about 10 years ago.

[Smoky buck]

Fraser runs reds are first in the spring/summer and whites in the fall. There is the rare marble thrown in the mix

Never thought of whites being uncommon but most of my experience with springs is fishing the Fraser river system where it’s simply a matter of time of year if you are going to catch reds or whites