Salmon are one of the most iconic and prized fish species around the world. Anglers love pursuing them and their tasty pink flesh makes them a popular dinner choice. But salmon vary dramatically in size between different species and regions. So how long is a typical salmon?
The length of a salmon depends on multiple factors, including species, age, habitat, and genetics. To understand salmon lengths, we first need to examine the key variables that influence their growth.
What Determines The Length Of A Salmon?
Several elements contribute to salmon length
-
Species – Salmon species range greatly in maximum size. King salmon are the largest, while pink salmon are the smallest.
-
Age – Older salmon tend to be longer than younger ones Salmon continue growing throughout their lifespans
-
Habitat – Salmon with access to plentiful food and optimal environmental conditions often grow to longer lengths.
-
Genetics – Some salmon lineages are genetically predisposed to reach longer lengths.
So while species plays a central role, age, environment, and genetics all intersect to ultimately determine an individual salmon’s length.
Average Salmon Lengths By Species
The seven salmon species exhibit the following average adult lengths:
-
Chinook (King) – The largest salmon species, Chinook average 25 to 35 inches.
-
Chum – Also known as dog or keta salmon, chum average 20 to 30 inches.
-
Coho – Known as silver salmon, coho average 20 to 30 inches.
-
Sockeye – Called red salmon, sockeye average 15 to 22 inches.
-
Pink – The smallest salmon, pink salmon average just 15 to 20 inches.
-
Atlantic – Atlantic salmon average 25 to 35 inches.
-
Masu – Found only in Asia, masu salmon average around 20 inches.
So you can see the salmon family encompasses quite a range, from the diminutive pinks to the giant Chinook. But these are just averages. Maximum lengths also vary considerably.
Maximum Possible Salmon Lengths
While averages give a good sense of normal lengths, looking at the maximum recorded lengths shows their tremendous potential size:
-
Chinook – The longest Chinook can reach an incredible 58 inches!
-
Chum – The largest chum salmon can grow to 40 inches.
-
Coho – Monster coho may reach 38 inches long.
-
Sockeye – Sockeye salmon can hit lengths of 32 inches.
-
Pink – Even the petite pinks sometimes reach 30 inches.
-
Atlantic – Lunker Atlantic salmon can hit 44 inches long.
-
Masu – The longest masu salmon get up to around 28 inches.
So while averages stay in the 1 to 3 foot range, some leviathan salmon can pass 4 feet long! Chinook and Atlantic salmon hold particular potential to become true trophies over 40 inches.
Typical Salmon Lengths By Region
Beyond species differences, salmon lengths also vary across their geographic range:
-
Alaskan Salmon – Alaskan salmon often surpass the averages, with Chinook around 30 inches.
-
Pacific Northwest Salmon – Salmon here may only reach shorter average lengths due to habitat challenges.
-
New England Salmon – Atlantic salmon in northeast US rivers average around 25 inches.
-
European Salmon – Scandinavia’s salmon frequently range 30 to 40 inches long.
-
Asian Salmon – Masu salmon in Japan and Russia average approximately 20 inches.
So while species dictates baseline length ranges, regional factors lead populations to fall above or below the averages. Alaskan and Scandinavian salmon tend to reach longer sizes, while Asia’s masu and Pacific Northwest salmon trend shorter.
Typical Lengths Of Salmon Sold For Eating
When buying salmon at grocery stores or restaurants, the lengths differ again from fishery averages:
-
Farmed Salmon – Usually range from 16 to 22 inches long when brought to market.
-
Wild-Caught Salmon – Tend to be slightly shorter than farmed, averaging 14 to 18 inches.
The smaller lengths for store-bought salmon reflect harvesting fish at a younger age to meet demand. Commercial fishermen often take salmon before they reach full maturity and maximum length.
How To Estimate A Salmon’s Length
While exact salmon lengths vary, their slenderness provides some rules of thumb:
-
Salmon are typically around 5 times as long as they are deep. A salmon 6 inches deep would be around 30 inches long.
-
A salmon’s length is usually about 3 times the length of its head. A salmon with a 9-inch head would be close to 27 inches in total length.
-
As a formula, take the depth x 5 + head length x 3 to roughly estimate total length.
Of course, these are general guidelines. But they provide ballpark figures to judge a salmon’s length when you can’t measure it directly.
Key Takeaways On Salmon Lengths
To recap salmon lengths:
-
Species dictates average length ranges, from pinks to Chinook.
-
Max lengths show some salmon reach 4+ feet long.
-
Habitat and genetics impact lengths too.
-
Farmed salmon run smaller than wild counterparts.
-
Length rules of thumb relate to depth and head size.
So while species plays a central role, remember many other factors influence total salmon lengths across their lives and geographies. But whatever their exact length, there’s no doubt salmon make highly rewarding targets for anglers and delicious fare at the dinner table.
Is Coho Salmon Sustainable?
U.S. wild-caught coho salmon is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations.
Fresh mainly in summer through late fall and frozen year-round.
U.S. wild-caught mainly from Alaska with smaller amounts from Washington and Oregon.
Smaller coho have a delicate flavor. Fillets from larger fish have a mild taste.
Coho has a high oil content and appears soft when raw, but becomes firm and flaky when cooked.
The flesh is reddish-orange, usually pinker than that of chum salmon, but paler than Chinook or sockeye.
Coho salmon is low in sodium and a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, protein, niacin, vitamin B12, and selenium.
Nutrition Facts Servings: 1; Serving Weight: 100 g (raw); Calories: 146; Protein: 262 g; Total Fat: 5.93 g; Total Saturated Fatty Acids: 260 g; Carbohydrate: 0 g; Total Sugars: 0 g; Total Dietary Fiber: 0 g; Cholesterol: 45 mg; Selenium: 36.5 mcg; Sodium: 46 mg
Coho salmon is a lean, versatile protein that is easily adapted to your favorite cooking methods. For inspiration, browse these recipes for sheet-pan salmon, grilled coho, and more!
There are numerous stocks of Coho salmon.
- Alaska:
- There are more than 20 different stocks of coho salmon.
- Alaskan populations of coho salmon are near or above target population levels.
- The Alaska Coho Salmon Assemblage consists of coho salmon, sockeye salmon, pink salmon, and chum salmon throughout southeast Alaska. There are 3 indicator stocks of coho salmon that are used to determine the status of the assemblage; these indicator stocks are Coho salmon – Auke Creek, Coho salmon – Berners River, and Coho salmon – Hugh Smith Lake. According to the 2022 Hugh Smith Lake, Auke Creek, and Berners River stock assessments, these stocks are not overfished and not subject to overfishing. Summary stock assessment information can be found on Stock SMART.
- West Coast:
- The status of coho populations in California and the Pacific Northwest varies.
- As of 2025, many individual stocks are not overfished, but one is listed as endangered, and three are considered threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
- According to the 2024 stock assessments, none of the stocks are overfished or subject to overfishing. Summary stock assessment information for all West Coast coho salmon stocks can be found on Stock SMART.
- Populations are affected by:
- Changes in ocean and climatic conditions.
- Habitat loss from dam construction and urban development.
- Degraded water quality from agricultural and logging practices.
- Population conservation efforts include:
- Removal and modification of dams that obstruct salmon migration.
- Restoration of degraded habitat.
- Acquisition of key habitat.
- Improvements to water quality and instream flow.
- The Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund supports the restoration of salmon species.
- Commercial fishery:
- In 2023, commercial landings of coho salmon totaled 16 million pounds and were valued at $16.6 million, according to the NOAA Fisheries commercial fishing landings database.
- Most of the U.S. coho salmon harvest comes from Alaska (over 90%) with smaller percentages from Washington and Oregon.
- Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch:
- Coho salmon are mainly harvested in commercial troll fisheries in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska.
- Troll vessels catch salmon by “trolling” their lines with bait or lures through groups of feeding fish.
- To retrieve hooked fish, the lines are wound on spools by hand or hydraulically, and the fish are gaffed when alongside the vessel.
- The troll fishery produces low-volume, high-quality product.
- Coho are also harvested in commercial seine and gillnet fisheries (described here), both in fisheries targeting stocks of coho and as bycatch in fisheries targeting other species of salmon.
- Fishing gear used to catch coho salmon rarely contacts the ocean floor and has little impact on habitat.
- Bycatch is low and usually consists of other salmon species.
- Recreational fishery:
- Salmon are a favorite catch of recreational fishermen.
- Coho are spectacular fighters and the most acrobatic of the Pacific salmon.
- Recreational fishermen use a variety of fishing gear to harvest coho salmon.
- To ensure recreational fisheries are sustainable, West Coast anglers are only allowed to keep a certain number of salmon per fishing trip.
- In Alaska, regulations vary by area and individual fisheries.
- Recreational fisheries in high-use areas (Cook Inlet, Southeast Alaska, Copper River) are regulated through management plans that allocate fish between competing commercial and recreational fishermen.
- In Washington, Oregon, and the Columbia River, hatchery fish are marked (by clipping the adipose fin), so wild coho can be released and have lower fishing mortality rates.
- Subsistence fishery:
- Salmon is an important source of spiritual and physical sustenance for Western Indian tribes and Alaska natives, and salmon are culturally important to many other residents of these areas.
- Subsistence fishermen use a variety of fishing gear to harvest coho salmon.
NOAA Fisheries conducts various research activities on the biology, behavior, and ecology of coho salmon. The results of this research are used to inform management decisions for this species.
For detailed information about stock status, management, assessments, and resource trends, you can search for coho salmon, and any other species of interest, using NOAA’s StockSMART web tool.
The LAZIEST but Best Way to Cook Salmon
FAQ
What is the average length of a salmon?
Adult fish range in size from 22 to 26 inches (56 to 66 cm) in length, average weight is approximately 12 pounds (5.4 kg).
How big is a 2 year old salmon?
Chinook salmon from 20 to 30 inches long are most likely Age 2 fish, and those under 20 inches long are typically Age 1 fish. Remember that these are rough approximations, though. There is considerable overlap in length among age groups. For anglers, the size of the fish is more important than its age anyhow.
How much does a 32 inch salmon weigh?
| 25 in | 6.49 lb |
|---|---|
| 29 in | 9.99 lb |
| 30 in | 11.02 lb |
| 31 in | 12.12 lb |
| 32 in | 13.29 lb |
What is a 30 pound salmon called?
The Chinook salmon is the largest of all Pacific salmon, typically measuring 36 inches in length, often exceeding 30 pounds.