King Salmon are awesome…and the truly giant ones are unbelievably special creatures. Here’s a list of 10 massive kings that will make you weak in the knees…
Close to 80 Pounds!
The Kenai River in Alaska has pumped out more monster Chinook than anywhere. This massive 53.5″ x 34″ buck weighed somewhere in the neighborhood of 75 to 80 pounds!
Potential Record…Released!
On July 15, 2009, angler Joel Atchison caught this massive Chinook on the Kenai River in Alaska. Guide John Whitlatch of Reel Adventures says he’s not sure if the fish was a world record or not…because he and Aitchison decided to forgo their own glory and instead let the big beast go and make babies. Very, very cool!
The Biggest of All!
The biggest king salmon ever caught was this 126-pound monster that was caught in a fish trap near Petersburg, Alaska in 1949. My friend and fellow Alaska guide, Chris Sessions, sent me this pic and said that a friend of his has one of the three replica mounts of the behemoth on his wall.
All I can say is OMG!!!
The King of Kings
Anchorage Daily News Photo
No list of massive king salmon would be complete without the current All-Tackle IGFA All-Tackle World Record 97-pound, 4-ounce king caught by Les Anderson in the Kenai River back in May of 1985. The record fish measured a mind blowing 58.5″ x 37″ and was probably a 100 pounder considering it wasn’t weighed for several hours after it was caught.
You can read the whole story HERE
Sacramento Monster
Imagine the surprise of California Department of Fish & game biologists when they found this Godzilla-sized Chinook carcass in Battle Creek, a tributary of the Sacramento River, nearly 300 miles upstream, from the ocean! The fish was almost 51 inches long and estimated to weigh 88 pounds… dead! In his prime, out in the salt, the fish could have been pushing 100 pounds!
See more photos HERE
83-Pound BC Beast (Released!)
Deborah Whitman-Perry of Newmarket, Ont., caught & released this huge king that weighed 83 pounds, three ounces in August 2012 at River’s Inlet, BC while fishing with guide Tyler Mills of Good Hope Cannery. Again, I’m loving the fact that people are letting these hogs go! Read the whole story HERE
The Good Ol’ Days: Columbia River June Hogs
Before all the dams royally messed the Columbia River up for good, it had some monster Chinook! Bound for the upper end of the watershed, “June Hogs” sometimes topped 100 pounds. The construction of Grand Coulee Dam, which has no fish passage, ultimately did these massive beasts in for good. :(
Saltwater Slab
Photo: John L. Beath
So, considering I’ve never caught a king remotely as big as this 80-pounder from River’s Inlet, BC… I can only imagine how ridiculously massive the fillets off a fish like this are! Kudos to the netter too… I’m thinking I’d have a sudden case of the shakes when this bad dude came to the surface!
85-Pound June Hog
Photo: Columbia River Maritime Museum.
Here’s another one from the “wish I had a time machine jet sled” files… An 85-pound Columbia River June Hog caught in 1925 at Astoria by Tony Canessa. Man, those fish were soon awesome!
99 Pounder…Released!
www.ifish.net
Wolfgang Voelker, owner/operator of Kermode Bear Fishing Lodge in Terrace, BC writes:
Mrs. Ingrid Oeder, her husband Bernhard and their daughter arrived at Terrace Airport on August 6, 2001.
We went out fishing by boat the very next day. Fortunately, John Wright, the Kermode Bear Lodge Assistant Guide, joined us that day. We cast anchor right across the mouth of the Lakelse River. Suddenly, around 11 a.m., there was action on Ingrid’s rod. Bernhard hooked the fish and handed the rod back to her. Initially, there was no reaction on the other end of the line for about 10-15 seconds. All of a sudden, like an explosion, the fish headed toward the main current of the Skeena River.
At this point, I realized that this must be a really big one. We were lucky having John with us since we have been well-coordinated team for years. John released the anchor chain and started the boat engine. Now we’re prepared for the fight. I advised Ingrid to hold the rod up and to keep the line tight. In spite of her excitement she did everything right. We drifted downstream while Bernhard was operating the video camera. I would guess that we were fighting about 30 to 40 minutes with the fish, of course, Ingrid had to do most part of it. At last, the fish showed the first signs of tiredness and therefore the escape attempts lessened. Then it was my turn. After Ingrid finally managed to get the fish alongside the boat, I was able to net it. John and I lifted the salmon into the boat. Ingrid, meanwhile completely exhausted could not believe her luck. We drove back at full speed, since we did not want to set the fish back in the torrential current. I explained to Ingrid that we usually release all “the really big ones” to preserve the gene pool. She and her husband agreed to it without hesitation.
At this point, I want to thank them again for their understanding.
We took the measurements (136 cm x 98 cm) of the Salmon two times because could not believe it the first time. John and I put the giant back into the river approximately 10 minutes later, it swam into the deep water under its own steam.
There was a devout silence on the boat for a few seconds.
In the afternoon Bernhard caught his own smaller Chinook. This one, however, we took with us. Certainly, we will never forget this fishing day on the Skeena River.
The monster fish with a length of 53.5 inches and a girth of 38.5 using a formula (endorsed by FOC) of Length x Girth squared divided by 800 would weigh 99.125-pounds… clearly the largest Chinook (Kings as the Americans refer to them) ever landed. Along with witnesses a video was taken and a photograph made from the video.
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Fred champlin says
WHAT ABOUT FRED CHAMPLIN ,S BIG SALMON CAUGHT ON THE KENAI RIVER IN 1986 IT WAS OVER 80 LBS AND IS ON HIS WALL IN GRAHAM WA ,it was on the Mepps fishing book,
Jerry Gange says
I have acquired a mount of a 92 pound 4 ounce king salmon that was caught in 1985 by James Cato of eagle River, Alaska, shortly after the Anderson #1 –at the time it was #3 in the world–do you know where it places now? I am blessed to have rescued this beautiful mount from oblivion. As a guide in Alaska for 25 years I have great memories of thousands of beautiful salmon and the fishermen who enjoyed this experience with me.
JD says
Wow that is awesome!!
Mike Webb says
James Cato’s guide while catching this fish was Dan Myers of Freebird Charters out of Kenai River Lodge in Soldotna, AK. My father Robert L. Green owned the lodge. I have a copy of the newspaper article covering this story.
Gayle Gordon says
Looking forward to seeing your updated version of the top 10 world’s biggest king salmon ? You need more info message me
Yvette Lafumeuse says
Let’s keep catching them biggies!
But for some reason there’s fewer and fewer left.
Has anyone figured out why yet?
Gareth Smith says
The biggest ones spend extra years in the salt. Plus, there seems to be something wrong with the ocean
Kenny Phelan says
I remember seeing the mounted 99Lb plus giant in Terrace BC in one of their local pubs! It was something else I can tell you that much!! I also remember seeing a picture of a fish at a pub in Vernon bc that was caught in a net accidentally, I could be mistaken but I thought I recalled it was claimed to be 135lbs.(I could be wrong) It may’ve just been the 126-1/2lb fish from Red Bay Alaska. I am now going to make a special trip to see if the picture and write up still exists! To be continued…lol
Eric Fjermedal says
There use to be a video on YouTube of a guy catching and landing a 90+ lb king salmon on the Kenai River (I believe). The video was long and showed from the time it hit until they landed and weighed it. You aware of this catch and can you provide any more details? This video was rare as it showed everything, I think it might of been removed as the fish was bagged.
JD says
I haven’t seen that. I’ll take a look…
Lisa says
Fosters bighorn Rio vista ca. Big salmond in the bar 120+lbs
JD says
Wow I will have to check that out next time!
af6im says
I fished commercially with my dad and then skippered boats in my youth to work my way through school. We fished off CA for many years, mostly between Monterey and Shelter Cove (above Ft Bragg). Biggest he ever got was 54 lbs dressed. Mine was 42 lbs. Never heard of any over 60 lbs caught off CA back then, even in the 1960s when we started. Old timers said they got fish up to and occasionally slightly over 70 lbs in the early 50s. Those 100 plus lb AK and WA monsters are just amazing to me. Maybe they will fiigure out a way to get huge fish again. Hope so.
JD says
Me too!
Steven Teter says
I was wallye fish with a guide on the ColumbiaRiver and the other client had pics of two monster Keniriver kings he landed. A 89 and 92 lb. The 92 was at the time the 5th largest king on record.
JD says
Oh WOW!
Barry Murray says
As I am an old-old-old Oregonian, I can remember “hogs” being caught at Cellio Falls, that were far more impressive than my old-Alaskan days (1968>). The lore was to catch a Columbia River hog, that began disappearing after Grand Coulee Dam was built without a fish ladder, and then the Dalles Dam which did away with the survival of the fittest salmon, was that a marline reel was mounted on an ordinary pool hall wooden cue stick.
flyercrazy says
The Sacramento River monster they found dead, if you notice the guy holding it has his arms straight out, I’m sorry but nobody could hold that size and weight of a fish like that so I think we have a bit of a photoshop image there. I am sure the found a large one but the photo, nah, I ain’t that stupid.
It would have been nice had the authors placed the length of each river next to the title as that is a big factor in the oil content of the fish which determines texture and taste of the fish, especially if caught at the mouth of the river.
JD says
Yes, the Sac River fish they found was dead…I know the biologist who found it and know it wasn’t Photoshopped. Doug’s not holding it out, he’s trying to use his knee to heft the thing. Would have loved to tied into that beast when he was chrome!
Pete says
Great write up. Why do you not have the real top 10. The Ritter King the was the number 1 before les Anderson beat it on May 17 1986. then there were a couple low 90s and several upper 80s. If you want names and dates I can drag them out. Ps there were also some pigs caught in salt off deep cr and anchor point, back in the day people didn’t know what we really had…
JD says
Thanks Pete. Notice I didn’t say “the 10 largest kings of all time…” because I dont know for sure which are the Top 10. These were just 10 big ones that I could find info on. If you have some others, I’m happy to add em. Thanks!
Fred Telleen says
In 2013, a year of very low return, I taped a 62″ carcass on the Upper Kenai.
JD says
WOW!!!!
Betty says
What luck and skill must I possess to reach such fisherman wizardry!? That’s incredible!
JD says
Yeah pretty awesome!!
jim mackay says
Its a shame what has happened to many of these fish such as the Columbia river.There used to be hugr kings in there and lots of them but man wiped them out .now you’re lucky to get a 50lb king ,they wiped out whole gene pools of many types of salmon and trout are gone forever.
JD says
Agreed!
Jim Geraghty says
Where is a photo of the most famous King Salmon ever caught? The 126-1/2 pound giant taken in a fish trap at Red Bay, Prince of Wales Island, Alaska.
JD says
Jim, I never found that one. If you know where it is, I’d love to see it!
George Beeegle says
Hello Jim, My memory is of a 127 1/2 pound king on the wall of the Ben Paris resturant, gun, pool hall, lounge and tackle shop in Seattle. Located on 4th Ave between Pine street and Stuart St. As a boy and teen my memory is vivid of this huge fish.
JD says
Wow!!!! I wonder what ever happened to that mount???
Doug Hatfield says
Hello, The pictures you’re hoping to find , about the Pt. Colpoys trap caught King salmon, are on page 225 of ” The Alaska Book “. The article , ” None So Big ” , was written by Dolly Connelly.
” The Alaska Book”. Copyright 1966. Library of Congress Catalog Card # 66-26591. Big Red Book full of great Alaska stories.
Anyone with a collection of old ” The Alaska Sportsman” , will also find this same article. Unfortunately, the book does not show a date for article publication. Article says this King was caught in 1939. Most articles claim 1949…?
As this King was landed in Petersburg, Ak., I’m hoping the local paper has the correct year.??
Great pics and a “Fish Story…” for all time…!!! Hope this helps, Doug
[email protected] says
@Ben …I don’t think you ever fished in your life and you have no clue of what you’re talking about…I’m sure the guide had the fish in the net and kept the fish in the water almost the whole 10 minutes before releasing it.
Paul Kinney says
Looks nice, most from some time back in history, mean while in Chile we are catching 50 and 60 lb Chinook on a daily basis right now in March 2015 and some even bigger. Send me an email and I will send you some photos.
Michael H says
Can you please send on photo’s and say where in Chile?
Juan Carlos Nunz says
Currently Southern Chile is delivering great trophies in Salmon Chinook, 25 kilos is an average weight for the months of February and March (There are records of the last season of 30 and 35 kilos). Many foreign companies are now creating fishing camps in our rivers. This is an excellent indicator that in our country it is possible to get large Chrome King Salmon. If you like to come to Chile we can help you get a Big One! Attn. Persica Chile.
Ben Hulbert says
Did I read this correctly? The Canadian guide in the last story not only took this fish out of the water but measured it twice and released it 10 minutes later!?!?! WTF is wrong with some people? Is this guide really stupid enough to think it is appropriate to handle fish like that before releasing them?
JD says
Easy there, Ben…let’s not jump to conclusions and name calling. I completely understand where you are coming from…but I think you misinterpreted what was said. As I understand it, they had the fish lying in the shallows where it was measured twice, revived and let go. If it had been out of the water for 10 minutes, there’s no way it would have swam off…From what I have seen from many trips to BC, the guides up there are almost all extremely careful and gentle with their fish. I wasn’t there, but I’m guessing that’s how it went down.
Aarron Schmidt says
I was thinking that same thing