Find Your Next Spot
Atlantic salmon
Salmo salarLinnaeus, 1758
Identification
Silver with black X- or spot-shaped markings above the lateral line and a slender, streamlined body.
Where It's Found
Native to rivers along the North Atlantic coast, though wild populations in the U.S. are now protected and largely limited to a handful of Maine rivers.
Near Threatened (IUCN 3.1)
Fishing Notes
Historically one of fly fishing's most storied gamefish; most current U.S. fishing opportunity comes from stocked lake and Great Lakes tributary fisheries.
Scientific Classification▾
Family
Salmonidae
Genus
Salmo
Order
Salmoniformes
Class
Actinopterygii
Phylum
Chordata
Kingdom
Animalia
Ready to go fishing?
Find a boat ramp near you and check state fishing regulations before you head out.
Photography sourced from Wikimedia Commons contributors.