Humpies

The Dungeness River (about a mile from our place) is now overrun with thousands (as many as 100,000) of Pink salmon or humpback salmon known locally as pinks or humpies.  They are small (about a foot to two feet long) and I am told they are the most abundant of our Pacific salmon.  We spent the afternoon watching their migration up the river to spawn.   During their spawning migration the males develop a humped back and yeah, you got it, that is why they are called “humpies”!  (The pink color of this fish's flesh is due to their diet of shrimp and krill.)

At different points along the shallow river, you can watch the females dig a trough with her tail.  The male swims up beside and I am guessing, he then fertilizes the eggs as they are deposited.  At least that is what is supposed to be happening, but you really do not get close enough to see the detailed “operation”.

Exciting to see so many salmon and hopefully they will produce a large hatch available for catching in next year’s fishing season!