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Salmons

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All members of the salmon family are freshwater fishes or migrate into freshwater to spawn. They have small scales, one dorsal fin, an adipose fin and no spines in the fins. Members of this family are often introduced into bodies of water.

Jun2016BrownTrout.JPG
brown trout (Salmo trutta) 
Illinois Range: Lake Michigan
Size: up to 40” long
Habitat: cool water
Food: insects, fishes
Best Lures: spoons, lures, minnows

Jun2016RainbowTrout.JPG
rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
Illinois Range: statewide
Size: 10-15" long
Habitat: Lake Michigan, lakes, streams
Food: crayfish, insects, snails, plants, fishes
Best Lures: nightcrawlers, flies, spoons, plugs

lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush)
Illinois Range: Lake Michigan
Size: 24-36" long
Habitat: large lakes
Food: fishes
Best Lures: spoons, lures, minnows

Jun2016Chinook.JPG
Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)
Illinois Range: Lake Michigan
Size: 24-36" long
Habitat: large lakes
Food: fishes
Best Lures: spoons, lures, minnows

coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch)
Illinois Range: Lake Michigan
Size: average 28" long
Habitat: large lakes
Food: fishes
Best Lures: large silver flatfish, silver spoons