Actually Salmo, the Copper feeds into Prince William Sound and not Cook Inlet

Basically, it's marketing. Really, there's not much difference between Copper kings and reds with the first-run kings that come back to a number of southcentral Alaska streams or reds that come back later in the summer to these other streams.

Why many regard them so highly is the fact that in most seasons, they are the first fresh salmon to hit the market ... and they are nice fish, so they get pretty hyped up.