Any salmon that gets bonked on my boat gets bled, gutted, and packed in ice before gear even goes back in the water. Treated that way, pinks are as good as coho when cooked or smoked that day. They won't hold for a week in the fridge, so use 'em up right away.

Two decades ago I worked on a seiner and the pinks that sloshed around our hold for a hot summer day weren't fit for cat food (but got canned for people anyway).

Anyway, I'll take all the pinks I can get!