What is a Tule king?

I just got back from the Columbia and caught a 28 and a 32 pound Tule chinook. My buddy said to throw them back, but I kept them. When I got home, I asked my brother if he wanted some, and he said if it was tule king, he didn't want any. All the kings we saw caught in the river were tules, and everyone was keeping them. What exactly is a tule king? I tried to contact the fish biologist with the WDFW but have had no response. Anyone know what they really are, and if they're not very good eating, how are they smoked? I hate to throw out that much fish.

TM,

A tule king is a lower Columbia River (or tributary) fall chinook salmon that enters the Columbia (like now and the next few weeks) very shortly before spawning. They are very close to sexual maturity, so many of them are dark, or beginning to darken. However, don't throw your fish away right away. Table quality varies among tules. Some are very bland, and some, especially larger ones, carry a fair amount of lipids, and have a fairly rich taste. At least this is what I've heard from some fairly good salmon snobs who mostly eat springs, summers, and URBs (upriver brights).

Sincerely,

Salmo g.

I haved fished at the mouth of the Columbia for 10 years and have caught many upriver brights as well as local Tules headed for the Chinook river. Most of them are excellent table fare and they smoke very well. Every Tule I have ever caught has been only slightly dark. We're not talking about black, decaying salmon here; just ones with a little bronze color to them and sometimes a developed kype (jaw). Your buddies missed out on some good fish. Did they fight like they were worn out fish?? Didn't think so! Many of the Tules I've caught are screamers. Good job! The fish you caught are worthy king salmon and deserve nothing less than being taken care of as proper table fare.

There's nothing wrong with Tules when they are in the salt at B10. Since there is only a 1 king limit I release them if they are not hurt and if the king bite is good, but I've kept a few too and they smoke up great. The Tules were actually considerably better than the Hood Canal kings I brined up in the same batch - oiler and moister. Actually ate fresh URBs and Tules side by side yesterday and there really wasn't any difference except in meat color, flavor and oil content were pretty much the same. I think Tules tend towards targeting baitfish more and this is why they are paler, kind of like white kings, except they are not white, more a pinkish/gray color, and frankly look pretty nasty which is the main reason for their bad rep. Last year I caught a chrome bright 22 pound Tule hen on August 1st when B10 opened and it was the same color inside as the 24 pound slightly colored buck that my 11 year old San Diego nephew caught yesterday (couldn't throw that one back now, could we :rolleyes: ). So smoke 'em if you don't like the looks of them, but don't throw them away

Tuna Man, the locals call all Chinooks that are not upriver brights (chromers), Tules, which leaves all the Chinook spawning in tributaries from Bonneville downstream. Since this is quite a range, these will vary from nice fish showing just a hint of sexual maturity to some downright boots. I saw both last weekend.

One thing to keep in mind when deciding to keep or release Tules, is sex. The females put so much into egg production that their flesh is softer lower in protien than males that are just as far along.

Tuna Man, the locals call all Chinooks that are not upriver brights (chromers), Tules, which leaves all the Chinook spawning in tributaries from Bonneville downstream. Since this is quite a range, these will vary from nice fish showing just a hint of sexual maturity to some downright boots. I saw both last weekend.

One thing to keep in mind when deciding to keep or release Tules, is sex. The females put so much into egg production that their flesh is softer lower in protien than males that are just as far along.

A fish you catch that looks best in photos taken with black and white film.

Thanks for the info. The hen was paler in color and not so great smoked. The buck was much pinker and firmer, but haven't tasted it yet. I was trying to figure out if a Tule was every chinook that didn't spawn in the Hanford Reach or if there was a bunch of different kinds of kings, one of which is a Tule. Anyone know how they got the name?

Yep, we down here on the Lower Columbia refer to any Chinook that's not a Chromer to be a Tule. We'll normally not boat them cause you won't know what you're getting till ya cut them open. Have had plenty that have still cut fairly red, but also too many that have cut very light and with very soft flesh, Hens and Bucks. Why keep a Tule when ya can slay a URB?