Salmon Watcher Program
Cedar River

On this page you will find illustrations of salmonid species that you may see in your stream. These drawings will be proportional to one another to aid in identification. Also, whenever possible, we will include hints to identifying fish in your specific stream and additional photos if we have them. The name of each species is also a link to additional information about identifying that particular species.

1. Fish that have been reported by Salmon Watcher volunteers in this stream and that you are most likely to see here:

Chinook Salmon length 24-60 inches blotches on back and dorsal fin spots cover entire tail black gums colors of olive, copper, or almost black more chinook info/images

Coho Salmon length 17-38 inches dark (blue) backs and heads maroon to reddish sides spots on tail only on upper half red gill cover spawn mid-October to January more coho info/images

Sockeye Salmon length 20-28 inches NO spots brilliant to dark red bodies pale to olive green heads spawn August through December more sockeye info/images

2. Fish that have been seen in your stream by Salmon Watchers, but have not been seen commonly in the Cedar River:

Cutthroat Trout usually not larger than 18 inches small black spots on head and body spots are on all fins blunt heads spawn February and March more cutthroat info/images

Chum Salmon length 30-42 inches vertical "flames" of green and purple head and body similar color enormous canine-like teeth no spots on their back or tail fin black gum line spawn November through late December rare in the Lake Washington system more chum info/images

Regarding Chum -- Please note that lots of the Cedar River sockeye have vertical "flame" marks that look a lot like those of the chum. If you see this, please look closely: is the head the same color as the body? Is it different? Take a look at the photo below...

If you see fish that have not been reported in your stream previously, please let us know right away so we can talk to you more and possibly come out and verify the sighting.

Below is a photo of some sockeye that exhibit vertical "flame" marks much like chum salmon. However, note that the difference in color between the head and body is still quite noticeable.

(Photo taken in Alaska by Andrew Hendry.)

If you see fish that have not been reported in your stream previously, please let us know right away so we can talk to you more and possibly come out and verify the sighting.

This program is conducted in cooperation with the King County Water and Land Resources Division, Bellevue Stream Team, Redmond Stream Team, and the cities of Seattle, Bothell, Kirkland, Renton, Woodinville, and the Vashon-Maury Island Land Trust, with support from the King Conservation District.