White King

We all know there are red king salmon swimming around Alaska and the Pacific Northwest.  But did you know there's an "Ivory" or white king too?   The photo above is a side by side comparison of the two.   Strange, isn't it?

If you haven't heard of a white king it's probably due to the fact that only 5% of the total king population are white kings.   There aren't many found in our area of the state, mostly around Homer, so if you're determined to catch one I would suggest your efforts should be focused in Southeast Alaska and British Columbia.   It's estimated that 15%-30% of the run in this area are white kings.

What causes the flesh to be white?   The normal deep red color of salmon flesh comes from it's diet of crustaceans (shrimp, krill, crab).  According to the biologists, white kings due not have the ability to process the pigments that are found in crustaceans and that is why their flesh is white.

What does this mean for the flavor?   A white king is oiler, hence tastier.   Last fall was my first time trying white king.  A friend of mine caught one in Prince William Sound and I thought it was absolutely terrific.  Probably the best I ever had.

So, if  you don't catch a white king while you're in Alaska can  you buy one?   Yes, you can buy them at a fish market but you're going to pay almost twice as much per pound than you will for other salmon.   It's a simple case of supply and demand:  if you have less white kings you charge more.

Well, that's it.  That's all I know about white kings.  If you found this fish oddity to be of interest be patient........I'll blog about left handed halibut one day!