Males develop a pronounced hump, which is why they are also called humpback or humpy. Adult pink salmon move into their natal streams from June to late September. Pink salmon are not highly prized sport fish. The quality of their meat drops quickly as they prepare to enter fresh water. The average size ranges from 2 to 6 pounds.
Pinks take a variety of lures, spinners and flies.
Generally anglers catch them from shore in front of their spawning stream. However, anglers trolling for chinook or coho often catch pinks. These fish have no distinctive black spots on their backs. At sea their backs are dull gray with yellowish silver sides. Spawning adults develop olive green coloration on the back with maroon sides covered with irregular dull red bars.