Color vs. quality of Pinks for smoking.

[BentRod]

I know there are going to be a lot of varying opinions on this subject, but looking for everyone's input. I'm still a novice when it comes to salmon from the rivers and after years of reading on the subject, both here and other places, as well as a little experience, have concluded that colored up fish typically are less quality table fare, so will return the darker fish to the river if possible in search of chrome. However, I've also learned that brining/smoking fish adds a little flexibility to how dark the fish can be. I have not tried smoking any salmon yet, but keep toying with the idea and would like to give it a try. This leads me to my question:
Yesterday I released numerous Pinks that were darker than I'd keep for a meal, but today I'm wondering if they would have been decent for smoking? I didn't snap any pics, but stole a pic off the internet of a fish that was relatively similar in hue/change (see below). What's your opinion on color vs. smokability for the Pinks? I also learned last season that on Coho the females meat stayed firmer longer than males of the same color, so imagine that holds true for Pinks as well? i.e. a colored up hen might be better for smoking than a colored up buck?
Thanks for any feedback.

[mizm05]

That fish looks pretty average for the ones that hit my smoker, and they taste great. I've smoked fish that were more colored than that and they still smoked just fine.

But I have seen some that are just too mutated and nasty to keep. But that seems to be the exception rather than the rule so far.

I bleed and put my fish on ice immediately on the river. When I get home and fillet them, the ice has made the meat nice and firm for filleting.

[tlang]

I agree with the previous post. I have smoked a few that were worse off than the one on the picture and have had no problems. The only time I have had problems is with the chums but that is a whole different topic and Im not trying to start a debate on that one.

The one in the pic is perfect for the smoker. I dont like much more hump than that simply because it can get weird to fillet.

Yes from what I have seen the meat stays longer on the hens than on a buck of the same color. 50-100 fish observation/personally filleted

I have noticed that coho's fare better through the turning process than pinks. Pinks seem to turn pretty quick comparatively. I dont mind smoking up a somewhat fire trucked hen (I am aware the bucks turn bright red, just for reference) when on the upper skagit or something along those lines. It is somewhat of a crap shoot at times. I have cut some open that I figured should be barely smokable that were bright on the inside and the other way around as well.

Ill have to bring ya some smoked pinks that were exactly like the one in your pic so you can try it out. The brine is super simple, equal parts sugar, brown sugar and non iodized salt.

[BentRod]

...

Ill have to bring ya some smoked pinks that were exactly like the one in your pic so you can try it out. The brine is super simple, equal parts sugar, brown sugar and non iodized salt.

You won't get an argument from me on that one!

Thanks for the feedback. I'll look to keep the next few to give smoking a try.

[goodtimesfishing]

when they are slightly darkened, you want to go by how firm the fish is. So when the season starts to come to the end and there are less chrome fish, if you are going to keep any for smoking go by how firm the fish is.
Just pulled some pinks out of the smoker and they turned out great! Fish smoked came from the salt, so they are in great shape.

[natetreat]

I'm not a fan of humps on the fish I keep. I know a lot of guys that have no problem with a fish that dark. That's about as humped as I would keep. When they enter freshwater, the flesh degrades quite a bit already. Once they get really nasty though, you'll find the coho are magically present, so you shouldn't have to worry about it that much!

[RiverChromeGS]

Bentrod, like everyone said, that color of a pink isnt gonna get any better in a river! I wanted to say that you mentioned you heard that hens of the same color are better meat than bucks, yet its actually the other way around. A colored up hen has used much of its body's energy into growing its eggs. Therefore the meat loses much of its color and become softer much faster than a buck. I would take a buck over a hen of the same color for meat quality! (Although i usually keep hens for the roe )

[natetreat]

Yep, I'm guilty of being a woman bonker too. The flesh isn't as good, but eggs are money! It's really something to smoke and pawn off on your relatives that don't know any better ;)

Right now there are so many fish in there you can afford to high grade. Today we pulled a boat limit of bright red meated hens, right out of some nasty humpies.

[BentRod]

Bentrod, like everyone said, that color of a pink isnt gonna get any better in a river! I wanted to say that you mentioned you heard that hens of the same color are better meat than bucks, yet its actually the other way around. A colored up hen has used much of its body's energy into growing its eggs. Therefore the meat loses much of its color and become softer much faster than a buck. I would take a buck over a hen of the same color for meat quality! (Although i usually keep hens for the roe )

Thanks for the correction. I knew one fared better than the other. Guess I need more experience to make the facts stick!

Thanks to everyone for the feedback!