Alaska is feted for its wild salmon. The flavour of Alaskan salmon depends upon fat content and the environment in which it matured. Alaska's pure waters and the abundance of natural food give Alaska salmon unparalleled flavor.

Although salmon are caught in Alaska's pristine waters all year, fishing season in Anchorage and southcentral Alaska really heats up in late May, when the cherished king salmon returns home to spawn in the area's glacier-fed, freshwater streams.

The remaining 4 sorts of Pacific salmon-sockeye, coho, chum and pink-are also found in the general area.

Many anglers are now trying to catch what's known as a "grand slam"-all 5 species of salmon. Some say a straightforward way to remember which kind is which is to match them up with the fingers on your hand.

&8226 ; Thumb-Chum salmon (Dog). The best fishing for this fish is mid-July to late August. Buddy salmon have a firm texture, enticing orange-pink color and delicate flavor that makes it a perfect fish for smoking. The average weight is 8 pounds and they can grow to be 25 to 27 inches long.

• Pointer finger-Sockeye salmon ( Red ). Most available late May to early June or mid-July, sockeye salmon are the 2nd most abounding Alaskan salmon species. This species turns from a silvery color to a bright red body and green head as they begin the journey upriver to spawn. Their average weight is 6 pounds and they can grow to almost three feet in length.

&8226 ; Middle finger-King salmon (Chinook). The best fishing for king salmon is mid-June to mid- July. The largest species of salmon in Alaska, they are cherished for their color, high oil content, firm texture and tasty taste. Average weight is approximately 20 pounds and length goes from thirty to forty inches.

&8226 ; Ring finger-Silver salmon (Coho). With its orange-red flesh, firm texture and fragile flavor, cohos are extremely well-liked among locals. The best fishing for them is in early August to mid-September. Cohos are the second biggest of the species, with average weights of twelve pounds, and range between twenty-five to 35 inches in length.

• Pinky finger-Pink salmon ( Humpy ). At the height of their run, millions of pinks swim up the freshwater brooks and streams to spawning grounds. Pinks are the littlest and most abundant of the species and average about two to 3 pounds. The best fishing for pinks happens in mid-July to late August.

To get more recipes and cooking ideas, visit cooking101.org and while you are at it, you might also want to have a look at fish cake recipe.