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Salmon runs occurred at specific times—the fish returning to rivers in predictable patterns, making them available seasonally rather than year-round.
The Spring Run:
The first salmon arrived in late winter or early spring—lean from ocean fasting, energetic, determined. These fish were prized for their vigor, their freshness after winter’s preserved foods, their symbolic connection to renewal.
The Autumn Run:
The larger autumn runs brought massive numbers of salmon—rivers so thick with fish they could be caught by hand. This abundance allowed preservation (smoking, salting) for winter consumption.
The autumn salmon were fattier, richer, better suited for smoking. Their flesh sustained communities through winter when fresh food was scarce.
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