Although it's already one of the most popular fishing sports, salmon fishing is still growing. Salmon come in a number of varieties, and each is a bit different from the others. Since there are so many types, fishermen usually have a favorite one or two they like to pursue. Chinook is the granddaddy of Pacific salmon, growing to as long as 40 inches and weighing up to 100 pounds. They only figure in at about 1% of the yearly salmon harvest.      The Sockeye, from Alaska, is the most valuable of all salmon. It grows to 24 inches in length and weighs between six and nine pounds. It makes up 25 to 30 percent of Alaska's commercial fishing. During spawning season, the males turn a beautiful red, and therefore are often called "red" salmon.      A third variety of salmon is the Coho. It too is valuable to the fishing industry. They are silvery and shiny, thus often called "silver" salmon. Customers at seafood counters often take a whole fish home to barbecue. Canning and smoking are other great ways to prepare them and keep in your pantry. They generally weigh in at around 9 pounds and grow up to 29 inches long.      Chum salmon are not worth much due to their pale and yellow meat. Consumers don't usually favor them. They grow to 30 inches in length and weigh in at about 8 pounds.      Pink salmon is the lowest on the list of Pacific salmon, although it is the most abundant. Pinks are small, at 22 inches in length and only weigh about four pounds. Consumers generally buy pink salmon in cans rather than fresh.      Check out the vast numbers of charter fishing boats available on the northern Pacific coast. Sport fishermen love to make a one-day or even week-long trip on one of these boats, hoping to come home with their limits. If you decide to try one, you may also luck out and see some whales during your trip. Gather information before you book a charter, since there are many packages available. Remember that the smaller, the better, since it limits competition for those feisty fish.      Choose carefully and you can enjoy some great fishing - and some great tasting fish!      Flipper' Thomas is the chief editor for The Fat Salmon, the #1 source on the internet for information about Salmon, For more articles on Salmon visit: http://www.fatsalmon.com/articles