noun
landlocked masu salmon
A freshwater salmonid native to Japan, often found in mountain streams. The scientific name is Oncorhynchus masou masou.
See also: 桜鱒
ヤマメは渓流釣りの人気ターゲットです。
Yamame are a popular target for mountain stream fishing.
この川ではヤマメの塩焼きが名物だ。
Salt-grilled yamame is a local specialty on this river.
Kanji spelling; rarely used in practice.
桜鱒 (sakuramasu) is the sea-run form of the same species, while ヤマメ is the landlocked form that stays in freshwater.
The name likely derives from 山 (yama, 'mountain') + 女 (me, 'woman'), referring to the fish's beauty and its habitat in mountain streams. The exact origin is uncertain.