サツキマス

Meanings

red-spotted masu salmon; sea-run masu trout

usually written using kana alone

Refers specifically to the sea-run (anadromous) form of the cherry salmon subspecies Oncorhynchus masou ishikawae, known as アマゴ (amago) when landlocked. The term is used in fisheries and regional cuisine.

Kanji

皐swamp, shore, fifth month
月month, moon
鱒salmon trout

Related words

アマゴ
アマゴ is the landlocked form of the same subspecies; サツキマス is the sea-run form. Both are types of cherry salmon.
ヤマメ
ヤマメ is the landlocked form of the masu salmon (Oncorhynchus masou masou), while サツキマス is the sea-run form of a different subspecies.

Written forms

皐月さつき鱒ます
Kanji spelling is rare and mainly used in specialized contexts; the word is usually written in kana.
さつきます
Hiragana spelling is also used, though katakana is more common for fish names.

Etymology

The name サツキマス literally means 'May trout' (皐月 is an old name for May, 鱒 means trout), referring to the season when it returns to rivers. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.