Coho (silver) Salmon tips and pics.

[Big Splash]

Bucktailing for trophy Coho is an almost lost art. These powerful Salmon are a sportsman's dream come true when caught on light tackle and a bucktail fly. It is not uncommon for the fish to leap clear of the water several times at the hookup, then take off in a blistering run followed by more leaps, often cartwheeling end over end! All this on a single barbless hook!

Choose a fly that matches the size and color of the baitfish in the area.

Troll fast. 6-8 knots is not too fast some days.

Let out about 40 - 100 ft. of line. Your fly should troll near the end of the prop-wash.

Hang on to that rod!! Coho pace a fly, then make a 'u' turn hitting the fly head fist, running away from the boat jumping and cartwheeling to shake the hook!

If you are buying a rod/reel for this sport, I would highly recommend a 'Canadian Style Rig', a limber 10 - 11' rod with a good single action reel. The howl of that single action reel when a big Coho hits your fly going the other direction is a sound not soon forgotten! Your fingers won't soon forget either, if you happen to get them in the way of those rapidly spinning knobs!

Fight the fish one on one using the 'palming' method to slow the runs, keeping the hand away from the knobs until the fish turns, then reel up, keeping the rod tip well bent. Remember you will be using barbless hooks here in B.C.

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[deadlystreamer]

Hey Todd, Good information. Barbless hooks huh, that I didn't know. If I were to go fishing there, I'd probably end up in jail if I didn't have a guide telling what not to do.

Very nice post and good info. Thanks.

[Big Splash]

Yeah..All Salmon fishing in B.C. is with barbless hooks now. All fishing in rivers and streams is single barbless. This is great idea to protect certain species, or size groups of releasable fish. I can't imagine steelheading or salmon fishing a river with a trebble hook-it seems barbaric (pardon the play on words). Much work is being done in B.C. to restore salmon runs to the glory days gone by.

Th Province is replacing all the culverts on the highways to increase salmon spawning oppertunities. There is an enphasis on restoring existing runs of unique genetic stocks rather than replacing them with hatchery stocks.

Spot closures on specific streams are used to reduce the catch of rare and endagered runs that may be swimming with thousands of more plentiful stocks.

I believe the Salmon fishing in B.C. will get better and better. Some biologists suggest we could be fishing record breaking runs of salmon in as little as ten years (we had a record breaking year on Pink Salmon last year.) Some say the returns of salmon to the streams could easily top the numbers that returned in the late 1800's. Next year is the big run of Sockeye (they are on a four year cycle).

What a great time to get into the tackle industry! I'm also looking into getting a fishing guide's licence to do some charter fishing.

[deadlystreamer]

Sounds like you have a pretty good handle on the salmon and Coho fishing Todd. Looks to be some good fishing there in the years to come.

We have the fish ladders on the Grand River and you would be shocked to see the guys with treble hooks snagging. It's awful! I have never witnessed it but I read about it in the paper every year. Those are not sportsman, not sure what to call them and still keep the post clean.

I hope you get the license to be a fishing guide Todd. That would be a real rewarding way to spend some time on the lakes and rivers. Good luck buddy.

[Lurehobby]

2004,this is an old thread but I will update.Fish returns in the pacific northwest are way up.2010 was a 100 year best for sockeye in the Fraser,B.C.36,000,000.Not all is good of course.Flossing is a hot topic on the river.Fishing pressure teaches these spawners ( catch & release) to be very selective.I find making lures gives me an advantage,just as fly builders have the edge.The more I can learn from you guys the more fun I will have,so thanks in advance to all. As for coho,at 12 lbs in a river,it really becomes an insane torpedo.