Everything You Need to Know About Catching Coho Salmon

Coho salmon, also known as silver salmon or silvers, are popular fish species fishermen target in the western regions of the USA. You can find them from California to Alaska, including Newport, where Coho is a prized game fish! And it’s pretty obvious why they are sought-out fish, as you can easily find and catch them with their large population, along with the many delicious recipes you can make from their tender meat.

Beginner and expert anglers alike can catch silvers, as long as they are familiar with the equipment and techniques to use. So, read on to learn everything you need to know about catching Coho salmon!

 

Everything You Need to Know About Catching Coho Salmon

When spawning, coho salmon would change their appearance. Their color will become darker, with female salmon being darker than males, though they will have less dramatic red colors. All coho salmon would have a holed upper jaw, the kype, with it being more pronounced in males.

Males would have an arched spine, which changes their appearance. The salmon’s sides would turn saturated red during spawning, with their bellies turning darker.

 

Where to Catch Coho Salmon

You can catch coho salmon throughout the USA, and since they are anadromous fish, they can survive in saltwater and freshwater.

Usually, these fish would spawn in rivers, migrating to saltwater to grow and feed. If you want to locate coho salmon in rivers, you’ll target them as they swim upstream when spawning. You’ll find them traveling close to the bottom or share, in places with slow currents. Go for places with bends, rocks, graves, or turns, which would slow the current.

Fishermen can also find coho salmon in deeper pools without currents. Focus on areas behind bends, channels, structures, or back eddies. Coho salmon would hold and relax here before they head upstream.

That said, where you’ll find coho salmon will greatly depend on the season!

• During the early fall to winter, coho salmon will begin their spawning runs, though this depends on where you’re from. They would return to freshwater streams they were born in for spawning. If you fish the spawning run, find them in coastal streams, as they like spawning in smaller streams that have a gravel bottom.
• During winter, you can easily catch silvers in small streams and rivers. You’ll find more productivity in the mouths of coastal rivers or near harbor mouths. Focus on areas with warmer water and filled with baitfish, and in great lake regions, go deeper offshore to about 150+ feet.
• Once the water begins warming up in spring, some pockets of lakes will warm up quicker, teeming with more baitfish activity. That’s the time you can target coho! Later during spring, coho will begin moving offshore.
• Come summer, coho will search for deeper and cooler waters about 50-300 feet deep. Focus on those water depths and in areas with tons of baitfish. Since silvers like hunting when looking up, you’ll most likely see salmon under a pocket of baitfish.

 

What Coho Salmon Consume

Young coho salmon would consume insects but once they mature and move to saltwater areas, they’ll begin eating squid, jellyfish, herring, crustaceans, among other fish species. As for coho in great lakes, they tend to feed on alewives and smelt.

Fishing Equipment for Coho Salmon

Here is the recommended fishing equipment for more chances of targeting coho salmon:

• Conventional fishing rods or spinning gear setups are popular options for silvers. Some would carry multiple rods for various techniques, like twitching jigs. We suggest using medium to heavy rods that have a moderate to fast action.
• For those using spinning rods and reels, 8’6 to 9’6 length is suitable, with the reel handling 100 yards of a 10-15-lb test line. However, if you’re targeting larger silvers, go for conventional rods and reels of a similar length.
• When using a light spinning rod and reel, opt for an 8-15-lb test line. For heavier casting, a 15-20-lb test line will do. You can use any lining material, depending on what you prefer.
• As for hooks, we recommend using octopus or treble hooks with a size smaller than you usually have for other salmon species. 4 to 2/0 hooks work well, though it depends on the bait size.
• For lures and baits, prepare plugs for slow or nonexistent currents, spoons before spawning season, spinners when upstream, and salmon eggs in general.
• Silvers love salmon eggs and it’s a popular natural bait, especially when you use a slip bobber. Spinners aren’t a popular bait but work when used properly, so ensure it reaches near the bottom, casting it upstream and reeling in proper tempo. Spoons are best for trolling, with hungry coho attracted to the wobbling action!

 

Extra Tips to Catch Coho Salmon

Besides what’s mentioned above, here are more effective tips to catch silvers:

• Increase the casting distance, with your boat a bit farther from your targeted fish. A longer rod will help here.
• Learn to spot the coho activity well, which fishing charters can help you with. You can spot coho based on gull activity near water surfaces, or when you see jumping coho, though it’s hard to catch these fish.
• Make sure you use the appropriate lure, depending on the season, where you are, and the technique you’ll use. You’re better off catching coho with smaller lures than bigger ones. Also, select the right colors, with fluorescent chartreuse colors being more attractive to coho.

 

Wrapping It Up

We hope this article showed you everything you need to know about catching Coho salmon! If we convinced you to go on a fishing trip and book a charter, feel free to contact us, and let’s talk about the best services we can offer you!