Coho Salmon Fishing Guide

The coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) is prized by both commercial and sport fishers for its firm, high-fat flesh and acrobatic fight. Also called 'silver salmon,' ocean-fresh coho are bright silver with black spots only on the upper lobe of the tail — a key identification feature separating them from chinook. Coho typically spend one year in freshwater and 1–2 years at sea, returning to spawn as 3-year-olds at 8–12 pounds on average, with exceptional fish exceeding 30 pounds. They are aggressive feeders and exceptionally willing to attack lures and flies, making them more accessible to recreational anglers than the less aggressive chinook. Great Lakes coho were introduced beginning in 1966 and established a thriving landlocked fishery that remains significant today.

Coho Salmon is a freshwater species.

Habitat

Pacific coastal streams from California to Alaska; also well-established in all five Great Lakes following hatchery introduction in the 1960s. In the ocean, coho range widely but prefer near-shore waters; freshwater spawning habitat includes small to medium streams with cold water and clean gravel.

Diet

Ocean coho feed aggressively on herring, anchovies, sand lance, and squid. Great Lakes coho feed heavily on alewives and smelt. Coho are among the most willing of the Pacific salmon to take a fly or lure at all life stages.

Fishing Techniques

• Trolling spoons and spinners
• Fly fishing egg and streamer patterns
• Float fishing
• Casting spoons in tidal areas
• Bobber fishing near river mouths

Best Seasons

Fall

Size & Records

Average weight: 8 lbs. World record: 33.4 lbs (Salmon River, New York, USA (1989)).