Coho Salmon
Oncorhynchus kisutch
Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) are an anadromous salmon of the North Pacific, spending most of life in the ocean before returning to freshwater to spawn. Juveniles use streams and lakes; adults are prized game fish for their aggressive strikes and acrobatics.
Identification points
- Silvery body with a dark blue-green back in ocean phase
- Small black spots concentrated on the back and upper tail lobe, with few or none on the lower tail lobe
- Adults develop bright red sides during spawning and a hooked jaw with sharp teeth
Habitat
Cold coastal marine waters, estuaries, and nearshore bays; juveniles rear in cool, well-oxygenated streams, tributaries, and some lakes with cover such as undercut banks, wood, and pools.
Bait notes
Effective baits include cured or fresh roe, herring strips, small anchovies, and shrimp where legal. Productive lures are silver spoons, spinners, plugs, and marabou or baitfish-pattern flies matched to local forage.
Behavior
They feed on baitfish, squid, and crustaceans at sea and become less feed-focused during spawning runs. Coho are notably aggressive to lures, often striking spoons, spinners, flies, and bait during migration.
Caution
Check local salmon seasons, gear restrictions, and terminal-tackle rules; many runs are tightly managed. Like most salmon, coho are generally low in mercury compared with large predatory fish, but avoid harvesting from polluted waters.
Fishing notes
Fish tide changes, current seams, and the edges of river mouths, jetties, and holding pools. In rivers, drift roe or beads naturally near the bottom; in saltwater, troll or cast flashy presentations at schools and surface-feeding fish.