Coho salmon
Know your fish
Coho salmon
Also calledsilver
Oncorhynchus kisutch
Typical size:45–75 cm, 2–6 kg
- White gum line
- Black spots on the back and only on the UPPER lobe of the tail
- Wide tail base (wrist); silver with a slight bronze cast in fall
Looks like: Chinook: black gums, spots on both tail lobes. Hatchery coho have a healed scar where the adipose fin (small fin on the back near the tail) was clipped.
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OK to keep
- Hatchery-marked (adipose fin missing) only in most of BC's inside waters; minimum 30 cm
- Check the Area for wild retention on the west coast
Must release
- Any coho WITH an intact adipose fin where hatchery-only rules apply
- Under 30 cm
Best months
July, August, September, October
Fishing licences across Canada
Rig to tie
- 1Main line 20–30 lb braid
- 2Swivel Size 4 barrel swivel
- 3Leader 20 lb mono, 45 cm
- 4Buzz Bomb / Zzinger 2.5–3.5 in, sliding free on the leader. White or pearl for chinook, pink for coho and pinks
- 5Bead and hook Plastic bead then a single 2/0 barbless siwash (barbless is the law for salmon)
How to tie and fish it
Tie it:Thread leader through the Buzz Bomb, then the bead, then tie the hook. The lure slides up the leader when a fish takes so it cannot lever the hook out.
Fish it:Cast long, count down to depth, then lift the rod sharply and let the lure flutter down on a slack line. Most hits are on the fall. Fish the tide change in the first and last hour of light.