STRAY SOUTHWEST FOR SILVERS

Coho fishing should be good this fall in the Cowlitz, Lewis and other Lower Columbia rivers, thanks to big numbers of returning salmon. A client of guide Todd Daniels shows off one from a

recent season. (TALLTAILSGUIDESERVICE.COM)

‘A phenomenal number of them returning’ to Washington’s Lower Columbia tributaries.

By Mark Yuasa

Autumn has officially arrived, and that means there’s a mass of feisty, mint-bright coho salmon migrating into Lower Columbia tributaries.

More than 1.5 million adult coho are expected at the mouth of the big river – the best and largest return in many years – with 338,833 of those destined for streams below Bonneville Dam. This compares to a total prediction of 181,000 in 2020, and an actual return of 363,600, and a historical average of 377,900 from 2009 to 2020.

“Even if we’re off on the forecast by a good margin, it’ll still be a decent return of coho to the lower river tributaries and elsewhere on the Columbia,” says Quinten Daugherty, a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist.

While too early to make an actual judgment on the run, what we do know at press time is that Buoy 10 anglers knocked the socks off of coho in late August and early September. Many of the fish were large, too, 13

Bankbound and boatborne anglers work the mouth of the Toutle River on the Cowlitz with plugs, spinners, cured eggs and other baits. (CHRIS SPENCER)

to 20-plus pounds, and mint-bright, which indicates robust conditions and ample feed in the ocean.

“Compared to historic data, the coho fishing has been going well this season, sprinkled with some aboveaverage days at Buoy 10,” Daugherty says. “Catch rates ranged from a high of 0.65 to 0.47 per rod to a low of 0.19 on slower days.”

COLUMBIA COHO ARE comprised of two components – the early, or A-run, and the late, or B-run. The earlytimed silvers show up in September, while the late run makes its entrance in October and November.

The Cowlitz River late-timed hatchery coho forecast is 156,690, with a spawning escapement of 1,126. There is also a small late-timed wild coho run of 808.

“On paper, it looks nice for the Cowlitz, and anytime you see a return of 20,000 or 30,000, then fishing should be pretty good,” Daugherty says. “There is a big spread on the run timing, and you’ll see some earlytimed Toutle coho first, and then you have a varied stretch of Cowlitz latearriving coho.”

The Cowlitz is closed for Chinook retention, but there is a possibility it could open later in the season, if the hatchery meets its spawning escapement goals.

The Lewis River is the runner-up for the “silver show” in 2021 with an adequate number of early and late coho for anglers to target. Look for a projected 71,329 early-timed coho (4,820 is the spawning escapement goal) and another 57,984 B-runs (7,549).

The North Fork Lewis also should see a fair number of stray hatchery Chinook and is expected to be very good when a large return of wild kings arrives in the lower river from October through November. The North Fork Lewis switches to nonselective for Chinook beginning October 1.

Coho must have their adipose fin clipped to retain.

Projections for other Lower Columbia tribs on the Washington side are also noteworthy.

The Toutle is expecting 12,587 early-timed coho (93 is the spawning escapement goal); the Elochoman River (Beaver Creek) should see 7,917 late-timed adult coho (847); and the Kalama River should have about 17,312 late-timed coho (509). The Washougal River prediction is 15,014 late-run coho (84).

All the coho projections are based on expected ocean and Columbia River preseason forecasts – also known as the Oregon Production Index – for the stocks, and are estimates of the returns by tributary.

Expect ample coho fishing in the Washougal, which can be a valid spot through Thanksgiving and fish will trickle in well into early December.

Depending on rainstorms, the Kalama coho typically show up in suitable numbers by the first or second week of October.

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TODD DANIELS, OWNER of Tall Tails

Guide Service (talltailsguideservice .com; 206-437-8766), has more than 30 years of river fishing experience and is looking forward to the fantastic coho run. Last month he reported fish had already appeared in the Cowlitz.

“We’re going to have ample fishing opportunities on the Cowlitz, and we’ve got a phenomenal number of them returning,” Daniels says. “Historically it starts to really pick up about the third week of September, and peaks by the middle of October, after we see the first autumn rainfalls. You can even find good coho fishing from the end of October and well into November, with water conditions permitting.”

The Cowlitz coho are notorious biters of gobs of salmon eggs, Daniels says, though it’s wise to keep your twitching rods in the boat.

“It’s all about eggs, eggs, and eggs,” he says. “There are times when you get a back eddy of dead frogwater (sections with virtually no current) and the coho will stack up in those areas. In this situation, eggs aren’t the right presentation and this is when you get out the twitching jigs.”

Twitching isn’t your traditional bobber-and-jig fishing. Instead, you cast out a ½-ounce jig (go heavier or lighter depending on the current speed) and let it gently swing through the current, occasionally lifting and dropping the jig. Putting the jig in front of the coho is vital, as it triggers them to bite with a little twitch.

While Snohomish River coho will readily take a small Dick Nite-type spoon, it just doesn’t work on the Cowlitz – and not for a lack of effort either. Other techniques anglers utilize here include running Wiggle Warts or Brad’s Wigglers, especially at the mouth of Toutle.

“I like to move around constantly, as the coho themselves are always on the move,” Daniels says. “Whenever you’ve got big numbers coming through, and you have the typical fall rainfalls, you can twitch jigs or use wigglers and spinners.”

Swinging a spinner remains one of the most popular ways to catch coho in faster-moving water. Try a size 3 in clear conditions, and a size 5 in murkier water.

You’ll tend to hear about one color working better than others, but the truth is colors attract anglers at the tackle shop and not coho. Coho tend to be aggressive biters, and engulf just about any colored lure. By this part of their spawning migration, they aren’t feeding and instead merely lashing out at something that invades their location.

Lastly, if you aren’t having any success, keep a sharp eye out on what other anglers and guides are doing to catch fish.

In most instances, respect your distance from the other anglers (binoculars are handy to have on the boat), and see if they’re willing to help you out with advice when the bite slows down. Oftentimes, they’re more than happy to chat fishing! NS

Thanks to a strong late-run component of this year’s return, coho opportunities should stretch deep into fall. Ron Cady enjoyed a great post-Thanksgiving 2020 day twitching jigs with buddy Gary Lundquist on the upper end of one major Southwest Washington river.

(FISHING PHOTO CONTEST)