Reel Life Issue

September is a special time for me. Like the change in the weather, I can feel a change in myself, a pent up anticipation that has slowly been building over the summer and like clockwork bursts forth in full bloom. It’s coho time in Puget Sound!

Yes, this is a great time of the year to be a salmon angler in Puget Sound, if the runs are strong and the fishing is open. Last year was unique in that we had closures in the ocean and straits. The coho arrived to Puget Sound in good numbers and virtually unmolested. This year was questionable what kind of a season we would be given. As of this date, coho is open in areas 8.2, 9, and 10. Check the regs and emergency closures for updates of course. As it stands the daily limit is two coho.

Looking at my fishing reports data from trips going back twenty years, it becomes pretty obvious that September is the time to put away freshwater gear and focus on salmon. August can be productive, but September can be (and often is) lights out. My reports show multiple trips with limits by 9am, red hot fishing, and lots of pictures of shiny chrome coho. As the season progresses into later September, the fish show a steady increase in size. By late September to early October, the 6-8 pound coho are replaced by beautiful 10-14 pound hooknose monsters. It’s the time of year to stock up the freezer on tasty coho!

For those new to the fishery, you’ll find a wealth of information on techniques and locations scattered on the web. I've broken down some of my thoughts on coho trolling into Ten Rules of Coho Trolling.

Coho tend to be a pretty cooperative salmon when it comes to catching them. As these fish stream in from the ocean, heading through the Strait of Juan De Fuca and into Puget Sound, they are putting on the feed in preparation for their runs up to the spawning grounds. It’s not unusual to find coho stuffed with herring. Don’t get me wrong, there are days they, like other salmon, will have lock-jaw. But that truly is the exception, not the rule. Speaking of rules, I offer a list of rules I’ve developed over the years to catch more coho. You’ll likely have your rules to add to this list. Or you may disagree with some of them. But hopefully it will give you some additional ideas when targeting coho in the Sound.

Rule #1

As Russell Wilson would say, “Separation is in the preparation”.

- When you put your boat in the water, you should have everything ready to go. No fiddling around with gear or bait the morning of a trip. My fishing ritual is to have everything ready to go the night before. It’s like a general planning for battle. My rods are ready and geared up. My bait has been cut and cured. My boat is prepped and clean, batteries are charged, gas tank is full, snacks are bought, there’s ice in the coolers for the fish. This evening before prep time is actually a ritual I cherish because like Russ, I’m visualizing success and making a plan in my head. I try to never go fishing without a plan.

Rule #2

Start early, go shallow.

I try to be on the water as early as possible. Ideally, that means running lights on and gear going in the water while it’s still dark or just turning light. I will run my gear in the top 10-30 feet of water to start. This is the time of day when a salmon fly in the prop wash can be deadly. I like Artic Fox Trolling Flies. Denis Peirce ties a nice fly in a variety of effective salmon colors. Try running the fly back 40-50 feet and troll fast (more on that later) with the fly practically skipping on the surface. Just be sure to have the clicker on the reel because these strikes can be vicious. I love the sound of a clicker going off in the morning!

Rule #3

Watch your fish finder, drop your depth

As the morning progresses, drop your downriggers down. I’ve read the “rule of thumb” is ten feet every hour until you’re trolling your gear around 40-60 feet. That’s fine, I guess, but I also use my fish finder. If I see bait and fish marks down 50-70 feet, I’ll drop down to those fish even if it’s early in the morning. As the day goes on I may even drop my downrigger ball down to 110-120 feet deep. Depth can be a tricky thing because when coho fishing I troll fast, which leads us to the next rule.

Rule #4

Troll fast!

In my experience, coho love a fast troll. I have an itroll throttle control and will set it on “hunt” mode to keep my boat going fast, around 3.3 to 3.9 mph. A few years back I did a lot of underwater filming and noticed a distinct increase in salmon aggression when the flasher was whipping around in a complete rotation. If it was only doing a lazy rotation, or not doing a full rotation, coho would tend to swim behind the gear, just watching. But speeding up and getting that flasher fully spinning would elicit vicious strikes. I will troll both with and against the tide and catch fish going both ways. Just be sure to increase your throttle going into the tide to maintain that 3.5 mph speed. I’ll also program my itroll to give a periodic 3-5 second slow down and then speed back up to “wake up” coho that may be lazily following but not biting. It can often trigger a bite. Oh, another thing that will often trigger a bite – if you’re checking gear, pop your line off the release and set the rod in the rod holder. Let the gear come up on its own. I have caught a lot of coho that will chase the gear as it ascends to the surface. Don’t reel your gear in until it hits the surface.

Rule #5

Coho are hungry, feed them!

Coho love a strip of herring on just about any lure. I will add strips to hoochies, flies, and even a small strip on the hook of a spoon (but not too much, you don’t want to kill the spoon’s action). Be sure to brine the herring strips a day ahead of time in rock salt and/or commercial herring brine. Add scents and bite enhancers as well. Check your gear every 20-30 minutes and freshen up with a new herring strip. If you get a bite but no release, bring it in and check it! The one exception to this rule I have is if the dogfish are in thick, I will go without bait.

Rule #6

Experiment

My “go to” set up is a magnum green splatter glow hoochie, herring strips, 26-30” leader, and an 11” dodger (pick your color…). I always start with this set up. On a second rod I may run a different color and smaller hoochie. If there is no action and I am seeing fish on the fish finder I will start trying spoons and plastic lures like the old Big Al’s Cripple Herring. Sometimes the coho just want something with more action. This year I’m going to be trying the new Old Goat OG2 5” salmon lure. The Old Goats have been awesome on kokanee and I think they will be deadly on coho. They have an amazing action that I think coho will love.

Rule #7

Fish Where They Ain’t (anglers that is)

Coho in Puget Sound can be found pretty much anywhere. We all have favorite starting locations and it’s human nature to follow the crowds of boats because “hey, they must know something I don’t”. Maybe…and maybe not. I try to start my troll away from clusters of boats. Why be surrounded by additional lures in the water? You want to troll over fish that aren’t seeing offerings non-stop. So, move away from everyone else – and if you take my advice and troll fast you will, very quickly. You’ll still find the fish if they are there, and cover more water to find the biters. When you do, don’t be afraid to mark the fish on your fish finder and troll around and right back over the same spot. Again, in viewing underwater footage, I invariably see groups of 4-6 coho following my gear. A solo fish is very rare. So, work over those spots when you pick up a fish.

Rule #8

Mid day and tide changes are good

I know I said earlier I like to hit the water at daybreak, but there are days when that just doesn’t happen. The good news with coho is that it doesn’t matter. You can (and will) catch coho all morning and into midday. Tide bites are the period before and after a low or high tide, and these times can be very productive. My favorite tide sequence is a high tide at around 9-10am. The flood tide pushes fish and as the tide slows down it triggers a feeding opportunity below for the coho salmon. Bait becomes easier to pick off without a steady flow of water and the coho bite often turns on. If you miss that crack of dawn bite, fear not, the coho will cooperate. I’ve caught my biggest hooknose fish from 11am to 1pm.

Rule #9

Playing and netting your fish

OK, you have a big fish on and are trolling at 3.5 mph. What do anglers often do? Why, slow down the of course. Bad move. In today’s age of barbless hooks, slowing down is an invitation to let the fish go. The second there is slack in that line the hook can slip out. Trolling for coho is not a fishery that is about the fight, it’s about catching fish. If you want an epic battle against coho (and they are a hoot), catch them in rivers, or mooch for them. Trolling with an 11” flasher gives these fish a focal point with which they can get slack line. We don’t want to do anything to help them out, like slowing down. Once they are on the surface, do your best to keep the flasher out of the water. This will help prevent the fish getting slack line between the hook and the flasher. Make sure you have a net with a long handle and big opening. This will help as the netter reaches out. Remember, the netter scoops as the angler guides the fish into the net. Don’t make the mistake of the netter reaching to net the fish! Once the fish is close to the boat slowing down a bit is OK, by the way- just keep that flasher out of the water.

Rule #10

Take good care of your fish

Non-anglers have no idea what a freshly caught salmon tastes like. As anglers we are blessed to be able to have the freshest salmon on the planet. So, take good care of your caught fish. Bonk the fish enough to stun it, then cut a gill and bleed the fish out for a few minutes. After that, into the ice cooler it goes. Don’t hang it off the side of the boat to bake in the sun. At the end of the day, gut and cut into steaks, or filet the fish out. If possible, vacuum-seal whatever fillets you don’t eat for dinner. Properly cared for, you’ll have tasty fish until the next season, when you get to do it all over again!

There you have it. Ten “Rules” that will help increase your odds of success this coho season. Have fun out there and remember to be safe, have life jackets and all the safety equipment required and needed in case something goes sideways.

Good luck fishing and I’ll see you on the water.

Georgia was an unlikely addition to our family.  It was 2014 and I was looking for a dog that could hunt both upland birds and ducks.  I settled on the springer spaniel as the breed I was going to get, and found one just a few miles from where I live.  My daughter Faith and I went over and met the dog who would soon be named Georgia.  She was a year old and the runt of the litter.  She was very timid and even growled a little at Faith.  I was less than impressed.  We went home without her but I couldn’t get that dog out of my mind.

The next day I called the owner and asked if I could bring the dog over to my house and see what kind of retrieving instinct she had.   Georgia was very excited to see me again.  She hopped into my truck without hesitation and upon arriving at our home, she started racing and leaping around our yard with pure joy!  

Faith was home and begged me to keep her.  When Georgia calmed down, I started throwing dummies for her to retrieve.  In the fourteen times I threw the dummy, the response was the same.  She would charge to the dummy, look down at it, and then run around the yard until I called her back.

My son David came home from school while this was going on and asked what I was doing. I explained I was giving the dog a tryout and it wasn’t going well. David, who had just been cut at tryouts for the high school baseball team for the second year in a row, said, “Are you going to cut her like my coaches cut me?” And that was the moment I made the decision to keep that dog.

Georgia had a lot of energy and was very athletic. She loved to go on long hikes with me and she loved pheasant and quail hunting, flushing her fair share over the 8 ½ years we had together. When it came to duck hunting, though, she was the absolute worst.

First off, she was impatient.  She wouldn’t stay still in the blind, and when I put her on a leash she would whine, bark occasionally, give you dirty looks, and start digging a hole into the ground that she would eventually writhe around in as a way to express her displeasure.

When she was let off the leash she would immediately charge into the water and it didn’t matter to her whether there were birds there or not.  She would swim, and swim, and swim some more.  She loved the water and would completely ignore all commands to come out of the water until she was good and ready to do so, usually about 10 to 15 minutes after she went in. 

She did occasionally retrieve ducks for me but the final straw was the time my daughter and I took her hunting to a place I like to go to in the Columbia Basin.  The small pond is an early season hot spot for teal and it lived up to its promise.  I actually kept Georgia in the truck until mid-morning.  By this time, we had several ducks in hand but there were three floating in the pond we couldn’t retrieve.  I brought Georgia from the truck to the pond, pointed out the dead floating ducks, and set her loose.

She immediately swam to the first duck and continued past it, swimming with reckless abandon. Eventually she ran across one of the other ducks and she grabbed it in her mouth. I praised her and told her to bring me the bird, blowing the whistle to come back as I did. Instead, she went to a small island and dropped it off before reentering the water to swim some more. Eventually, she came across the other two ducks and again, took them to the island. At this point I was begging Georgia to bring me the birds. Her response? She would pick each dead duck, wag her tail, and put them back down on the island. She was like a little girl playing with three Barbie dolls. Finally, I waded out to the island, retrieved the ducks (dolls), and took Georgia back to the truck.

Georgia continued going with me on hunting trips for upland birds, but her duck hunting career essentially ended that day.  Despite her poor performance in the marsh, she was a loyal companion.  She was well known by kids and adults alike in the small town of Cashmere I live in, where countless people would pet the “pretty puppy” I took for walks with me.  She loved to go for rides, whether it be to the store or to a trailhead for a hike.  She followed me downstairs every morning to my office to spend the day with me at work, and every night she slept on the bed with me.   She was a wonderful family dog and faithful companion with a ton of personality.

Unfortunately, two weeks ago we noticed she had developed a wheezy cough and she had very little stamina, not even able to walk a mile with me.   I took her to Cascade Veterinary Clinic in Leavenworth and got bad news…cancer.  She had a large mass that had grown around her lungs and there were numerous smaller masses visible in the x-ray as well. I was given some pills to reduce pain and the inflammation around her lungs.  They helped for a week and my daughter, wife, and I spoiled Georgia rotten.  We took her on rides to bark at deer from the truck window, fed her plain McDonald’s hamburgers which she loved, let her swim in a lake one last time, and more.  It was a good week, but on the 8^th day Georgia’s breathing became labored and it was time to let her go.  We did so at the veterinary clinic, all telling her what a good dog she was and what a blessing she had been to our family.  The veterinarian, Dr. Warmenhoven, was very kind.  He gave her a shot and she left the world in a very peaceful way.

I’ve never seen a worse duck dog but I’m also so glad I had her in my life. We loved her very much and she brought our family much happiness.

RIP Georgia. I hope to see you on the other side.

With the water swirling around us, we waded in at the mouth of Jack Creek. Skip Morris had hooked and lost a big rainbow here the day before. Today he stood back while Carol plumbed the two-foot deep run with a big stonefly nymph trailing a small beadhead attractor, called Gabriel's Trumpet.

For a moment we thought Carol's rig was hung up, but when she tightened the line, a fish torpedoed away. The fish rolled mid-river and I saw his tail and dark fins silhouetted against bright water: a bull trout. Close to eight pounds, I guessed. The line broke and Carol reeled in the slack. The fish had taken the big stonefly nymph after a 13-minute battle and a last headlong flight.

That’s what can happen when kokanee are on the move and bull trout follow them into the shallows.

LAKE RUN BULL TROUT

Kokanee are thickest in the Metolius in late September and October. And the biggest bull trout, which can get to 30 inches or more, hammer them. Bull trout are meat eaters and if it's a third of their size they will crunch it. If it's half their size, they will try to choke it down anyway. Anyone who has caught a bunch of big bull trout has seen the tail end of a kokanee or a whitefish sticking out of that gullet.

The Metolius River and Lake Billy Chinook are home to resident and migratory bull trout. The bulls move up the river to spawn in late August, September, and October. Oriented to ice-cold water, bull trout stage near springs and off the mouths of major tributaries like Canyon Creek and Jack Creek. After the spawn, they need to replace the calories they expended over the last few weeks. That’s when they find the kokanee.

The kokanee spawn puts both species in the river at the same time. And the bull trout are the winners. Preoccupied, the landlocked salmon are easy prey for sharp-toothed bull trout. Whitefish are on the menu for bull trout year-round, and many are the stories of anglers fighting whitefish only to lose them to bull trout which charge out from under a log to grab the hapless poor man's bonefish.

Bull trout are apt to eat the limp, the lame, the lazy. It’s the erratic behavior that trips the predatory sear in a bull trout's brain. Think strike triggers. Tie or buy streamers with big eyes, a flash of blood red near the gills. On the water, fish them on the wet fly swing, but give them action. Make the imitation twitch. Like a wounded fish in deep trouble. 

Carol Ann Morris fights a bull trout on the Metolius. Photo by Gary Lewis

FISHING LAKE BILLY CHINOOK

A down-running Metolius River bull trout ends up running into Round Butte Dam and turning around to make its living in a 4,000-acre reservoir fed by three rivers: the Metolius, the Deschutes and the Crooked River. Best time to target bull trout in Lake Billy Chinook is when the waters begin to warm in March and April. Bull trout hunt close to shore in the late winter and early spring. Anglers who throw Zonkers and other minnow imitations on long casts and strip hard can elicit hard strikes from fish. It's one of the best ways to get the biggest bull trout. A lot of 17- to 19-inchers will be brought to the net as well as the occasional 10-pounder. 

SWINGING STREAMERS

When whitefish are schooled up, working the bottom, they are hard for bull trout to feed on, but when one of them leaves formation and streaks up to eat a mayfly emerger, its defenses are down and its easy money for bull trout.
When fishing a small streamer or a larger bunny leech, try to work it like a fish that is out of its element, a scared minnow that thought it could play in the deep end of the pool. It's vulnerable. It's lunch. 

A variation on that theme is the sculpin. Bull trout eat sculpin year-round. In the river, they eat sculpin. In the lake - sculpin. When sculpin are doing what they do, daubing in the mud, they are pretty safe. But when they climb up through the water column or get caught in the current, something is going to nail them. Big lead eyes, blood-red gill flare or Flashabou, and prominent fins are some of the strike triggers to play on when tying sculpin flies. 

Cast down and cross-current, let it swing and chug it. On long runs and into the tailout, let the sculpin work back and forth. Tied small, a sculpin imitation can be fished with a slackline presentation that keeps it working back and forth over bull trout holding water. 

Think big. If a 30-inch bull can choke down a 12-inch whitefish, it will go for a 10-inch streamer. Big bunny leeches double as flesh flies. Just change the presentation. 

DREDGING WITH A TWO-FLY RIG

As kokanee carcasses and decaying flesh become harder to find, bull trout begin to focus on bugs. Streamers and flesh flies can provoke a grab, but a dead-drifted nymph can pay off as well. To conserve strength, the biggest fish claim the best lies, hugging the bottom along downed timber and behind rock slabs and boulders. The major difference between drifting beadhead nymphs for rainbows and for bull trout is the length of the leader and the tightness of the presentation to the bottom. Fish the bottom. Keep the leader short so the dropper fly doesn't ride too high in the water column.

Tie on a big, heavy stonefly nymph and knot eight to ten inches of fluorocarbon tippet material to the bend of the hook. The primary fly can be a Flashback Pheasant Tail, an egg pattern, or a No. 16 Serendipity. The main thing is to get that heavy fly bumping on the bottom. Make it easy! That bull trout should be able to spot the trailing dropper fly, lean its head over, and grab without leaving its lie.

Metolius River File

• Origin: Metolius Springs
• Mouth: Lake Billy Chinook
• Length: 28.6 miles
• Nearest cities/towns: Sisters, Camp Sherman
• Designation: National Wild and Scenic River
• Major Species: Rainbow, Bull trout, Kokanee, Whitefish
• Camp Sherman Store - www.campshermanstore.com
• Fly Fisher's Place - www.flyfishersplace.com
• Metolius River Association - www.metoliusriver.com
• Best Coffee: Fishing Central Oregon Reserve Roast

Measured in terms of people killed, the last year of World War II (1945) is regarded as the worst year in human history. On April 27, the day Italian partisans captured Mussolini, Gordon Vance caught two in the morning on flies and three in the evening on salmon eggs. The day after the U.S. dropped fire bombs on Tokyo, Gordon Vance dropped salmon eggs in Johnston Lake and caught six small ones. On August 9, the day a plutonium bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, Gordon Vance was on Walterville Canal with a fly rod. 

If you don't keep a fly fishing journal, maybe you should. It's a great way to remember good days on the water and figure out how to have more of them. But it can also be a link to the past when a son or daughter finds the journal years later. Think about Gordon Vance. Remember him? No? Well, his family does.

When he was a little boy, his mother would give him a pail of water and a stick with a line and a bent pin. "He would sit in the kitchen for hours, waiting for a bite," I spoke to Janice (Vance) McCargar after I received a package in the mail; she had found her father's fishing and hunting journals, kept in a three-ring binder, written in longhand.

Gordon Vance began to keep track of his fishing trips in 1931. Picture a barefoot boy in a tiny kitchen in Missouri in the 19-teens. Picture him a bit bigger in dry-as-a-bone Arizona. "When my dad's family moved again to the McKenzie River in 1926, he thought he had died and gone to heaven." Gordon Vance was 16 when he moved to Oregon.

On May 15, 1932, he writes of fishing Walterville Canal and Cogswell Creek. He caught five on a blue quill body grey hackle and, that evening, on the McKenzie, caught eight "in a hurry on a yellow body deer hair fly." 

Don't just write down the number of fish you catch in your journals, but who was with you, the temperature, the weather, the barometer. Jon Guenther on a mountain lake in Oregon with a fly-rod brookie. Photo by Gary Lewis

Twenty-two years old in '32, Vance recorded 15 entries, on Leaburg Lake, the canal, Cogswell Creek, Horse Creek and the McKenzie. In 1933, he fished 20 times and would have fished more, but in September, according to his notes, he picked up a Winchester Model 54 and spent a good deal of time in the woods. "It was the fashion in those days to keep a journal," Janice said. People took the time to record thoughts and observations. Journaling helped the young man develop his craft on the water and in the woods. It was fun to think of the determination it took to drive to Diamond Lake, Miller Lake, Odell and Crescent in those days. Easy jaunts now, they were all-day rumbles along narrow timbered tracks in the 1940’s and '50s.

Keeping a journal reminds of the flies we used on that July morning in '16. Jeremy Groh, of Bend, Ore., with a big still water rainbow. Photo by Gary Lewis

In 1956, Vance fished Diamond Lake and wrote, "Don, Marion and I gave the Kamloops of the reborn lake an end of the season try. We caught 22 from 15 inches to 18 inches." He added, "A monofilament line is a must. Fish had been eating algae and tasted terrible." Monofilament: we take it for granted now, but it was the latest in fishing technology in the 1950s. 

Some things haven't changed. On September 17, 1980, Vance fished Miller Lake. "Thirteen washboard miles from Chemult and up to 5,600 feet, the 550-acre lake is a beauty and if I had taken a fly rod could have been fun." A mayfly hatch was on and Vance had brought the wrong tackle. He ended the day with two small kokanee. 

In 1990, the year he turned 80, Vance started with a March outing to Triangle Lake and recorded 27 trips on Cottage Grove Reservoir, Hills Creek Reservoir, Odell Lake, Cougar Reservoir, Green Peter, the Siuslaw and on his home waters, the McKenzie and Walterville Canal. 

My friend, the noted outdoor writer Scott Haugen, makes his home in Walterville. He remembers Gordon Vance. And he remembers good days fishing the Walterville Canal. "There used to be really nice cutthroat in it," Haugen said. "When I was in high school, lots of jack salmon used to run up one section. I caught steelhead out of it too."

Lost and found on a mountain stream. Photo by Gary Lewis

It was interesting to look at my journals next to Vance's. I started my first notebook in 1980. I was in my teens and lived in southwest Washington and later in western Oregon; he would have been in his 70’s when our paths crisscrossed each other's, fishing the North Umpqua and Central Oregon lakes. We have planted our waders on the same rocks and caught trout, steelhead, and salmon in the same holes. 

Vance recorded his last entry November 30, 2000, after a day on Foster Reservoir. "Well, I ran out of luck at Foster or ran out of fishing knowledge." He did catch one salmon, but figured he could have caught more. "Should have had a fly rod or tried smaller spoons or something!"

Vance passed away a month later, at the age of 90, on Christmas Day, leaving a lifetime of outdoor experience in his wake and a journal for his family to remember him by.

Fly Fishing Only on the Metolius. Photo by Gary Lewis

To contact Gary Lewis, visit www.GaryLewisOutdoors.com.

By Chad Bryson

Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula and its spectacular sport fishing opportunities are a far cry from being a worldly secret. Every summer, thousands of visitors travel to the Great Land in the pursuit of filling fish boxes with some of the cleanest and tastiest sockeye, king, and silver salmon on the planet. \

This occurrence has been happening for decades. In most fishing circles, going to the Kenai during the summer migratory runs of salmon would even almost be considered “old hat.” In fact, I myself even turned a cold shoulder to it.

As a veteran Bristol Bay guide, I couldn't imagine any good reason at all to punish myself, or anyone else for that matter, by enduring the crowds of summer on the Kenai Peninsula. It just didn't seem worth it.

Sure, the fishing was incredible, but it was at the price of standing in line either by boat or by foot next to hundreds of my “brothers in arms”, none of which I knew well enough to be comfortable in those proximities.

That was until at the suggestion of a friend to give the late fall steelhead fishing a try. In an effort to make my re-entry to society easier, I gave it a shot. I figured the worst thing that could happen is that I wouldn't have fun and I would hate the crowds. After the first day, I knew the worst wasn't going to happen, and that I had found a new place/time to fish steelhead.

That first trip was in early October. I fished the Anchor and Kasilof rivers. There were plenty of steelhead willing to eat dead drifted beads as well as swung flies. The weather was equally as pleasant as the number of anglers was few. It was almost too good to be true.

How could it be that this Shangri-La of Alaska steelheading could still exist? Furthermore, how long into fall would the fishing sustain? AKA- How long could I stay and do this every single day until the rivers froze or I spent every dollar I had earned over the summer? Whichever came first, I was hell-bent to find out.

That year, I think I stayed until the third week of October. It was all I could afford both financially and personally. Kids, dogs, and girlfriends have this thing about me being away from home for extended periods of time. Especially the dogs. I was kicking and screaming the whole way to the airport. Fishing at that time was nothing short of remarkable and I didn't want to leave.

Some of the locals I met during my abode on the peninsula encouraged me to not even come back the following year until November 1, as long as the temps held out. At first, I wasn't sure if this was a carefully plotted ruse just so I wouldn't be there to “fish their water” or if it was a genuine act of rare angling kindness. After all, anglers are known for their sometimes harmlessly nefarious actions to keep the local water local.

That wasn't the case here. This was a genuine act of kindness and sharing amongst steelheaders in pursuit of one common goal. I shouldn't have been surprised. After all, that is the Alaska way.

In the years that followed, I fished the Kenai Peninsula later and later. As long as the weather and temps held out, the steelhead were there but, without the crowds of anglers. November/December in Alaska can be very, very cold, with potential of more cold brutality at any given moment. This keeps most fair-weather steelheaders away.

Fellow Bristol Bay guide and lifelong Kenai guide Matt Duncan fishes easily into November and some years well into December, with an occasional January boat launch. Growing up in Anchorage gives him, and other local resident guides, the hands down advantage when it comes to Kenai conditions.

Mike Brown at Mossy’s Fly Shop in Anchorage is also a great source of information regarding Kenai fisheries.

When I’m planning a late-season Kenai Steelhead trip, either for myself or others, I try to take into consideration that on a five-day trip, at least one of those days is going to be a cribbage day. Maybe even two days. Weather can blow in and blow out just that fast.

As long as you know the potential is there, it won't be that big a deal. There are numerous Airbnb, VRBO, and local cabin rentals on the lower Kenai Peninsula that will accommodate a world championship cribbage tournament should the need arise. While you are fishing, plan accordingly on how you dress. I wear boot foot waders and full synthetic layers no matter if I am in a boat or walking in to wade fish.

And don’t even think about wearing anything but a quality rain jacket. A friend joined me on a November Kenai steelhead adventure that only brought a “brand x” windbreaker that was water resistant. After about 90 minutes our fishing day morphed into an excursion into Homer for the purchase of a brand new Grundens product. Don't be that guy. Ever.

In regards to fishing tackle, you will see a myriad of techniques being used on the Kenai Peninsula. Everything from conventional float rods and beads to spey rods and swung flies tied with the rarest of materials. All of it works and has its own place in the system.

I have stood next to center pin anglers, float anglers and single hand fly anglers in a parking lot while I rig my spey rod for the day. Nobody cares what you fish with and nobody cares where you are from. Its Alaska, most people are from somewhere else anyway. Everyone just wants to fish. I find it refreshing.

If you are up for a unique steelhead experience at a time of year when most everyone has forgotten the Great Land exists, check flights to Anchorage. Winter flights are sometimes ridiculously cheap, especially from the PNW.

The local guides are still working every last day they can before the unforgiving arctic freeze sets in. You could be on the verge of discovering your new Thanksgiving family fishing vacation.......

When it comes to salmon fishing, there are often two thoughts on the subject. The first is table fare, always trying to catch the freshest salmon that will eat the best, regardless of the recipe. Of course, sockeye are at the top of this list, along with bright coho, and ocean-caught chinook.

Last on that list is probably chum, with the exception of river run pinks, but since chums are an every-year fish, unlike the smaller but also low river system spawner the pink, the chum salmon is not always considered good eating quality. Even those in the commercial market change the name of the ocean-caught chum to entice the chef and are called by their scientific nomenclature, the Keta salmon.

There is no disguising a chum once it hits the barbecue. Even the ocean fish, which is very edible but lacking oils, tastes bland. The second list for the salmon angler, and one that is just important, is catchability, or how easy it is to catch the fish, along with their fight. This is where the chum shines, and it is at the top of my list of salmon I like to catch and release in the fall.

I don’t think there is a fish on the planet that is as aggressive as the chum salmon- well, okay, maybe a barracuda or northern pike, but for the Pacific salmon species, chums are at the top of the “get in my way and I will kill you” list.

This makes for a fun day of catching chums, and the fact that they are the second largest salmon species means a hard-fought battle once you hook into these “dog” salmon. This means using stout gear, so before we start talking tactics, let’s take a look at what rods, reels, and line you should use.

Chum fishing in the rivers often means catch and release, so it is best to use gear that can handle these fish as well as get them back to the river quickly. You don’t want to stress the fish so much that it dies after the fight, as that would defeat the purpose of allowing the fish to go back into the river to make more fish.

Starting with the rod, think like a chinook angler and use a stout, medium-heavy to heavy action rod, often rated for 20 to 30-pound fish, or up to 5-ounce lures. If using a casting reel then you will be well equipped, as those reels have heavy drag systems, but for anglers who can’t cast them without creating backlash, then a 4000 series or larger spinning reel is best.

You can get away with a smaller reel like a 300 or 3000 series (depending on the manufacturer, as each uses a different numbering system) but be sure to be ready to crank down the drag a bit. Mainline isn’t much of an issue now that braid has become standard practice, but even still you will want to run a minimum of 30-pound line, with 40 and even 50 being preferred.

Depending on which technique you use, if a monofilament line is involved it is best to use 20-pound for leaders, as a minimum due to the teeth these dog salmon have once they start to enter the spawning phase of their lifecycle.

Now that you have an idea of what kind of gear is needed, the technique or tactics used to catch these fish vary by type of water you will be fishing and even the crowds around you, as you don’t want to be that one angler who decides to swing spoons when others around are float fishing.

Regardless of which technique you do use, be sure to use one that will not only hook the fish legally (in the mouth) but also allow you to reel it in quickly, snap a photo, and then send the fish on its way.

Floating Jigs

Floating jigs tipped with a piece of prawn is one of the best techniques to catch chums. Not only is this an easy way to fish, but watching a float sink into the river while you set the hook is an adrenaline rush. What can seem like a mundane way to fish quickly turns into a frenzy of excitement.

Best of all, it is simple, works anywhere fish are found, and not just chums, but coho and early winter steelhead or late summer steelhead are also caught in this technique. Several years ago, while fishing the Green River near Seattle, we were drifting down the river in my drift boat and floating bright-colored jigs tipped with a piece of raw prawn.

The float went under, and to our surprise, a late summer steelhead jumped out of the water. A bonus fish that was also released to swim and spawn another day.

When it comes to floating jigs, it is best to downsize them to a ¼ ounce as they fish a bit better under the bobber than heavier jigs. But if you do want to keep things simple, the 3/8-ounce twitching jig does work under a float.

Regardless of twitching or float fishing, the jigs chums prefer bright colors. A white head with a cerise body is a good “go-to”, but so is chartreuse and black, as well as cerise and black, as the contrasting of bright and dark seems to entice the bite. Purple and pink are other top colors.

As for that piece of prawn on the jig- if you don’t have prawns, or just forgot to grab some from the grocery store, jigs take on scent really well. If using a marabou jig, then realize that the gels will ruin the action of the jig.

Instead, use Pro-Cures water-soluble products, with bloody tuna and sand shrimp being very popular for chum anglers. It is hard to beat prawns, and they are cheap bait to buy. A handful of prawns cost a few dollars at the seafood counter at the local grocery store.

You can fish them raw but another way to add contrast is to dye them with Bad Azz bait dye in purple, cerise, pink, or chartreuse. Keep in mind this dye will stain everything, so it is best to use a small amount and use disposable containers.

Twitching Jigs

Twitching jigs is another technique that will catch a lot of chums, as well as a coho or two that are still lingering in the river system. Here again, there are two schools of thought, the first being twitching to holding fish in deep holes and structure.

There is one spot on the Satsop river in Southwest Washington that is consistent each year. My son and I try to venture to this river every November when the coho are still in the system and the chums are just arriving. This one spot is a deep water slough that sits just off of a bend in the river with strong current. Fish, both chums and coho, stack up here, and we break out the twitching rods.

On one trip, we invited a friend who had just moved from Texas and had never caught a salmon before. Chums are a great fish for these types of trips. My son Ryan cast a twitching jig into this backwater and showed our friend Chris how to twitch. Then Chris cast the line, and on the second twitch of his first ever cast for salmon, he hooked a huge buck.

As the fish dove deep back into the hole, he looked at us and yelled, “this ain’t trout fishing!”. We hooked and landed several more fish that day, all on jigs, either floated or twitched.

Spinners

Spinners need to be ranked as one of the top techniques for chums, as they catch a lot of fish. It is hard to describe to an angler who has never used spinners before what it is like to hook a chum on one.

Casting out into a run and letting the spinner flutter and work its way across as you reel in, feeling the telltale “thump-thump” of the blade working, then, all of a sudden, the rod almost gets ripped out of your hands as a chums grabs the spinner and takes off.

Again, use bright colors, such as a size 5 Blue Fox Vibrax with a chartreuse body and silver blade. Hot orange and pink also work really well.

Spoons

Like spinners, the spoon bite can be a lot of fun. In Alaska, I don’t think you will find an angler’s tacklebox without a few pixie spoons in it. Gold body with a pink or red center work well.

Of course, Dardevle is synonymous with spoons, and the trusty red and white striped Dardevle works well, but so do bright greens, pinks, and reds. Spoon fishing is much like spinner fishing, except you do want some current with the spoons, where spinners can be cast out into deep holes and reeled in.

Swinging spoons is just that- cast out and take up the slack, and then let the spoon swing across the river to holding or moving fish.

P-Lugs

Lastly, big, gnarly chums like big, gnarly p lugs. A MagLip 5.0, or a K15-Kwikfish in bright colors either being back bounced or just simply plunked will catch chums. You can elect to wrap the plugs or just use some Pro-Cure Super Gel in herring, anchovy, or garlic, as it will stick to the plugs very well.

Back bouncing them down a deep hole is a log of fun and a great way to catch fish. If there is enough current, then pulling them in a traditional way also works well. It is a great technique for the newer angler if the person on the helm or oars knows how to pull plugs.

Simply put them out, place the rod into the holder, and then put your hands in your pockets. Wait until the rod loads up with a fish, and then put that drag on the reel to work.

Regardless of which technique you use, just remember that these fish need to go upriver to make more fish. Try to get the fish in quickly and then release it after you let it rest and rejuvenate. Some will argue with me that chums are good to eat, and to that I will remind readers; “to each their own”.

For me personally, I would rather stock my freezer with coho for the barbecue and catch chums for the fun. They are big, aggressive, and put up a heck of a fight, and that is all I need to put them at the top of the list as one of the most fun salmon to catch.

As we say goodbye to our summer boating weather you may find yourself wondering, “Do I winterize or do I find something to fish for?” Either way, you should probably winterize your boat, motor, and trailer, but let’s talk trolling for winter kokanee. 

Winter kokanee in Washington State? Sure, so go ahead and winterize, but keep the keys handy. Find your gloves and earmuffs and make a thermos of steaming hot coffee because there are kokanee opportunities to be had. Both Western Washington and the Eastside have winter kokanee lakes. 

Kokanee are the non-anadromous form of sockeye salmon. Basically, by choice or otherwise, kokanee are landlocked sockeye salmon. Kokanee are native to many Pacific Northwest lakes and have been introduced to a number of lakes across the United States.

The life cycle is of particular interest to winter kokanee anglers. Although there are exceptions, kokanee typically live 3-4 years before they spawn and die. For the dedicated winter kokanee angler that means that there are 2-3, maybe even 4-year kokanee available during the chilly months. 

Winter kokanee fishing is a little different than our spring and summer fisheries. Most winter kokanee fishing is done in deeper water. Kokanee prefer water that is 50-56 degrees. In part, they are more active in this zone because it is rich in oxygen boosting energy to chase down their next meal. Each lake varies, but finding “the zone’” is important during winter kokanee fishing.

One way is to keep your eyes glued to your fish finder and look for fish. This is where the best fish finder/chart plotter you can afford is your friend. When you find fish, mark the spot, and pretty soon you’ll have a winter kokanee map.

With it you can amaze your guest fishermen and go right to where they are. They’ll think you are the “Koke-Wisperer”, maybe a kokanee-shaman or something… You can also use a Fish Hawk Digital Gauge or the Vexilar Deptherm to graph out the water temperature at depth.

Winter kokanee fishing is more of a love thing, there is rarely a hot bite. Each lake has a winter fishery sweet spot depth. Generally, in Western Washington it is 30-60’, and in Eastern Washington 40-200’ deep. Each lake, especially on the westside, seems to have a brief period each day where the kokanee will put on the feed bag and go on the bite outside of your usual grind it out depth. 

Kokanee are filter feeders, and the bulk of their calories come from plankton blooms. There are windows any given day where there is a bloom or hatch, and the kokanee will briefly leave their comfort zone to feed. Because the bite may be 2:06-2:23 at 43’ it is best to choose your winter kokanee lake close to home and learn it. Especially when winter kokanee fishing, keep a detailed fishing log. 

Both summer and winter fish are a noble opponent. They often make short runs, jump, and go bonkers at the net. Summer fish are more aggressive, but winter kokanee take more finesse to get them in the net. After plating, smoking, or chowder-izing hundreds of kokanee, both the summer and the winter fish are excellent table fare, but the winter fish are outstanding for whole or fillet pan-frys and grilling.

The following list includes winter kokanee lakes that I am familiar with, and is focused on trolling. I am sure there are other winter kokanee lakes available. My westside lakes were originally selected because they are open all year and they have deeper basins that may hold fish. Both the westside and the eastside winter kokanee lakes are listed by my preference. My preference is based on success, proximity to home, and the potential for a trophy fish. 

Eastern Washington

Lake Roosevelt – Nothing in Eastern Washington is close to home, and to be honest, as I get older, I don’t like hauling the boat over the pass in the winter anymore. That said, I love fishing Lake Roosevelt, so with the right forecast we may head that direction.

I’m sure kokanee are available throughout the lake, but we usually fish out of Spring Canyon and focus on the dam area, but we also fish the lower 5 or 6 miles. I typically start at about 40’, but may fish 100+ deep as required. Because there is the potential to hook a 3+ pounder, I typically up my leader to 20-pound fluorocarbon.

Lake Chelan – It is a great winter kokanee lake, offering pretty consistent fishing. The winter kokanee fishery is concentrated between Manson, maybe the Narrows, up to 25 Mile Creek. There is enough kokanee in the Wapato Point area to keep you on the water if, or should I say when, the weather kicks up. The winter fishery at Chelan is a deep fishery, you can expect to run your gear 80-200’ deep. Watch the weather!

Before I get to the westside lakes, let’s discuss winter boating safety/etiquette. Carry chains for both your tow vehicle and for at least 1 axle on the trailer. Bring a couple sand bags and a shovel. A liberal application of sand can be a lifesaver.

At the ramp, assess the situation before you back down a long icy ramp. Take the time to chain up your tow vehicle if required. Thought being; although once your tires hit the water you’ll have traction, the area between the top of the ramp and the water could be icy. You don’t want to jackknife ½ way down the ramp. It would put a damper on your kokanee plans.

Once the trailer is wet you may have to let the rig sit in the water for a bit to thaw and let the boat float free. Be safe on the boat, you don’t want to slip and end up sharing the lake with your aquatic rival.

Finally, and as a courtesy; at the end of your time on the lake load your boat and slowly pull out of the water just enough to clear the water. Stop and let the rig drain or drip-dry, this will minimize ice buildup on the lower 1/3 of the ramp. 

Western Washington

Lake Washington – Although not exactly close to home, Lake Washington is my favorite westside winter kokanee lake. Our largest westside kokanee was a 3.13# 18” fish. We have caught many 1# plus and a few 2# kokanee in Lake Washington. To protect juvenile and migrating sockeye salmon there is an 8 – 18” slot limit for kokanee on in Lake Washington. A standard sockeye drill works, but consider stepping up your speed and gear selection. Most of our larger Lake Washington kokanee were taken on hoochies and 8” flashers. The eyes have it; what am I talking about? Who knows why but most of our large Lake Washington kokanee were bamboozled by a lure with eyes. If Lake Washington were closer to home, I’d be fishing it every day that I possibly could.

The large Lake Washington kokanee that left a mark on my fish finder.

Lake Cavanaugh – Lake Cavanaugh is an odd duck, easy kokanee limits for fish 10 – 18” kokanee during the spring, summer and fall, but when winter comes around it seems that every kokanee you catch is a chrome 8 – 12” fish. My nonscientific guess is that the majority of the kokanee in Cavanaugh spawn at 4 years and the winter sport catch are primarily 3-year kokanee. Most winter kokanee in Lake Cavanaugh will be caught over the deep pocket just east of the islands.

Lake Samish - Samish is really close to home with the typical winter kokanee bite being later in the day. It is a great lake for “breakfast and chores are done, let’s go fishing”. The lake includes a large basin with a smaller connected lake at the north end. When fishing winter kokanee on Lake Samish, most of our fish are caught in one of two areas. The first is along the west shoreline just west of the WDFW launch.

The second is generally in the center, maybe favoring the north shore/center of the small lake. Your trolling speed is critical, plan on fishing .8-1.0 mph with lots of “S” turns. Oddly, we have caught a fair number of Samish winter kokanee pulling small minnow type baits for cutthroat, but standard kokanee gear is a better starting point.

Lake Stevens – We don’t fish winter kokanee on Lake Stevens often, but it does host a winter fishery. There may be local secrets, but in our experience Lake Stevens winter kokanee are a hit or a miss. Most of our winter kokanee were caught along the bay at the northwest side of the lake. Typical kokanee gear with a pinch of nightcrawler or worm seems to have an edge over tuna corn.

Yale Lake – Yale is a great kokanee lake and is open year-round. There are winter challenges if you decide to make the trip. The wind can produce some crazy short chop, so make sure that you check the forecast before you hitch up the trailer.

We haven’t had a problem but I’m pretty sure that the reservoir water levels are down November-February. The Yale Park launch should be open but other ramps may have restrictions.

Finally, there could be hazardous floating debris/flotsam. Boat with caution, and if it’s choppy, slow way down. The winter kokanee fishery should be concentrated by the dam or across the lake from Speelya Creek. In my experience, if fishing less than 30-40’, run really long setbacks or use lead line rigs.

OK, you have some idea which way you’re headed in your kokanee quest, now what? I don’t really change overall tactics when fishing winter kokanee. The usual kokanee drill; a small dodger, lure with tuna corn is a great place to start.

Make sure you have your favorite scents, maybe a container of worms, and additional leader onboard. Not always, but occasionally, you will need to increase your leader length.

When trolling for winter kokanee, you will want to stay under 1.0 MPH. I probably do more “S” turns or engage the “Hunt” mode on my iTroll more often during our winter kokanee adventures. Our dodger box has more dodgers in it than most, but during the winter kokanee fishery my go to dodgers are painted, copper, or even dark metalflake.

Using either double spinner rigs or flies behind the dodger seem to consistently produce kokanee during the winter fishery. After you hook your cold weather prize, gently fight the fish, and, as with any kokanee fishery, a long handle net will increase your actual catch verses hook up statistics.

I know that it will be cooler out, maybe even freezing, and the lake temperature should be down as well.  But make sure you still care for your catch. Bleed them and keep them on ice, or, even better, in a slurry in your cooler; you’ll want to preserve the quality of your hard-earned prize. 

Winterize or not, keep your kokanee gear handy. The above is just a starting point. Choose a lake, learn it, and you’ll soon be the local expert! Trolling for Washington State winter kokanee can be frustrating.

With the closure of most of our winter salmon fisheries, a bit of frustration will quickly become an addiction. Enjoy your winter kokanee adventure, but with the potential for rainy, slick roads, be sure to use extra caution towing your boat to and from your new favorite winter activity.

 Well, winter is around the corner and it’s time to put the rods away and winterize the boat, right? NOT QUITE YET! Salmon season is indeed winding down, aside from some late season river opportunities, and winter steelhead is often a mystery, so many anglers don’t know where to look for the next bite. If this is you, look no further than some fantastic winter trout fishing at multiple stocked lakes! Winter trout fishing is incredibly rewarding, and in many cases, produces some large trout that cut beautifully. There are many ways to chase these fish from shore or from the boat, and with a little research and timing, you are sure to be on the fish! 

How to prepare

To begin, let’s look at the setups to use. Cold water temps have a lot of effect on fish, as they are a cold-blooded species. During this time, they are in energy consumption mode, with not a ton of energy to be spent moving around. Additionally, cold temps slow down fish metabolism. All this together means that when the fish feed, they are looking for an easy meal that does not require too much energy wasted in chasing it down. For this reason, small profile lures and stationary baits are often the best choice. 

When fishing from shore, it is hard to beat the “stocked-trout standby”, the Carolina rig! An egg sinker on the mainline with a 2–3-foot leader to a small hook, with an inflated nightcrawler or chunk of Powerbait, is an easy meal for a meandering trout to engulf. Another good option is a small spoon or spinner with a slim profile and wounded look. Lighter casting spinners and spoons can be worked slow through the water column and produce a very crippled look. They are a great way to cover water in new spots and find the fish. 

From a boat, these methods work great as well, but trolling can be added to the mix. Small spoons and spinners tipped with a worm are always a good option. Trolling allows the angler to go to the fish. Compared to spring and summer, trolling a little slower can be very effective. Many rainbow trout will sit low below the thermocline. Trolling past them just fast enough to get their attention but slow enough have them commit is the target. 

Where to go

As with any fishing trip, the first thing to do is check the regulations. Many stocked trout lakes are seasonal, meaning they close at the end of October. If your lake is open, you are set to legally fish, but there may not be great fishing. Luckily for the angler, the WDFW publishes a list of recently stocked lakes that is updated weekly. Checking lakes in your area will give you the best idea of where and when to wet a line. The best time to catch stocked trout in the winter is directly after the stock. This is when the trout aren’t quite acclimated to the new area, and they are the most aggressive. After a couple of weeks in the lake, the fish will hunker down and be far less active compared to their first little bit in the new water. Knowing when the trout are stocked can be the difference in a couple bites and a nice limit on the stringer! During most of the winter months, the state stocks their “jumbo’s”, which are trout over 1lb, which usually cut fantastically.

Finishing Touches

As a local Western Washington Angler, I know a couple of great lakes in my surrounding counties that are stocked in November, which gives me just enough time to make some smoked trout dip for the Thanksgiving table. Nothing warms a day like a tight line on a cool river bank, sipping hot coffee, and enjoying some bank lunch.

With a little research, a simple setup, and a couple of free hours, you can be knee-deep in some delicious trout! Just like the spring, ultralight trout setups, light monofilament line, some extra hooks, and a couple of weights, and you are set on terminal tackle. Then add some jars of Powerbait, a few lures, and a stringer, and you will be ready to hit the water. As always, be prepared for the weather!

Ice fishing is a unique and exhilarating activity that requires a combination of skill, patience, and the right equipment.  While many anglers are accustomed to traditional techniques, incorporating modern technology like fish finders and electronics can significantly enhance your success on the ice.

In this article, we’ll delve into how and why you should utilize fish finders, and electronics while ice fishing.

MAXIMIZE EFFICIENCY

Ice fishing often involves drilling many holes in the ice and patiently waiting for a bite.  However, with a fish finder, you locate fish faster and more accurately.  These devices use sonar technology to send out sound waves, which bounce off objects in the water and return to the transducer, providing a visual representation of the underwater terrain and fish.  This allows you to identify the most promising spots quickly, saving you time and energy.

UNDERSTANDING UNDERWATER TOPOGRAPHY

Fish finders not only reveal the presence of fish but also help you understand the underwater topography.  They can detect depth changes, underwater structures, and vegetation, which are crucial factors in determining where fish are likely to congregate.  Armed with this information, you can strategically position yourself for a successful ice fishing season.

ACCURATE DEPTH READINGS

One of the most significant advantages of using fish finders is their ability to provide accurate depth readings.  This is crucial for ice fishing, as different species prefer different depths.  By knowing the exact depth of water, you can adjust your bait and technique accordingly, increasing your chances of more catches.

LOCATING SCHOOLS OF FISH

Fish finders excel at finding schools of fish and of course that lonely straggler.  Instead of relying on guesswork or trial and error, you can pinpoint where the fish are congregating.  This allows you to make precise adjustments to your bait and presentation to entice more bites.

MONITORING FISH ACTIVITY

Most fish finders are equipped to allow you to monitor fish activity in real-time.  Real-time means there's no delay in the transfer from the transducer to the screen, so when the fish or lure moves you can see it move accurately. These devices can display fish movements, indicating whether they are actively feeding or just passing through.  This invaluable information helps you adapt your strategy on the fly, ensuring a more productive outing. 

STAYING SAFE ON THE ICE

Apart from enhancing your fishing success, fish finders also contribute to safety on the ice.  Not only do they read and provide accurate depth information, but some units with GPS can also have up-to-date warnings for hazard areas, thin ice, closed boat launches, etc. while using lake map cards.  This knowledge is especially crucial during early and late seasons when ice conditions can be unpredictable.

IMPROVING YOUR OVERALL FISHING EXPERIENCE

Incorporating electronics like a GPS unit, or an underwater camera alongside a fish finder flasher can further amplify your ice fishing experience. GPS is a nice option in some units, allowing you to mark productive spots for future reference, or a unit that is usable from the boat to the ice.  Underwater cameras offer a fascinating glimpse into the underwater world, helping you understand fish behavior and habitat. This can also help you fine-tune your approach each time you chase fish under the ice.

Embracing fish finders and electronics in your ice fishing endeavors is a game changer.  By providing valuable insights into the underwater terrain, fish behavior, and safety conditions, these tools significantly increase your chances of a successful and enjoyable ice fishing experience.  So, equip yourself with the right gear and technology, venture out to the frozen lakes, and let the fish finding begin!

Even though the end of the year is approaching, don’t put away your salmon fishing gear just yet. There are still plenty of rivers teeming with coho salmon right now! These days, there are many different techniques you can use to catch fish on any river. Versatility is important, and river conditions change day by day. I recently went on a guided trip with Brianna Bruce of Livin’ Life Adventures. When we got to our spot, she told us that we would each be fishing a different method. The fish had been hitting different things every day. One day, they only wanted spinners. Another day, they wanted spoons. She began distributing rods- one of us fishing plugs, the other spinners, and so on until we were all casting and hoping to get lucky.

After about 20 minutes of this, another guide motored by on the way back to the launch with their limits. He told Bree that he had gotten all of his fish on eggs! She quickly began switching all of our rods to egg setups. Another hour later, we were back at the boat ramp with huge smiles and limits of dime-bright coho. If she hadn’t brought eggs along, we may have all ended up skunked! Versatility is crucial! Most days when I go river fishing, I carry 3 rods: a twitching rod, a float rod, and a spinner rod. I spent a lot of time getting familiar with each technique and when and how to deploy them. Let’s dive into how and why I use these techniques.

Technique 1: Twitching Jigs

If I had to pick one way to fish for coho, I would have to go with twitching jigs. They are extremely adaptable- I can fish any type of water with a twitching jig. There’s something so satisfying about seeing a big fish dart out of cover to grab your jig. Make sure to vary your jigging speed and length depending on the structure, depth, and speed of the water. Some days, you can let the jig sink to the bottom of a deep hole before you start jigging. Other times, you’ll want to do short jigs as soon as your lure hits the water. There’s no one way to twitch a jig. Color matters! I’ve had days where I fished one color for 30 minutes with no luck, and then hooked a fish on the first cast after switching colors. Most of the time, I use a 3/8 or 1/2 oz jig. My favorite colors are blue/black and pink/green. My twitching rod is a stout 7’6 rod with fast action. It has an extremely sensitive tip so I can feel those subtle bites, and the backbone to back up my hook sets. I pair it up with a size 3000 spinning reel. I use light reels to help avoid wrist fatigue. You can twitch jigs with longer, heavier rods, but I like my 7’6 rod because it translates even the smallest flicks of my wrist to the jig. I never hit the river without my twitching rod! There is a bit of a learning curve, as most fish will pick up your jig on the drop. You might feel the line tighten, or you may feel nothing at all. Most fish won’t simply grab the jig and take off. The majority of bites are subtle. Watch your line and pay attention to how it moves. It pays to fish high visibility braid so you can see exactly where your line is and what it’s doing in the water. Give twitching jigs a try, you’ll be hooked!

Technique 2: Spinner Rods

If I can’t get a fish to bite on twitching jigs, I’ll switch to my spinner rod. This is my 9ft, fast-action, moderate power rod, rated to throw up to an ounce of lead. It has the springiness to be able to launch spinners across long rivers, but the backbone to bring a monster coho to the shore. I often start off beginner river fishermen with spinners because bites are hard to miss. There are two types of spinners, and they both fish differently. Heavy-bodied spinners sink right away and can be cast perpendicular to the opposite shore. Light-bodied or unweighted spinners don’t sink as quickly and are better for shallow rivers. You can cast them out and swing them into the current like a spoon. Keep your rod tip low and reel slowly. Make sure to do 1 or 2 solid hook sets to really drive that barbless hook into the fish’s mouth. In murky water like the Carbon or Puyallup River, I’ll go with a bright-colored spinner, like chartreuse or pink. On clear, coastal rivers, I’ll fish a silver or copper-colored spinner. It never hurts to try something different, though! Don’t forget to pinch your barbs and switch out the treble hook to a single hook if required. 

Technique 3: Floating Eggs

My third go-to technique for fall coho fishing is floating eggs. This technique isn’t very well suited for combat fishing, but if you can find a patch of slow-moving water all to yourself, this is a great way to get finicky coho to bite. Floating eggs is a relaxing way to spend the day. You tend to lose a lot less gear, and watching your bobber is therapeutic. You’ll want a 10ft to 11ft rod and 3000/4000 size spinning reel. Don’t use gear you don’t mind getting egg dye on! You can either use store-bought eggs or experiment with curing your own. I usually bring along 2 or 3 different recipes when I fish eggs. Sometimes the fish want pink eggs, other days they like red. You can experiment with adding different scents to your eggs, like tuna or herring. No matter how good your eggs are, you want to make sure you’re fishing them correctly, however. Experiment with your leader length by moving your bobber stopper until you’re hitting the bottom. Then, move it up 6 to 12 inches. That’s where the fish will see it, and, hopefully, bite it. Don’t forget to mend your line by lifting it up off the water and behind your float. This is where a long rod can come in handy, but it can make it difficult to fish in water with lots of overhanging trees and bushes. Float fishing is a highly situational technique, but it can be very deadly. 

There you have my top three favorite fall coho techniques. When getting to my spot, I like to sit and watch the water for a few minutes to determine which technique to use. Floating eggs isn’t always possible if the river is flowing quickly. Similarly, when I’m fishing frog water, using a spinner can be difficult. The deep and slow water makes it difficult to reach the fish hugging the bottom. I find that it’s extremely important to be able to adapt to any condition. However, there are days when I want to challenge myself or get better at a technique and I’ll only bring out one pole. This is how I taught myself to be able to use twitching jigs in any situation. If you haven’t tried any of these techniques, hit the water and give it a shot. Make sure to read your rules and regulations, especially emergency ones. Hope to see you all out there!