Coho (Silver) Salmon
Oncorhynchus kisutch
The Aerial Acrobat of the Pacific Salmon Family
- Average size
- 8–12 lb · trophies to 20+ lb
- Peak season
- Mid August–mid October
- Experiences
- 4
Coho are the most aggressive, surface-oriented, and angler-friendly of the Pacific salmon. Their late-season runs (August into October) extend the Alaska salmon fishing calendar beyond the mid-summer sockeye and chinook peaks. On a fly rod, coho are unmatched — they'll chase and hammer surface poppers, they'll take streamers with reckless abandon, and they jump repeatedly during the fight.
Southeast Alaska, the Kenai Peninsula, and BC coastal rivers (Skeena, Dean) produce strong runs. September is prime on most systems. Coho also provide the final productive saltwater week for Southeast Alaska lodges before the season closes.
Best Methods
- ● Surface poppers and gurglers in tidewater
- ● Streamer strip-and-pause retrieves
- ● Spinners and spoons in rivers
- ● Saltwater mooching in the Inside Passage
Gear Notes
8-weight is the standard fly rod. Floating line with a 10' sink-tip for river work. 15–20 lb leaders — coho will snap light tippet on the take.
Where to Catch Coho Salmon
4 vetted experiences across 2 countries.
King Pacific Lodge, British Columbia, Canada
King Pacific Lodge is the ultimate luxury/adventure/ecotourism vacation spot located in the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest on the west coast of British Columbia.
Sonora, British Columbia, Canada
Sonora Resort is situated in Desolation Sound among the Discovery Islands off Vancouver Island, voted #1 Luxury Hotel in Canada by TripAdvisor. Spectacular eco adventures meet luxurious accommodations.
Suskeena Lodge, BC, Canada
Suskeena Lodge is located on the Sustut River in Northern British Columbia, where the Sustut has the largest average steelhead found in any river in the Skeena watershed.
The Lodge at Whale Pass, Southeast Alaska
The Lodge at Whale Pass is situated in the heart of the Inside Passage, only a 45-minute floatplane trip from Ketchikan with no set arrival or departure days.
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