Freshwater coho flies

G_Smolt said:
I fish these under a tiny bobber. They're meant for those bluebird low water days when the fish spook from a "regular-sized" fly hitting the water. They work better lower in the river and earlier in the run, and on staging fish.
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I didn't expect that. The bobber or the insight into my own local river when this situation arises.
 
G_Smolt said:
I fish these under a tiny bobber. They're meant for those bluebird low water days when the fish spook from a "regular-sized" fly hitting the water. They work better lower in the river and earlier in the run, and on staging fish.
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Aye, got it. Sort of thought it could dangle under a floating line head, but mini bobber would be less likely to spook them.
 
Dustin Chromers said:
I didn't expect that. The bobber or the insight into my own local river when this situation arises.
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Solid observation. Very definitely worth a try.

I've witnessed fish being caught this way, but mostly in the SW WA rivers, where an early-timed coho run often finds itself piled up and lock-jawed, in the deepest water they can find, until the water cools enough to spread them out. Think Beginners' Hole on the Kalama.... Where you and I fish, they do generally seem to prefer some action, but the water is abnormally warm and low for this time of year, so sneaky might win the day right now. Beats any idea I've had so far LOL.
 
I am revitalizing this thread as we are anticipating a strong return of wild coho this fall on the Oregon Coast. I am particularly interested in stealth tidewater techniques as I (like many of you) have had mixed results. My question is for @G_Smolt about using his tiny flies. If you don't mind sharing, do you dead drift them in the tidal current under that tiny bobber? Or do you provide some action?

I'd like to know more about the flies that @the_chemist shows in the above image. Can we see a better pic and how do you fish those?

What about extra long leaders - does anyone use them and if so, how long?
 
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Just hit this thread. I am more of a short line guy that uses the standard trout set up in rivers. Home maid braided leader, loop to loop, 6' more 10lb tippet. For most rivers with forgiving bottoms, I add 4 spilts. Yes mo weight the better. Basically watched the gear guys and unless you are in the Cow, fish are at the bottom. I use what most call an egg head. I call it a tri-fector or flesh fly. Melt an 8mm red wally bead on 1/0, white rabbit tail with flash, volcano chennile rapped up with orange hackle. I usually put a tandem of these, or dropper with just an bead on hook.

Ive also had success stripping a cone head....white tail with flash and cherise body took the beauty in my head shot.

Kalama, used to be a 4ipm sinking line with green butt wollly worm or black yellow ww, strip strip strip. That early run is no more. For the fall, my son took a 17er and 13er on a chart egg sucking leach. It is a nice river, but the whole weir things messed this river up.

For you estuary guys, cone head chartruse clousers are standard. I find they eat alot of squid. A hybrid wicked lure works. A stripping basket is required. Tandem tube or articulated with long pink bunny strip tails and some flash, buy some plastic clevis and add a 3 french or colo blade. Check out Hawkins in Woodland for supplies. Again, a wicked lure replica. Or you can just succumb and cast a #4 vibrex with a squid body. CohoKing
 
The Coho King said:
Just hit this thread. I am more of a short line guy that uses the standard trout set up in rivers. Home maid braided leader, loop to loop, 6' more 10lb tippet. For most rivers with forgiving bottoms, I add 4 spilts. Yes mo weight the better. Basically watched the gear guys and unless you are in the Cow, fish are at the bottom. I use what most call an egg head. I call it a tri-fector or flesh fly. Melt an 8mm red wally bead on 1/0, white rabbit tail with flash, volcano chennile rapped up with orange hackle. I usually put a tandem of these, or dropper with just an bead on hook.

Ive also had success stripping a cone head....white tail with flash and cherise body took the beauty in my head shot.

Kalama, used to be a 4ipm sinking line with green butt wollly worm or black yellow ww, strip strip strip. That early run is no more. For the fall, my son took a 17er and 13er on a chart egg sucking leach. It is a nice river, but the whole weir things messed this river up.

For you estuary guys, cone head chartruse clousers are standard. I find they eat alot of squid. A hybrid wicked lure works. A stripping basket is required. Tandem tube or articulated with long pink bunny strip tails and some flash, buy some plastic clevis and add a 3 french or colo blade. Check out Hawkins in Woodland for supplies. Again, a wicked lure replica. Or you can just succumb and cast a #4 vibrex with a squid body. CohoKing
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#4 Vibrax, pink squid, and a downsized hook was my best North sound Cutthroat lure when I gear fished for them. That squid made all the difference and since then I always keep a bag of them with my spinner box
 
Talked to a well-known OP guide about this a couple weeks back. His advise was very small and very chartreuse - cometish type flies on an Outbound 5ips.

A bigass pink bead works as well as the Vibrax some days.
 
Matt B said:
One guideline I heard recently which makes general sense to me is using bigger, more visible patterns when covering water, searching for players, and using the smaller jiggy stuff when you find a pod hanging out. What fly patterns do you like for freshwater coho? (not the stacks of grabby Alaska fish, but our moody sumbitches down here)
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The advice you received is good. Use the larger swingers and twitch on the swing patterns for the traveling water and the searching. Use the floating line twitchy jiggy stuff for the fish in holding lies especially when oriented to cover.

Examples of swingers. Prom dress, string leaches, intruders etc

Examples of jiggers and twitchers. Bead head buggers, carry buggers, and even crazy Charlies. Yes they work good. Comets and similar are a good choice as well.
 
Smalma said:
With the heavily pressured north Sound rivers (especially those "S" rivers) during the lower flows and relatively clear water typical of the early fall season I have found it hard to beat the simple spider. I fish mostly size 4 hooks with a variety of body colors: including black, dark olive, yellow, chartreuse, pink and my all-time favorite burned orange with a hackle of long mallard flank feathers. As with most of my salmon fishing an actively fished fly with 6-to-12-inch stripes with some sort of streamer line or full sinker. I also try to fish above the fish hoping to trigger a reaction bite and minimize the foul hooking problem.

As the coho mature (colored) larger flashy flies will trigger an aggressive take (especially the males) though I lose interest in fishing such fish.

Curt
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Jerry Wells uses a 'pink shrimp' and a purple bugger.
 
Chris -
Jerry is one of the best anglers I have ever fished with. his advice is always money!

curt
 
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SculpinSwinger said:
View attachment 71317
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Yep.

I tend to tie a very fast & easy two feather version.

1) Secure eyes
2) Lay down a wire or strand of flashabou for a rib
3) Clip out the tip of a marabout feather and tie in at the hook bend creating a tail for the fly equal to the hook gap (usually chartreuse)
4) Twist and palmer the 'bou forward to create a body and tie off
5) Counter wrap the wire forward and tie off
5) Add a collar and you're done
 
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