Freshwater coho flies

Shad

Life of the Party
If you like them bigger, tie them bigger, but I assure you that's big enough. Anything larger just gets harder to cast. You might want something bigger in high water, but in the low water conditions we tend to deal with into October, never be afraid to go small.
 

Creatch’r

Potential Spam
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I tied this yesterday and thought it seemed too small, more like a trout fly. Maybe not. View attachment 32660
I tie up wooly buggers on the exact same hook for coho. Not so overly large that it will destroy a SRC that takes a swipe at it, and strong enough to hold onto a salmon or steelhead. Fish with confidence!

I think the early coho we have in the river now are the best biters on the fly. They will swim a long ways to crush a SRC fly but the triple top secret trick is to not at all be expecting it to happen. One must fully drop their guard and not even think any coho thoughts at all. Then your little fly will disappear in a flash of chrome and you’ll have your hands full.

Mickey Finn is a great fly. And has been hot for the SRC lately. If I’m targeting coho I like a pink or black wooly bugger with a pink tungsten bead, but instead of hackle and chenille/dubbing body, I twist on some polar chenille and finish it with schlappen. Ends up really sparse and sheds water and has some twinkle to it. Polar chenille also can take a beating so it holds up if you are doing a lot of heavy lifting. But I’m certainly not an expert.
 

Matt B

RAMONES
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If I’m targeting coho I like a pink or black wooly bugger with a pink tungsten bead, but instead of hackle and chenille/dubbing body, I twist on some polar chenille and finish it with schlappen. Ends up really sparse and sheds water and has some twinkle to it. Polar chenille also can take a beating so it holds up if you are doing a lot of heavy lifting.
A pink woolly bugger, huh? Just checking.
Polar chenille and the like are great. I don’t have any in black right now. Good call on the schlappen.
A5F59AE3-36E1-43F3-985B-1B8A8C46F7A3.jpeg
 

Matt B

RAMONES
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AEABA986-A50F-43EB-9D78-B73F87E56B13.jpeg

RIP Hula Wrap. Pretty sure I got it from a clearance bin at Outdoor Emporium a long time ago. It has been on many flies catching many pink salmon. Mental note to get some black and some pink polar chenille because I’m quite sure Hula Wrap is no longer made. F9CE2862-EBCB-447D-A9CC-B5C691C934F5.jpeg
 

Stonedfish

Known Grizzler-hater of triploids, humpies & ND
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View attachment 33187

RIP Hula Wrap. Pretty sure I got it from a clearance bin at Outdoor Emporium a long time ago. It has been on many flies catching many pink salmon. Mental note to get some black and some pink polar chenille because I’m quite sure Hula Wrap is no longer made. View attachment 33188

Used to us that as well.
Polar Chenille, Polar Reflector Flash or Senyo Aqua Veil would all be decent substitutes.
SF
 

HauntedByWaters

Life of the Party
I’m a small bright jiggy fly user for coho. Some of the posts in this thread have some great looking flies like this that i would fish all day.

I don’t use a two hand rod and I don’t swing. I find slough confluences and deeper slower woody pools. I use a longer leader with the little fast sinking bright flies and try to get it to hang at the depth of the fish on a floating line and then work it across current away from the fish. Mess around with retrieve rate and time to let fly sink until you get results. Sometimes really fast retrieve is amazingly effective. Sinking lines are typically going to snag the places I fish because of the slow water and losing flies is easier on a long mono/fcarbon. I also think a floating line with a fast sinking small fly has a better up and down jig action that coho react to when compared with the standard steelhead sinking lane with short leader to the fly.

Like all fly fishing opportunities for anadromous fish, it is about knowing the type of water that you can fish effectively with a fly and finding it. Do not join the gear boys when hoarded up on a pile of coho, you are just wasting your time. Find some rested slow water like a slough with wood nearby, coho are there too, even if they aren’t showing themselves.
 

Dustin Chromers

Life of the Party
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All the flies in this thread will fish and catch. My advice for coho is to be prepared with a variety of presentations, colours, and sizes. The small flies g smolt has there will kill when nothing else works on moody fish. They are a necessity in the box of you are after silvers. Especially fresh fish staging at the mouth of pre rain rivers.

The bigger stuff is best for swinging and searching in larger more coloured flows. Once fish are found if located around structure they can be had with the medium and smaller fare still. The smaller stuff just isn't efficient searching vast tracts in higher flows. They will always eat it if they can see it.

Lines are probably as important as flies if not more. I carry a floater always no matter the conditions. I fish this most of the time. I carry a tip for swinging. I also carry a clear intermediate especially when water is low and I'm fishing the small stuff. The clear intermediate is likely the best secret for targeting weary or staging fish that are keyed into smaller offerings. Yes I fish big stuff too on it but it's not the primary purpose.

Coho are picky until they aren't. If I'm not getting bit I change retrieves, flies and lines until I am getting action. Another little known colour is blood or darker than blood red. It's a very good coho colour in sun and in general.. Plus the chum tend to leave it alone if they are around. Action for coho can be fast but not always. It's a numbers thing. You need a few around to get lucky in general. And as mentioned a two hand rod has its place for coho but it is in the minority. I only use the two hand rod for late fish in higher flows. The ohs is by far my favourite coho weapon.
 

Mossback

Fear My Powerful Emojis 😆
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View attachment 33187

RIP Hula Wrap. Pretty sure I got it from a clearance bin at Outdoor Emporium a long time ago. It has been on many flies catching many pink salmon. Mental note to get some black and some pink polar chenille because I’m quite sure Hula Wrap is no longer made. View attachment 33188

You can get it here...
 

skyrise

Steelhead
I always try to remember how small of a size of that little local spoon these fish will bite. Especially early in the fall. I try to use a hook with a wide gap for tying.
 

Dustin Chromers

Life of the Party
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How are these fished? Sorry if stupid question. Any action or just let them drift on their own?
Not trying to answer for g smolt but I find in general salmon like action with few exceptions
 
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G_Smolt

Legend
How are these fished? Sorry if stupid question. Any action or just let them drift on their own?
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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