Coho Fly Fishing BC

[Brandonkop]

https://youtu.be/F7lyiTYMf2E

I know some Albertans fish the lower mainland for coho cause i run into some at the river. Coho in Frog Water on the Vedder River has always been a mystery to me until my buddy Mike Chow graciously showed me the ropes one day.

I will be honest with you... I'm a little jelly of the coho death pool shots. Always makes me think... WHAT? HOW? Where? Why them? Why not me? Why did I go to my spot? Why do the fish gods not smile on me?

Well it happened! Dr Mike Chow and Me have been meaning to get out slaying coho on the fly since Covid was a big deal.

I dabble with Fly Fishing, but consider myself a fly fishing hack at best. While my uncoordinated casts smack down on the surface the coho didn't seem to mind. They chased down and ate my home made flies.

The river has really changed and being low and straight there are few places to wet a fly line. Fortunately there are still some spread around. Keep looking for tell tail signs of fish. Splashing tails on the surface. They love any kind of submerged wood and debris. Rocks too.

If all the stars align and you have fish, good water and the right fly you can entice some bites.

While this certainly isn't for everyone if you have the gear you could give it a try.

I just used one of my 6 wt fly rods with intermediate sinking line and different shades of Wooly buggers to entice the bites with 8 to 12 pound fluorocarbon leader material.

Varying the stripping seems to make a difference in how well you trigger hits.

As for fly colors the best recommendation I can think of is dark when it's dark and bright when it's bright.

Bring lots of flies. I was losing 5 to 6 per outing. They get snagged in trees, on fish and on the bottom. I'm using size 6 to 8 hooks.

Hope that helps you out incase you want to give it a try. Questions below?

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[Smoky buck]

Coho has to be my favorite salmon to target and great on the fly

With coho first light is my favorite as the fresh fish are in higher numbers and often more aggressive. Once they have been harassed they get more finicky. I would actually throw 3-4inch tinsel flies or buck tails on a floating line at times. Basically stripping the fly above the chum fairly fast. The coho will come up and chase the fly aggressively. You need clear calm water for this.

Way more fun than swinging flies but it’s usually a short window first thing in the morning

The Vedder is not a river for me too many bad experiences with idiots

[SNAPFisher]

Nice! Yeah my go to for cohos usually involved blue, white and/or silver flash.
It really is the a lot of fun on a fly rod.

Next time you are out at Uclulet try dragging a fly, same one really, in the middle between the two down riggers. Adds to the excitement when coho are around
I've had a few nice double headers with a nice chinook on the down rigger and a nice coho on the fly at the same time.

[Mr Flyguy]

Originally Posted by Smoky buck

Coho has to be my favorite salmon to target and great on the fly

With coho first light is my favorite as the fresh fish are in higher numbers and often more aggressive. Once they have been harassed they get more finicky. I would actually throw 3-4inch tinsel flies or buck tails on a floating line at times. Basically stripping the fly above the chum fairly fast. The coho will come up and chase the fly aggressively. You need clear calm water for this.

Way more fun than swinging flies but it’s usually a short window first thing in the morning

The Vedder is not a river for me too many bad experiences with idiots

Yeah, the Vedder can be a real gong show in October. The Harrison and Chehalis Rivers, especially the Harrison, offer more space for fly fishing for coho and of course for cutties and chum. And there are places in the Fraser itself where one can find coho with the fly rod.

Over on the Island beach fishing can be good for coho on the fly.

My favorite fly is the Mickey Finn.

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by Mr Flyguy

Yeah, the Vedder can be a real gong show in October. The Harrison and Chehalis Rivers, especially the Harrison, offer more space for fly fishing for coho and of course for cutties and chum. And there are places in the Fraser itself where one can find coho with the fly rod.

Over on the Island beach fishing can be good for coho on the fly.

My favorite fly is the Mickey Finn.

Chehalis below the Easter seal is where I commonly caught coho on big streamers on a floating line. But often rain made the windows for this limited. If I remember hearing right from a friend this stretch is closed to fishing now

The Harrison is great once you figure out the channels the coho run. Waders or a boat makes a huge difference too. When I guided and clients wanted cutties/bulls the Harrison was my first choice if timing was right. Being a bigger river it takes a little more time to dial in and a lot of guys give up or get intimidated because of it

Back when you were still allowed to target sturgeon in the Harrison I caught a few from a float tube on that river lol

But really I got turned off from salmon fishing from the people over time. Watched the numbers of fish decline, numbers of fishermen increase and the ethnics go to crap. Coho was my favorite to target when I did

[Brandonkop]

Yeah, coho fishing is great. I've caught them on the surface trolling a center rod with a spoon. I'll have to try dragging a fly.

Yeah Vedder is busy, but I also fish some of the other less crowded rivers like we're mentioned in the comments above. I usually fish weekdays though and usually find decent elbow room to fish on the Vedder. Some guys are pretty crazy. I just leave if any craziness occurs and move to another location. Some people feel they own the river I guess. I don't mind moving. There are fish all over. It's fun to catch fish in the in between water where nobody else is fishing... avoid the crowds and catching fish is always fun.

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[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by Brandonkop

Yeah, coho fishing is great. I've caught them on the surface trolling a center rod with a spoon. I'll have to try dragging a fly.

Yeah Vedder is busy, but I also fish some of the other less crowded rivers like we're mentioned in the comments above. I usually fish weekdays though and usually find decent elbow room to fish on the Vedder. Some guys are pretty crazy. I just leave if any craziness occurs and move to another location. Some people feel they own the river I guess. I don't mind moving. There are fish all over. It's fun to catch fish in the in between water where nobody else is fishing... avoid the crowds and catching fish is always fun.

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Yeah it can be special especially at the bridge south of hwy 1

Sounds like you are doing what I often did and hit the small unnamed runs/holes to avoid some of the BS.

Looks like you enjoyed yourself and that is what matters

[Marty S]

I heard of a spot on the Nass up north, climb down a rope to pool where crick dumps into river, early august I think. Coho spossed to jam up hard, 7 lb fish every cast.

Sounds like an awful lot of fun

Got me a new knee… might be able to do it someday.

But now if I can just remember who told me and where exactly!!! Think I have a pretty good idea.

Sounds much better than a Sask/Man pike trip, less money for sure… just need to buy a .338