by Jason Brooks, September 28, 2015

Two days before Halloween I backed my drift boat trailer down to the edge of the river and slid the Willies off into the rising waters. Since leaving my house the rain came pouring down for the two hour drive to the coast. As I put the oars in the locks I noticed the river was quite a bit higher than when we floated it in early October. In fact back in the first week of October the river was flowing at 600 cfs, a bit too low causing us to get out and push the boat across a few gravel bars. Now later in the month it was running 2,400 cfs and rising. One thing that was the same for both of these days is that we caught fish. Two different days, with completely opposite and extreme water conditions. So how did we catch fish on both days? Simply knowing what works in each condition and where the fish would be.

Let’s first break down the low water conditions. Coho are an aggressive fish, and being a salmon they have one thing on their minds when they enter freshwater which is get up the river and spawn. If the water conditions are low the fish will hold in slack waters to conserve energy and wait for rising waters. Knowing this I like target the holding water and for Coho that means back sloughs, eddies, and deep pools, especially ones with cover such as log jams.



In low water I have found that twitching jigs is deadly for stacked Coho. My favorite offering is a Mack’s Rock Dancer 3/8 oz. black and purple jig tied directly to my mainline which is 20 pound braid on my North Fork Custom’s “Twitching” series rod. This spinning rod is 7’6” with a fast action and a long handle allowing you to use your forearm to fight the fish, as twitching jigs often tires your wrist. If you find fish in very shallow back sloughs I like to change to a 1/4 oz. jig and in swifter back eddies I will go up to a ½ oz. jig. But the 3/8 oz. jigs are a great all around size. Other popular colors are black and cerise, black and chartreuse and all black.



Twitch the jig by casting out, let it sink down to the holding fish, and then start with the rod tip just above the water and jerk like you’re setting the hook, but stop a foot to two feet off of the water and immediately push your rod tip back to just above the water. Turn the reel handle one crank and repeat the motion. Coho will take the jig on the fall and when you go to twitch it again you could be setting the hook which is why it’s important to twitch with force. For those around you who have never fished this way they will think you are snagging fish, which foul hooking can be a problem when you find Coho stacked up in deep holes, but simply release those not hooked in the mouth and soon those around you will see the difference from the cast and jerk ten feet to the smaller, quick twitching motion.

As the water rises, say on a day that starts off with a sprinkle and turns into a downpour, I switch up from the dark jigs to brighter colored ones, especially ones with chartreuse (fluorescent green). As the water turns muddy the bright colors help entice a strike.

Continuing on with rising water conditions keep in mind again that the Coho will be on the move as there is more water for them to get up the river. Also remember they are an aggressive fish, and this is where spinners and spoons shine. My favorite spinners are sizes 3 to 5 Blue Fox Vibrax in silver and chartreuse or silver and fluorescent red.

For spoons it’s hard to beat the Dardevle in the classic red and white stripe but also give other colors a try like their glow series in 2/3 ounce sizes. You want to find the travel areas for Coho, such as where the fish had been stacked up in holding water and the seam by fast water. Coho will push out of the holding waters and use the seams to travel, so not to fight the rising waters. Cast the spinner or spoon out into the fast water. Then let the spinner or spoon swing across the river and through the seam into the fish.

By the way, in case you’re wondering how I figured this out, it happened on a day that started out raining hard and never stopped. Starting down the river we hit the hole right at the hatchery. In the first hour we hooked several Coho twitching jigs. The fish were held up waiting to get into the hatchery and the water was clear enough that the jigs drove them crazy. As the day continued the water turned muddy and the fish stopped attacking my jig. A guide pulled in behind us and as I pulled anchor I noticed one of his clients was fighting a fish. The other client reeled in and I saw the large Vibrax spinner dangling off the rod. I should have taken the hint. We shared this hole together and I tried jigs while I watched his clients catch fish after fish on spinners. By the time it dawned on me that the rising water conditions and off color added up to spinners producing more than jigs it was too late. The daylight was fading and we had several miles of river to float. We followed the guide to the takeout where they proudly showed off their client’s limits. Don’t let this happen to you. Read the water conditions and don’t be afraid to mix up the offerings.

Lastly is bait. I always have a rod geared up for float fishing eggs. This works for both holding fish and along log jams or seams where fish are on the move. Last month I wrote all about fishing eggs and other baits for fall salmon so I won’t bore you here with the details however just know that you should always be ready to fish bait. Float fishing a gob of eggs is one of the best ways I know to catch Coho but don’t overlook back bouncing or back trolling eggs through deep slots either. Plunking is another great way to fish when it’s pouring down rain and you’re stuck on the bank.



Where in the river to fish: earlier in the month you can find fish throughout the rivers entire system. But for later in October and into November most of the lower stretches are void of fish. What fish that are still entering the system are heading straight for their destinations, such as the hatcheries. Stay close to the destinations if you want to find fish. The ones in the lower river are on the move, and you can intercept them from time to time, especially with pulling plugs like Brad’s wigglers in black with silver sparkle or in bright greens and oranges.



Later in the month the water conditions usually allow for easy travel to the Coho’s journey's end. By targeting the holding water near the hatcheries you will find fish stacked up. Then adjust to the water conditions to catch them. My first preference is to twitch jigs as the motion of the jig really turns on a bite and it is a fun way to fish. Then I am going switch to a spoon or a spinner, especially if the water is off color or rising. Don’t forget to cast and retrieve smaller plugs like the Brad’s Wigglers in holding water as the bright colored plug with its wiggling action is a killer on holding Coho. And when all else fails I use bait. Coho this late in the season can be a mix of fresh nickel bright to firetrucks colored red with big hook noses, either way October is one of the best months to get out and fish, no matter the water conditions.