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Coho Salmon
Species Information
| Scientific Name: | Oncorhynchus kisutch |
| Common Names: | coho, silver salmon, Coho Salmon |
| Environment: | Lake, River, Stream, Inshore, Nearshore |
| Ideal Temp: | 53-58°F (12-14°C) |
About Coho Salmon
The coho salmon is a species of anadromous fish in the salmon family. Coho salmon are also known as silver salmon or "silvers".
Coho spend approximately the first half of their life cycle rearing and feeding in streams and small freshwater tributaries. Spawning habitat is small streams with stable gravel substrates. The remainder of the life cycle is spent foraging in estuarine and marine waters of the Pacific Ocean. Some stocks of coho salmon migrate more than 1,000 miles in the ocean, while other stocks remain in marine areas relatively close to the streams where they were born.
During their ocean phase, coho salmon have silver sides and dark-blue backs. During their spawning phase, their jaws and teeth become hooked. After entering fresh water, they develop bright-red sides, bluish-green heads and backs, dark bellies and dark spots on their backs. Sexually maturing fish develop a light-pink or rose shading along the belly, and the males may show a slight arching of the back. Mature adults have a pronounced red skin color with darker backs and average 28 inches (71 cm) and 7 to 11 pounds (3.2 to 5.0 kg), occasionally reaching up to 36 pounds (16 kg). Mature females may be darker than males, with both showing a pronounced hook on the nose.
The traditional range of the coho salmon runs along both sides of the North Pacific Ocean, from Hokkaidō, Japan and eastern Russian, around the Bering Sea to mainland Alaska, and south to Monterey Bay, California. Coho salmon have also been introduced in all the Great Lakes, as well as many landlocked reservoirs throughout the United States.
Coho Salmon Fishing
| World Record: | 15.08 kg (33 lb 4 oz) Salmon River, Pulaski, New York, USA |
| # Fish Caught: | 157831 documented in database. |
| Earliest Record: | 1/1/1800 12:00:00 AM and located at 55.61037, -159.21618. |
| Latest Record: | 12/9/2024 10:19:20 AM and located at 45.52345, -122.67621. |
| Common Techniques: | Casting, Fly, Trolling |
| Popular Lure Types: | Flies, Plugs, Spoons, Topwater, Trolling |
| Fishing Spots: | 7718 Coho Salmon fishing spots. |
Latest Coho Salmon Fishing Reports and Spots
8/14/25 Fishing Report The first coho are officially in the channel! Last weekend's rain helped flush out some old salmon in the rivers and as (
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8/21/25 Fishing Report The coho fishing is on and it is as good as we have ever seen. People are starting to find more fish up and down Thane (
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by: Native Fish Society McKenzie River Steward Dave Thomas You are likely aware of recent reports of Coho salmon in our beloved McKenzie. Gener (
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September Columbia River salmon fishing in Portland Oregon is a salmon anglers dream. The Columbia River stretching from Portland to Hood River (
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7/31/25 Fishing Report The nice weather continues and word is that one lucky angler tied into a coho at the Shrine this last week! There are a (
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Fishing has remained steady at the Lodge with several hot spots continuing to deliver great results for our guests. Shag Rock has been especiall (
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Well folks welcome back to another Kingfisher Report from QCL! This past trip marks the official halfway point of the 2025 season and things ar (
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It’s been an exciting week at QCL with a noticeable shift in the fishery as we move further into July. The return of steady bait and some more f (
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We are finally at the end of June and the Coho run seems to be in full gear. The New Moon this week brought a 14+ foot tide change and with it p (
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Buoy 10 often referred to as the Super Bowl of salmon fishing kicks off on August 1 on the Columbia River estuary. Once again I will be utilizi (
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