coho salmon

Kodiak Island: A Multi-Species Fandango!

by JD on September 2, 2011


As promised, I am going to get a little more into last week’s Alaskan adventure here…starting with the awesome diversity of species you can catch armed only with a spinning rod, rental car, a handful of lures and a healthy sense of adventure!

We obviously didn’t get our mitts on everything that swims around the island — not even close — but we did pretty well considering we had no access to a boat! Here’s a look at some of the critters we caught… [click to continue…]

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Mexican Salmon!?!?!?

by JD on July 27, 2011

Who's up for some pink meat fish tacos?


Every once in a while, boats off San Diego will catch a salmon or two. Even less frequently, there’s one caught south of the border. Then, you’ve got Thomas D. Bryant, the great Mexican salmon slayer. He caught this hatchery coho while fishing off a jetty 72 KM south of the U.S. Border. And get this…it’s his second one!

This fish was a loooong way from home, too — especially when you consider that California uses maxillary clips — not adipose clips — on coho. Seeing that this chromer is missing his adipose fin, it was at least from an Oregon hatchery…and, who knows…maybe even further north than that! Read the entire story on BLOODY DECKS

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Starting ‘em out early (2011 Smoker of the Year Contest entry)

by JD on April 16, 2011

Could young Max someday give Hall of Famer Harrison Ibach a run for his money? Time will tell...


We may just have a young prodigy here — Max Wagner sent in this photo of 9-year-old Max Jr. with a well past its prime coho from Washington State’s Yakima River to be entered into the Smoker of the Year Contest I was unaware that coho even make it back to the Yakima anymore…or perhaps it was just a typo and it was supposed to read “Yuckama,” which would make more sense…

Well, anyway, the aspiring youngster gets many style points for holding it away from his face as far as possible — and the look on his face is classic…it’s almost as if he’s saying “Dad, snap the pic before I puke!” Well done, young man! You have a bright…er…”dark” future ahead of ya!

If you think you’ve got a fish dark, rotting and skanky enough, send us an email and we’ll tell ya how to enter it!

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Coho salmon slowly returning to California’s Russian River

by JD on March 26, 2011

Scientists working on the recovery of endangered coho salmon in northern California appreciate success even if it comes in small doses. Field biologists from the California Department of Fish and Game recently reported that the fall of 2010 produced the largest number of returning coho in tributaries of the Russian River in more than a decade.

Prior to the launch of a recovery program in 2001, the number of returning adult coho salmon averaged less than four per year. These low numbers were the catalyst for the Russian River Coho Salmon Captive Broodstock Program, a recovery effort in which offspring from hatchery-reared adults are released into the river system. This past season, biologists estimate that more than 190 adult coho returned to the Russian River system, beginning with early storms in October and peaking in December. [click to continue…]

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What’s your Favorite Color? Part 2

by JD on December 20, 2010

So, that little thing I did a few days back on green being my favorite color…well…maybe I should clarify. What I should have said was green is tied for my favorite color with chrome.

Here’s what I mean… [click to continue…]

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Fall Chrome

by JD on October 8, 2010


Need I say more??

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Strong coho salmon run expected in Willamette Valley; Bag limits increased

by JD on September 24, 2010

Co-ho-ho! Christmas is coming early to the WIlamette Valley!

Oregon is on fire! No, not literally…but damn, do they have some fish up there this season. The bag limit for Columbia River Chinook was just increased and now the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife just announced that the daily bag for silvers is now 3 per day on several Willamette Valley area streams!

Effective Sept. 23, the daily bag limit for coho salmon increased to three fish on the Willamette, Clackamas, Sandy, Molalla, Santiam, Yamhill, South Yamhill and Tualatin rivers and Eagle and Gales creeks. Prior to the rule change, the limit was two coho per day.

The increased bag limit was prompted by recent information that indicates strong returns of coho this year. Through mid-September, more than 4,000 adult coho have already passed ODFW’s fish counting station at Willamette Falls. In addition, strong returns have also been observed at ODFW’s Sandy Fish Hatchery and on Eagle Creek, a tributary of the Clackamas River. [click to continue…]

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Coho Kryptonite!

by JD on September 1, 2010

Sometimes you’d swear coho salmon are related to piranhas..they’ll attack anything you put in their collective paths with reckless abandon. In other instances, however, they can be the most coy, brooding and annoyingly moody critters on planet earth.

Luckily, there’s a little secrete weapon you can hit ‘em with that seems to turn on even the most lockjawed silvers…

Read all about it in my article in the current issue of FISH ALASKA Magazine

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