Northwest Wild Country Radio Station

Buzz Column Mug Over a million strong and the easiest of salmon to catch: Coho salmon are what many anglers are now chasing off the Oregon and Washington coastline.

Although past ocean regulations have, at times, been confusing, this year’s large run offers seven-days-a-week fishing, and has made daily limits more normal than not.

For example, the ocean zone covering the majority of the ocean off Oregon - from Cape Falcon (near Manzanita) to Humbug Mountain (near Port Orford) - is now open daily for the taking of up to three fin-clipped coho, and will remain so until 110,000 Coho are harvested. Keep in mind that you’ll have to release any and all Chinook salmon caught in this area regardless of how many fins.

Fishing off the Columbia mouth: The season off the Columbia River mouth is currently open seven days a week with a two-salmon limit, of which no more than one may be a Chinook. The quota in this fishing zone, which extends from Cape Falcon north to Leadbetter Point (located at the southern entrance to Willapa Bay), is 88,200 Coho, with a 5,400 Chinook guideline. Again, all retained Coho must have a missing adipose fin.

Most anglers reach the ocean between Cape Falcon and Leadbetter Point by launching at one of the ports (Ilwaco, Hammond, Warrenton, Astoria or Chinook) located inside the Columbia mouth. If you depart from here, realize you must pass through the “Columbia River Control Zone” (closed to angling) to reach open ocean water. The Control Zone extends from an imaginary north-south line at Buoy 10 southwest to Buoy 4 (Red), north to Buoy 7 (Green), and on to the North Jetty.

If you participate in this fishery, recognize that you can only use one lure or bait per rod and that a maximum of two single-point, single-shank barbless hooks may be used – no trebles allowed.

Should you access the ocean from the Columbia mouth, realize that on most years the bulk of the coho will likely be found just south of the Columbia mouth’s red buoy line over water that is 90 to 180 feet deep and west of Buoy 2. The red buoys mark the south side of the Columbia River channel and extend well into the ocean. If you have a chart or map-enabled GPS, you should have no problem finding this area.

Fishing the open ocean: If you try your luck out of one of the Oregon ports south of Cape Falcon, realize most experienced skippers locate salmon by running west until they find a ripline and start fishing there. A ripline is where two ocean currents meet. Coho tend to school along riplines where herring and other baitfish often congregate. A ripline can be visible on the surface and given away because of a watercolor change, temperature fluctuation or line of floating debris is visible.

Finding your fish: Information about the general areas coho are feeding can be gleaned from local tackle shops, other anglers or the internet. Keep in mind that Coho will normally be found fairly close to the water’s surface. This is especially true during the early morning hours, when most fish will be schooling within the top 15 feet of water.

Rigging up: Regardless of where you access the ocean, you’ll find herring is the most widely used bait. Try rigging your herring 5 to 6 feet behind a diving planer, trolling sinker (2 to 6 ounces) or 10 to 20 feet behind a line release held down with a downrigger. Most anglers rig their herring on a mooching leader, which consists of two hooks snelled in tandem.

A selection of Eagle Claw style 182 single hooks in 4/0, 5/0 and 6/0 sizes are what you’ll need.

Mooching leaders tied with the top hook as a slider are the most popular for whole herring, while fixed hooks are used for baits that have been plug-cut to give them the spinning action salmon like. When using whole herring, use the slider hook to place a curve in your baitfish so it will spin when pulled through the water.

Something that has produced ocean salmon for me is to tip my herring with a pink steelhead worm – like a scent filled Gulp! or PowerBait worm. Believe me, there is just something about adding a pink worm to a herring that drives coho crazy. Just attach your worm to the top hook and let it dangle straight back alongside your herring.

When fishing herring, you will find it important to wait - let them lick it - before setting the hook. Take it from Oregon fishing guide Tim Juarez of T&S Guide Service (503-842-2071), who reminds his clients to leave their rod in its holder until Mr. Salmon is stripping line from their reel.

Good luck!

-Buzz Ramsey