coho fishing on the columbia

[flopearedmule]

I'm reading an article about puget sound fly fishing from the shore and it sounds like to me you could do this from the columbia i.e. rooster rock or such area. The article states that the coho tend to hug the shore between the high and low tide zones. Since there probably isn't that much tidal action, how far out would you have to cast and retrieve to see if you could get a willing coho to attack a fly? Has it been done and what flies would work? Weighted minnow type imitations? Another area might be the mouth of the klickitat. I have a pontoon with a pyramid anchor setup so I might give it a try.

[Slow and Low]

I would focus on the Klick. I do some non flyfishing there and can tell you the silvers come in thick.

[SilverFly]

I've tried at spots on the main river where the fish were present without success. Even the fish hanging out in the cooler water at tributary mouths can be "difficult" to say the least, - although they can be caught at times (if you figure out when those times are, plese let me know). If I were to try it again, I'd target the late run "N-type" fish that return in October since the water is cooler and they seem to be much more aggressive. Even then I stick to trib mouths (the Klick sounds like a good idea).

The success I have had in Bonneville Pool spots has been with an intermediate, full-sinking line, a slooooowww strip/pause retrieve and small patterns in red and purple (I've heard black can be good also). Just be sure to have a good grip on your rod :wink:.

[Keta Dog]

You may want to check the article to see if it is talking about fishing for resident coho or for returning adults. There are many places around the Sound where you can cast from shore to resident coho that cruise the shoreline. These fish are still maturing, and feeding, so are very agressive. The times I fished for them up there I did not make a cast until I saw one break the surface.

Since fish in the Columbia would most certainly be returning adults, and so not in a feeding mode, casting to them from the shore woudl be a very hit or miss proposition. Once they head up into the rivers then you can focus your efforts in the places where they hold and can fish with more confidence that you are getting the fly in front of them.

While catching a coho on the Columbia from shore with a fly rod is not impossible, fishing one of the rivers to which they return would certainly offer you a greater chance for success.

[Stonedfish]

Keta,
Next time you fish Puget Sound, cast whether you see fish or not. It is a numbers game and the more casts you make gives you a better opportunity to hook up. This applies to both surface and sub-surface fishing.
The fish really move around so keeping you line in the water will increase your odds.
Ocean fish are now arriving. Our recent rains seem to have both the ocean and resident fish in somewhat of a lockjaw mode. We've been having to wade through the numerous none biters to find the few aggressive fish.
The 2008 season has been less then stellar for silvers off the beaches. Some good days, some bad. Last year was excellent. It seems every year is slightly different.
I'll be hitting the beaches hard this weekend looking for that big pull.