ANDYCOHO
06-21-2004, 11:49 PM
I know this is common knowledge for many on this board, but for those a little less salty.....
Well the Ocean Coho opener is finally here!! :dance: :dance:
It's one of my favorite fisheries, fast fish, aggressive fish and fast limits!
First off, safety is #1, there is no need to venture into a bad Ocean for some 4-10 pound fish. Know your boat, your crew and yourself! Make sure that you have everything that the Coast Guard requires for a venture into the salt...
OK, here is one of my favorite set ups:
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/1513Ocean_Coho_101_3.jpg
A Delta Diver with 30 inches of 40# test to a "O" Luhr Jensen Dodger and a 20 inch 30# leader to a Hootie and mooching rig or a single "Hootchie Hook". I will then place a 1 inch Chunk of Blue Label Herring on the hook. No need for a whole Herring for Coho!
Another favorite:
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/1513Ocean_Coho_101_4.jpg
Here are some of my favorite Hootchies, they are ranked from my most productive to least, left to right.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/1513Ocean_Coho_101.jpg
My all time favorite, the "Purple Haze"
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/1513Ocean_Coho_101_5.jpg
One of my favorite ports is Depoe Bay. I am always fishing at first legal light.
I will run West/ Northwest until I find 52-54 Degree water, usually 4-5 miles out. I then drop the gear down at different depths but no deeper that 15 feet. Troll a little faster than you would in fresh water, I like trolling at 2 MPH.
I will usually troll North to South, with the drift.
The action at first light can be very fast and quick, with multiple hookups and fish waitn' to be netted, this is where you need to take your time! I almost lost a person overboard a couple of years ago due to a double hookup, fish slime on the floor and an excited netter! So be careful and take your time!!
As the day wears on and the schools of Coho go deeper and spread out, you need to change tactics a little:
1) Go deeper. Start droppn' the divers down to where the fish are on the depth finder. Coho look like little specs of bait fish on a fishfinder in the salt.
2) Troll like a drunk. Alternate your trolling speed, troll up to 3-4 MPH. I have caught Coho trolling for Tuna a 9 MPH, so don't be afraid of speed. Make sharp turns in rapid succession. Bring the boat to a complete stop then start trolling again.
3) The figure "8" Once you find some fish just keep making a figure "8" above them....it works!
4) Don't leave fish to find fish! I know it's tempting, you hear a hot report from a buddy 2 miles away, but your still puttn' a fish in the boat every 15 minutes or so. But most of the time you are better off just changing things a little on your school of fish to finish off your boat limit. Throw something different at them! Maybe a Coyote:
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/1513Ocean_Coho_101_2.jpg
Maybe a whole Herring with a banana weight mooched through the school.
If you are still fishless and getting frustrated with a couple of hours on the salt....look around, find the charter boats and run to them....but only as a last resort....
A little tip for identifying Coho in the Ocean: Coho look Green in the water where Chinook look Purple. Coho will also come to the boat with their mouth open like a baby bird waitn' to be fed.
Hope see you on the water or at the dock with a limit of fish!!!
Well the Ocean Coho opener is finally here!! :dance: :dance:
It's one of my favorite fisheries, fast fish, aggressive fish and fast limits!
First off, safety is #1, there is no need to venture into a bad Ocean for some 4-10 pound fish. Know your boat, your crew and yourself! Make sure that you have everything that the Coast Guard requires for a venture into the salt...
OK, here is one of my favorite set ups:
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/1513Ocean_Coho_101_3.jpg
A Delta Diver with 30 inches of 40# test to a "O" Luhr Jensen Dodger and a 20 inch 30# leader to a Hootie and mooching rig or a single "Hootchie Hook". I will then place a 1 inch Chunk of Blue Label Herring on the hook. No need for a whole Herring for Coho!
Another favorite:
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/1513Ocean_Coho_101_4.jpg
Here are some of my favorite Hootchies, they are ranked from my most productive to least, left to right.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/1513Ocean_Coho_101.jpg
My all time favorite, the "Purple Haze"
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/1513Ocean_Coho_101_5.jpg
One of my favorite ports is Depoe Bay. I am always fishing at first legal light.
I will run West/ Northwest until I find 52-54 Degree water, usually 4-5 miles out. I then drop the gear down at different depths but no deeper that 15 feet. Troll a little faster than you would in fresh water, I like trolling at 2 MPH.
I will usually troll North to South, with the drift.
The action at first light can be very fast and quick, with multiple hookups and fish waitn' to be netted, this is where you need to take your time! I almost lost a person overboard a couple of years ago due to a double hookup, fish slime on the floor and an excited netter! So be careful and take your time!!
As the day wears on and the schools of Coho go deeper and spread out, you need to change tactics a little:
1) Go deeper. Start droppn' the divers down to where the fish are on the depth finder. Coho look like little specs of bait fish on a fishfinder in the salt.
2) Troll like a drunk. Alternate your trolling speed, troll up to 3-4 MPH. I have caught Coho trolling for Tuna a 9 MPH, so don't be afraid of speed. Make sharp turns in rapid succession. Bring the boat to a complete stop then start trolling again.
3) The figure "8" Once you find some fish just keep making a figure "8" above them....it works!
4) Don't leave fish to find fish! I know it's tempting, you hear a hot report from a buddy 2 miles away, but your still puttn' a fish in the boat every 15 minutes or so. But most of the time you are better off just changing things a little on your school of fish to finish off your boat limit. Throw something different at them! Maybe a Coyote:
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/1513Ocean_Coho_101_2.jpg
Maybe a whole Herring with a banana weight mooched through the school.
If you are still fishless and getting frustrated with a couple of hours on the salt....look around, find the charter boats and run to them....but only as a last resort....
A little tip for identifying Coho in the Ocean: Coho look Green in the water where Chinook look Purple. Coho will also come to the boat with their mouth open like a baby bird waitn' to be fed.
Hope see you on the water or at the dock with a limit of fish!!!