Coho on Tuna Gear

Tinman · 08-04-2003, 06:42 AM

Great day off Tillamook yesterday. Limited on big Coho SW of T-Bay in 180 ft. They were everywhere, hitting Coyote spoons, hoochies, herring. The water was 60 degrees, and I saw a sunfish, and hooked a blue shark. That prompted me to go offshore for Tuna.

I went 21 miles due west of Cape Mears, with the water temperature climbing to 63.4. There was sea life everywhere: albatross, bait schools, sunfish and dozens of blue sharks. The water was dirty green the whole time -- definitely not tuna water. I trolled Zuker tuna feathers and a Yo-Zuri diving plug. No tuna in that dirty water.

What surprised me were the Coho. I caught three on the tuna gear, 15 to 17 miles offshore. One hit a Zuker tuna feather trolled way back at 7 knots. The other two hit the diving plug at 6 to 9 knots. Naturally I released them. I've never experienced Coho this far out and this aggressive. Since when do Coho hit tuna gear? Has anybody else seen this?

Gus Orviston · 08-04-2003, 07:41 AM

YEP, see the Miss B Tuna thread. My bro caught a nice hatchery fish on a 10" cedar plug runing about 7-8 knots [img]graemlins/stupid.gif[/img] ...holy smokes were we surprised. He went to the box of course :grin:

crazy salmon days are here.

Talk to Mel about the sunfish sighting, we saw several fins that he thinks now were sunfish...I was sure I saw a blow spout, but maybe they were sunfish?

gus

[ 08-04-2003, 08:42 AM: Message edited by: Gus Orviston ]

Mark Mc · 08-04-2003, 08:40 AM

Yep, we hooked several BIG coho on the tuna gear 25 miles off Newport. Funny thing was, at that speed they came flying (yanked?) out of the water. We could see them airborne way behind us. Thought it was strange for "tuna" to act like that until we found out what they were.

Robalo Bill · 08-04-2003, 09:07 AM

Yes, they do even at 8knots go fiqure. This past week caught coho on zuckers brooms and yozuri magnums. Tinman you were close to the tuna, send me an email I'll give you some numbers. I'm going out this Thurs-Sunday, always listening for a salty dog out of Garibaldi.

Bill

BUGLEMAN · 08-04-2003, 09:07 AM

Last week we had a clipped one nail a red zuker like feather. Needless to say it was skimmed in and put in the box. It was 15 miles out from the CR Bouy and we were trolling 8 mph. Kind of makes you wonder about that bucktailing we hear about from time to time.

Born to be Wild · 08-04-2003, 01:28 PM

There's an independent charter in Depoe that trolls coho btween coho and tuna speeds. Feels he covers more ground this way and they will hit at a fast troll.

And yes, they hit rockfish gear also. Think they will hit anything that remotely resembles a fish.

Dan

Big TULE · 08-04-2003, 05:40 PM

PILAR tought me something about coho in the salt, not only are they greedy, but they are stupid also...
But they taste great on the bar-b-q.

Born to be Wild · 08-04-2003, 06:11 PM

Quote:

PILAR tought me something about coho in the salt, not only are they greedy, but they are stupid also...

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helv">Only the hatchery ones are stupid. :grin:

But they taste great on the bar-b-q.

Dano

Ramstrong · 08-04-2003, 08:00 PM

I hope there are single barbless hooks on the tuna gear. I'm sure there aren't many gamies out 20+ miles. But just in case, I don't know if I'd be putting coho caught on barbed multiple point hooks in the box. Especially when the darn things are so easy to catch.

TideRipper · 08-04-2003, 11:31 PM

Thanks for the report Tinman. I've been wondering how the fishing was out of Tillamook. I looked at the SST that night and saw a small patch of warm water right at Tillamook Bay. Looks even more spread out tonight. Starting to wonder about the 52-54 degree water temps that coho prefer. Seems like they stray into the warmer temps quite often. Probably more food there. What do you guys think?