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Resident coho answer amphipods dinner bell

2K views 16 replies 15 participants last post by  Puget Sound Pimp 
#1 ·
Since the sea-run cutthroat fishing is starting to slow down, I decided to go fishing yesterday for resident coho during a nice ebb tide. For the first 2 1/2 hours the fishing was a bust as I saw only two jumpers. However, I was encouraged to see bonaparte and common sea gulls sitting on the water surface feeding on amphipods. I stopped my boat and could see some reddish/brown amphipods(1/16 to 1/8 inch) slowly spinning just below the water surface.

With a food supply of amphipods available there had to be some resident coho somewhere. So I went to a location where amphipods normally get pushed to on ebb tides. Upon arriving at the location a few jumping resident coho were seen with more showing themselves the last 1 hour of the ebb tide. The fish were moving back and forth along the shoreline in 18 to 20 ft. of water along a noticeable bottom break from shallow to deeper water. It was a cat and mouse game to get within casting distance of them which is always fun and challenging. The best strategy was anchor the boat and wait for the resident coho as they moved up and down the shoreline. If the fish would stay put out of casting range for 5 minutes or so, I would move to that area and reanchor. I didn't have any success drifting and casting in towards the shoreline. I prefer to anchor the boat since it is possible to keep a tighter line and better hook set.

About 1/2 hour before the low slack tide the schools of resident coho had moved about 1/2 miles down the beach as the amphipods got pushed by the tidal current. The resident coho were again active in water 18 to 20 feet deep and up to 200 feet from the shoreline. The fishing was excellent through the first 3/4 hour after the start of the flood tide.

The fish at the first location were 11 to 12 inches and 14 to 15 inches at the second location with many more fish landed there than the first location. Photos below show two fish(14 to 15 inches) which were kept for the dinner table and amphipods which were stuffed into their stomachs by the thousands.

The pattern of choice was an olive/white tube clouser minnow. I should have tried Jeff's conehead squid pattern as it probably would have worked.


Roger
 

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#5 ·
Great report, I enjoyed the detailed info. It's always a bonus to know exactly what they're munching on, one of the advantages of a boat. We had good success a week ago from the beach with about the same size as you ran into, I think our biggest was around 14", if I didn't still have some in the freezer I might of kept a couple myself. Yum!!!
 
#9 ·
Roger, thanks for another great informative report. Mike Tinder mentioned Delia's Ghost pattern that as Roger says, "It's whats for dinner." I am attaching the handout from my Puget Sound Fly Company demo if anyone is interested in tying Jeff's pattern.
 

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#16 ·
However, I was encouraged to see bonaparte and common sea gulls sitting on the water surface feeding on amphipods. I stopped my boat and could see some reddish/brown amphipods(1/16 to 1/8 inch) slowly spinning just below the water surface.

Roger
Nothing like searching for your quarry and matching the hatch.
An excellent post as usual Roger and thank you for sharing it with us.
 
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