SILVER SALMON (Oncorhynchus kisutch)

-The most acrobatic of all Pacific salmon when hooked

Color:	Silver sides, white belly and dark metallic blue to greenish colors on back and upper sides Gradually reddens and darkens when in freshwater streams	Yet another member of the family 'Salmonidae', the Silver or Coho Salmon is one of the most exciting to fish for largely because of its antics when hooked, but it is also a delicious tasting salmon that can sometimes run in very large numbers. If you see large congregations of fisherman in the fall, in Alaska, they are probably on a Silver stream.
Size:	8 to 12 lbs average and 24 to 30 inches long Up to 20+ lbs
Method:	Cast and retrieve in freshwater, trolling or drifting near shore in saltwater
Gear:	Pixies, Coho flies, streamers, big spinners such as Vibrex, eggs and if fishing saltwater, trolling with herring or lures works well
Range:	Southeast to the Chucki Sea and lower Yukon River near Canadian border
Season:	Peak from June to September, year-round in ocean
Taste:	Delicious, but less pleasant when close to spawning Recipes
Record:	26 lbs, Icy Straight, Andrew Robbins 1976
Back Issues:	August 2002 August 2003

Appearance

Adult Silvers will weigh between 8 to 12 pounds and span 24 to 30 inches long; however, trophies of up to 26 pounds have been caught.  Fish in the sea are dark metallic blue or greenish on the back and upper sides, a brilliant silver color on middle and lower sides, and white below. There are small black spots present on the back and upper sides and on upper lobe of the caudal fin. During breeding, fish turn dark to bright green on head and back, bright red on the sides and often dark on the belly. Females are less brightly colored than males.  When in prominent spawning colors, males develop a hooked nose called a kype.

Location

Cohos range all the way from the arctic coast of Point Hope, through the Interior and south to the Alaska Peninsula, Kodiak Island, Kenai Peninsula, and southwest panhandle.  However, the largest populations are found in the southern regions of the state, closer to Cook Inlet and the Gulf of Alaska.  When deciding where to fish Silvers, consider whether you are seeking size, numbers or solitude and choose an area accordingly.  

Diet

Silvers primarily feed on herring when in saltwater, but their second favorite meal is sand lance.  Juvenile silvers eat more crustaceans and invertebrates.  In some populations, adults will eat less fish and will tend to be smaller.  When reentering freshwater streams to spawn, salmon stop feeding altogether.

Angling Methods

In Alaska, Fall is still 'the time of the Coho', and we Alaskans look forward to their return. They are easy to fish for, requiring less skill than fishing Reds or Kings, and putting up an excellent fight, leaping repeatedly and not giving up until landed.  They are distinguished as being the most acrobatic of the Pacific salmon.  Tidal estuaries offer the most exciting fishing because the closer the Silvers are to the saltwater, the harder they fight.

We mostly use Pixie's to fish for Silvers but also Coho flies, Wooly Buggers, streamers, big spinners, (some people love the Vibrex) and if fishing saltwater, herring does the trick. In the ocean, using a boat to troll or drift near shore is common practice. Herring works well as bait, as due lures.  If fishing on crowded streams or rivers, always be considerate of your neighbor.  Practice good manners by reeling in your line and waiting when the person next to you has a fish on. 

Life History

When it is time to spawn, the female finds a spot and digs a pit, called a redd, all the while becoming increasingly aggressive toward other females. While digging, her attendant male protects his domain, driving away other males. As soon as the redd is done, the female drops down into it, immediately followed by the male. They open their mouths, quiver and release eggs and sperm. One female will drop as many as 2,400 to 4,500 eggs. Afterwards, other males move in and release sperm into the nest. The female moves quickly to the upstream edge of the nest and starts digging a new redd, covering the eggs. The whole process will repeat for several days until the female deposits all her eggs. The male then leaves and may seek another female.  The spent female covers the redd with gravel and usually continues to dig until she dies. The spawning ritual typically occurs at night.

Eggs hatch in the spring, but the tiny salmon will remain under the gravel; feeding off their yolk sacs.  About 25 days later, the fry emerge and will live in fresh water for one to three years in streams, after which time they migrate to freshwater lakes or to the sea. Silvers will reside up to five years in lakes, but will eventually seek saltwater. Upon reaching the sea the smolts remain inshore for a time feeding on plank tonic crustaceans and moving farther out as they grow larger.  Silvers reach adult sizes by 18 months, at which time they return to freshwater to spawn in their native streams.  However, some males, called jacks, will spend only six to 12 months in the ocean before departing inland.

Angling History

In many native cultures, salmon have a great impact on the way of life, and it can even be said that native life largely revolved around the annual salmon runs. Salmon had a place in the stories told by elders, in the artwork of the people, and some of the names for the months of the year had to do with the salmon running at that time. The coast 'Salish' people called September, 'chen'thaw'en', or 'time of the Coho'.

Fish Alaska Magazine