Coho on the Tualatin River?

[shonuf]

I see in the regs book that retention of clipped coho is legal from October 1-31st. Has anyone actually caught any cohotheir? I did see a dead one last October on the bank near the foot bridge between Cook and tualatin park.

What would you use in a river that slow? Spinners?

 

[Keith]

A few years back I caught a chinook (I think) in Gales Creek near the highway 6 bridge. It waws pretty beat up, but it must have been a pig when it was in good shape!

It was crazy to catch that thing in there, but it did happen.

 

[Noahk]

I meant to give the Tualatin a try last year for Coho, but just got too busy. I haven't ever heard of anyone catching one but if I caught one there I probably wouldn't post a report of it either. I would think spinners would be your best bet.

Looking at the counts last year, I'm not sure that there were that many fish in there. If you really want to hit it this year I'd watch the counts and try to time it with when there are a number heading over the falls.

 

[veilside180sx]

A few years back I caught a chinook (I think) in Gales Creek near the highway 6 bridge. It waws pretty beat up, but it must have been a pig when it was in good shape!

It was crazy to catch that thing in there, but it did happen.

Was more than likely a Coho that you hooked in GC. I've never heard of a Chinook being caught out of it or seen signs of any, but anadramous fish are known for going random places...so i wouldn't be too surprised. There is a STEP program on Gales Creek, which supplies the majority of the Coho that come through the Tualatin.

I have seen fish in GC that were still silver and hadn't turned red, but most are pretty colored up by then.

 

[fish4life]

I would think that the fish would be natives and not clippers.

 

[ChezJfrey]

I would think that the fish would be natives and not clippers.

I believe a non-clipped Coho is still eligible for retention in the Tualatin between 8/1 and 10/31.

From the regs:

"Harvest of non-adipose fin-clipped salmon or steelhead is prohibited
in the Willamette Zone with the exception of coho salmon and
summer steelhead above Willamette Falls..." and "Tualatin River - Open for coho salmon Aug. 1-Oct. 31."