Siltcoos/Tahk/10mile lakes coho thread

Tried Siltcoos today.
Not much to report. Saw one fish roll about 100' off the launch ramp, and another in the vicinity of the river mouth.
Trolled all the way to the Maple arm terminus and back.
Then, mostly for sight seeing and exploring sake, went most if the way down Siltcoos river. Not one roll or jump witnessed, nothing on the finder. Quite stagnant green water. Only the fish ladder on the dam was open, but a lady living on the river said she heard they might open the dam tomorrow.
Didn't see any fish caught, or talk to anyone who had.
I did get one drive by, but guessing it was a bass or trout.
Was a beautiful peaceful morning, with mist rising off the water, and loons calling.
More rain this weekend....

Interesting. Thanks for that report. I

Thanks for the reports!

If the weather forecasts hold, Vets Day weekend could be the game-changer for these fisheries.

Thanks for the reports!

If the weather forecasts hold, Vets Day weekend could be the game-changer for these fisheries.

Checked the lakes Friday 2:30pm:  Tahk dam closed up tight. Siltcoos outlet not moving, algae really bad, large boat launch at the Tyee exit totally empty, not even one car or trailer in it. On the upside, it has been raining all day, need plenty more.

Twas a lovely, albeit chilly day, on Tahkenitch's Mallard arm.

Our group of 3 kayaks, and maybe five or six powerboats.

I managed a 13" largemouth, and a 13" cutthroat. Got both on a trolled orange wiggler. One member of our group lost a nice jack at the boat, but that was the only evidence of salmon we saw the whole day.

Hopefully next week. Great seeing you n Pepper, Roger!

heavy rain coming Friday and Sunday, should get both outlet rivers moving, looking forward to fishing next week during breaks in the weather. hopefully also start improving visibility in Siltcoos.

Friday 10am update:  both dams closed up tight. boat launches at both lakes approaching where they usually start letting water out, up another foot for sure the dams get opened. Water at Siltcoos looks much better, algae bloom might be behind us, water at Tahk yesterday was 57F.

today and Sunday are absolutely 'stay off the lakes' days according to the forecast but next week is looking like light and scattered rain...fingers crossed the wind takes the week off.

here's 11yo Pepper in her cold water kit and she knows what to do just before launching on a 6 hour search for salmon. lol

in case anyone is curious about who controls the dams at Siltcoos and Tahk, it is this large industrial property near Reedsport that is about to go to auction:

https://nbc16.com/news/local/hundreds-of-acres-of-industrial-property-with-water-rights-up-for-auction-in-gardiner

several years ago I had a discussion with an ODFW biologist and as I recall, the dam owners are required, for the protection of houses and docks on both lakes, to keep the lakes between a defined 'low' and 'high' water level, that is it.

there is a small dam at the south end of Tahk Mallard arm that can be opened to drain water down to the industrial property (I assume there is a connection between Siltcoos ahd Tahk to move water between the lakes) but the top requirement is not let the lakes get too low or high. ODFW doesn't control the dams for the benefit of the coho runs or fishermen.

dams closed Sat. 10am, both lakes up about 1 foot, finally seeing coho jumping in the lower Siltcoos river as they slowly head for the dam, this next week looks really good, as does next weekend.

I did not see any fish in the pool below the Tahk dam, it still might have very limited connection to the ocean, once that dam opens, I expect good fishing there.

Thanks for the update, Roger!

I don't know much about fishing either lake other than the dams being open or closed have a lot to do with the ability for coho to enter the lake.  Are they stacked up between the dam and the ocean in the outlet rivers?  Is it legal to fish there?

I hope this rain helps you guys out.

I don't know much about fishing either lake other than the dams being open or closed have a lot to do with the ability for coho to enter the lake.  Are they stacked up between the dam and the ocean in the outlet rivers?  Is it legal to fish there?

I hope this rain helps you guys out.

Can't fish below the dams anymore. Both of the dams have ladders, but coho only seem to trickle through them. For Siltcoos, it may have something to do with the lack of attraction flow. The river below the dam is tidally influenced, so the ladder only has adequate attraction flow at lower tides. Tahkenitch outlet is basically a tiny creek at base flows.

I think it was 2019 when it was crazy dry through most of November. Coho started stacking up below the Siltcoos dam, and the pinnipeds were having a heyday on them. Didn't get any decent rains til December that year.

Opening the dam gates is what really gets these fisheries going. It allows all sorts of fish to swim into the lakes. That's why every now and then, someone hooks into a sturgeon or striper in Siltcoos. They swim up when the gates are open. With the amount of rain we received last night and what's expected to come tomorrow, it should bring up the lakes enough to open the gates and produce good fishing. I'm sticking with what I said over a week ago: Vets Day weekend is lookin' good  .

Clayman's correct, the fishing deadline is the 101 bridge over each lakes outlet, no fishing below that. Tahk dam is right there, close to 101. Siltcoss dam is in the forest, 1/4mile west of 101, about 1/2mile from there is the ocean, its basically the top of tidewater.

with the spillways closed, both just have water flowing through the fish ladders. I've been told that opening the dams does several things- cuts a larger/deeper channel through the beach into the ocean (in the past there were times they used dynamite to connect the outlet to ocean) and sends a signal to the fish out there in the ocean.  Another thing is that it makes it easy for any fish holding below the dam to just swim right through.  Once the dams are cracked open, it seems like good sized groups of coho will come in on the high tides and just blow right into the lakes, leading to many happy fishermen. 
 

I'll be camping at Tahkenitch Landing on Wed night (Nov 9th), and fishing Wed n Thur.

Not sure which lake on which day yet.

Anyway,  anyone welcome to join, no cost to you.

Sunday 10am- absolutely pouring rain, both lake levels higher, both dams closed, anticipation growing....I'm really expecting to see both dams open on Monday.

Siltcoos launch, 10am water level check the last 3 days...

Excellent! I will be making a run down next Friday.