Siuslaw coho with Pepper

real nice run of high quality coho on the Siuslaw this year, best bite has been early, first 2 hours after sunrise (Tuesday I had landed 4 to the kayak by 8am).  on Thursday, Pepper and I missed a few good takedowns and then finally hooked into this shiny 27" boy who was on fire, we had an extended "netting dance" that I got on video.  The hot spinner for us this year is below (8 coho landed in 6 days out), it has little larger blade than a 3.5 (we have had less success with those this year).

Pepper's been out back-to-back twice this week- PB with friends day 1 and then kayak with me the next day, old girl still brings me the luck I need. 

I also got this silly shot of us from the video...

That is a beautiful fish. I think coho is the best eating salmon.

NICE !!

Pepper saying good job Dad.

Very nice.  I came up empty for coho while in BC earlier this year.

by good fortune, I captured on video what so many of us have experienced trying to net a tidewater salmon, the 'netting dance' that at times seems to go on forever, trying not to force things too much (despite seals in the area), the fish going under the kayak, sun in your eyes...and thanks to barbed hook, a happy ending.

this link starts at "fish on" for the fight/netting, lots of Pepper related stuff in the rest of the video (she has lots of fans here in the Florence area) and us basically being goofballs out fishing...

https://youtu.be/IX_gttCTkyw?si=pOqvx94FTjItJGiG&t=333

Thanks for this, roger.  Fun to watch the whole video.

"Still no seals!"  Classic.

Great video!!

Thanks for this, roger.  Fun to watch the whole video.

"Still no seals!"  Classic.

all that dang splashing, just calls them in.  I had some close calls releasing coho two days prior...final score was coho 4, seals 0.   lol

Thanks for the video link!  How is your thruster system working out now that you have more time with it?

Thanks for the video link!  How is your thruster system working out now that you have more time with it?

the 'double thrusters' system has proven to be fantastic, my quest for electric back-up/assist propulsion is complete.  What I really wanted was a system that didn't replace the Mirage drive but could be quickly pulled up, from the seat in any conditions, to clean and/or stow out of the way (to reduce drag).  The recent tidewater salmon outings included trolling through lots of weed/junk lines at times, a difficult to access or clean motor system would have been a big negative.   

It was really great having them on August 13, when Pepper and I launched at Exploding Whale Park, went down the river 3miles, then hauled ass over the Siuslaw bar (not the kind of bar that you want to hang out in) and then chased salmon (successfully) to 3.5miles offshore.  No way we take on that sort or outing solo on just my legs and a 2019 MD180 Mirage drive (that has been reliable.... so far). 

also, ~2 pounds of coho candy just out of the fridge, 2 days, weighted by 5 cans of AF beer (lol)...salt/brownsugar/dill/lemon zest...