2025 Siltcoos/Tahk Lake Coho Thread

Once again, as we approach Oct.1, it's that time of year when coho fishermen all around the Florence area (and beyond) are heard to say..."Is the Siltcoos dam open yet?"

Good summer weather here, cool with lots of clouds and coastal drizzle, Siltcoos and Tahk are both at what I would call 'normal' levels for late September.  Expecting a decent amount of rain early next week, should bring an explosion of mushrooms and perhaps start bringing up the lakes. 

Pepper and I will be visiting the lakes often to check the water levels, I will post updates on that.  And the first nice day after Oct.1, I'm going to take her along for our annual "Opening Day" outing to Siltcoos, just not on Oct.1 this year due to stormy weather.  She's doing really well and I'm hoping can stay on the kayak and enjoy a bit more time out on the water with me.

The Tahk launch on 101 is still closed but the one just 1/4 mile away at Tahk Landing campground is open, just requires any of the federal passes.

Hoping for 'big' things from the coho at the lakes this year based on what I've been hearing about ocean conditions and coho fishing.   

cheers, roger

 

As always, I super appreciate the info and updates on the lakes this time of year! Thanks Roger!

I hit both lakes this week as part of my 'Tribute to Pepper' tour-  7hr on the Siuslaw Tuesday (IMO- salmon runs underperformed this year on the Slaw), 5hr on Tahk Wed. and 7hr at Siltcoos yesterday. (did you guys know that there is all sorts of space on the rear deck of most kayaks where you can put stuff? lol).

No change to lake water levels, not enough rain to raise them yet.  Both lakes about 65F.

Tahk was beautiful and I had it all to myself, no sign of coho yet, I went from Tahk Landing to the top of Mallard arm (2.5miles) to check my matsutake spot and, well, I found a nice one and like 4' over from it, just laying there plain as day, was my Leatherman Rev that went missing on my very last trip to Tahk last December 6.  Pepper and I came home from that trip with a huge coho and some mushrooms but no Leatherman (had no clue where I had lost it, just gone).

Siltcoos has me very excited, at the launch, guy walking his golden doodle showed me a picture of a shiny coho that he had caught Tuesday on the west shoreline.  That changed my focus from mushrooms to actually fishing harder but it's the water that got my attention, much better clarity, easily 5' in some areas on the west side.  Again I shared the lake with geese, ducks, loons, grebes, but almost no other boats.  Sure enough, up the Maple arm I had an adult coho jumping/rolling and tried for 2 hours, cast and trolled probably 8 different spinner styles/weights/colors but just could not convince him to play.  Found a foot long SRC and 16" resident cutthroat and headed home to rest my legs.   

Planning to try Siltcoos again next Tuesday.

 

Nice find on your knife! Thanks for the report!

Oct. 11 Siltcoos Bar report:  excellent but not unexpected- a deep wide connection to the ocean, easy route for the coho to swim right in and there should be plenty of water flowing over the short fish ladder at the dam.  I am optimistic about a decent number of jacks and adults coming in early this year and then hopefully even more after rains and the dam gets opened.  In my experience, early coho tend to hang out in the lake longer, later incoming fish often seem to zip right through the lake and are not as willing to play with the friendly kayak fishermen.

with wind forecast looking good and sunny or partly sunny skies, I'm planning to be there Tue and Wed of this week.

Darlings Resort posted that the dam was opened yesterday
..

Darlings Resort posted that the dam was opened yesterday
..

Darlings just trying to start a buzz and get people fishing?
Dam being tested, just opened and closed?

nope, it was open yesterday and the lake level has dropped.  red line is where it was in my original post on Sept.27, when I was there last Thursday it was basically the same, but as of this morning, lake level has dropped.

 

with the Mariners not playing until 5pm and rain expected to be steady but light (it exceeded expectations, as did the wind), I decided the dam being open yesterday required a change of plans today, so I loaded up quick and got launched by 10am. 

Water temp: 62.5F and still much better visibility than normal.

I ended up looping the lake counterclockwise (west and south shorelines felt really fishy but just SRC) and I was totally soaked, right down to my undies.  Fished across the east trestles and there were white caps on the lake by the time I got up the Maple arm above Nightingales...hooked this sweet little hen at 1:30pm trolling a 7/8 FlyingC (pink with gold blade) and she was ready to play, the treble hook had me nervous with each acrobatic event and then she decided to play hide-and-seek under the kayak with me...just 23.5" but worthy of a tag spot due to the shine on her and the effort made.  Lots of SRC are in, I released 5 and kept a 13" guy that will bake up a perfect dinner for Mrs. rogerdodger and I. 

so coho are in, some at least, lots of SRC and good weather coming this week.  cheers, roger

lots of SRC and resident cutthroat action at Siltcoos this week but not coho, I'm guessing the main coho fun will be after the big rain event coming Oct.23-27. 

water temp Oct.16: 60F  clarity- still really good in most areas

nothing going on at Siltcoos on Monday 20th, the early coho seem to have been caught or gone up the spawning streams. 

things should get interesting after the big storm comes through the end of this week, I'll be back out there after that.

here are the lake levels at 9am on Oct.24, just as the big storm is starting to hit...slightly higher than they were on Oct.12 but still well below "open the dams" levels.

Sunday 2:30pm:   Siltcoos dam is open, at least a bit, lower river moving but not strongly, lake level slightly lower than it was Friday morning before the rain started, they seem to be trying to balance inflow and outflow. 

Tahk dam is closed and lake level looks to be up a bit, still needs another foot or so before they normally open that dam.

Note on Westlake Lane County Launch-  pay station doesn't appear to be functioning, there is a sign near the ramp about paying with your phone (Parking Passport App.?  something like that). 

Also, for anyone new to the coho lakes- the 2-rod endorsement is not valid during coho season on Siltcoos, Tahk, or 10 mile lakes. 

Thanks for the update Roger.  Had thoughts of what the Storm might bring and hopes of enough water to get things going, but it sounds as though it was not a big enough dump.  My hopes had me thinking of a Wednesday and Thursday trip this week.  What are you thoughts?

Thanks,
Doug

Fished yesterday afternoon around the mouth.  Dam was partially open.  Lots of bank fisherman and about 10 trailers in the lot when I pulled out about five.  Nothing for me and heard from about five other boats as they came in.  No fish were caught by any of those boats.  I was thinking it would be much better given the rain and open dam.

11am to 5pm Monday.  not as much coho activity as expected but I saw one caught south end and one caught along east trestle, had some good whacks at my spinners but no big shiny fun hooked-up.  going back tomorrow to try again.