Line shy coho

[natetreat]

I spent another morning at the Wallace river today, and it was frustrating. You could see about thirty fish in the hole, but they wouldn't take anything. When another guy showed up I went up with my polarized sunglasses I watched as people drifted through the fish, as thier line approached the fish would actively swim away from the bait. Even the guys that were drifting with 15 pound test of so, the fish would see the line and swim away. Especially the guys tossing spinners later in the day. And the fish were all fed up at the end and not even eating anything. There were only fish in that one hole and a few others in the river, but I didn't get a single hit all day as I watched the fish run away from my line.

Does anybody have any tips to get the fish to bite? Would six pound test line be enough to bring one of those fish in? I was drifting eggs and it seemed they were even afraid of the hook.

[curado]

these fish are line sensative trust me. i fish 6lb leaders for fish like this and smaller presentations. like instead of a #2 hook i switch to a #4

[natetreat]

Alright, that's what I'm gonna do next time. Are there better colors that would work in these crystal clear waters also? When the water was up I was fishing a small corky in green and yellow with black spots, and it worked really well, but they don't even look twice at my line now :/

[curado]

darker colors. black, purple, dark metallic green is my fav wallice river color along with corky X

[fear_no_fish]

come on john dont give all the secrets away
but yeah he pretty much nailed it here
maybe try 10lb fluro, if you like using the stuff

[natetreat]

Thanks guys!

[curado]

remember this the wallace river cohos are very picky on what they take. i have a certain color of corkie i do good on when the silvers are in the wallace. same with about 3 other colors that catch silvers for me out of there.

[Matt]

Just do what I do and snag 'em.

[pilchuck]

Haven't met a line shy coho yet! Coho are the most tempermental/finicky fish there is when in freshwater. Given the circumstances when people are tossing lures bait etc. at them and watching from above in a small pool sure there really not gonna strke. To answer your question on them being line shy cut of your lure bait etc. and run a bare leader in front of them and watch with your polarized glasses from above and see if their line shy. It's not the line that's got them worked up. No need to drop down to 6lb and 15lb is way over kill! Keep up your reports, I enjoy the reads.

[gpc]

Try a 6' 8# flouro leader, a 1/2" piece of pencil lead, and a #4 blue gamakatsu with a red corkie

[natetreat]

Haven't met a line shy coho yet! Coho are the most tempermental/finicky fish there is when in freshwater. Given the circumstances when people are tossing lures bait etc. at them and watching from above in a small pool sure there really not gonna strke. To answer your question on them being line shy cut of your lure bait etc. and run a bare leader in front of them and watch with your polarized glasses from above and see if their line shy. It's not the line that's got them worked up. No need to drop down to 6lb and 15lb is way over kill! Keep up your reports, I enjoy the reads.

Yea, I guess they must be. It's a smll river up there and when it's low there's barely anywhere for them to hide out. I had fish on the first to time after the rain when it was really high, but when the water went down it was bye bye fish. I guess I gotta scope it out and find a hole that doesn't get very much pressure and wait for 'em there. They aren't anything like the kings that are pretty much sitting ducks and will bite anything that swims by. I have two spools, I'm going to see what happens when I use lighter line and then how it compares to the 20# power pro that I've got. I'm gonna try 6# all the way, we'll see how that holds up and besides, it'd be a kick in the pants to land one with such light line. With the water this low I'd have no problem following it up or downriver like I was having before with ten. Other than that I'm gonna have to buy more line.

[pilchuck]

Do what ya see fit. If ya think new line will help you catch fish have at it. Line has nothing to do with it.

[curado]

i would go with a 8lbs main though

[HOOKEDONFISHING]

6lb leader on silvers will be a challenge to bring in with those head shakes.

[knotabassturd]

nate I think you could work 6 pound lead 8 pound main espeically in smaller water if room and no crowds. You could do 6 all the way, but those first couple runs when the fish are bright can be real FAAAAST. Even if you can hoof it up or down and have a nice straight away for them to run (no corners or snags) sometimes the only way you can prevent breakage on a fast initial charge is to have the reel drag set light (even for 6 pound- not too light obviously, don't want backlash and SNAP happening). If I am fishing light line, I keep the drag a little loose for the pound test and tighten it as I fight the fish and it tires.

Also keeping them in the deeper water area of small water keeps them a bit less gung-ho at running way away. Those things can burn when they get hooked in holding water but then make a run into shallow water without finding deeper water to slow down. they'll probably keep going until they find deeper water or get worn out. Of course if they do the head rub in the rocks you are probably toast cuz the line is so light it'd be hard to force their head up easily and any fray they get on a rock would spell trouble.

OK never mind, go with 10 pound LOL.

Just my half penny's worth:)

[spokey9]

jus need a slower action rod with that light of line so the rod take most of the shock from the headshakes instead of the line. i fished springers with 8lb main & leader on a noodle rod and ended up landing an 18 to 20lb native steelie with no probs

[knotabassturd]

jus need a slower action rod with that light of line so the rod take most of the shock from the headshakes instead of the line. i fished springers with 8lb main & leader on a noodle rod and ended up landing an 18 to 20lb native steelie with no probs

Good point, long noodle rods open up a lot of light line options.

[fear_no_fish]

Your more than fine with 8lb main and 6lb leader as long as the fish doesnt run to a snag or anything like that but at that point it doesnt really matter anymore and noodle rods are a great idea

[Matt]

The fish in the Snohomish system are notorious for going lockjaw too. Sometimes fish just WON'T bite, they just simply will not. Best thing to do at that point is leave those ones alone and find new holding water. No real point to harass the hell out of a school of fish if it is pretty clear they are not going to willingly hit anything.

I rarely sight fish salmon for this very reason.

[lukesfishin]

i'm with matt, if its the hole im thinkin, all day and night those fish see pressure, if u can see the fish, they can see u and there not gonna hit crap
try up/downstream, in the wallace the fish are in every deep hole, get low(maybe even on your knees) and make sure ur not fishing shoulder to shoulder

i stopped fishing up there years ago because of the flossers and too many inticer setups (trebble hook and hollow lead)