Fish I.D. Coho Salmon - Oncorhynchus kisutch

[KingSalmon Admin]

Coho Salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch

A.k.A. Names: Silver Salmon, Silvers
Family: Salmonidae
Range: Monterey California, North to Bering Strait Alaska, Great Lakes Region, Bering Sea Regions
I.D. Tips: The gum line is white to light gray, hooked upper jaw
Run Timing: Off the Coast in summer, enters in September to October, small Winter coho runs occure in Oregon & Washington
Travel: Travels in small groups, moves with haste through center of stream
Holding: Back eddies, slow moving deep pools, some small riffs when moving
Spawning Preference: Gravel side channels and shallow riffs, spawns through December
Spawning Color: Scarlet red with black patches
Average Adult Size: 6 to 10 Lbs - Larger in Alaska and Canada

Please Keep Native Salmon & Steelhead in Water While Releasing Them!

Fresh or Bright Female Coho Salmon

Fresh or Bright Male Coho Salmon


School of Coho Salmon Traveling


Coho salmon [Oncorhynchus kisutch] are a mid size salmon. Coho salmon have a hydrodynamic shape built for speed and feeding while in travel. Fresh coho salmon are silver with white belly. Scales fall off in net when ultra fresh. Male and female coho can develope a kype or hooked upper jaw. Some larger males will have a toothy hooked shape kype much like the sockeye salmon. Red with patches of black or dark green are typical spawning colors for the coho salmon.

Male Coho Salmon in Spawning Colors


Female Coho Salmon in Spawning Colors

All photos: Matthew Clark

Coho Salmon Links & Resources

• Land Big Fish.com: Coho Salmon
• Silver Salmon Fishing SSSF
• Wiki Coho Salmon

Fish I.D. Pages SSSF

• Fish I.D. American Shad - Alosa sapidissima
• Fish I.D. Chinook Salmon - Oncorhynchus tshawytscha
• Fish I.D. Chum Salmon - Oncorhynchus keta
• Fish I.D. Coho Salmon - Oncorhynchus kisutch
• Fish I.D. Pink Salmon - Oncorhynchus gorbuscha
• Fish I.D. Sockeye Salmon - Oncorhynchus nerka
• Fish I.D. Steelhead Trout - Oncorhynchus mykiss
• Fish I.D. Walleye - Stizostedion Vitreum
• Fish I.D. White Sturgeon - Acipenser transmontanus

Bright Male Hatchery Coho Salmon - Clipped Adipose Fin


Angler Lands Hatchery Coho Salmon