Puget Sound Coho (Silver) SALMON run prediction of 897,000 fish for 2026!

Puget Sound Coho Salmon

• Coho Salmon are present in Puget Sound all 12months of the year. Many leave the sound for the fertile feeding grounds of the pacific and return to the Seattle area starting in mid-August and peak around the second week of September Silver salmon are caught deep into October most years.

• Resident Coho salmon tend to stay in Puget Sound never reaching the Size of their ocean-going cousins. June, July and August are the main months for resident Silvers.

• The retention is highly regulated, but with strong returns forecasted the 2026 Season is open June through October. Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife has forecasted 897,000 coho, this is a 15% increase vs the 10-year average!

• The Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), famously known as the Silver salmon, is an elite Pacific saltwater sportfish praised for its aggressive behavior and brilliant metallic appearance.

Key Characteristics

• Size: They typically weigh 5 to 13 pounds, though they can exceed 20 pounds in other parts of the pacific. Resident coho are typically 2-5 pounds.

• Appearance: In the ocean, Coho have bright silver sides, dark metallic blue backs, and fine black spots restricted to the upper lobe of their tail fin.

• Spawning Transformation: As they enter freshwater streams to spawn, their heads turn dark green, and their bodies develop striking, deep crimson-red sides.

Life Cycle and Behavior

• Anadromous Lifecycle: They hatch in freshwater rivers, migrate to the open ocean to feed and mature, and return to their exact home streams to reproduce.

• Diet: Juveniles feed on insects, small minnows, and small crustaceans. Adults primarily prey on smaller fishlike herring and anchovies.

• Reproduction: Females dig gravel nests called redds to lay several thousand of eggs. All Coho salmon die after spawning, returning nutrients to the river and surrounding forests.

When is the best time of year to fish for Coho (Silver) Salmon?

• Mid August through October is the best time for Ocean Run Coho.

• June through Mid-July is the best time for the Resident Silver

When is the best time of day to fish for Coho (Silver) Salmon?

• Morning trips tend to be more consistent for Coho Salmon ‍

• The salmon bite is highly impacted by tidal movement; we often have a great bite on afternoon Seattle salmon charter trips.

What is the retention limit for Coho (Silver) Salmon?

• 2026 Silver Salmon retention limit is 2 Silver salmon per person

What is the most effective fishing method to catch Coho salmon?

• Downrigger trolling is highly effective for Coho Salmon especially mid-September through October

• Mooching or Drift fishing August, well into September is a great technique

• Wind Knot Guides offers both mooching and trolling for Coho Salmon.