SILVER (COHO) SALMON
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The Alaska silver salmon has been called the greatest Alaska sport fish. The State of Alaska sport fishing record is 26 pounds. The general weight range of silvers runs from 9-26 pounds. The Coho has certainly had an important place in Alaska subsistence and commercial fisheries. The life cycle of the silver salmon is similar to that of the Alaska king salmon. Silver salmon will stay in the freshwater for a year or two before migrating to the saltwater where they will spend at least 2 years swimming the Kenai coastal waters or in the Gulf of Alaska. Even as young smolt in freshwater the Alaska silver salmon is a voracious and aggressive eater making it one of the best fighting fish in the Gulf. Beginning in mid-July, Alaska silver salmon will begin to congregate in bays and near mouths of their spawning streams and rivers as they wait for nature to optimize water temperature and stream flow before they continue migration to their freshwater spawning grounds. The Coho or Silver is regarded as top three in the Salmon species and on market the delicious meat can cost up to $16 per pound. Silvers have dark metallic blue or greenish backs with silver sides and a light belly and there are small black spots on the back and upper lobe of the tail while in the ocean. In the saltwater, Silver Salmon are known for their crazy antics, they leap, roll and charge around the boat making for a sometimes crazy but fun experience.
You will be provided with the industry’s top gear to help optimize your chances of landing a silver salmon
Mooching for Salmon:
ROD: Penn Mariner 6’ (15-30lb) Salmon Rod
REEL: Penn GTI 320 (4:3:1) High speed retrieval for maximum control
LINE: P-Line #25lb Green Fluorocarbon. Best line on the market, invisible to the fish and retains no line coiling memory.
BAIT: In the adult stage the Silver feeds primarily of small fish, such as Herring, and Sand Lance. On our vessel you will be provided with cut Herring and premier salmon tackle. The fishing style is known as mooching, and is done by moving your rod tip up and down creating a crippled like action from the bait. Silvers will be scattered through the water column at times and can usually be found between 10-100ft deep.
There are very strict rules and regulations on salmon fishng and your bag limit depends on which fishing grounds the captain is fishing. If fishing outside the bay the limit is 3 wild salmon but if fishing only in Resurrection Bay the bag limit of Silver Salmon is 6 per person given that there is no Ling Cod on board.
