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Author Topic: Coho or Sock?  (Read 2525 times)

Chuck23

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Coho or Sock?
« on: September 07, 2009, 07:51:27 PM »
What am I more likely to encounter in the lower fraser right now?  I landed a beauty of a fish today around 8 - 10lbs, very few spots, blue green in color no hump and a white mouth.  Just an awesome fish that I so wanted to take home and eat, but alas I could not tell if it was a sockeye or a coho as I have never actually caught either, so back into the river it went.  sigh.  So what are your thoughts?  I caught in on a silver coyote spoon with a slash of orange on it...
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gman

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Re: Coho or Sock?
« Reply #1 on: September 07, 2009, 07:57:37 PM »
Sounds like a coho to me. You did the right thing to release it being usnure.

Here's a slamon id link.
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/species-especes/salmon-saumon-eng.htm

Generally sockeye have no spots. Coho have some on the top of the body and sometimes on the top of the tail. Also a coho is more likely to be hooked on a pink lure than a sockeye its.
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Chuck23

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Re: Coho or Sock?
« Reply #2 on: September 07, 2009, 09:53:53 PM »
This thing took 2 solid runs on me, whizzzzzzzzzzz!  It was an exciting fish to land and totally fun to catch.  I will NEVER go out not knowing key ID features again - I want to keep the fish that I can but I also want to get it right! ;)
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Gooey

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Re: Coho or Sock?
« Reply #3 on: September 08, 2009, 07:45:24 AM »
Without seeing the fish, Gman's guess would have been as good as yours....good for you Chuck for not taking that risk!
 

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Frankey

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Re: Coho or Sock?
« Reply #4 on: September 08, 2009, 09:23:09 AM »
Sockeye or Wild coho must be released from the Lower Fraser. Educate yourself and you won't be wondering what you caught.
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Chuck23

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Re: Coho or Sock?
« Reply #5 on: September 08, 2009, 09:37:20 AM »
I KNOW that both must be released and as it was obviously not a Pink or Chinook - back it went. I do need a better understanding of the identifying features though - and am in the process learning them...
« Last Edit: September 08, 2009, 09:42:30 AM by Chuck23 »
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Gooey

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Re: Coho or Sock?
« Reply #6 on: September 08, 2009, 12:53:09 PM »
I have seen guys on the vedder bonk flin clipped socks thinking it was a coho, be careful and learn the species well.  My advice is go down to a fish shop and look at the species side by side, as sports fisher will very rarely get a chance like that so if you want to be able to compare the differences, thats probably the best way.  Pictures (like in the DFO web site) can be very decieving.

I personally find the color of a socs head to be a very defining charateristic (blue/green color) along with a big eye.  I also find that coho tails often are far more silvery than a socs which seems (to my eye) washed out and dull (like a pinks tail).  But I did a season of comercial fishing though so I have probably handled more salmon that most people on this board and I have seen fish bins with multiple species in it so I am fairly well practived in terms of species identification (and cleaning)! ;)

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doja

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Re: Coho or Sock?
« Reply #7 on: September 08, 2009, 02:16:14 PM »
Umm, don't think you can keep hatchery coho right now in the tidal part of the Fraser.

It is easy to tell by the mouth, not just the outside appearance.

Write it down on a piece of paper and put it in your tackle box with your license.
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