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[fisharoo]

How big do coho smolts get in the river? I read they can spend up to 3 years before leaving the river. And what is the smallest size for coho jacks?

Can someone please confirm that I've made the proper IDs on these past catches (jack or smolt). Thanks~!

Please note that fish where gently picked up and placed for a quick photo and promptly returned.

A smolt I caught on a small croc. It's about 9" long.


A Jack I caught on a small spoon. About 11" long. There's dots on the upper part of the tail (hard to see in photo)
**Please note it was in the mouth, I'm not the guy who snagged him and ripped the fin.**

[zap brannigan]

Some jacks can be quite small in some systems first one is a smolt by the looks of the rounded tail other one is a jack, smolts stay usually a year and are usually 4-8 inches.

[fisharoo]

Thanks Zap! I was surprised at how small that Jack was.

Do jacks bite easier than adult coho?

[zap brannigan]

their bait pigs, worms, roe, krill anything really.

[Rodney]

Smolt is a juvenile stage of anadromous salmonid which takes place in the estuary/brackish part of the river where they adjust between fresh and saltwater before migrating into the ocean. You don't catch smolt in a river.

Not sure what species that first one is as most of its body is overexposed in the photo. Looking a bit closely, you can see spots right across its body below the lateral line.

The size of jacks can vary between 10 and 16 inches long, depending on the amount of feed, the genetic of the population, etc. Jacks are obviously more aggressive when devouring bait as they are younger. Younger organisms are not as experienced and educated.