Just back from "my local river" that would be the Chehalis for people who appreciate useful reports
and have to let you know there's plenty of fresh hos still to be had but you gotta hike for them if you're not going to be there at first light when they're on the move.
Stopped by Inch Creek along the way and cohos there are getting colored up and pretty scarce. Decided to just head on to my fav the Chehalis instead and do some exploring. Spoke to one guy coming out of the the canyon that got a couple but the weather looked cold and rainy up there and decided to head for the sunshine down lower instead. Started bushwhacking about 1:30 and after almost an hour of not finding a fishable piece of water with hos was about to head back and then I stumbled (almost literally) across the El Dorado!! Couldn't believe my eyes!! A whole pool of about 20-30 chrome coho :owith only a few chums mixed in. Getting across to the other side where there was a small opening in the trees where you could just barely fish required a high wire act across a fallen tree bridging the stream. Was a tight spot and had to clear some branches but second or third drift with roe and the first silver coho hit and went wild and lost it. Then another and lost it.
Realized the tight conditions meant a change of tactics and the next two I landed quickly and were beauty chromer hatchery.
Lost another after that and things slowed as I think they got wise. Decided to head back as it was starting to get dark and I really didn't know how far I had gone so didn't want to be crossing some of the streams and not being able to see the shallow places for crossing or the setting sun for my bearings. Didn't hit a single chum and all the cohos willing taken the roe. Next time I'll bring my lighter action shorter rod and just use a single split shot and smaller float to try and minimize the visual clues for them. Was using 8lb leader about 26 inches.
So go get 'em guys they are definitely still out there in numbers if you want to go find them.
Tight lines!