October Coho on the Columbia

October Coho on the Columbia River

What a ride 2025 has been for fishing enthusiasts like us here in the Pacific Northwest. From Spring Chinook runs to summer's smallmouth bonanza, throw in some rockfish, pink salmon and walleye to the mix the an it has been a spectacular year. And now, as the leaves turn and the air crisps up, Mother Nature's serving one last banger: a bumper crop of big, beautiful Coho tearing through the Columbia. Late October, and these fish are still pouring in.

1 oz twitching jigs tipped with sandshrimp and Procure Scent did the trick on these Columbia River Coho.

I linked up with my longtime friend Jason Hambley for a dawn patrol at the mouth of the Klickitat River. The setup was textbook Columbia: Slight cool breeze on the water, under a beautiful sunrise, and that electric buzz you get when you know the bite's on. We targeted the area with 1-ounce twitching jigs—nothing fancy, just proven workhorses rigged with fresh sand shrimp and some Procure scent for that irresistible scent trail. And folks, it was lights out. We absolutely crushed the Coho, pulling in a limit of chrome-bright hens and bucks that looked like they swam straight out of the Pacific that morning.

There's something magical about hooking these fighters this far upstream. At this time of year, they're at peak condition—silvery scales flashing like new dimes, full of fight and ocean-fresh vigor. No wonder they're a PNW staple for the table. That night, I fired up the grill for my go-to fall feast: grilled Coho fillets s paired with Spaghetti Squatch. It's the kind of meal that tastes like the season. Stay tuned—I'll drop a full recipe post next week, complete with step-by-step photos.

Fresh caugh Coho and Spaghetti Squatch is a true PNW Fall dinner treat. I'll do a recipie post for this soon.

Before we cleaned our catch, I made a fish print from of a hen and buck in their full glory as a reminder of the day.

BMO Fish Print to remember the day!

It was a great day of fishing, and one that I will remember for a long time.

Bill

Bill Matthews Outdoors