2023 Siltcoo/Tahk coho thread

Shot up to Siltcoos yesterday - mid morning to evening - 1 barley legal jack and 3 cutthroats. Jack wanted to come home with me and the cutties are still(14"-16") in the lake to get bigger. Was down by the far side of Booth Island getting soaking wet and then some. Casting close to/into structure. Duck hunters where in Heaven thou.

Duck hunters where in Heaven thou.

especially the ones that know how to turn coots into something tasty...

I've never seen Tahk this high, I actually didn't think it was 'allowed' to get this high.

This was 1pm on Sunday and my guess is in a few hours, so later this afternoon, Tahkenitch is going to be flowing OVER the spillways and also over the edge of the fish ladder.  At this point, no need to ever open it, just let the water flow over it. 

Update:  Siuslaw hit flood stage (18') at 3:45pm Sunday.

especially the ones that know how to turn coots into something tasty...

Dunk them in a crab pot?

8am Monday, Tahk dam 2 spillways wide open, the other 2 being overflowed by water...fish ladder is full of water, Tahk creek below the dam is same level as the lake now.

Big question- this late in the year with so much rain and more coming, will the remaining coho just shoot right through the lake without so much as a 'howdy do' along the way to the spawning creeks.  Only way to find out is to fish the lake Wednesday and/or Friday (low wind days). 

as of my departure, 1:30pm, no joy at Tahk for a group of us out today in excellent rain.  5mile arm lots of brown but the lower lake not brown.  lake is at what I would call flood level, so sign of coho, good reports of chanterelles if you can find an entrance into some shoreline national forest land.

Is there any bank fishing access at either lake where fish might wander by?  I'll be in the area next week, sans any floating device and might a have some time to throw a line in the water.

Is there any bank fishing access at either lake where fish might wander by?  I'll be in the area next week, sans any floating device and might a have some time to throw a line in the water.

Your best shot is to fish the Siltcoos River where it flows through Tyee Campground. Cast a spinner there long enough and you might intercept a fish en route to the lake. The fishing deadline is the Hwy 101 bridge.

Is there any bank fishing access at either lake where fish might wander by?  I'll be in the area next week, sans any floating device and might a have some time to throw a line in the water.

Your best shot is to fish the Siltcoos River where it flows through Tyee Campground. Cast a spinner there long enough and you might intercept a fish en route to the lake. The fishing deadline is the Hwy 101 bridge.

correct but I think it's a bit late for that this year.  the best time is right after the dam gets opened (and closed, and opened, and...), usually in late-October or early November.  There is a bit of bank access at the 101 bridge across the outlet at Tahkenitch but you need to make sure and only fish on the lake side of the bridge because same as Siltcoos, it's the fishing deadline. 

not really any coho activity on Friday up the Mallard arm of Tahk, saw one big fish roll twice early but that was it, water has cleared and is still very high at both lakes, the conduit launch was super easy to use with plenty of water to get out over the weeds.  Lake is maybe 2' below the road level.

that wraps up my salmon season, time to chase some crab and see if I can find some biters!  lol

my 4 Siltcoos coho all were caught casting the same spinner at the shoreline.