# September Coho



## muddyfeet (Nov 27, 2007)

Hello,

Hoping for a little insight. Might be able to make it back to the UP in September. Will always schedule time for some Brook Trout fishing but have always wanted to try for some Coho. Will the Coho be around the mouth of rivers mid to late September? No boat, so will be limited to surf fishing.
Hard to beat a fish dinner or either Brookies or Coho.
Please advise. 
Thanks in advance!


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## Superior Outfitter (Feb 19, 2018)

Yes, you will find coho at the river mouths and fish in the river. Should be some kings mixed in depending on where you go.


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## B.Jarvinen (Jul 12, 2014)

Yes, they can be ‘around’ then. Have caught several while fishing for Brook Trout on streams that close Sep. 30.
But #s and the times they appear are harder to predict. I have seen small streams absolutely loaded up with them in late October, also.

The weather the next month and what that then does to stream water temps will set up the dates.

The first week of August looks to be cool, for example, but that is all that is known so far.

And their population in Superior is purely natural now, and fairly variable. Last year’s runs were quite poor. But a good year will come along again, too.

Overall, the bigger river systems will attract more fish and thus a better chance at an early one. But there aren’t a lot of those to just pick from. Most Superior tribs are small. I would say that when picking amongst the unmentionables, the ones with a steeper gradient offshore are probably better. If you can wade out 50 yards and it is still waist deep, there probably won’t be many fish hanging around within reach of surf fishing techniques.


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## CoWalSki (May 31, 2003)

Without giving out your most secret info, what do you use, spinners, spoons, spawn, crawlers? Will be up there for the rock show if any. Our anniversary is that weekend and this is our favorite place to go. Any info would be greatly appreciated. 

Take care and be safe out there. 
CoWalSki


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## B.Jarvinen (Jul 12, 2014)

spinners, spoons, spawn, crawlers

All of the above.


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## Teggs (Mar 20, 2013)

late sept is a great time to be on the river fishing coho. I like meps spinners and drifting beads under a float when i am up in the river. at the mouths and in the lake spoons and anchord spawn sacks will work good. you will find fish in all parts of the water system during this time. there will be dark older fish and fresh ones as well


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## hhlhoward (Mar 1, 2012)

Any places that would be worth fishing during august on the lake superior shore?


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## Gordon Casey (Jun 13, 2017)

Teggs said:


> late sept is a great time to be on the river fishing coho. I like meps spinners and drifting beads under a float when i am up in the river. at the mouths and in the lake spoons and anchord spawn sacks will work good. you will find fish in all parts of the water system during this time. there will be dark older fish and fresh ones as well


I fish the Canadian side of Superior. Late Sept. early Oct. is best. In Canada rain dictates when the fish are in the rivers. Hit it right and it's all day fun.


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## Whitetail_hunter (Mar 14, 2012)

Cohos love black spinners.


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## muddyfeet (Nov 27, 2007)

Thank you very much for the information! Now just crossing fingers and toes I can make it UP. Dang work has been very busy.


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## Superior Outfitter (Feb 19, 2018)

Don't forget some crankbaits. I like the same stuff that we use for kings just a little smaller. Jointed rapalas, thundersticks, hot n tots and flatfish all work great.


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## muddyfeet (Nov 27, 2007)

Thanks Superior Outfitter! Will bring em up.


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## Grinnell (Nov 20, 2019)

2/5 oz orange and gold Cleo. 4” Berkeley gulp alive smelt on a jig. Jointed rapala chartuese. Fresh spawn.


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## 4seasrob (Apr 12, 2005)

Thanks everyone, I’m hitting the UP next week. Copper Harbor….


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## hhlhoward (Mar 1, 2012)

4seasrob said:


> Thanks everyone, I’m hitting the UP next week. Copper Harbor….


Can't wait to hear the report!

Sent from my moto z4 using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


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## muddyfeet (Nov 27, 2007)

Well, I did make it UP. 
Love this time of year. Cooler temperatures. Starting to color up. Few bugs. 
Most of my time was spent Brook Trout fishing. Which only worked out to about 2 to 4 hours a day. I did end up casting heavy hardware into Lake Superior. Just not the location that I still wish to fish this time of year. No fish but still enjoyed just being there and giving it a try. 









As for the Brookies....they as always make my day and dinner. Day 1 no fishing. Just lots of time setting up camp and settling in. Good number of Beers to help. Rained the first night but the river was still in great shape.. 
Day 2. Covered a lot of water on a 4 hour stretch. Lots of chasers and kept 2 for dinner. 








Day 3.......Is when I casted hardware into Lake Superior. Then did hit a 2 hours stretch of river mid afternoon. The Brookies were aggressive this day and keeping only males for another dinner.
























Already looking forward to next season!


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## Martin Looker (Jul 16, 2015)

This time of year they look like someone polished each one of their spots.


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## hypox (Jan 23, 2000)

I'm fishing now and October coho seem nonexistent. At least where I'm at anyway.

But the weather is fantastic.


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## B.Jarvinen (Jul 12, 2014)

It is October now, but finally a Mission Accomplished - brought a Coho home for my Dad’s Birthday.

Reached the central U.P. coast after dark Friday and tried casting at a Creek mouth for an hour. A beautiful moonlit evening but no fish action. Little surf either, was the best beach fishing conditions. 

Started right up again this morning an hour before sunrise. A bit more swell had come up overnight however, and daylight revealed that I could only spot even a 1oz Kastmaster beyond the break for about 15 seconds of retrieve. The entire rest of the retrieve would be in the surf wash full of sand - pointless. Lake is lower than the last few years and casting from shore now will take waders rather than just hip boots.

And the Lake isn’t creating those nice pools at the mouth now; the trib I was standing at was looking like a dry August level of flow. I gave up and walked up to the “head of navigation” for the Coho at least; not a fish to be found anywhere.

So I headed on into town to try the nice little fishing pier but mostly to get the word from the locals, which was: “very slow.” No bites for them this morning either.

Most soon departed but before I could get a season update from the last of the dawn crew, a unique fishing family showed up. One of those bunches that bring 4 rods out to fish but somehow, only one, or zero, lines are ever in the water, as they fidget with everything and the kids run around pretending they are in fencing class but with fishing poles. The first thing one kid did was to walk right over next to the local guy, cast in front of him, and attempt to retrieve with the reel upside down. The guy promptly packed up and left. So, not much news to be had. 

Eventually the ADHD kid was casting over his back while he faced away from the water and when he tried this only 10 feet from me I had to put him in his place, cuz Gramps sure wasn’t gonna say a thing to the kid. I really think the kid had no idea what could happen when treble hooks are flying through the air. Gramps just completely ignored me while I explained a few things. 

It was clear the little crew had never done much beyond a little bobber&worm for panfish. Ahh, the joys of Salmon season, when everyone gets Salmon Fever. Even with a kids pole with a beetle-spin lure tied to it, being cast 15-20 feet at a time. 

I had to take a break and retreated to the truck for a bit. I picked up my phone to check the “Major/ Minor” periods for the day. I have never understood those and want to learn more about them. I can only sometimes use those anyway; today was just a brief chance to fish that I had to take with or without that info. But the good news was: a Major was starting the very minute I was looking at the phone!

And you can guess what happened next: the hyper kid with the Beetle-Spin had his rod bend majorly for 10 seconds or so. Salmon!

Amazingly, this didn’t keep the little group out there. Gitchee Gumee came through, big time. This was probably the first day this fall with wind chills in the 40s and wind speeds were increasing dramatically. Even Gramps wasn’t dressed for that. Even better, a cloud deck was finally starting to cover that horrible clear blue sky. 

As the chaos bunch pulled out of the parking lot, I caught my first Coho of the year on the trusty 1 oz. orange Kastmaster that flew through the wind with the greatest of ease. I lost another one 15 minutes later. Alas, a Male, no bait yet, and no more time to fish as I had to turn back into a Troll for another week or so of work. 

But some Coho are in-shore at least. I do expect a good run this year, based on the WI DNR data from the fish ladder at the Brule - 2018 was a peak year. I have seen creeks fill up with these fish the week of Halloween, but then I have seen several White Halloweens as well. I think this year will be the former. Can’t wait to get back to ‘em


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## Gilb's Gills (Oct 6, 2015)

I was up for work this past week and had some time to fish local tribs. With the recent rains I figured there might be a fresh push, and I was more than happy to confirm that prediction! Landed a nice coho in the first few







minutes, then proceeded to hook 4 LRBs over 24”. Best brown fishing I’ve ever seen! Only landed a couple browns that first day, and one the next. Beautiful fall colored fish all released to battle another day.


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## hypox (Jan 23, 2000)

I'm finding far more steelhead that ho's


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