Feature article in STS published back in Nov 1982 recalls a glory day 12 years previous. These five fish had a mean weight of 19 pounds. CRAZY!

Some mighty big coho used to swim in the lokal krik...





I believe it was the senior Dragoo that delivered a powerful and passionate testimony at a NOF meeting in Montesano City Hall about 5-6 years ago.

Now we've got nets 5 days a week targeting what few of these late wild coho remain.

Some of us, remember those days. My 1st plug caught fish, were Coho, in the Chehalis, below the mouth of the Satsop.

It was December 31, either 1975 or 1976, weather was cold. My boat was a 14' StarCraft and 15 HP motor "non jet". I remember, no other boats, when I got there but one outfit pulled in as I was going down the river.

Dropped over the Satsop, found a place, on the North side of the river, put anchor out.

Rod was FS85 Fenwich but had a Pflueger 510B level wind. Plug was a Tadpolly....put plug out, went to pour some coffee, never got coffee poured......rod was doubled over...........worked fish in......chrome bright.....18+ male, put plug back out......tried to pour coffee, not to be.....2nd even bigger Coho male.

Done fishing, went back to boat launch......other boat was just getting started. Wanted to know if I had trouble, said no, I was done......comment was something like "no way"........so held both fish up, they about xhit their pants.

Did the same, next day, January 1, 75 or 76........wow, time goes by to fast.

QIN never netted Chehalis, after October until late 80's or early 90's, then it was for hatchery steelhead, ya right......lots of big native Coho died in the nets and still do.

Thanks for helping me remember "the old days"....

Yeah, after that STS article was printed in 1982 the river got crowded. I saw as many as 5 driftboats in a single day on the river one time.

My biggest coho fell to a Flash-Glo spinner on that river.
Lots of great times there back in the day.
It is a shame what has happened to that stock of late wild coho.
SF

And I thought it's been a good year...

used to be a great run of late hooknose in feburay. they are gone now

I was with you then Stonefish. You and I released more fish than anyone could imagine. What was really fun is when we started fly fishing for them. I remember us catching and releasing 20 fish between us in one day fly fishing. Back then you could catch bright silvers and steelhead in the same day all the way through January. It's a real shame.

Not gone but there are not many left as they were primarily West Fork fish. The Bingham lates were always smaller.

Old days huh? Well I have a picture of a 50 LB Chinook on my shop wall that I caught on the Chehalis way back when I was young. Not sure if it was legal then as at the time that mattered little as it was post Boldt. Much has changed to be sure.

How about those chrome bright winter kings!

That was the first issue of STS I ever bought back in high school. Kept it and read it til' the cover fell off and the pages came apart…..wish I'd taken better care of it and kept it. I never experienced the glory days of those late Satsop silvers but did get to shake hands a few times as I was just getting serious (and able to drive) about salmon/steelhead fishing as the run went from abundant to depressed. Magnificent fish.

There ARE still some around but the truly huge fish more often than not get selected out in gill nets and are just a remnant now. I was pleasantly surprised by a dime bright 17 lb buck Dec 26th a few years ago. Not my largest but the time of year was intriguing…….an affirmation that despite our best efforts to wipe them out, they persist in surviving.