Northwest Wild Country Radio Station

MOSSYROCK - I’ve fished Riffe Lake six times this year, all before Memorial Day. You see, the attraction here on this 23-mile long, 11,830-acre (full pool) Cowlitz River impoundment are landlocked coho, the only place I’m aware of in Washington State with such a population.

These are not kokanee (landlocked sockeye), which any ding dong who pays enough attention not to pee on the floor knows the difference. There are no kokanee in Riffe, just the other silver bullet that averages 13 to 15 inches. They'll push 18 inches in July.

So you out there who call them “kokanee”, stop it. Now. Landlocked coho, Gomer.

And there are tons of them. Red-meated and out of sight barbecued or smoked. Twelve to 30 thousand, figure the biologists. They strike very hard, rip lines out of the clip, leap repeatedly, fight remarkably well for their size. And they bite early, so sleep this time of year (light at 5 am) is out the window.

But the thrill of just the chase is worth the pain ...

Holy Diver
Riffe Lake coho Bill Herzog I took a few of my Sportco fellow employees for a troll about in Edgar last Tuesday on Riffe Lake. Lance (the Secret Chimp) from camping and Danny from optics were wide eyed and not ready for action at this pace. I warned them. Rapid-fire hookups are the norm at Riffe. The magic that you feel is worth a lifetime.

Six, no, make that nine doubleheaders. Forty eight landed in two hours. Raining, dark day. Who noticed? Just a rainbow in the dark.

Although this year nearly every combination of dodger, trolling blades, wedding ring spinner or mini squid can and will catch Riffe Lake coho, there are still a chosen few that outshine the others.

First by a long shot is the 5.5” Blue Bahama Rocky Mountain dodger, 12” of 10# Ultragreen leader to a hot pink mini squid, two tandem #1 Gamakatsu red drop shot hooks tipped with natural Gulp maggots soaked in Pautzke’s Powdered Krill. A slather of Pautzke’s Gel Krill on the head of the squid and game on, fellas.

Make it better? Yep. Ad a tiny 00 or 000 blade and clevis on top of the squid. Called by the toll of the bell.

Troll 1.5 to1.8 mph. Coho like it much quicker than their sockeye brothers. Put it down 40 feet behind the clip, 27 to 35 feet down.

After this all time combination, take your pick. "Tackle box challenge" out on Riffe. Cry out to legions of the brave, bring the kids, enjoy one of the best bites in the state right now. Average days see nearly 50 hookups!

There are two serviceable launches now on Riffe until the lake rises, one at Mossyrock Dam and the other on the east side of the lake at Tadnaipum Park near the fishing bridge.

Metal to the end.

-The General The Zog Blog takes on Riffe Lake coho 2