There are a few lessons that will have you as an expert in knowing when Coho Salmon go deep.

Knowing When They go Deep

There are a few lessons that will have you as an expert in knowing when Coho Salmon go deep. The first lesson is knowing how lake water churns throughout the seasons along with the water temperature. Below are four images that represent the four different seasons.

In the spring, water temperatures are consistent throughout the lake, though there may be minor fluctuations. Coho Salmon move freely throughout the water but are often found in the shallows as this is where the bait fish are located. Cooler water brings all fish species into the shallows either for feeding or spawning.

Summer sees the biggest temperature gradient of all the seasons. Surface temperatures can exceed 80°F at the surface and drop all the way down to 40°F/5°C. During the summer, bait fish and other fresh water species go deep. Species like Coho Salmon often go down to 200 feet or more during this time only going shallower to feed.

Fall is much like spring. The water temperatures throughout the lake is the more or less the same, around 40°F/5°C. Coho Salmon can be found at any depth, usually following the bait fish, which are often in the shallows during this time, though some are found deep. The exception is spawning Salmon.

Oddly enough, it is warmer at the bottom of lakes. The complete opposite of what most people think and the reason why many people cannot find or have trouble finding Coho Salmon in the winter.

Most freshwater fish species, Coho Salmon included, go deep, often to the bottom of the lake during this time.

Going Deep to find Coho Salmon

Since Coho Salmon prefer the 53°F zone below the thermocline, they can be found anywhere from the shallows to very deep down in the lakes, going as deep as 250 feet in some cases. And, seeing how the great lakes can easily go down as deep as 1330 feet, they have all the cold water they require.

Ocean Deep Water Patterns

The ocean is governed by different temperature patterns. The flow of water is on a planetary scale. Water moves from the equator to the poles along particular pathways.

The currents sink at the poles and bring the cold water back to the equator where it is heated again and sent north bringing armer water. This is known as the Great Ocean Conveyer Belt, or Great Ocean Conveyer for short.

For this reason, ocean temperatures are far more moderated than freshwater lakes.