Watch Coho Change Colors as Spawning Nears

The weekly coho counts have been increasing as the river flows have improved for upstream migration into the North Umpqua. Also, the fish are changing colors as they mature and get closer to peak spawning times just a few weeks away. Many of the adult male coho display beautiful red colors and extended noses. You will also note that about 4 out of 100 coho are smaller in size, less than 20 inches,and are called "jacks". These are 2-year old mature males that return early and are a good predictor for how many adults will return the next year. The rare early returning female coho are called "jills". Yes, even nursery rhymes can contribute to science data.