Matt Hosking of Lewiston, Idaho, set a new state record for coho salmon in October. Hosking caught the colossal coho in the Clearwater River Oct. 13, 2023. Impressed by the size, Hosking kept the 32.68-inch salmon in hopes of a record. After weighing the fish on a certified scale at a local grocery store, the 11.78-pound coho salmon was just big enough to squeeze past the previous “certified weight” record by a mere 0.48 ounces.
This will be the third year in a row where Idaho will see a strong return of coho salmon, with more than 15,000 adults passing over Lower Granite Dam. There has only been one other year where Idaho received a similar number of coho salmon.
Joe DuPont — the Clearwater region fishery manager — said fish like this are rare.
“There are bigger coho out there, but not many,” said DuPont. “Based on the 2,400 coho we have trapped at Lower Granite Dam this year, only two would surpass the size of this fish.”
The success of the coho salmon fishery in the Clearwater River has been a result of efforts by the Nez Perce Tribe, who began the program back in 1994.
Idaho Fish and Game awards state records both by certified weight (fish harvested) and by length (catch and release). You can view all the current records and how to apply on the state record fish page.
