Coho limits hit on last‑minute trip

The crab have been coming in big and full lately with consistent limits of 12 large Dungeness crab per person on the dedicated crab trips. This trip in particular was a fun way to get out and spend a shorter day in the fall before going back to the dock, warming up next to the crab cooker, and enjoying one of the most tasty treats the Astoria area has to offer. We left around 10 AM, enjoyed the scenery and trip down to the lower end of the river. Once we did the initial check and rebaited the pots we did a little bit of sightseeing , and then pulled half of them again to finish off the boat limit of 48 large crab. We even had sort out some of the smaller keepers in order to maximize the size Once back at the dock we all hung out, cleaned and cooked crab, and got them ready to go home. I was able to do a quick lesson on how to get the meat out of the shell before everyone headed out. All in all, a great way to spend a beautiful October day.

The expanded three fish limit for coho in the lower Columbia River is there for good reason. There are a lot of fish biting early and often. We chased the tide and the fish all day and managed to not only limit out our crew with their 12 fish, but I ended up tagging 2 on my own tag to add to the bounty that they were able to share and take home to their families. These guys were back for a second year and I love repeat clients. They were all pros getting the fish into the boat and it was just fun for all of us. I can't wait for their next trip!

We set out around 7AM with a hot tip from a buddy of mine and immediately dropped into a multiple hookup trolling pass with one in the boat and a couple lost before I could even give instructions on how to reel in a salmon. To say we were "on fish the whole day" would be an understatement. As soon as the bite died down in one spot it was time to land on another massive batch of fish in another. Between releases, missed bites, and fish in the boat the rods dove for the water over 30 times. Our crew ended up with 12 nice salmon, including one upriver bright chinook that looked to be as near as perfect quality as you can get for a fall salmon in the Columbia River. To make it even better, the Coho are averaging around 10 lbs now which means we're in for some amazing fall coho action with lots of quality fish to the boat. Today's crew was made up of some repeat clients and new friends that they brought aboard. It's awesome to see folks come back year after year. This is the type of experience I live for. Not only did they have a great time, but they somehow even had a better time than last year. I can't wait to see them again with smiles on their faces when they get on board and when they leave with another 30 lbs of fillets!