Fresh Woodland Fishing Reports

Awesome day in the ocean! Limits of coho before 9am. We spent the rest of the day tugging on sturgeon. Or maybe the sturgeon were tugging on us, sometimes it’s hard to tell.

The Fall Chinook Season is starting in the Columbia River in less than a month. August 1st the river opens and I will be starting my season at the famous Buoy 10 fishery. With well over 1 million salmon predicted to enter the rivers mouth this year I expect fishing to be nothing short of excellent. I still have availability in the month of August and September.

Summer Steelhead This Summer we seem to have a strong run of Steelhead showing up. While targeting Salmon in the Columbia River and its tributaries for Salmon we lucked into quite a few bonus Steelhead. Late June and July is the best time to catch these silver bullets. In the Columbia River I anchor the boat on points in the river that these fish have to swim around. This puts our gear in front of as many fish as possible which results in more fish in the box! If you are looking for a more active fishery I will also be spending some time in the Lewis river chasing these fish. Here I like to side drift small bait of cured salmon eggs or small pieces of shrimp. When you get a bite the rod is in your hands and I like to describe it as feeling like a rubber band is on the end of the line, then a fish jumps out of the water and you know you have em on! It is rare that these fish don’t jump. This style of fishing requires a lot of casting throughout the day. On a typical day I fish almost the entire river so its a constant change of scenery. Ocean Salmon and Trophy Sturgeon We are forecasted to get around 1 Million Coho Salmon back the the Columbia River this year. That is a HUGE number of fish. Our first crack at them is in the Ocean during the summer months. The last few years the Ocean Salmon fishing has been great. With a run this size coming back it could be down right insanity! My preferred bait of choice in the Ocean is an Anchovy. Spin one of them behind a Diver or a 360 rotating flasher and you have a deadly combination for catching these fish. If the Ocean isn’t your thing, or you just want to have the most fun of your life in a boat Sturgeon fishing is for you. This is arguably the best fishing the Columbia River has to offer, yet it gets the least amount of pressure out side of the very few keeper days we get. These fish are big, prehistoric and pull like a freight train. Often these fish come flying out of the water showing you their entire body multiple times throughout the fight. You may also be thinking about the huge rod, big reel and deep water to catch these fish. Well in the estuary of the Columbia River its rare that I fish deeper than 20 feet, most of the time 2 – 8 feet of water. This makes catching an 8 foot fish a whole different ball game. If you are looking for something to get the family together, take customers or co workers out of just have fun with friends this is something you need to try.

Ocean Salmon With 1.7 Million Coho and over a half-million Chinooks forecasted to return to the Columbia River, the Ocean Salmon fishery is just the start to an epic fall ahead. This will be our first shot at these fish and typically they are pretty willing biters as they are still in their feeding stage of life. It’s believed that coho can gain a pound per week at this time before they make their journey to the spawning grounds. If you are looking at filling your freezer with fresh salmon, this is the trip for you! Dates are filling very quickly for this, so book your trip sooner than later! Buoy 10 Salmon August 1st the Columbia RIver opens for Fall Salmon fishing. This starts at the Buoy 10 fishery near the mouth of the Columbia River in Astoria Oregon. I plan on spending the first few days of August in the Ocean, however if the weather doesn’t allow the river is open and provides a great opportunity at salmon as well. As the month progresses the river will be my main focus. With Chinooks being open through Labor day this year some excellent fishing is ahead of us. I have limited availably so be sure to book your trip soon.

Catch and Release Sturgeon Sturgeon fishing in the Columbia River is something every sport fisherman should experience. Although the keeper season is over, the best fishing occurs in late June through July. White Sturgeon are thick in the Columbia River Estuary right now, and this is my favorite place to fish for them. Fishing in water as shallow as 3 feet for these prehistoric fish is amazing. On average, these fish are 3-6 foot with eight footers, not uncommon! There is never a lack of action on these trips, and your arms are sure to be worn out by the end of the day. Combine this with a morning in the Ocean chasing salmon, and you are sure to have a day on the water you won’t soon forget. Ocean Salmon With 1.7 Million Coho and over a half-million Chinooks returning to the Columbia River, the Ocean Salmon fishery is just the start to an epic fall ahead. This will be our first shot at these fish, and typically they are pretty willing biters as they are still in their feeding stage of life. It’s believed that coho can gain a pound per week at this time before they make their journey to the spawning grounds. If you are looking at filling your freezer with fresh salmon, this is the trip for you! Dates are filling very quickly for this, so book your trip sooner than later!