It's Springer time!

Giving You, Your Friends And Your Family A Fishing
Adventure Of A Lifetime

Columbia River Spring Chinook

Spring Chinook are being caught daily in the Columbia River right now. As the month goes on the fishing will get better by the day as more fish show up. I am sure you have heard they’re the best tasting Salmon found anywhere in the world. The nutritious fat reserve these fish build to make their journey is where they get their delicious, juicy flavor. Why do these fish build up their reserve? Many of these fish will swim up the Columbia and to the Snake River where they will continue into Idaho. They will do this all without eating. Once they get to the spawning grounds they will hold in the rivers until September and October, then begin to spawn. To live that long, and go that far is why the need all of their fat built up.

Tributary Spring Salmon

The Springer action does not stop when the lower Columbia River closes on April 7th. I will be fishing the Willamette River which is predicted to get a return of over 70,000 Spring Chinook. Here I use the trolling methods used in the Columbia. Prawn Spinners are usually very effective here also. The Lewis and Cowlitz Rivers are supposed to have improved runs over the last few years as well. This is some of my favorite fishing. Hover fishing, back bouncing and bobber fishing are my three most productive methods of fishing here. The absolute best bite in the world is a Spring Chinook chewing on a bait of eggs tipped with shrimp all while holding the rod in your hand. Later in the season, when the bulk of the run is above Bonneville Dam, I will fish the mouth of the Wind River. This place truly can live up to its name. If there’s one thing you can count on here, it’s wind. Prawn spinners behind a Pro Troll style flasher are my go to when fishing here.