Spring Chinook fishing and Fall Salmon Season Forecast

Spring Chinook

 
The Columbia River has been re opened for Spring Chinook fishing. We will get to fish every day until June 22nd. With the Spring run off starting and water levels rising I like to catch these fish while on anchor. I like to find a good travel lane for these fish which is often on the corner of the river and use kwikfish or herring to catch them. In the last week I have started to see some Summer Chinook also showing up. These were once known as “June Hogs” and would often tip the scales at 80+ pounds. Unfortunately those fish are long gone, but we do see some fish in the 30+ pound range every year. with the weather warming up and one of the best Spring Salmon runs I have seen in the last few years its a great time to get your friends, family or co workers out on the river.

Fall Salmon Season Breakdown

 
Buoy 10 through West Puget Island fishery will be open to Chinook retention Aug. 1 through Sept. 7, with only hatchery Chinook allowed to be kept Aug. 1 through Aug 24. The daily adult limit is two salmon with no more than one Chinook; release wild Chinook from Aug. 1 through Aug. 24 and wild coho the entire season. From Sept. 8 through Dec. 31, the daily adult limit is three salmon, all wild coho must be released; release Chinook Sept. 8 through Sept. 30. 
 
West Puget Island upstream to the Lewis River will be open to Chinook retention Aug. 1 through Sept. 7; the daily adult limit is two salmon with no more than one Chinook; release wild coho. From Sept. 8 through Sept. 30, salmonid angling is closed. Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, the daily adult limit is two salmon with no more than one Chinook, but wild coho must be released. 
 
Lewis River upstream to Bonneville Dam will be open to Chinook retention Aug. 1 through Sept. 13; the daily adult limit is two salmon with no more than one Chinook; release wild coho. From Sept. 14 through Sept. 30, salmonid angling is closed. Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, the daily adult limit is two salmon with no more than one Chinook, but wild coho must be released. 
 
Bonneville Dam upstream to the Hwy. 395 Bridge at Pasco will be open to Chinook retention Aug. 1 through Dec. 31 with a daily adult limit of two salmon with no more than one Chinook; release wild coho downstream of the Hood River Bridge.
 
 
This Fall looks to have some great opportunity. In a nutshell we will get to fish from August 1st through September 13th in the Columbia river below Bonneville Dam (44 days). My August is close to booked, so if you are wanting to get out in the Buoy 10 fishery this year I would suggest booking sooner than later. If the afternoon wind, big tide exchanges and crowds aren’t your thing, you might consider fishing further up river in September where the wether is almost always sunny, the fishing is very productive and you’re not having to make the couple hour drive to the coast. The first week of September should offer some of the best Salmon fishing of the year. Not into the Columbia River scene? I will be fishing in the Lewis River for Salmon starting in October.

Recent Catches

Mike with a perfect Springer caught in the Columbia River on a kwikfish while anchored up
I did some Springer fishing out of my pontoon in the small rivers this year. This was one of the largest Springers I have seen this season.

AVAILABLE DATES

Open Dates

Open Dates
 
Spring Chinook
 
May
 
26th – 6 seats
31st – 6 seats
 
June
 
2nd – 6 seats
3rd – 6 seats
5th – 8th – 6 seats
10th – 21st – 6 seats
 
Buoy 10
 
August
 
3rd – 6 seats
4th – 6 seats
11th – 6 seats
15th – 6 seats
22nd – 6 seats
23rd – 6 seats
 
Call, Email or txt for Tributary Spring Chinook Availability.