salmon lindesportfishing.com

With the exception of the winter months, we fish for salmon all year. Our season begins in earnest April 1 with the arrival of spring chinook. As the spring chinook run wanes, our attention shifts to the Pacific Ocean and summer silver and chinook seasons. In the month of August, these fish enter the Columbia River, and the phenomenal Buoy 10 fishery opens. Through the fall we follow these runs up the Columbia and into the major tributary streams. With three distinct runs and eight months of prime opportunity, it is no wonder why the salmon is the signature fish of the Northwest.

The spring chinook is the most highly coveted salmon in the world. They enter the Columbia River a full six months prior to spawning, full of vigor, and incomparable flavor. We fish the mainstem Columbia River, Oregon’s Willamette River, and Washington’s Wind River, moving between the three based upon conditions and numbers of fish present. Peak fishing period is from April 1 to May 30.

Summer salmon season have a tendency to fluctuate wildly, but when it’s hot the fishing is phenomenal. Silver salmon mix with chinook to provide wide-open action as these fish are feeding heavily prior to their spawning run. Openings vary by time and area, but weather permitting, fishing is available throughout the summer months.
August 1 is the traditional opener for the famous Buoy 10 fishery. In the protected waters of the Columbia Estuary, chinook and silver salmon heading for three different states pause in the tidal flows before committing to their travels. The build-up of fish can become massive. August and September provide the most predictable weather of the summer, making for an all around quality trip.

Throughout the fall we stay with the Chinook. Moving both up the Columbia and to coastal rivers with later returns, we target these salmon through the month of November. The fall chinook is the largest of all the salmon species, commonly 20- to 40-pound, a thrill and a challenge on hook and line.