Spring

I begin in March thru May by fishing the Willamette River and the Columbia River in the Portland to Oregon City area.  The spring Chinook are known to be some of the best tasting salmon caught.  They generally range in the 10 - 20 lb area however do reach the 30 lb area (record Springer, 55 1/2 lbs, 1983). 

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In May and June, in addition to the Willamette and Columbia Rivers, I fish the Tillamook area for spring Chinook.  Talk about wild fish!  They have an unbelievable ability to fight!  For fish that range in the 20 lb area, the fight they put up would make you believe that you have a 40+ lb Chinook on.  Additionally, you can often get in some crab catching time in-between the trolling periods.

Summer/Fall

Starting about the middle of July, I fish the Tillamook area or out of Astoria in the buoy 10 area, which has nice summer/fall Chinook and Coho runs.  Coho fishing can be phenomenal!  I’ve had many days catching 20+ coho salmon, mixing in some Chinook.   

The state usually opens Halibut season around May 1st and that's when I can find the Halibut out of Newport.  Very seldom do I fish this area without limiting the boat.  All inside 250’ of water.  The spring halibut season lasts as long as the state catch allocation allows, often going late into June.

Fall  
In September lasting into December, I concentrate my time in Tillamook Bay and that immediate area of the Pacific Ocean (generally staying within a mile or two).  What an absolutely amazing time this can be!   The fish size average in the mid 20 lb range with fish weighing into the 50 lb. area not being unusual.

 

The fight those fish put up leave a lasting impression!   Although catching these lunkers is no sure bet, it's not unusual to limit the boat day in and day out.  And when the hard shell crab are around, you can supplement the fish catching with some great crab catching.

The Albacore Tuna fishing generally starts in June and continues into August.  I start out of Newport or Depoe Bay and continue at Tillamook.  For 20-30 lb fish, when they hit, there’s no doubt!  They hit like a freight train and fight all the way.  This is a fishery you’ll never forget!

August begins the lunker runs, with common Chinook catches in the 20-30 lb range!    Additionally, the state generally opens up the summer halibut season which often continues into late September.  Those can complete amazing fish catches.  Once again, those catches can just add to the thrill.