Columbia "Buoy Ten" Fall Chinook Fishing!!!
August means Fall Chinook. With the end of Summer Steelhead season, comes Fall King fishing on the Columbia, better known as Buoy Ten.
Beginning the first week of August, Approximately 376,800 fall chinook salmon are expected to return to the Columbia River at Astoria Oregon - up from 219,600 fish last year. This year's fishery should benefit from an estimated return of 86,200 upriver bright kings (URB's) - up from 14,600 last year - bound for the Spring Creek hatchery above Bonneville Dam. With water temps in the high 60's, these fish will come in and out of the Columbia river with the tides.
We are going to target these fish out of the Warrenton Marina this year in the calm waters around the Astoria bridge both on the Washington and Oregon side of the river. The famous "Church Hole" and "Shipwreck" will produce limits of King Salmon. Trolling is the name of the game here. Using 10'6" mooching rods from Fetha-Styx, level wind Shimano Bantam 50 reels loaded with braided line, we will troll the Delta Diver Fish Flash combo along with various spinners and cut-plug herring.
Most of the fish will average 20 to 35 pounds with fish caught up to 50 pounds every season. We average 4 to 6 King salmon a day with limits of Coho being caught in late August into September.
We are currently taking reservations for fishing trips at Buoy Ten on the Columbia river. We will be fishing from a large and roomy 25 foot Alumaweld Super Vee with a 200hp Yamaha Outboard. Prime dates are available from August 20th thru September 10th.
Catch rates, fishing reports, and fishing reservations may be obtained online at http://www.columbia-river-fishing-guide.com or by phone at (206)-920-2428.