Chinook Salmon Fishing, Kings of the Columbia

If there was ever a poster child for a keystone species, the Chinook Salmon is it. Adult Chinook swim in the Columbia River near Astoria for 7 months of the year. The spawning adults restore nutrients to the streams and the forests that surround them. They are a vital food source for eagles, orcas, otters, seals, sea lions, and more. Columbia River King Salmon Fishing is an opportunity to be part of this amazing life cycle.

Columbia River Spring Chinook Salmon Fishing (Springers)

Very few rivers are blessed with a Spring Chinook run. The Columbia River is one of them. These Chinook salmon typically have a purple sheen on their backs. They move through waters filled with cold spring runoff on the way to their destinations. Spring Chinook spawn in the fall, but don’t eat once they get into freshwater. Before their journey, they load up with everything they need for 9 months and thousands of miles of travel. The farther the home river is from the ocean, the better quality the fish is. Some of the best fish will almost melt like butter in the pan. These gems of spring are not always easy to come by. Regulation updates are frequent so checking in before your trip is extra important. Spring Chinook fishing is the best way to brush off the winter doldrums and kick off a new year.

Columbia River Summer Chinook (June Hogs)

Far from being gone, the descendants of these fabled giants still swim the Columbia River and Ocean. Broad shoulders, green tinted backs, and deeper bellies are a trademark of these fish. While the majority of spring salmon turn south on the Willamette and Snake Rivers, these fish head north. They don’t laze about like Spring Chinook do either. Once in the river, they are in a race to reach cooler waters before spawning once the winter rains come. Opportunities to target these legendary creatures int he river are extremely limited, however we regularly find them during our summer Ocean salmon seasons.

Fall Chinook Salmon Fishing(Tule’s and Upriver Brights)

Fall Chinook start packing into the mouth of the Columbia in late July and don’t let up until early September. These fish come in two distinct strains, the “Tule” and the Upriver Brights.

“Tule” Chinook are the high performance sports cars of Columbia River Salmon fishing. Known for their acrobatics and hard fights, these fish will fold over rods across the buoy 10 fishery. Their native range is West of the Cascades and they will start changing colors before they even reach fresh water. They are typically identifiable by a slightly tan color and large squarish anal fin and most plentiful during Lt. Their low oil content can make them easy to overcook. When caught fresh from the ocean or estuary they are generally firm and tasty. These are the Chinook that I generally prefer for the smoker.

Upriver Brights are destined for streams across the entire Columbia River basin. Just like Spring Chinook, the longer journey means a better eating fish. The warm river waters during August and September fire these fish up. They stuff themselves on herring and anchovies in the ocean and follow the schools of bait into the estuary. We typically start seeing these chrome beauties in mid-August in the river. Upriver brights will be in the mix in the ocean starting in late July.

Ocean and Columbia River Coho Salmon (Salmon Salmon)

Coho gather in the ocean before charging up the river and heading for smaller tributaries. They are distinguished from their larger Chinook brethren by their near lack of spots and white gums. In the ocean their scales can be quite loose and are known spread across the floor of the boat.

Coho generally spawn in the more western portions of the Columbia basin. Unlike Chinook, they will wait to really size up until they are almost into the river. The season in the ocean typically opens up in late June and runs until mid to late August. At the start of the season most of the fish will be in the 5 to 10 lb range. They then gorge themselves on bait fish just off the mouth of the Columbia River. When they enter the river in late August, the average size moves to the 10 to 15 lb range. A few extra large fish grace boats each year.

The Coho continue to arrive long after the Chinook have moved up river. Late October and November can sometimes bring a push of Coho and the benefit of very little fishing pressure.

While Spring Chinook have the highest nutrient content, Coho are often regarded as being the more flavorful salmon. Their meat is typically cherry red and is a highlight of a fall feast. Coho pairs well with freshly picked chanterelle mushrooms.