Columbia River Spring Chinook

Columbia River spring Chinook salmon runs are going to be great this year. Spring Chinook salmon are fresh tasting hard fighting Chinook salmon. Contact a spring Chinook fishing guide on the Columbia River and other popular northwest Rivers and book a trip today.

 
Kelly Short Outdoors

The Spring Chinook Pro
Kelly Short of Kelly Short Outdoors is known throughout the Northwest the Spring Chinook Pro. Kelly is an Oregon fishing guide offering fishing trips for Salmon
Sturgeon and Steelhead but his specialty is fishing for Columbia River Spring Chinook Salmon. Every year I fish for Spring Chinook on the Columbia River, the Willamette river and nearby tributaries and my clients can tell you that daily limits are common. I've got some secrets and tricks that even the other Spring Chinook fishing guides don't know about.

I fish year-round, all over the Northwest, specializing in guided fishing trips on the Columbia River, the Willamette River and Tillamook Bay. I also fish the Nestucca River, the Wilson River, the Siletz River and the Santiam rivers. All fishing is done from the comfort of my 24' Mercury Pro team North River, that fishes two to six people in full comfort, or my 17' Willie Driftboat.

Spring chinook jack counts
are at record high

Northwest spring chinook jacks are running up the Columbia River in record breaking numbers.

Jacks are 3-year-old spring chinook salmon fish that return to spawn a year earlier than their siblings. Four-year-olds make up the bulk of the spring chinook run annually in the middle and upper Columbia and Snake rivers.

The jack count at Bonneville Dam totaled 68,371. The old record was 24,363 in 2000.

Using the historical relationship between jacks and 4-year-olds, next year's spring chinook run would be the range of 1.2 million to 1.5 million.

Cindy LeFleur, Columbia River policy coordinator for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife said "The jacks, and the performance of the adult returns, are so far off the charts, we just don't know yet.''

Stuart Ellis of the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission and chairman of the Technical Advisory Committee, agreed.

Lots of fishery biologists and others are going to be studying a plethora of data between now and December, when the 2010 spring chinook forecast will be completed.
Steve's Guided Adventures

Steve's Guided Adventures has over 20 years of fishing experience in Washington and Oregon and on the Columbia River and can take you to the premier fishing spots and provide a great outdoor experience. Come ride with us in our 21 foot large Willie Predator power boat down to the 16 foot drift boat, all fully equipped with everything you need to catch that big one.

Hooked On Fishing Guide Service

Hooked On Fishing Guide Service fishes the Northwest runs for Salmon, Steelhead and Sturgeon at Buoy 10 (Mouth of the Columbia), for Kings and Silver Salmon, the Cowlitz and Lewis Rivers,  & areas immediately below Bonneville Dam for Spring Chinook. We also fish from Bonneville Dam upstream to the Priest Rapids/Hanford Reach areas, near Kennewick, Pasco, & Richland Washington.
Spring Chinook Salmon Spawning

An opportunity to watch spring chinook salmon spawning in the Cle Elum River is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Saturday.

Conducted by the Yakima Basin Environmental Education Program, the viewing also includes a presentation by fisheries biologist Bob Tuck about salmon life history and behavior.

The salmon viewing trail is handicapped accessible and the event is free.

The site is northwest of Ronald in Kittitas County.

Participants should drive through Ronald on the Salmon La Sac Highway, turn left onto Lake Cle Elum Dam/Lake Cabins Road, about two miles outside Ronald. Drive southwest on the Lake Cle Elum Dam/Lake Cabins Road less than a mile and follow signs to the viewing trail.

More information is available by calling the Mid-Columbia Fisheries Enhancement Group at 509-281-1311.
PAT Abel Guide Service

PORTLAND, OREGON Fishing Guide Pat Abel Fishes Year 'round On The Most Popular Rivers In The Northwest
From 50-pound Tillamook Bay Fall Chinook to 2-pound Columbia River Shad, Pat pursues his prey with enthusiasm and determination. Pat pursues fish in every coastal river on Oregon's North Coast, such as the Kilches, Wilson, Trask and the Nestucca. The Sandy, Clackamas and Willamette Rivers are also home to Pat. You will be fishing out of either a custom 25-foot Motion Marine Jet Sled or a comfortable, and heated, 17-foot Willie Drift Boat, while using nothing but the finest gear and tackle.

Visit our website: PAT Abel Guide Service

E-Mail Spring Chinook Salmon
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Ellis said it appears from sampling at Bonneville Dam that the jacks are 3-year-olds and not stubby 4-year-olds, and that they are destined for most or all of the sub-basins.

The jack rate does appear higher for hatchery fish than wild chinook, he said.

This year's jacks would forecast about 1.4 million 4-year-old chinook next year.

Fishing report

 
No shortage of effort for Columbia chinook

Initial reports from Wednesday's spring chinook reopening upstream of the Hayden Island powerlines were mixed, not a bust, but not great either.

There was a bit of a bite near the airport tower and downstream of Interstate 5, but success near the bridge was slow.

There were lots of boats as fishing begins the four-day a week schedule (Wednesdays through Saturdays) between Hayden Island powerlines and Bonneville Dam.

Fishing downstream of the Hayden Island powerlines will be open three days a week (Thursdays through Saturdays).

Oregon's aerial count of the Columbia on Saturday tallied 1,400 boats compared to 900 for the same Saturday in 2008.

Spring chinook still aren't moving much over Bonneville Dam. The count through Tuesday is 82 spring chinook. That compares with 99 a year ago and a 10-year average of 1,440.

The gillnet fleet will fish from 1 to 11 p.m. Sunday between the Hayden Island powerlines and Beacon Rock. They are projected to catch about 1,000 spring salmon.

Angler checks and other information from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW):

Lower Columbia: Estuary, 183 boaters with 14 spring chinook kept and one released. (WDFW)

Estuary, 45 boaters with two spring chinook kept. (ODFW)

Cathlamet, 57 boaters with three spring chinook and one steelhead kept plus one chinook released. (WDFW)

Longview, 273 boaters with 10 spring chinook kept and two released; 33 bank rods with no catch; 11 boaters with no sturgeon. (WDFW)

Longview to Portland, 177 boaters with 15 spring chinook kept and six released; 187 Oregon bank rods with one winter steelhead kept and one spring chinook released; five boats with 12 sublegal sturgeon released. (ODFW)

Kalama, 89 boaters with one spring chinook released; 22 bank rods with no spring chinook or steelhead; 21 boaters with six sublegal sturgeon released. (WDFW)

Woodland, 66 boaters with eight spring chinook kept; 32 bank rods with no steelhead or salmon. (WDFW)

Lewis River mouth to Kelley Point, 252 boaters with 48 spring chinook kept and 17 released; 82 bank rods with no catch; two boaters with 15 sublegal sturgeon released. (WDFW)

 

Willamette River Fishing Guides like Northwest Hawg Hunters Fishing Adventures is booking trips on the Upper & Lower Columbia River, including Buoy 10, Willamette River, Tillamook Bay, Nehalem Bay & Clackamas River for Salmon/Steelhead, Shad & Sturgeon.

We specialize in Oversize sturgeon, these fish range in size from 6 feet to ? and often break the surface of the water to make for an excellent photo. You’ll be fishing with Coast Guard licensed guide Bill Gaither in a 24’ Willie Raptor open sled. All the bait and gear is provided for the species of fish you are going after, with hot coffee and lunch provided.

 LIMIT OUT BAIT RIG
The Limit Out bait rig design produces a tight spinning action resulting in aggressive strikes by Coho and Chinook salmon. Our first product trial using our new Limit Out Bait Rig was on an ocean fishing trip out of Depoe Bay Oregon in 2007. We caught limits of salmon. The next day we had over 37 hook ups in 4 hours of fishing, finishing with a boat limit. We knew the special design really catches fish.

The Limit Out Bait Rig worked great in salt water, but we needed further testing to see if it would work in fresh water. In August of 2007 we went to the lower Columbia, upstream of the Oregon /Washington Bridge, to give this new bait rig a try on upriver Columbia Chinook and Silver Salmon. The fishing was slow but we put on a show. We had double hook ups and finished the day with Chinook and Silver limits. At the dock, many boats had fished all day and only averaged 2 salmon per boat while we fished only a few hours to catch our 8 salmon.
The Limit Out Bait Rig will catch limits of salmon, hence the name. There are two models: the In-line Bait Rig and the Sliding Bait Rig. It is available in four colors: Red, Blue, Clear, and Chartreuse. For best results use thawed bait lightly salted or brined. For something different, try adding two beads and a plastic clevis with a #4 Colorado blade on the leader to convert to a spinner bait rig.
We hope you have a great fishing season with new Limit Out Bait Rig and Limit Out!

Jim Milanowski
President & CEO
Limit Out Inc.

Oregon Fish And Wildlife

ODFW

Washington Fish & Wildlife

WDFW

Kelley Point to Portland Airport tower, 762 boaters with 71 spring chinook and one steelhead kept plus 22 spring chinook and one steelhead released; five bank rods with no catch. (WDFW)

Portland upstream of Hayden Island, 616 boaters with 53 spring chinook kept and 13 released. (ODFW)

Troutdale, 251 boaters with 10 spring chinook kept and two released. (ODFW)

Camas-Washougal, 201 boaters with 14 spring chinook kept and one released. (WDFW)

North Bonneville, 10 boaters with one adult chinook kept; 139 bank rods with four chinook kept and two chinook released; five bank rods with no sturgeon. (WDFW)

Columbia Gorge (downstream of Bonneville Dam), 26 boaters with two spring chinook; eight Oregon bank rods with no salmon or steelhead.

Mid-Columbia River: Bonneville pool, 11 boaters with five legal sturgeon kept plus two legal, one oversize and 34 sublegal sturgeon released; 35 bank rods with two sublegal sturgeon released; six boaters with one legal walleye kept and one released. (WDFW)

The Dalles pool, nine boaters with four legal sturgeon kept, plus one oversize and 13 sublegal sturgeon released; 37 bank rods with four legal sturgeon kept plus four oversize and six sublegal sturgeon released; eight boaters with one walleye kept. (WDFW)

John Day pool, 78 boaters with eight legal sturgeon kept plus two oversize and 88 sublegals released; 39 bank rods with eight sublegal sturgeon released; 10 bank rods with one steelhead released; 47 boaters with six walleye kept and one released; nine boaters with 20 bass released; two bank rods with no bass. (WDFW)

Cowlitz River: Downstream from Olequa, 25 bank rods with five winter steelhead kept. (WDFW)

Kalama:Seven bank rods with one wild steelhead released. (WDFW)

Lewis River: Twenty-three boaters with one wild steelhead released; two boaters with no catch. (WDFW)

North Fork Lewis River: Eleven bank rods with one spring chinook kept, one boater with one wild steelhead released. (WDFW)

E-Mail Spring Chinook Salmon

 
  E-Mail Spring Chinook Salmon