Chinook Salmon Fishing

Chinook salmon fishing season begins in April. The first salmon run of the year is spring Chinook, followed by summer and fall Chinook. Springer trout can be caught in Oregon’s Willamette and Columbia Rivers as early as January, with April being the peak month. We target Springer’s from mid-March through mid-May. From St. Helens to Oregon City, we fish the Willamette River, and from Astoria to Bonneville Dam, we fish the Columbia River.

Springers are the most sought-after salmon species because they enter our rivers when water temperatures are cold and don’t spawn until late fall, making them the most popular table fish of all salmon. They’re also exciting to catch and a gorgeous fish.

On our Willamette and Columbia River Springer trips, we fish from a spacious, comfortable, and safe powerboat that was built specifically for fishing these vast open waters. In fine weather, we run an open boat with the option of a top on cool days; we can comfortably seat 2 to 6 fishermen.

What do you need to bring?

• Oregon fishing license and salmon tag with Columbia River endorsement
• Lunch and beverages
• Good rain gear