Guided Fishing Trips

Fishing Season Calendar

These are approximate dates. Regulations change, seasons change yearly. There is lot to choose from and guided fishing trips are available almost year-round. It pays to be flexible with timing, locations and target species to take advantage of opportunities as they develop.

Fishing Trips

  • Chinook Salmon

    Chinook are outstanding table fare and one of the tastiest salmon due to their high fat content (especially springers). Targeting these salmon on the Columbia and Willamette rivers starting in March depending on the salmon runs and seasons set. Trips focus around the greater Portland and St. Helens areas usually, but can vary.

    Dates: March - September

  • Coho "Silver" Salmon

    Coho, also known as Silvers, are great fighters. Targeting these tasty salmon on the Columbia River starting about September and lasting into November.

    Dates: September - November

  • Sturgeon (Keeper)

    Lower Columbia Sturgeon trips depend entirely on the decisions made by the Washington and Oregon Departments of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW and ODFW). Opportunities are limited and often are only announced a week or two in advance.

    Dates: Above Bonneville Dam, the quota system that resets Jan 1 each year. Book early! When the quotas are reached, it’s done for the year.

  • Sturgeon (C&R)

    Opportunities for catch and release sturgeon fishing are available year-round. If you have never fought one of these beasts, it’s incredible.

    Dates: Most of the year

  • Dungeness Crab

    Get some tasty Dungeness Crab from the Oregon Coast. Either out of Hammond, or in the bays.

    Dates: October, November and Early December

  • Kokanee

    Merwin and Yale Lakes in Washington as well as Green Peter and Timothy lakes in Oregon provide beautiful scenery for some hard fighting Kokanee. Not only are they beautiful fish, but a great treat for dinner. Most kokanee lakes also have trout and it’s not unusual to get a bonus trout or two in addition to kokanee.

    Dates: Year-round depending on conditions.

  • Shad

    American Shad are a blast to catch in the spring/summer around June depending on the weather and water temperature. There is a month or more of solid shad fishing. Shad are basically giant herring and are insanely fun to catch on light gear. We fish the Willamette river for Shad when they are running.

    These are usually half day trips as that is plenty of time to get all you want. Shad also make excellent crab and sturgeon bait!

    Dates: Late May into June