Fall Chinook Salmon Fishing isn’t over yet

The Columbia river has peaked for Fall Chinook Salmon fishing but it’s still giving up some big fish. My buddy Aaron is pictured holding a 28 pound Chinook that he caught on Saturday. Casey, Matt, and Dirk are holding nice sized salmon that were caught on my boat over the weekend. Two were caught above Chinook Landing and the third was caught at Davis Bar. This week nets are in the river Wednesday and Friday. This will have a negative effect on sport fishing but I’m hopeful to fish below Bonneville for at least two more weekends. I’ve had good luck using Brad’s Cut Plug Superbait. The Hot Tamale consistently gets action but on Saturday the Double Trouble (chrome with chartreuse tips) picked up both fish on my boat. These lures have a little more drag than the original Superbait so you’ll want to spool out a little more line to get into the strike zone. Let’s hope the commercial fleet leaves us some fish for next weekend. Tight Lines.

Columbia River Re-Opener

September 17, 2020

The Columbia River re-opens on September 19th through December 31st from Buoy 10 to Highway 395 near Pasco. There’s a two fish limit of which only one can be a Chinook. Fin clipped Coho below the Hood River bridge can be kept but steelhead must be released. Please check the full regulations before you go fishing. There’s plenty of fish in the river so I hope to see you out on the Columbia catching this weekend. Tight lines!

Smoke, Masks, and Chinook Salmon

September 11, 2020

The Chinook Salmon re-opener on the Columbia river started today and we easily found our limit by 8:30am. My Friend Tom hosted today’s trip on his 23 foot North River. All three rods caught fish in deep water with fifty feet on the line counter. My rod was hit first with a vicious takedown on a Hot Tamale Cutplug. Van’s was next rigged with a Bronco spinner and Tom sealed our limit using a Mexican Hat spinner. It should be noted that we fished deep today due to the outgoing (ebb) tide. Last week we fished shallow because we had an incoming (flood) tide. The smoke on the river felt like we were fishing in light fog. Be sure to watch for the video which will be released sometime next week. Enjoy your weekend and Tight Lines.

The Columbia is Re-Opening Friday – Sunday

September 9, 2020

The Columbia river is re-opening from Buoy 10 to US 395 bridge near Pasco. Bill Monroe summarizes the regulation change in the following article: https://www.oregonlive.com/sports/2020/09/columbia-river-salmon-fishing-to-reopen-friday.html

Fishing was very good last week and I would expect it to be even better this weekend but I’m most likely going on a Tuna fishing trip. Get your Pro-Trolls ready and find some quality Fall Chinook salmon this weekend. Don’t forget to watch a video released today in the “Latest Video” section of my website. You should note that we fished “suspended” at various depths this past weekend and we were out during the Incoming Tide. I typically fish tighter to the bottom (not on the bottom like spring Chinook fishing) during outgoing tides. You’ll have to experiment to find out where the fish are! Good luck and Tight Lines! https://fishingwithdavidpyle.com/latest-videos/

Fall Chinook salmon trolling

September 6, 2020

August was a sparse month of fishing for me. I only managed one day of fishing at Buoy 10 and my boat skunked out (Ouch). For those that may not know, the August Buoy 10 fall chinook salmon season is a huge fishing event. Hundreds of thousands of salmon pass through the mouth of the Columbia river every year and the fishing can be white hot.

Well, its September and I’m back in action. Over the past week the fish counts at Bonneville dam have been well over 10,000 per day. Last weekend was really good for anchor fishing using wobblers. This weekend shaped up better for trolling Pro-Trolls and hardware (spinners/superbait). Friday night we caught a fish just two minutes before we were scheduled to pull up our gear. Tamara landed her first Chinook salmon this season. Yesterday Dirk and I launched at Gleason boat ramp and trolled toward the Interstate bridge. At 6:30am my rod buckled and the reel started to spin. Shortly after landing my fish, Dirk’s rod buried. It was only 7:30am and we limited for the day. On Sunday, Tamara was once again successful in bringing a fall Chinook to the net. The videos will be posted this week.

Tight Lines.

First day of Buoy 10 – 2020

August 14, 2020

My friend Tony Owsian (above) of Tony O Guided Adventures reported an early limit for his boat on the first day at Buoy 10.

My friend Mike Fisenko (Above) of Mikey’s Guided Adventure sent these photos. Mike and his crew landed some nice fish today.

I’ve heard various reports and all were positive. We’re off to a good start and I’ll be fishing there tomorrow so make sure to say hello if you see me on the river. I’m planning to bring herring, anchovy, spinners (various sizes) and Superbait tomorrow. I’ll start with herring and if I catch a fish I will switch out to something else. I always feel the need to experiment when fish are biting. It’s good to prove which bait/lures are working and that’s information I plan to pass on to my viewers.

You’ll find nine Buoy 10 videos from past season under “Videos – Featured” on my website. If you’re planning a trip to Buoy 10 you could probably find some bits of information in these videos to help you out. Tight lines.

Buoy 10

August 13, 2020

August 14th is the first day of “Buoy 10” fishing near the mouth of the Columbia river. It’s considered the Superbowl of fishing in our region. Thousands of boats troll the river for Chinook and Coho salmon every August. When the bite turns on at Buoy 10 it feels like every boat in the area is fighting a fish and it’s not uncommon for the bite to last for over an hour. It’s certainly a special experience. If you’re planning a trip to Buoy 10 in the next couple of weeks I have a few suggestions.

  • Make sure your boat is running properly before you leave home.
  • Check your trailer tire pressure and hub lubricant level.
  • Bring quality PFD’s for each person on your boat (please wear them).
  • Bring at least one backup rod/reel combination ready to deploy.
  • Bring plenty of mooching rigs, spinners, and rigged Superbait.
  • Have several “rebuild kits” ready in case you tangle or lose your bumper, flasher, lead, and mooching rig.
  • Retention of adult Chinook (longer than 24 in.) and adult hatchery Coho (16 in. and longer) allowed. All steelhead must be released.
  • Order fresh bait a day in advance if you intend to pick it up at the boat ramp.
  • Get to the boat launch early and avoid the morning rush.
  • Look at the tide tables for the Buoy 10 area and determine where you plan to fish.
  • Find two or three other boats that are willing to work different areas and report back to each other when a bite turns on. This could be one of the most important things you do.
  • Bring a really good attitude and be happy for everyone that catches fish. Be patient with new fishermen and forgive those that might do something that offends you. This is a time for fun so do your best to have a good time and be happy.
  • If you see me on the river I will share whatever I know with you. Please say “hello” and share your experience.
  • Please be safe and encourage everyone on your boat to wear a PFD.
  • Tight lines (literally)

Weekend Wrap-up

July 27, 2020

Pictured above are Dennis and Abby holding prized Columbia river steelhead. At 11 years old, Abby is described as a “Steelhead plunking pro”. It’s great to see young people that have a passion for fishing. Dennis reported that his group went 3 for 5 on both Saturday and Sunday. Congratulations to Abby and Dennis!

I guided an Educational trip on the Columbia river on Saturday. I enjoy these trips because I can demonstrate technique and tactics while explaining fishing logic and theory. On this trip the focus was trolling for spring and fall Chinook salmon. We trolled through highly productive fishing areas on the Columbia river where I explained the speed, depth, flasher, bait, and lure differences for spring vs fall salmon fishing. In addition to trolling, I pointed out areas where there is productive anchor fishing. If you’re a beginner or intermediate fishermen, one of these trips could help to move you to the next level.

It was disappointing to hear that the Ocean Coho salmon quota off the Columbia river had been mostly consumed. It was expected that this area would close for both Coho and Chinook by Sunday, July 26th. My friend Rick was in the ocean on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. He brought home a limit for each day and reported that the fish were moving further South. That gives me hope that the Central Oregon zone will start to see more fish by next weekend. If the ocean looks good I’ll probably make a trip to Garibaldi.

The Columbia is still open for steelhead and summer Chinook until the end of July. In August the river regulations change substantially. It’s complicated so check the regulations.

Inspired to Learn

July 18, 2020

Congratulations Ashely on catching a beautiful Chinook salmon on Saturday, July 11th. I met Ashely in June when she booked an Educational fishing trip for her husband for Father’s day. Aaron caught one of his first salmon of the season and the couple have been slaying it ever since https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_tETnfxevw. I’m inspired by their desire to learn and know that they will be successful going forward.

The Willamette has continued to produce Chinook salmon through the middle of July. There’s a considerable effort but the catch is starting to taper and most of us will move on to fishing the Columbia river or the Oregon coast. My first choice is fishing the ocean for Coho and Chinook salmon. When the ocean conditions aren’t favorable I’ll fish the Columbia river for Chinook and steelhead. Try anchoring up with spinners, quickfish, or wobblers on the outgoing tide. You can also troll 360 flashers with spinners on soft or incoming tides. Good luck out there!