Columbia River salmon fishing

[Islandgypsy]

Returned from a week of Chinook fishing in Astoria. It's combat fishing at it's finest..at one point we estimated a thousand boats a river mile as the run was predicted to be the third largest in recorded history and the word was out.

Fish were smaller this year, 18-20 pound average ( three salt fish?) largest 28 pounds but they were plentiful and we were done most days by noon.

What worked: LINE COUNTER REELS. Being old school always thought these were kinda gimmicky but for salmon they are the real deal. We'd meter a school of fish at X number of feet, using a 12 oz. cannon ball on a slider and plug cut herring we could put it right in the strike zone with the aid of the line counter every time. ( Used Penn Squall 20 LWLC and Shimano Tecota LC w/ 50# solid Spectra and old faithful G.Loomis 1265 10'6" rod).

The Smoker will be going full bore for a week 

My bride of 46 years and mornings catch w/ line counter reel and rod:


Average Columbia River up river brite:

[Shark Hunter]

Nice!

[Steve-O]

Nice! Thanks for sharing a great catching report.

[Islandgypsy]

Photos from previous post that didn't come up

Bride of 46 years and line counter w/ morning catch for the five of us:


Buddy John and another morning cooler:

[STRIPER LOU]

Boy I'll bet those thing are amazing off the smoker! Nice job.
....................Lou

[Islandgypsy]

You got that right,Lou. Use a simple salt,brown sugar,garlic,and cracked pepper brine and smoke with Alder wood.A cold beverage,smoked salmon and good football game on a cold winter day is a Pacific Northwest tradition!

[Childers]

Nice pic's  , what a blast bet that was fun

Cheers

[Alto Mare]

Very nice pics, thanks for sharing.

Sal

[Dominick]

Man!  I haven't caught a salmon in 3 years.  Thanks for the report.  Dominick

[newport]

I was never crazy about salmon until I lived in Alaska a few years ago. I learned there was a huge difference between fresh and farmed -- moreso than any other fish I've had. There was this outdoor buffet called the Alaskan Salmon Bake and it was all you can eat salmon, halibut, steaks, king crab, etc,. It was like $60 per person to get in, but it was awesome. Great catch.

[Islandgypsy]

Dominick, come up to NW Oregon mid-August...we can fix that

[Dominick]

Give me a rain check for next year.  If I'm still kicking I might take you up on that.  Dominick

[Keta]

B-10 has been hot this year but I'd never fish it, too many years trying to get through the crowds to get to the ocean.

[Islandgypsy]

I hear ya Lee, we fish outside when we get the conditions, the bar has been ugly this year.

[Keta]

....the bar has been ugly this year.

It has.