Its about that time! We’re getting close to the upcoming Spring Chinook season on the Columbia River! If you didnt know, Spring Chinook are the most sought after species of salmon the NW has to offer! Spring Chinook are super high in omega 3 fatty acids that are great for our health!
This years projected run of “Springers” is another good one according to the Washington department of fish and game. With 186,400 fish expected to return to the Columbia River this year, we are expecting the season to go through April 7th on the Columbia. However, once the Columbia closes, fishing for Spring Chinook is far from over.
We plan on starting fishing heavily around the 25th of March and wrap up the Columbia season on the 7th of April. After that, we have the Willamette River and Lewis River to fish until fish start migrating over Bonneville Dam in good numbers. Projections for the Willamette and Lewis Rivers are also looking excellent for 2024.
Around the end of April, we will see fish passage over Bonneville increasing, which will set the stage for one of my favorite Spring Chinook fisheries. Wind River and Drano Lake! These two fisheries are set in on of the most beautiful parts of the state! The Columbia River Gorge!
If you’ve never seen the Gorge before, the landscape is that out of a painting. Having the Columbia River Gorge in our backyard is such a blessing! Catching the best eating salmon on the planet, in one of the prettiest spots in the USA blows my mind nearly every day!
Once we get done fishing the Gorge, there will still be fish to be had in the Willamette and possibly the Columbia until we switch gears to Summer Chinook in June.
Now is the time to start thinking about shaking those cobweb’s off that build over the winter and think about getting out and catching some fish this upcoming spring! Get ahold of me sooner than later for the best dates for our upcoming Spring Chinook season! Looking forward to seeing you on the water!
