The Pacific Northwest: An Angler's Dream Destination

When I think about dream fishing vacation spots, I think the likes of Alaska, Cabo San Lucas, and Mexico. However, if a person told me I had to spend the rest of my life fishing only one area, I would be hard-pressed to leave the Pacific Northwest. As a lifetime resident of Washington State, I am sure that I, like other local anglers, sometimes take the opportunities that surround me here for granted. For the most part, I think the Washington and Oregon coast fails to attract too much attention because it lacks a world-class fishery like the King Salmon on the Kenai River in Alaska, or the massive billfish and sailfish off the shores of Mexico. However, what the Northwest lacks in quality, it makes up in quantity- that is, it offers a wider array of fishing opportunities than perhaps any other locale.

If an angler made a well timed visit to the coast of Oregon or Washington, there would be enough different fishing choices to probably spend two to three weeks fishing, doing something considerably different every day. Although the two states offer productive fishing for some species year-round, it is hard to beat April through September when it comes to quality, and quantity of fish. If you narrow it down to say, late July there is literally a fishing experience available for a person of every preference.

Salmon, steelhead, and sturgeon are probably the three most targeted species of fish in the Pacific Northwest. July offers anglers a shot at the run of Summer Chinook that travel up the Columbia River starting in June and running through mid-summer. They are a strain of fish that run mostly between 15 and 40 pounds, the second largest strain of Chinook that enter the Columbia. They are so large and aggressive that they are called June Hogs by many, a term that was originally coined for an even larger strain of summer fish that was obliterated by the early installations of dams on the river system. Most people find a day on the boat in 80 degree weather with great possibilities of landing multiple salmon over 30 pounds a nice proposition.

Summer steelhead fishing offers people a chance to target the hard-fighting, sea-going trout in smaller tributaries of the Columbia and many other coastal rivers. The Cowlitz River in Southwest Washington is renowned for its summer and winter steelhead. Flyfishermen and traditional fishermen alike should have a good chance of catching the elusive species if they do a bit of research or select a good guide to help them.

Sturgeon fishing is an option in the mid-Columbia as well as the estuary during specific retention seasons and days, though the river never closes for catch and release. If you are an avid angler and have never fished this species, you owe yourself to try it! Regulations only allow the retention of one fish a day in a slot limit from 42 to 60 inches. However, it is not unrealistic to expect constant action all day long in the boat, with every little bite providing the chance at a fish that could be anywhere from just a foot long, to upwards of ten or eleven feet.

The mid-Columbia and its largest tributary, the Willamette River, which snakes its way through downtown Portland, Oregon, both offer chances at several other species. Shad, a relative of both the tarpon and the sardine, are notorious for being very strong fighters. They range from two to five pounds and come up the river by the millions. You could spend a day targeting them and fight fish until your arms fell off or you tired of malnutrition because the action doesn't stop for a lunch break. Both rivers also boast smallmouth bass fishing that is much better than most people even know. You can also fish for walleye, which is receiving growing attention in the Northwest. Although most people have traditionally ignored these two species in favor of the more coveted salmon, steelhead, and sturgeon, the walleye especially are beginning to attract some attention. The Columbia is considered excellent walleye habitat, and thanks largely to low angling pressure, many experts think the next world record 'eye will come from the Columbia River system.

If offshore fishing is your fancy, the Oregon and Washington Coast could provide a special treat for you. In August and September you could leave a port on the coast, and if you had enough time, target a variety of species that include albacore tuna, coho and Chinook salmon, halibut, lingcod, crab, and multiple types of bottom fish that include black sea bass and kelp greenling. That is a combination of possibilities that is probably unmatched by any other fishing destination in the world. The tuna experience out of the Northwest is probably the most unique, and unexpected. In late July, all the way through October, there is a band of warm water that stretches all the way up from Mexico, somewhere between 10 and 75 miles off the Washington and Oregon coast. With the warm water comes primarily albacore tuna, but also other marine life more typically associated with tropical climates. It is not unusual to spot dolphins, turtles, and jumping pelagic species. The targeting of tuna is a newer adventure than salmon fishing in the Northwest, and there seems to be an increasing number of other species being caught. Every year more and more Dorado (Mahi Mahi) are caught incidentally, and sightings of larger billfish are reported annually. Realistically speaking, fishing tuna would probably take up at least one full day, with some charters offering overnight excursions. You typically have to run an average of 30 miles offshore to find them, but once you do, the action can be furious. The limit is 25 fish a person, but most boats lack the storage capacity for that many 15 to 35 pound albacore and the ice it takes to cool them and keep them that way. Plus, most fishermen and women probably lack the endurance to land that many tuna, which are the unquestioned champion of hard-fighting fish in the area. Usually, a day on a sport boat or most small charters ends when the boat is full with as much tuna as the boat can handle or can reasonably be used. It is more likely that you could couple halibut with a day of salmon fishing and pulling crab pots, although, if you want to savor the flavor instead of packing it all in as tightly as possible, one day for each adventure is the best answer.

It is that sort of variety that brought me to the realization that perhaps the Northwest does deserve to be mentioned with Alaska, Mexico, and Cabo. Even if it does not, I have enjoyed enough experiences here to guarantee that any angler could come and leave glad that they came and took advantage of the unique possibilities. If you are interested in visiting the area make sure to visit www.ifish.net, home of the Northwest's premier fishing Bulletin Board. It offers tons of tips from private sportfishermen as well as links to a variety of reputable guides and charters throughout the area. Portland is a good place to start your trip, it offers great angling opportunities right in its backyard, and is a beautiful two hour drive from most of the coastal ports. You can fly into Portland International Airport, which is just hundreds of yards from the Columbia River and the angling experience of a lifetime!