King Salmon Fishing FAQa

Spring King Salmon Fishing: What's all the Hype About Anyway? Cabin Fever after a Long Winter:  We need to get outside on the water! King Salmon:  You live in the best place on the planet to catch Spring King Salmon - take advantage of it! Spring King Salmon Fishing: What's all the Hype About Anyway? Cabin Fever after a Long Winter:  We need to get outside on the water! King Salmon:  You live in the best place on the planet to catch Spring King Salmon - take advantage of it! Long Days!  Long days mean there are more hours in the day you need to find fun things to do and we can offer half day trip! Delicious Fish:  Spring Chinook have the highest fat content of any Pacific Salmon Species - these rich omega 3 fatty acids are healthy promoting good cholesterol and are very delicious

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Fequently Asked Questions: When is the best time to go? Anytime after March 20th and before June 30th is the best time to specifically target Columbia, Kalama and Cowlitz River Spring Chinook. Where do we meet? Common meeting locations include: 4005 Dike Rd Woodland, WA Lower River Rd Vancouver, WA Kalama River Rd Kalama,WA Cowlitz Falls Day Use Park Randle,WA How big do they get? As you can see from this picture they vary in size from about 8-15lbs but can get as big as 20-30lbs. What's the limit? There is no annual bag limit but the daily limit is usually 1 fish on the main stem Columbia so they can let some fish move to the tributaries for additional sport fishing opportunities and spawning, and usually 2 on the tributaries.  These are daily limits and again their is no annual or weekly limit. What do I have to bring? 1. Fishing license with Catch Record Card and Columbia River Endorsement 2. Dress to be outside for the day - rain gear or waders are recommended always 3. Polarized sunglasses are great if you have them! 4. SUN BLOCK! 5. Hat with visor is always good when you're outside on the water 6. Whatever you want to eat or drink for the day 7. Cooler to get your fish home What if I have to go to the bathroom? On the Columbia you can pee off the side of the boat or use a bucket - I know sounds wild huh? On the Kalama you can squat in the bushes. On the Cowlitz there is an actual restroom and lots of privacy along the edge of the fishing waters. Do you clean the fish at the end of the day? Yes, we always clean your fish at the end of the day.  Filleted ready to bbq, freeze or send to the smoker. How much does it cost? Half days are sometimes available for $150/person. Full days are only $199 now and can go as high as $225-250/person depending on fishery. How many people on the boat? Drift boat trips are for 2-3 people on the Kalama River Big sled trips on the Columbia are for up to 6 people maximum Small sled trips on the Cowlitz are for up to 4 people maximum Big sled trips on the Cowlitz are for up to 6 people maximum We have lots of guides and boats available so we can take larger groups - but most prime dates for Spring are at least partially full - so let me know in advance if you need more than 1 boat so we can find you a good date. Do I need a license? YES.  All Columbia and Tributaries require a Washington State Fishing License and a Catch Record Card for Salmon and Steelhead and a Columbia River Endorsement.  If you're fishing on the Columbia the Oregon License with same cards and endorsements works great too. Where should I stay the night before? For the late March Early April fishery stay anywhere in Portland or Vancouver with north Vancouver being the easiest for travel the morning of your trip due to traffic. For the Kalama North Vancouver is also a very easy place to stay. For the Cowlitz River there is the Seasons Motel in Morton (a bit overpriced for what it is) and then there are several options in Packwood, WA. Any campgrounds nearby? For the Kalama there is Kamp Kalama. For the Cowlitz there is the Cowlitz Falls Campground and the Taidnapum Campground is the 2nd closest. Can I bring kids? Please bring kids!  How else are we going to pass along this amazing culture to future generations? What time do trips start? Morning trips usually start just before sunrise. Late morning trips around 10-11am. Afternoon Trips around 3pm. How much do I tip the guide? The average is $20-50/person to the guide. Leave a review on Facebook, Yelp or Trip Advisor!  That is worth a lot to me :) Who will the guide be? If you have a favorite guide let us know in advance so we can ensure you know what dates he/she is available. Our guides so far for Spring are as follows: Columbia:  Ryan and Chris Kalama:  Aaron and Tommy Cowlitz:  Casey, Ryan and Chris (maybe Aaron too!) Do I need to bring waders? If you're fishing the Kalama waders are a good idea if you have them, but not required. If you're fishing the Columbia rain gear is better than waders. If you're fishing the Cowlitz then either is fine. Other Questions?  Call/txt/email anytime: 253-389-0359   Visit our website at http://www.fishwaterswest.com to learn more about King Salmon Fishing in Portland, Oregon and the Pacific NW.