Hanford Reach Salmon Fishing: Seasons, Techniques and What to Expect
When fall Chinook run the Hanford Reach, how guides fish them and what to plan for. A local guide to the last free-flowing stretch of the Columbia.
Deschutes River Salmon Fishing: Where, When and How It Works
The Deschutes River meets the Columbia just east of The Dalles, in Oregon. Cold, clean Deschutes water mixes into the big river, and migrating fish stop and stage there. That makes the area around the river mouth one of the best-known salmon and steelhead spots on this part of the Columbia.
What the fishery looks like
Fall Chinook are the main salmon target. They arrive through late summer and fall, and many hold near the mouth while they sort out which way to go. Summer and fall steelhead use the same water, and we fish for them from fall into winter on our steelhead trips.
Timing
Our seasons and runs calendar puts fall salmon from August through October. River temperature and flow move the peak around from year to year, which is why a recent guide report beats a calendar.
Rules to check first
The Deschutes River and the Columbia carry different regulations. Seasons, bag limits and which fish you may keep are set by ODFW and change every year. Read the current rules or call us before you plan around a date. We will tell you what is open.
How it is fished
On the Columbia near the mouth, guides troll plugs and spinners along the edges of the current and the drop-offs, or anchor and drift bait where fish are holding. Fly and float fishing are popular on the Deschutes itself, which is a different day and a different kind of trip.
Fish it with us
Our boats are fully enclosed and heated, which makes a late-season morning on the river a lot more pleasant. See salmon fishing trips and trip rates, then reserve your date.
Questions anglers ask
What can you catch at the Deschutes River mouth?
Fall Chinook and, later in the fall, steelhead, in the Columbia where the Deschutes enters near The Dalles.
When is the best time to fish for salmon near the Deschutes?
Late summer into fall. Our calendar runs fall salmon from August through October, with steelhead fishing following in the fall and winter.
Do I need a guide to fish here?
No, but the mouth is a busy, fast-changing spot, and a guide with a boat saves a lot of trial and error. Rules for the river itself and for the Columbia differ, so check ODFW before you go.
Keep reading
More from the river
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Top Columbia River Fishing Spots for Big Fish
The Columbia River stretches that produce big walleye, salmon and sturgeon: The Dalles, Biggs, Rufus, John Day, McNary, Hanford Reach and the upper river.
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Salmon vs Sturgeon Fishing: Which Columbia River Trip Is Best?
Salmon or sturgeon on the Columbia? How the two trips differ in pace, season, skill and size, and which one fits you, your group or your first trip.
