Fish the best of
Astoria

The most exciting fishing Charter in Astoria, OR

Experience the best fishing Astoria has to offer, from the famous Buoy 10 salmon to the large Columbia upriver brights and the legendary estuary sturgeon.

Book a chartered fishing trip for the experience of a lifetime. We can accommodate any age and skill level.

Columbia River Estuary Sturgeon

the best sturgeon in the country

May - July

The best sturgeon fishing in the country is right here in the Columbia River estuary near Astoria, Oregon.

Sturgeon have earned the nickname “living fossils” as they have remained largely unchanged for the last 200 million years. Earning the nickname “freshwater marlin” these giants are North America’s largest freshwater fish and can grow to enormous sizes.

All our sturgeon trips take place in the Columbia River estuary near Astoria and are primarily catch & release trips for trophy fish.

Book a trip for fast and furious fishing.

Columbia River Upriver Brights

The most coveted fish of the Columbia River

August - September

Starting in late August Columbia River fall chinook start moving out of the estuary and upriver towards their spawning grounds.

The most sought after of these fish are the upriver brights or URBs. These are premium fall chinook specimens with exceptional fitness that return as 4 and 5 year old fish and can reach upwards of 40 lbs. Their destination is 300 miles away from the ocean in the Hanford Reach area of the upper river. We target these fish in the lower river while they are still fresh moving upriver with the bite to fish in the most productive areas.

Buoy 10 Salmon Fishing

The most exciting salmon fishing in Oregon

August

The mouth of the Columbia River near Astoria, Oregon is where over a million salmon can pass through the estuary in just a five week period.

Buoy 10 is the red navigation marker that marks the end of the river and the beginning of the Columbia River Bar. It is also the name used to describe the “superbowl of salmon fishing” that takes place here every year, attracting anglers from all over the country.

The salmon caught at Buoy 10 are a mix of different stocks of coho (silvers) and fall chinook (kings).

The entire river mouth and ocean in this area is filled with life and these fish start to mass offshore early on in the summer to bulk up for their fall migration. In search of food they are willing biters as they fatten up on herring, anchovies, and other baitfish. Fresh salmon and schools of bait flush in with the cooler water on every tide. It is not uncommon to see whales, dolphins and porpoises this time of year.

August 1 is the traditional kick-off to this legendary fishery.

  • "Sky knows his fishing and is truly committed to ensuring his clients get a good trip."

    “Wow! What a fishing trip. I decided to book a trip after a conference I was attending in Portland to try for some oversized sturgeon. I am all the way from Pennsylvania and was concerned about booking with someone online. But boy did I luck out. Sky knows his fishing and is truly committed to ensuring his clients get a good trip. Caught an 8-foot sturgeon and many smaller ones on my trip. It was a trip I will remember all my life. Sky has a nice boat and the right equipment to handle the big sturgeon. And he really knows the area and the tricks of the trade. I would recommend him to anyone that wants to fish Oregon.”

    – Steve Deck, Lancaster, PA

  • "Sky works hard for his customers and is a blast to spend the day with."

    “Every time we go out with Sky we come back to the dock with a smile on our faces. Sky works hard for his customers and is a blast to spend the day with. I caught my first sturgeon a keeper with Sky. My son landed a 30lb salmon and my wife caught her first Chinook on a day with Sky. Each seat has a price, but the memories are priceless.”

    – Alan Cunningham, Arlington, OR

  • "You always take great pride in getting us on the fish"

    “Sky, You are one of the best fishing guides on the Columbia that I have ever been on the water with. Going out on the water with you is always a great trip. You always take great pride in getting us on the fish, and I have never heard you speak a bad word about any other guide out on the water. I enjoy your services so much here in Oregon, I am hoping to save a little and book an Alaska trip here in the next couple of years. Thank you for all the fishing adventures.”

    – Jeremy Sween, Newberg, OR

What to expect

What to Bring

  • A Sack Lunch

  • Layered, waterproof apparel: For more information, visit our blog.

  • Head gear: Baseball cap, boonie or other wide-brimmed hat in summer. A knit cap in colder conditions and chilly mornings.

  • Sunglasses: Polarized glasses help you see the fish better and protect your eyes from flying hooks.

  • Sunscreen & Lip Ointment: We’ve had good luck with Bullfrog SPF 50. Blistex, Carmex or similar for prevention of windburn chapped lips is also important.

  • Phone and/or Camera: Don’t forget your camera or video camera!

What’s Included

  • Rods and Reels: All fishing equipment, bait & tackle is included. You do not need to bring your own gear. We fish with top of the line G. Loomis Rods, Shimano Reels and the highest quality terminal tackle and bait.

  • Life Jacket: All of our boats are equipped with two life vests per customer, an off-shore Type I vest as well as a Type V auto inflatable life vest. We also carry child vests for kids under 90 pounds.

Book your trip