The Best Time to Fish for Salmon

Salmon are born in a river and then live in the sea, so the best time to fish for them is when they are migrating upriver to spawn.

Spring and Fall

Some salmon migrate in different months in these two seasons, but there are others that migrate in both the spring and fall. Check your state's Fish and Wildlife website and search for fishing sites for your state.

April

Chinook are known to come all the way up the Columbia River to the Bonneville Dam in Washington state. April starts the season in Northern California, all of Oregon and Washington.

May

There is good fishing for salmon in Wind River and Drano Lake in Washington, plus their tributaries in early May.

Springtime in Oregon

"Springers" or Coho salmon come up starting in early April, and the prime time is May and June. Many people go to the bays, but you have to hit the right ocean conditions to fish. The Umpqua and Tillimook rivers are full of salmon this time of year.

Falltime in Oregon

Fall is much like spring in Oregon, but its chinook, or king, salmon migrate in September. You can fish for salmon through December in Tillamook Bay by Portland, Oregon.

References

• Where and When to Fish for Salmon
• When and Where to Fish for Salmon Best Places to Fish by Month