Buoy 10 Salmon Fishing from Ilwaco: Techniques, Timing & Tips
The Buoy 10 fishery at the Columbia River mouth is the most famous salmon fishery in the Pacific Northwest. Here's how t...
Read MoreWashington · Washington Outer Coast
ILWACO
FISHING CHARTERS
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About
Ilwaco Fishing
Ilwaco sits at the mouth of the Columbia River on Washington's southern coast, sharing the legendary Buoy 10 salmon fishery with Astoria across the river. The town's charter fleet targets Chinook and Coho salmon in the river and ocean, plus halibut, lingcod, and albacore offshore. Cape Disappointment State Park and the dramatic river bar add to the adventure.
Fishing Calendar
What's Biting in Ilwaco?
See which species are available each month, color-coded by activity level.
Color Key
Peak
Good
Fair
Off Season
| Species | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Bottom Fishing
|
F | F | F | G | P | P | P | P | G | G | F | F |
|
Nearshore
|
- | - | - | - | P | G | - | - | - | G | - | - |
|
Bottom Fishing
|
- | - | - | - | G | P | P | G | F | - | - | - |
|
Nearshore
|
- | - | - | - | - | G | P | P | G | - | - | - |
|
Nearshore
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | G | P | P | F | - | - |
|
Inshore
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | G | P | G | - | - | - |
|
Deep Sea Fishing
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | G | P | F | - | - |
Species Glossary
View Full Species Guide
Ilwaco Fish Species
7+ species organized by fishing type. Click any species to learn more.
Inshore Species
Fish the bays, flats, and passes close to shore.
Nearshore Species
Target reefs, wrecks, and structure within a few miles of land.
Deep Sea Fishing Species
Head to deep water for big game and bottom species.
Bottom Fishing Species
Charter Guide
Fishing Charter Types in Ilwaco
Understanding the different charter types will help you book the perfect trip for your group.
INSHORE
Fish the bays, flats, and passes close to shore. Target redfish, speckled trout, flounder and more in calm, protected waters.
View Inshore ChartersNEARSHORE
Fish the reefs, wrecks, and structure 1-9 miles offshore. Target snapper, grouper, cobia and more over natural and artificial reefs.
View Nearshore ChartersDEEP SEA FISHING
Deep sea fishing 20+ miles out. Chase tuna, marlin, mahi mahi, wahoo and other pelagic gamefish in blue water.
View Deep Sea Fishing ChartersTROLLING
Cover water by dragging lures or bait behind a moving boat to target pelagic species.
View Trolling ChartersBOTTOM FISHING
Drop baits to the ocean floor to target snapper, grouper, and other reef dwellers.
View Bottom Fishing ChartersFLY FISHING
Sight-cast with fly rods on the flats for redfish, trout, and tarpon.
View Fly Fishing ChartersSURF FISHING
Fish from the beach or wade into the surf to target pompano, whiting, and redfish.
View Surf Fishing ChartersKAYAK FISHING
Paddle out for a more intimate fishing experience on bays and nearshore waters.
View Kayak Fishing Charters
Fishing Tips & Guides
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Ilwaco Fishing Blog
Local insights, seasonal reports, and expert tips for fishing in Ilwaco.
Guest Reviews
4.7
based on 3 reviews
Ilwaco Fishing Reviews
Buoy 10 Chinook Absolute Mayhem
The Buoy 10 fishery was off the charts today with Chinook salmon flooding through the Columbia River mouth. Trolled herring spinners in the main channel and had boat limits of bright kings by 9 AM — fish averaged 20 pounds with a 36-pound hog leading the pack. This is the Super Bowl of salmon fishing.
C
Captain Patrick Doyle
August 2025
Chinook Salmon
Coho Silver Slam on the Bar
The coho salmon were thick at the Columbia River bar and we absolutely loaded up trolling green hoochies behind flashers. Every fish was bright silver and fought like crazy on the light tackle. Fifteen coho to 12 pounds — the clients couldn't believe how hard these silvers pull.
C
Captain Simone Laurent
September 2025
Coho Salmon
Lingcod and Rockfish Outside the Bar
Crossed the Columbia River bar and ran south to the reef for lingcod and rockfish. The lings were biting on swimbaits with six keepers to 20 pounds hitting the deck. Black rockfish filled in the limits on shrimp flies. Great day to combine ocean bottomfish with the Ilwaco experience.
C
Captain Ron Whitaker
April 2025
Lingcod
Black Rockfish
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