The Land of Giants: A Guide to Fishing the Pacific Northwest
There is a wildness to the Pacific Northwest that gets into an angler’s soul. It’s a land of misty mornings, towering evergreen forests, and powerful, cold rivers that carve their way from snow-capped mountains to the sea. The fish that live here are as rugged and iconic as the landscape itself. This is the ancestral home of the Pacific salmon and the sea-going rainbow trout known as the steelhead. For any angler looking for a truly wild, world-class freshwater adventure, a pilgrimage to the PNW is a must.
Understanding the Fishery: Anadromous Fish and Their Journey
The magic of the PNW fishery revolves around a special type of fish: anadromous fish. This means they are born in the freshwater of a river, migrate out to the vast Pacific Ocean to feed and grow into powerful adults, and then, guided by an incredible ancient instinct, they return to the very same river where they were born to spawn and begin the cycle anew. As an angler, you are intercepting these magnificent creatures on their epic final journey home.
The Kings of the River: Iconic PNW Species
While there are many species to target, the fishery is defined by its holy trinity of salmonids.
- King Salmon (Chinook): The largest and most powerful of the Pacific salmon. Kings are defined by their sheer size and brute strength, with fish commonly exceeding 20 and 30 pounds. Hooking one in a heavy river current is a true test of will and tackle.
- Silver Salmon (Coho): Known for their aggressive nature and spectacular acrobatic fights. What they lack in the raw size of a king, they make up for in wild energy. They are famous for chasing down and viciously attacking lures and flies.
- Steelhead (“The Ghost of the North”): A steelhead is a rainbow trout that has migrated to the ocean. They return to the river as supercharged, chrome-plated torpedoes, renowned for their beauty, their incredible speed, and their frustrating elusiveness. For many, the steelhead is the ultimate prize of freshwater fishing.
Legendary Rivers of the PNW
The region is blessed with countless world-class rivers. A few of the most legendary include the massive Columbia River which forms the border of Washington and Oregon, the Skagit River in Washington known for its huge runs, and the Deschutes River in Oregon, a world-famous fly fishing destination for steelhead.
When to Go: Timing the Salmon and Steelhead Runs
Fishing in the PNW is all about timing the “runs.” The fish are only in the river during specific times of the year as they migrate upstream. While every river is different, a general calendar looks like this:
- Fall (September – November): This is the main event for most anglers. The big runs of King and Coho salmon enter the rivers, providing the most action-packed fishing of the year.
- Winter & Spring (December – April): This is steelhead season. Chasing these fish often means fishing in cold, challenging conditions, but the reward is one of the most prized game fish on the planet.
- Summer (June – August): Many rivers have a “summer-run” of steelhead, and some, like the Columbia, have famous runs of Sockeye salmon.
Essential Techniques for River Fishing in the PNW
The techniques here are specialized for river fishing. The most common methods include “drift fishing” with bait (like salmon eggs or roe), casting plugs and spinners that agitate the territorial fish, or the classic art of “swinging” flies with a Spey rod, a long, two-handed fly rod designed for casting on big rivers.
The Pacific Northwest offers a truly wild experience in one of the world’s great fisheries, a destination we’re proud to feature in our Guide to Top Fishing Destinations.
-Captain Sal
