The Northwest's Premier Outfitter offering guided fishing trips on Idaho's Clearwater and Snake Rivers, American Falls Reservoir, CJ Strike Reservoir, Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir, and the Columbia River in Washington and Oregon.
We have been on the Upper Columbia River fishing Sockeye and Summer Chinook since it opened on July 1st. Fishing has been absolutely amazing, and we are just now starting to see the bulk of the Sockeye run hit the Brewster area.
Due to a later than normal arrival of summer we have been spending most of our time downriver from Brewster in one of our favorite Summer areas near Wells Dam. This area has provided some incredible fishing, but has also lead to a lot of frustration as the high flows are causing some very rough river conditions. Spill from Wells Dam is highly variable, and completely unpredictable, making it necessary on some days to patiently wait for the rollers to subside so we could access the best fishing areas. The upside is that as soon as we have been able to get into the zone we have been in the fish.
We have been having great action on both Summer Chinook and Sockeye pulling 360 flashers and prawn spinners. This set up allows us to very effectively target both species at the same time. If looking for a rundown on how we rig this system up click on the video below.
Summer Chinook and Sockeye Report 7/5/22: Hot tips to catch more fish! https://youtu.be/fDP3Y6-5A4U
As of this writing it is currently 100 degrees and the Brewster Pool will likely be setting up and fishing very well within the next few day. This is when Sockeye mania will start in earnest. We still have a few dates left to fill so if looking to book a trip make sure to get ahold of our office at 208-669-1569 and Dani will help get you booked.
Last week our Summer Chinook and Sockeye season opened on the Upper Columbia, and fishing was absolutely on fire! Opening day was one of the absolute best opening day’s we can remember! We had two boats out and early limits where the name of the game. while the rest of the season won’t be quite as on fire as the first two days we will see consistently great fishing for the rest of the month of July.
We are seeing great success trolling both super baits and 3.5 Colorado spinners behind 11 inch 360 style flashers. One of our keys is to really watch out speed and make sure our rods are thumping at about a 1 thump per second interval. It’s a little hard to explain, but this action really leads to more fish in the boat. For this reason we run cannon ball droppers and skip out on the downriggers. Also by running cannonball lead we are able to let all our customers drop lines and be part of the action.
We still have some open dates mid month, so don’t hesitate to give us a call and book your trip. These fish are amazing and we would love to share this experience with you. Enjoy the pictures below, the smiling faces and big fish tell the story. The Upper Columbia Summer of Salmon is an experience you need to be part of.
We had another fantastic morning of Columbia River Sockeye fishing in Brewster, Washington. It was a quick limit for our morning group. We still have some room to fish Saturday morning. Saturday will be our last day for the upper Columbia before we switch gears and head out to the Astoria area for the famous Buoy 10 season, and speaking of Buoy 10 we still have a handful of dates left open. Make sure to give our office a call at 208-669-1569 or Book Online.
If anyone is wondering how we are catching these Sockeye we have a previous Blog article on the topic. Click Here.
Both the weather and the Sockeye are hot right now in Brewster, WA. We are getting limits daily. Currently we are offering three start times daily. Our first trip starts at 4:30am, followed by a 10am outing, and we finish up our day with a 5pm evening adventure. Our rate for these trips is only $125/person. These are great trips for fisherman of all ages! We have open seats every day for the next 2 weeks. Give our office a call at 208-669-1569 or book online Here.
We are still finding some awesome fish in the Upper Columbia River in the Brewster, WA areas. This place offers us some fantastic fishing in quite a few different spots. Chinook is scheduled to close tomorrow, but we will see some great Sockeye fishing the rest of the month. We are currently offering a $125/person 4 hour Sockeye charter. These trips have three start times 4:30 am, 10:00 am, and 5:00 pm. We would love to see you guys out with us to catch some of these tasty fish.
Fishing has continued to be good for both Sockeye and Chinook the past few days! Rumor has it that we might be getting an increase in our Sockeye limit. These are amazing fish on the table!
We had another fantastic day today on the Columbia River north of Wenatchee! Limits of Sockeye and nice Chinook to go around. This is a great fishery with the best opportunity to take a bunch of fish home on the entire Columbia River. We have open dates! Get with us now to get your dates booked.
We had an amazing opening day today on the Upper Columbia River fishing for Chinook and Sockeye. We limited on both Chinook and Sockeye today! Pro Troll Flashers and Superbaits are a huge part of our success! We have lots of open dates left for this great July fishery. Get ahold of us at our office at 208-669-1569 or Book Online by clicking Here. This is one of our favorite fisheries of the year!
Come Late June, July and early August we can be found fishing the Upper Columbia between Tri-Cities, Washington and the town of Brewster, Washington.  Summer Chinook are commonly called June hogs and are known for their size and incredible strength. During this time of year we often have great numbers of Sockeye available. What these fish lack in size they more than make up for as table fare.  We often catch both Chinook and Sockeye on the same trip.  This is a fantastic fishery and we can’t think of a better way to spend a summer day than fishing the Columbia River for Summer Chinook and Sockeye Salmon.
 Hanford Reach
We target the Hanford Reach fishing out of Vernita Bridge and Ringold for summer Chinook and Sockeye starting the end of June. Â We also offer catch and keep sturgeon fishing at this time and often do combination trips. Â This is mostly an anchor fishery as we like to sit on travel lanes and wait for the waves of migrating Chinook and Sockeye to meet our gear. Â The flows of the Columbia River at this time are often very high due to the early summer run off, it is this high water that makes these fish available and aggressive. Â When fishing here we are looking for points and bars, or any structure that disrupts the flow of the water and creates an easier place for the fish to migrate. Â These fish are constantly moving and are looking for the slower inside bends to help them conserve energy for their long migration. Â It is at these congestion points that we often anchor up and deploy our gear. Â This style of fishing is both very relaxing and exciting. Â The Hanford Reach is a huge place and we often have large areas of river almost all to our self’s.
To see a Google Map of our meeting locations click here.
Wanapum Dam
Starting July 1st the Columbia River above Priest Rapids Dam opens. Â Our first stop for these fish is the tail race of Wanapum Dam, it’s here that the heavy currents caused by the Dam congregates migrating Summer Chinook and Sockeye Salmon. Â This is a very popular troll fishery. Â When targeting Chinook we like to troll flashers and Brad’s Super Baits, Flashers and herring, and spinners. Â When targeting Sockeye we fish 8 inch chrome dodgers followed by a small hoochie squid tipped with a coon shrimp. Â This can be a very busy fishery, but the fishing here can be absolutely fantastic! Â We typically will fish Wanapum through the 10th or so of July before moving up river. Â The Sockeye and Chinook caught here during early July are some of the best table fare around!
To see a Google Map of our meeting locations click here.
Brewster/Wells Dam
We start fishing in the Brewster, Washington area about the 10th of July. Â When fishing here we target both the Brewster Pool and the area just below Wells Dam. Â We will put you on the best location to get you on a bunch of Chinook or Sockeye. Â Both locations are primarily troll fisheries. Â For Sockeye we like to troll 8 inch dodgers followed by a small coon shrimp, and when targeting Chinook we like to fish Super Bait’s, Herring, spinners, or plugs. Â Wells Dam is much like the fishery we see at Wanapum Dam. Â Lots of current and fish stacked up trying to get through the fish ladders. Â One difference here is that unlike Wanapum there is a Chinook Hatchery at Wells Dam and for many fish this is the end of the line. Â This means there are always fish holding here waiting to head up into the hatchery.
The Brewster Pool is very different from both Wells and Wanapum and resembles a big reservoir. Â Here the current is slowed and the fishing is a little more laid back. Â This is a holding area created by the warm water temperatures of the Okanogan River. Â Most of the Upper Columbia River Sockeye and lots of Summer Chinook are headed up the Okanogan River to Spawning grounds in Canada and the Okanagan River Valley. Â Once the water temperature hits the 70 degree mark its creates a temperature barrier for migrating Salmon. Â It is once this barrier is set that the Brewster Pool becomes a salmon fishing paradise. Â Tens of thousands of Chinook and Sockeye hold here waiting for the temperature in the Okanagan River to cool enough to allow safe passage. Â Quick limits of Sockeye and multiple hookups on great fighting Summer Chinook are the norm. Â We offer both full and half day trips in this area and often run a full day followed by a half day afternoon trip.
To see a Google Map of our meeting locations click here
