Columbia River Fishing Guide, Lance Fisher
If you're looking to fish the Columbia River, finding a good guide will will help in making your day of fishing as productive as possible. The Columbia River is one of the larger rivers in the world and because of this, is full of sandbars, submerged pilings and currents that ruin many well intended days throughout the year. Having a good guide can minimize these risks so that you can enjoy the scenery and the great fishing the Columbia has to offer.
Salmon and Sturgeon are seasonably available on the Columbia River with several opportunities throughout the year for both species. Really, there's always something to fish for in the Columbia. I guide for both species on the portion of river from Bonneville Dam, 25 miles east of Portland, all the way to the mouth of the Columbia River where it meets the Pacific Ocean, 140 miles down river.
My fishing trips on the Columbia River are run in a 2010, 25’ Willie Raptor. The boat can fish up to 6 people, but I will typically only fish 4. The boat is loaded with the finest electronics, fishing gear and safety equipment you’ll find in a guide boat. It is a 40 m.p.h. boat 
that takes us to where we are fishing quickly and once we get there, it doubles as a great fishing platform.
You will show up to your trip with a clean boat, the best bait money can buy and a guide who prides himself on putting his clients on fish. My trips are not about boat rides, saving on gas, or being cheap with my bait. Below, you will find links with more information on all my guide trips on the Columbia River.
Columbia River Salmon Fishing
Columbia River Spring Chinook Salmon Fishing March-May
Columbia River Spring Chinook Fishing starts in March and lasts into May. Most of the mainstem fishing happens in March and April, with focus shifting to the tributaries in late April and May. All of my guide trips for Columbia River Salmon are done within 30 minutes of Portland. Seasons change from year to year on the mainstem of the Columbia River so you will want to checkwith me before assuming that guided fishing trips are available. Learn more by visiting my Columbia River Spring Chinook Salmon Fishing page.
Columbia River Tributary Spring Salmon Fishing April-May
Tributaries like the Willamette River, Clackamas River, Lewis River and Cowlitz River all see returns of 
Spring Salmon. The Willamette River generally sees one quarter to one half of the entire Columbia River Spring Salmon run. Fishing in the Willamette will typically be good until water temperatures elevate to the point that the fish stop biting. (For more on the Willamette, visit my Willamette River Spring Chinook Fishing page.) At this point, the smaller tributaries take center stage. The Clackamas, Lewis and Cowlitz Rivers can all have very good runs at times, but typically one or two of these rivers tend to outdo the rest. My guide trips this time of year are success, not location driven. All of these rivers are either within the Portland/Metro area, or are close to it, so why not fish where the fish are? Just give me a call if you have further questions.
Columbia River Summer Salmon Fishing June
These fish are decendents of the legendary June Hogs. These fish provide anglers with a fantastic meat, similar in quality to a Spring Salmon. The caveat is that there average size is significantly greater than that of their Spring cousins. Seasons for these fish are typically set in the spring, so call for availability.
Columbia River Fall Salmon Fishing August-October
Buoy 10 August-September- This is the largest series of runs the Columbia has to offer. Chinook begin entering the river at the beginning of August and the Coho/Silvers are right on their tails. This is a very popular fishery and rightfully so. Buoy 10 is legendary for it’s action with double hook ups being fairly regular occurances. Book early, dates go quickly.
Portland/Metro Area September- More big Columbia River Chinook get caught here than any other fishery combined. Wobblers 
fished between 30 and 50 feet is the tactic of choice on the outgoing tide. On the incoming guides will either troll wobblers or herring as fish suspend. This is a fun fishery for all, with the fishing and weather generally being good this time of year. My guide trips for upriver brights (URB's) are all run within 30 minutes of Portland.
Bonneville Dam September-October- Bonneville Dam is a great place to ambush the Columbia River Fall Chinook run. There are several native runs that return to this area, not to mention the thousands on their way to the Snake River in Idaho. We back troll bait wrapped Kwikfish in this area and typically enjoy great fishing and scenery.
Cowlitz River Fall Chinook and Coho September-October Chinook and Coho begin entering the Cowlitz in early September. This is a fun fishery for those that like to fish eggs. We will back bounce, hover fish and cast plugs for these fish. They’re good biters and the meat is still in good shape.
Columbia River Sturgeon Fishing
Columbia River Portland/Metro Sturgeon Fishing January-May
Sturgeon are available in both the Columbia and Willamette throughout the first half of the calendar year. These fish are known for their tender white meet and offer anglers with fairly consistent activity. Seasons change from year to year so you’ll need to call or email to see what the availability will be for the times you’re considering.
Columbia River Estuary Sturgeon Fishing May-June
The Columbia River estuary in Astoria provides sturgeon anglers with some of the best sturgeon fishing of the year. The estuary sturgeon provides fishermen with the opportunity to catch fish in as little as a couple feet of water as they move up on flats in search of clams. An incredible amount of water is available and often you’ll huge numbers of fish with no one in site. Fish that can be kept are what most people are after, but we’ll also regularly hook fish 6, 7 and 8 feet long.
Columbia River Fall Sturgeon Fishing October-November
For a period of a about a month after the area below Bonneville opens again fishing can be borderline clinical. Many of these fish haven’t seen baits in months due to the summer closure and have flocked to the area to feed on the dying Salmon. Because of the brief window, this isn’t as popular of a fishery, but can be just as productive.