Buoy 10 is our most widely known fishery. With the sunshine, remarkable location and bounty of ocean fresh salmon, it is a destination for anglers from all over the world.
Boat: 26’ Willie Nemesis: 4-6 people
Fall Salmon: August
Rate: $275 per person
Meet up locations: Deep River Launch, 171 Oneida Rd. Naselle, WA
Chinook Marina, Water St. Chinook WA. 98614
Needed items for Buoy 10 trips
- Sunglasses and any other solar protection
- Please bring plenty of water to stay hydrated.
- Full body rain gear or at least a jacket for the boat spray
For a complete list of recommended items to bring on fishing trips please see our “What to Bring” page.
Buoy 10 draws anglers from all over. We launch on the Washington side from the Deep River Launch in Naselle WA.
The opener is usually on August First. The weather in August makes spending the day on the water very easy.
The area we fish is 40 square miles. Fishing this part of the river can be challenging due to the tidal influence. To fish Bouy 10 correctly, it’s important to know where to be during any given part of the tide.
The size of the tide also dictates the best location to target Salmon. There are two main channels on either side of the river that the fish use to move up after they enter the mouth.
In the center of the river lies The Desdemona Sands. This is a large shallow sand bar that separates the Oregon and Washington channels.
Salmon swim up the soft edge on either side of these channels depending on the strength of the tide and current. More salmon enter the mouth of the Columbia River at Buoy 10 than any other river in the Pacific Northwest. Chinook and Coho salmon are our target.
Chinook Salmon arrive at Buoy 10 first, followed by Coho Salmon near the middle of August.
We spend the day trolling in-line triangle flashers with herring or anchovies. Buoy 10 offers an action-packed fishery giving us plenty of chances on the trip for you to get something to put on the BBQ.
Buoy 10 is a very popular fishery and books up early…so make your reservations well in advance.
Guests can make reservations at hotels in Astoria, OR. or on the Washington side in Chinook, Naselle or Cathlamet.
River Facts
Buoy 10 is a forty square mile area. The area spans from the Columbia River bBar up river to a line between Rocky Point, Washington and Tongue Point, Oregon.
The Columbia River and the Pacific Ocean mix here and gives us brackish water all the way to Cathlamet.
Many ships and other commercial marine vessels cross the Columbia River bar and continue up river for the import and export of goods. The shipping lane has to be dredged year-round in order to keep its depth for large shipping vessels.
The U.S Army Corp of Engineers is responsible for dredging the shipping lanes.
Need a fishing license? Visit WDFW and purchase your license online.
