The Pacific Northwest isn’t just a fishing destination – it’s a fishing religion. From the glacier-fed rivers of British Columbia to the misty streams of Oregon, this corner of the world offers some of the most diverse and challenging fishing opportunities on Earth.
A Land of Giants
The Pacific Northwest has been producing legendary fish for as long as people have been fishing here. Native tribes built entire cultures around salmon runs. Early settlers marveled at rivers so thick with fish you could supposedly walk across their backs. And while those days of impossible abundance are gone, the region still produces fish that anglers elsewhere can only dream about.
The Big Five: Pacific Northwest Species
Chinook (King) Salmon
The king of the Pacific – and the king of Northwest fishing culture. Chinook salmon return to Northwest rivers from May through October, with fish commonly exceeding 30 pounds and occasional giants topping 60. These are powerful, determined fish that test every piece of tackle and every ounce of angler skill.
The Columbia River, Kenai River, and countless smaller streams host chinook runs that draw anglers from around the world. Whether you’re trolling in saltwater, drifting eggs through deep river pools, or swinging flies on remote streams, chinook fishing represents the pinnacle of Northwest angling.
Steelhead
If chinook are the kings, steelhead are the nobility – athletic, beautiful, and frustratingly difficult to fool. These sea-run rainbow trout migrate from the Pacific into Northwest rivers, where they spend months before spawning. Unlike salmon, steelhead don’t die after spawning – some return multiple times.
Winter steelhead fishing might be the most demanding freshwater pursuit in America. You’re standing in frigid water, often in rain or snow, making cast after cast into water that looks fishless. Then, without warning, everything explodes. A steelhead strike is electric – the fish immediately goes airborne, often multiple times, and the fight that follows tests both tackle and angler.
Coho (Silver) Salmon
Coho are the acrobats of the salmon family. Smaller than chinook but no less spirited, they return to Northwest rivers in fall, providing excellent fishing on lighter tackle. Coho are aggressive feeders, willing to chase spinners, flies, and jigs with enthusiasm that chinook often lack.
Fresh coho in full chrome are stunningly beautiful fish – silver flanks, dark backs, and that perfect salmon shape. They’re also excellent table fare, which many anglers prefer to chinook for eating.
Rainbow Trout
The resident rainbows of Northwest streams don’t get the headlines that salmon and steelhead do, but they provide year-round fishing opportunities that shouldn’t be overlooked. Many smaller streams hold wild rainbow populations that rarely see fishing pressure, and the trout grow fat on abundant insect hatches.
For fly fishermen especially, Northwest rainbow fishing offers technical challenges and pristine settings that rival any trout water in the country.
Cutthroat Trout
The native trout of the Pacific Northwest, cutthroats come in several subspecies – coastal, westslope, and Lahontan being the most common. Sea-run cutthroat in coastal estuaries provide unique fishing opportunities, while stream-resident fish in mountain waters offer classic small-stream trout fishing.
Cutthroat aren’t the biggest or the most challenging fish, but they’re beautiful, willing to eat dry flies, and represent the authentic native fish of the region. Many anglers develop a special affection for them.
Iconic Northwest Destinations
The Olympic Peninsula
Washington’s Olympic Peninsula contains some of the least-developed wilderness in the lower 48, and its rivers reflect that wildness. The Hoh, Queets, and Quinault rivers flow through temperate rainforests, their waters green with glacial runoff, holding wild steelhead and salmon that have never seen a hatchery.
The Columbia River
The mighty Columbia drains a quarter million square miles and hosts multiple salmon runs annually. Fishing the Columbia isn’t intimate – it’s often done from large boats trolling complex rigging – but the sheer numbers of fish make it a must-experience destination.
Oregon’s Deschutes River
The Deschutes is steelhead heaven. Its fish are legendary – chrome-bright summer runs that average 8-10 pounds with occasional fish over 15. The river’s wadeable character and stunning canyon scenery make it a favorite for fly anglers.
British Columbia’s Rivers
Cross the border into British Columbia, and the fishing reaches another level entirely. The Skeena system, Dean River, and dozens of smaller streams offer trophy steelhead and salmon fishing in truly remote wilderness settings.
Seasons and Timing
Northwest fishing is a year-round pursuit, but different seasons bring different opportunities:
- Spring (March-May): Spring chinook enter rivers, providing excellent fishing in the lower reaches. Trout fishing improves as water warms.
- Summer (June-August): Summer steelhead arrive. Salmon fishing peaks in marine waters. High mountain lakes become accessible.
- Fall (September-November): Coho runs provide excellent river fishing. Fall chinook make their appearance. Early winter steelhead begin arriving.
- Winter (December-February): Prime winter steelhead season. Not for the faint of heart, but the rewards are substantial for those willing to brave the elements.
Conservation Matters
Northwest salmon and steelhead have faced dramatic declines over the past century. Dams, habitat loss, and overfishing have reduced runs to fractions of their historical abundance. Wild fish populations are particularly threatened.
As anglers, we have a responsibility to fish sustainably and support conservation efforts. This means:
- Following all regulations carefully, including selective fishery rules
- Releasing wild fish unharmed whenever possible
- Supporting organizations working on habitat restoration
- Advocating for fish-friendly dam policies and water management
The future of Northwest fishing depends on the choices we make today. Fish responsibly so future generations can experience what we’ve been privileged to enjoy.
The Northwest Experience
Fishing the Pacific Northwest isn’t just about catching fish – though the catching can be spectacular. It’s about standing in a river older than human memory, surrounded by ancient forests and mist-shrouded mountains, connected to natural cycles that have repeated for millennia.
It’s about the anticipation of the first cast on a winter morning. The sudden weight of a steelhead on the line. The sight of salmon spawning on gravel where their ancestors spawned for thousands of years.
The Pacific Northwest shaped American fishing culture, and it continues to inspire anglers who make the pilgrimage to its waters. Whether you’re casting for chrome steelhead on a rainy December morning or watching salmon jump below a waterfall in summer, you’re participating in something profound.
This is what fishing was always meant to be.
