Ilwaco, WA Fishing Report & Live Conditions

Ilwaco, WA fishing report

The Columbia River mouth at Ilwaco draws anglers chasing Chinook and coho salmon through summer and fall, with the Buoy 10 fishery being one of the most celebrated salmon runs on the West Coast. Sturgeon are present year-round in the lower river, with spring and winter producing the most consistent action. Sea-run cutthroat trout work the estuary edges in late summer. It's worth noting that striped bass, fluke, bluefish, black sea bass, tautog, weakfish, and kingfish are East Coast and mid-Atlantic species that do not naturally occur in Pacific Northwest waters, so anglers planning a Columbia River mouth trip should focus their expectations on Pacific salmon, white sturgeon, and coastal bottomfish like lingcod and rockfish.

For salmon at Buoy 10, anchor or back-troll herring and sardine-wrapped plugs in the main channel during outgoing tides, when fish funnel through the shipping lane edges. Incoming tides push fish shallower toward the Washington shoreline, so adjust positioning accordingly. Water temperature through late summer guides fish depth — cooler upwellings concentrate Chinook near the bottom. Watch for wind-driven chop building against an outgoing tide, which creates standing waves that disorient bait and stack salmon underneath. Sturgeon respond well to smelt and sand shrimp fished on the bottom in current seams behind channel bends, particularly during slower tidal windows.