Tips and Tricks to Catching Salmon in Astoria Oregon

Catching salmon in Astoria Oregon is quite an adventure! Imagine the huge rush of silvery salmon and the thrill you feel during the summer season as over a million fish swim toward you. In Astoria, it’s the return of the salmon, where anglers are seeing some of the finest fishing action in years!

But even with the abundance of salmon, you can’t catch any if you don’t know the tricks of the trade! You need to be prepared and know what equipment and techniques to use to have more chances of success.

So, what do you do? Besides joining a fishing charter or hiring a private fishing guide, we share more tips and tricks to catching salmon in Astoria Oregon. Keep on reading!

 

Tips and Tricks to Catching Salmon in Astoria Oregon

It can be quite challenging catching salmon in Astoria Oregon. But you can end the day with a higher likelihood of bringing home a catch with these tips and tricks:

 

What Bait to Use?

Your bait can make or break your fishing trip, which is why you need the best and most effective one. For salmon, an important detail is the freshness of your bait.

You might have already come across the term, “match the hatch.” This refers to using natural bait salmon forages for their entire life. When you’re in Astoria waters, salmon will search for familiar baitfish they usually feed on.

What we recommend using are fresh anchovies and fresh herring, which is what most of their diet consists of. You can purchase these in the nearest local bait shop. The fresher, the better!

 

Use Sharp Hooks

Salmon skin is tough and hardy, so it requires a sharp point to pierce through it. Factory hooks would come as semi-sharp, so it’s best to sharpen those hooks before and during your trip.

Not to worry, as sharpening your hooks is a fairly simple skill anyone can quickly learn. You simply need a file and stroke the leading edge of your hook, making it sharper. Do this throughout the day to maintain the sharp edge, as this small detail can make your day out in the waters a better one.

Do note that you’ll get a mix of freshwater and saltwater in Astoria, so the exposure to such water and other elements can dull the hook of any caliber. That’s why you must check your hook occasionally to see if it requires some sharpening. If you aren’t confident with your sharpening skills, you can ask your fishing guide or charter crew to help you out, if you joined one.

 

Don’t Chase Bites

Just like with catching many other fish species, you must be patient. In this world-class fishery, there will be a ton of salmon you can catch, and you might have gotten a ton of bite reports from fellow anglers.

While bite reports are awesome, they can either be productive or counterproductive. A lot of anglers tend to fall victim to chasing such bite reports and when you do, you aren’t actually fishing. If you spend more time driving around to get to bites, that equals less time fishing and harvesting salmon. Most times, you’re better off sticking to a spot and waiting for a bite. Sooner or later, your target species will snap!

We recommend making a game plan before you leave the dock based on the weather, tides, recent fishing history, and other vital factors. When you follow your plan, you have more chances of catching salmon rather than following what everyone else around you says.

 

What are the Peak Times?

What time should you catch salmon? They bite well come the first hour of daylight. Afterward, the best bites would usually be an hour before and after the tide change. It’s crucial to prepare yourself and focus on getting a bite during those peak times.

Anglers know that these windows of opportunity are very small, so it’s crucial to catch fish during that part of the tide. With the bite at its peak, take advantage and focus more on catching fish rather than snapping photos or slacking off!

 

Be Confident!

And finally, it’s all about confidence, which is a bit tricky as an angler. Most times, it’s attitude-behavior and sometimes, it’s determined by experience level.

Regardless, a vital key to success is to be confident and trust your decisions. It’s easy to get thrown off while fishing, especially if your first few attempts to do something right end up failing. You might be second-guessing your decisions at that point, feeling disheartened.

Well, now’s not the time. If you lose your confidence and perspective, your judgment will change and you might end up forcing decisions and making adjustments that would detriment your chances of catching salmon in Astoria Oregon. Like anything we do in life, we can’t make wise decisions with a confused and scrambled mind, which is why you must be calm and collected in the waters

When you feel less confident, remind yourself why you decided to fish at a specific spot or why you decided to use a certain technique. This can help you stay confident, encouraging you to make smarter decisions that will lead to a catch.

If you are still a beginner, it’s best to seek help from a charter captain or fishing guide, too!

 

Wrapping It Up

Catching salmon in Astoria Oregon takes patience, skills, and a bit of luck coming your way. With these tips and tricks, you’re more prepared to head to the waters and catch yourself some salmon you can bring home and brag about during dinner.

If you’re still planning your fishing trip, make sure to consider joining a charter or hiring a guide. They will definitely amp up the chances of you catching more salmon. Contact us now and we can help you get an amazing experience around the Oregon area!