By Bobby Loomis
August 1, 2025 - 12:01 AM - At first light, the most anticipated salmon season on the West Coast officially begins. The Buoy 10 fishery—stretching from the mouth of the Columbia River upstream to the west end of Puget Island—opens its gates for what promises to be one of the strongest seasons in recent memory.
Sport anglers have been allocated 16,600 Chinook salmon and 49,860 hatchery coho for harvest—quotas that exceed last year’s guidelines and signal exceptional opportunity. With total mortality allowances (kept plus release mortalities) set at 41,000 Chinook and 34,300 coho for Buoy 10 anglers specifically, fishery managers have crafted a season structure designed to maximize opportunity while ensuring conservation goals.
Daily Limits: Two salmon per day, no more than one of which may be a Chinook when the king season is open.
August 1-6: Any Chinook (wild or hatchery) and hatchery coho may be retained. This opening week represents the prime opportunity for anglers seeking wild Columbia River kings—some of the most prized salmon on the Pacific Coast.
August 7-25: Only hatchery-marked (adipose fin-clipped) Chinook and hatchery coho may be kept. This selective period allows continued harvest while protecting wild spawning stocks during their peak migration.
August 26-September 6: The regulations return to allowing any Chinook (wild or hatchery) plus hatchery coho. This late-August reopener traditionally produces some of the season’s largest fish as mature kings push upriver.
September 7 onward: Chinook fishing closes, but hatchery coho fishing continues through December 31. The fall coho runs often provide excellent action when king fishing winds down.
Chinook minimum size: 24 inches total length, Coho minimum size: 16 inches total length
Critical Identification: All retained coho must be hatchery fish with a healed adipose fin clip. During selective periods (August 7-25), Chinook must also show the missing adipose fin, indicating hatchery origin.
The Buoy 10 management zone encompasses Columbia River waters from the mouth (Buoy 10 line) upstream to the west end of Puget Island. This boundary provides access to both the lower estuary, where ocean-fresh fish first enter the river system, and upstream areas where salmon concentrate before continuing their spawning journey.
Early Ocean Alternative
For anglers who can’t wait until tomorrow, the ocean fishery off the Columbia River mouth opened June 25 and continues offering excellent opportunities for both Chinook and coho. Ocean regulations allow retention of wild coho and provide different size and bag limits, making it an attractive option during favorable conditions.
Both Washington and Oregon licenses are valid in Columbia River boundary waters, but anglers must follow the regulations of the state where they’re fishing and are limited to one daily limit regardless of license type. When landing fish in Oregon, anglers must comply with Oregon regulations even if returning to Washington ports.
The generous quotas reflect robust run forecasts developed through the North of Falcon and Pacific Fishery Management Council processes earlier this year. With over 65,000 total salmon available for harvest between the two species, this season offers the kind of opportunity that draws anglers from across North America to the mouth of the Columbia.
The alternating wild/hatchery regulations provide multiple strategies: early season targeting of wild kings, selective harvest during peak migration periods, and extended coho opportunities stretching into winter. This structure maximizes both conservation benefits and angling opportunity.
As Thursday’s sun rises over Astoria’s harbor, hundreds of boats will throttle past the jetties carrying anglers who’ve waited all year for this moment. The 2025 Buoy 10 season represents more than just fishing regulations. This is the opening chapter of what promises to be a legendary season on the lower Columbia.
With tackle rigged, bait fresh, and expectations high, the most famous salmon fishery on the West Coast is about to write its 2025 story.
By Bob Schmidt, Mack’s Lure After a few challenging winters that tested the resolve of even the most dedicated steelhead anglers, I’m genuinely excited to share some positive news about the 2024-25 season. The forecast numbers are encouraging, the regulations...
