FALL CHINOOK (KINGS)
The Fall run of chinook is the most prevalent of the two uniquely different oregon runs of fish and is limited to the Coastal streams only. These fish begin to enter the bays on the Oregon Coast as early as August and tend to hang out in estuaries and lower reaches of the rivers until the Fall rains come. At that point (ususally in October) these fish bolt into all the river systems and make their way to spawn. We'll chase the chromers in tidewater early in the season and then move upriver with the fish as the rains arrive. Fish are far more concentrated later in the season and are easier to target, although chinook do "darken" up the longer they are in fresh water. Oregon coast fish average 20-25 lbs. with a few fish in the upper 30's. Our largest fall chinook was a male taken on a fly in 2003 that weighed nearly 55 lbs.!

Come prepared to do battle with heavy gear rods spooled with 20-25 pound mainline and heavy tippets. Chinook are extremely scent oriented and it's important to keep human scent down by avoiding greasy foods near tackle, wearing gloves and avoiding perfumes during your fishing day. Our favorite techniques for these giants of the Oregon Coast are bobber/egg, divers/bait, wrapped kwickfish and occasionally spinners.The peak time for targeting these fish in tidewater is October and the peak time in the rivers is early November-Mid November.

SPRING CHINOOK (SPRINGERS)
Springers are native to Willamette river tributaries like the Sandy and Clackamas. Anglers go crazy for these prized fat rich fish and can be seen by the hundreds trolling the Willamette and Columbia throughout the Spring. Not exactly our cup of tea, we'll wait until May and June when these fish move into the smaller streams. We like to target these fish in conjunction with Summer steelhead. Springers are smaller than their Fall cousins and average in the high teens and low twenties. A 30 pound fish is massive. Terminal tackle, equipment and flies used are very similar the the Fall equipment above.

RIVERS TO CHOOSE FROM: Fall Run; Siletz, North Fork Nehalem, Nestucca, Oregon Coast Creeks. Spring Run; Sandy or Clackamas
SEASON: Spring, Early Summer (Springers); Fall (Coastal Chinook)