Is Buoy 10 Open for Salmon Fishing This Year?

Buoy 10 is one of the most popular and productive salmon fishing spots in the Pacific Northwest. Located near the mouth of the Columbia River between Oregon and Washington, this area sees huge returns of Chinook and coho salmon every summer and fall. Anglers eagerly await the annual opening of Buoy 10 each year, which signals the start of the salmon season in the Columbia River basin.

When Does Buoy 10 Open for Salmon Fishing?

The 2024 salmon fishing season at Buoy 10 will be open from August 1st through September 3rd This gives anglers over a month to target salmon during the peak of the run before the seasonal closure

The daily limit is two salmon per angler, with no more than one being a Chinook salmon. From August 1st through 29th, anglers may only retain fin-clipped, hatchery salmon – both Chinook and coho Starting August 30th, regulations allow retention of any Chinook salmon, whether fin-clipped or wild Anglers must still release any unclipped coho salmon.

Why is Buoy 10 Such a Popular Salmon Fishery?

There are several key factors that make Buoy 10 an exceptionally productive salmon fishery:

• Position—Being at the mouth of the Columbia River, it’s easy for fishermen to catch salmon on their way from the ocean to greater Columbia River spawning grounds. Fish are concentrated in this bottleneck area.

• Abundance: Every year, hundreds of thousands of salmon return to the Columbia River. A lot of them pass through Buoy 10 on their way upriver.

• Biting fish – Salmon at Buoy 10 are actively feeding before their long migration and spawn. This makes them more likely to aggressively strike lures and bait.

• Access – The lower Columbia River around Buoy 10 is navigable for both larger offshore boats and smaller vessels launching from Hammond, Oregon or Astoria, Oregon. There is ample access to this world-class fishery.

• Early season – Buoy 10 opens in early August, sooner than most other salmon rivers and streams in the Pacific Northwest. Anglers can get an early start on fall Chinook and coho here.

What Species of Salmon are Caught at Buoy 10?

The most prized targets for anglers at Buoy 10 are Chinook (king) salmon and coho (silver) salmon.

Chinook Salmon

• Begin entering the Columbia River in early August
• Peak of the run is typically mid to late August
• Most Chinook are 4-6 year old adults weighing 15-30+ pounds
• Must release unclipped wild Chinook from August 1-29
• Can retain fin-clipped or wild Chinook from August 30 onward

Coho Salmon

• Start showing up in Buoy 10 catches in mid/late August
• Peak of run is from late August through September
• Most coho here are 3-5 pound adults
• Must release unclipped coho entire season
• Focus turns to coho after Chinook quota met

Chinook salmon provide hard fighting and the opportunity for a trophy-sized fish. Coho are acrobatic fighters and bite aggressively, providing consistent action.

How is Buoy 10 Salmon Fishing?

Fishing for salmon at Buoy 10 can be outstanding when conditions align. On peak days during the height of the run, it’s possible for anglers to catch limits of 2 salmon rather quickly. Of course, some days are better than others.

In general, success depends on a few key factors:

• Tides – Fish tend to move and bite best on incoming tides. Target the last half of incoming tide through high slack.

• Weather – Overcast and showery weather gets salmon more active. Wind against tides can slow the bite.

• Time of day – Early mornings tend to be most productive. Salmon may shut down during bright, hot sunny weather.

• Moon phase – Around the full moon, big tides trigger salmon movement. New moon sees slower tidal exchanges.

• Water conditions – Cleaner “saltwater” gets salmon in the mood to feed. Muddy upstream floods slow fishing.

With the right conditions, anglers can have red-hot action, quickly landing limits of bright salmon. But on tougher days, you may have to work for them, changing techniques and locations.

Where is the Best Place to Fish at Buoy 10?

There are many productive spots throughout the Buoy 10 area:

• Mouth/bar – Troll the tidally-influenced waters right at the mouth and bar of the Columbia River. Use flashers and anchovies here.

• Tongue Point – This jetty on the Oregon side is a renowned salmon hangout. Troll along the pilings.

• Washington shore – Along the Washington bank from Buoy 10 upriver. Leadhead jigs score here.

• Desdemona Sands – A shallow sandbar offshore from Tongue Point that holds migrating salmon.

• Hammond, OR – The Oregon shore from Hammond Marina up to Tongue Point sees lots of action.

• Chinook Flats – Wide flats off of Chinook, WA attract baitfish and feeding salmon.

• Upriver – Don’t overlook fishing upriver as far as West Puget Island when fish are moving.

Trolling is the most effective technique, allowing anglers to cover water and find where salmon are holding. Switching spots until you locate a productive area is key.

What is the Best Lure/Bait for Buoy 10 Salmon?

When salmon are abundant at Buoy 10, they aren’t too picky about what they strike. But to consistently hook fish, having confidence in certain lures and baits is important.

• Herring – Whole or cut-plug herring is a go-to bait for Chinook and coho salmon. Fish them behind a flasher.

• Anchovies – This small baitfish is found in the Columbia River. Thread an anchovy onto a hook or hoochie.

• Spoons – Rotating, flashing spoons are easy to fish and effective at attracting reaction bites.

• Spinners – Add some color and vibration to your spread with red or orange blade spinners like Mag Lip 3.0s.

• Jigs – Leadhead jigs allow vertical jigging or casting into holding spots. Tip with bait.

For added action and attraction, always fish lures and baits behind a dodger or flasher blade. Keep bait fresh and switch up retrieve speeds.

What Gear is Used?

Salmon fishing at Buoy 10 requires some specialized gear to be successful:

• Rods – 8 to 10 foot medium-heavy power, fast action rods for trolling. Baitcasting and spinning both work.

• Reels – Quality reels in the 30-50 size range are ideal. Lever drags help control big fish.

• Line – Use 30-50 lb braid or mono mainline. Attach 6-8 foot fluorocarbon leaders.

• Flashers – Dodger or flasher blades give action and vibration to lures. Varied sizes and colors.

• Weights – Salmon are often near bottom. Use trolling leadballs, divers or planer boards.

• Nets – Important for boating fish safely. Large rubber nets with long handles are best.

Having properly balanced trolling gear allows anglers to fish multiple rods effectively to maximize opportunities.

What is the Fishing Like After Buoy 10 Closes?

While the Buoy 10 bubble fishery closes on September 3rd this year, there are still abundant salmon available in the Columbia River Basin.

The fishing transitions from targeting Chinook to focusing more on coho salmon. Action spreads out through tributaries like the Cowlitz, Lewis, Sandy and Clackamas Rivers. Use bait like corkies/yarn balls, spinners and jigs to catch coho through October.

Fallback Chinook will also be present, with October seeing improved catches again. Look for Chinook congregating near dams and in deeper pools. Wrapped Kwikfish are excellent lures.

So don’t stow all your salmon gear away once Buoy 10 closes! Some of the best coho and late Chinook fishing happens through the fall months.

For Pacific Northwest anglers, the opening of salmon fishing at Buoy 10 is one of the most celebrated times of the year. The number of salmon returning to the Columbia River provides plentiful opportunities to catch these prized gamefish. Though the Buoy 10 bubble fishery itself is open for just a month from August 1st through September 3rd in 2024, this area offers world-class salmon fishing accessible to boat and bank anglers alike. By tuning in to conditions, having confidence in presentations, and putting in time on the water, success is very attainable. Of course, lady luck never hurts either! Tight lines