Astoria Oregon Fishing Guide and Charters

One of my favorite places on the Oregon coast to go fishing is Astoria, Oregon. Fishing from the Port of Astoria and nearby marinas offers so many different opportunities, including salmon, sturgeon, lingcod, halibut, and sea bass, just to name a few.

Besides being a Pacific Northwest mecca for anglers, Astoria also is just a great place to visit. If you get a chance, check out its restaurants, unique accommodations, fun attractions, and rich historical heritage. And definitely check out the fishing!

Marvin’s Guide Service offers expert charter fishing for all of the following iconic Pacific Northwest sportfishing and crabbing trips.

Astoria Salmon Fishing

One of the most popular fish to catch in the Astoria area is Chinook salmon. People come from all over the country to fish for Chinook salmon, which we Oregonians also like to call kings.

Along with those big kings, we also will be fishing for hordes of coho salmon, which many of us call silvers.

This year (2023), the salmon fishing season will open in the Pacific Ocean, just outside of Astoria, on June 24th. Salmon will hang outside the mouth of the Columbia River for days, or even weeks, feeding on massive schools of baitfish before they enter the estuary along the Astoria shoreline.

We will catch salmon in our seaworthy boat through the month of July.

The Columbia River will open for retention of hatchery-marked Chinook and coho salmon at the world-famous Buoy 10 on August 1st. Buoy 10 is a fishing zone that stretches out in both directions from Astoria.

This Buoy 10 fishery is hands-down the best place to tag a salmon or two in the Pacific Northwest. But it’s no secret, so anglers planning to fish Buoy 10 ought to make their plans early.

Astoria Sturgeon Fishing

Sturgeon is also another very popular fishery out of Astoria, Oregon. Sturgeon fishing is generally a catch-and-release activity, but these trips are lots of fun, and there’s plenty of action.

When fishing sturgeon around the Astoria area, we are generally fishing in water between 5 and 15 feet deep because that’s where the sturgeon feed on the wide flats of the Columbia River estuary.

Sturgeon fishing in shallow water is a thrill of a lifetime. A sturgeon hooked in shallow water often becomes very acrobatic. Wait ’til you get one of these leapers on your line!

Astoria Rockfish Fishing

The Astoria area’s best fishing for sea bass and lingcod is around the southern jetty at the mouth of the Columbia River.

This fishery is available year-round as long as the ocean and weather conditions are safe.

Rockfish fishing can generally be done year-round, as long as the ocean and weather conditions are safe.

Shore anglers can catch these species from the jetties, but boats like mine are more often able to safely reach spots that don’t get as much fishing pressure and hold larger fish, like out near the tip.

Astoria Halibut Fishing

If you’re interested in deep-sea fishing, another great opportunity that starts from the Port of Astoria is halibut fishing.

These Pacific halibut make just about everybody’s favorite fish and chips, and there are good numbers of them in the sandy depths off the Astoria coastline.

Halibut fishing is seasonal fish, so be sure to check the current regulations for up-to-date seasons and limits. Better yet, get in touch with me if you’re interested in halibut fishing this year.

Astoria Crabbing

It would be difficult to catch a tastier treat in Oregon than Dungeness crab. And the Astoria area is among the best crabbing ports in Oregon or Washington.

Fishing for crab is generally done in the fall and winter months, with October and November being some of the very best times to catch limits of crabs in perfect condition.

My top spots for crab fishing are on the lower Columbia River estuary, about five or six miles downriver from the Port of Astoria.

Be sure to contact Marvin’s Guide Service and set up your adventure for fishing in Astoria today.