Best Time to Fish Ilwaco

When to fish Ilwaco

Each row is shaded against that species' own best month here, so a dark cell means a good month for that fish rather than a comparison between them.

Chinook Salmon: January none, February none, March fair, April excellent, May good, June peak, July peak, August peak, September excellent, October none, November none, December none. Coho Salmon: January none, February none, March none, April none, May poor, June excellent, July peak, August peak, September peak, October poor, November none, December none. Halibut: January none, February poor, March excellent, April peak, May peak, June peak, July peak, August excellent, September fair, October poor, November none, December none. Lingcod: January good, February excellent, March good, April good, May fair, June fair, July fair, August fair, September good, October fair, November fair, December fair. Black Rockfish: January fair, February fair, March fair, April good, May good, June excellent, July excellent, August good, September fair, October fair, November fair, December fair. Surfperch: January poor, February fair, March good, April good, May excellent, June excellent, July excellent, August good, September fair, October fair, November poor, December poor. Flounder / Sole (Flatfish): January poor, February poor, March good, April excellent, May excellent, June excellent, July excellent, August excellent, September good, October fair, November poor, December poor. Herring: January excellent, February peak, March peak, April fair, May poor, June poor, July fair, August poor, September poor, October poor, November fair, December good. Squid - Opal: January none, February none, March none, April good, May peak, June peak, July peak, August peak, September peak, October good, November none, December none.

• Chinook Salmon. Ilwaco sits at the Columbia River mouth, so Chinook abundance builds through spring with early returning fish, then peaks strongly in August (weeks 31-33) as fall Chinook stage before entering the river. Late summer holds the dominant fall run, with abundance dropping sharply through September-October as fish move upriver and winter months stay near-absent offshore.
• Coho Salmon. Ilwaco coho are ocean-migratory fish absent from local waters in winter and spring; feeder/immature fish begin appearing offshore in early summer, building through July as they gain weight. The sharp peak spans mid-August through early September when mature coho stage off the Columbia mouth before their fall river entry, then abundance collapses through late September as fish move upriver and leave the ocean.
• Halibut. Pacific halibut off Ilwaco concentrate on nearshore feeding grounds in spring and early summer as they move up from deeper offshore wintering areas, peaking roughly late April through June when water warms and forage is abundant. Abundance tapers through late summer and fall as fish disperse and begin migrating back to deeper offshore waters, leaving relatively low but non-zero winter presence.
• Lingcod. Lingcod are resident year-round on Ilwaco's nearshore reefs and jetties, so abundance never hits zero. Peak occurs late winter through spring (Feb–May) when males guard nests in shallower rocky structure and fish concentrate on reachable reefs; a smaller autumn bump reflects feeding aggregation before winter, while mid-summer sees fish more dispersed and deeper.
• Black Rockfish. Black rockfish are resident, long-lived reef fish near Ilwaco's nearshore rocks and jetties, so they're present year-round with only modest seasonal swing. Abundance peaks in summer through early fall (roughly June–September) when calm seas allow fish to hold shallow and feed heavily, while winter storms and cooler water push them slightly deeper and disperse them, dampening nearshore presence.
• Surfperch. Redtail surfperch are present year-round in Ilwaco's Long Beach surf zone, but abundance peaks in spring (roughly late April–early July) when perch stage in the near-shore surf to spawn, making them densest and most catchable. A secondary, gentler bump occurs in summer/early fall as juveniles and post-spawn fish work the beaches, while mid-winter storms and colder water push fish slightly deeper and thin the surf-zone counts.
• Flounder / Sole (Flatfish). Flatfish (sand sole, starry flounder, English/petrale sole) inhabit Ilwaco's estuary and nearshore waters year-round, so abundance never hits zero. Numbers build through spring and peak in late spring/early summer (May–July) as fish move onto shallow sandy flats to feed, then gradually thin through fall and winter as adults retreat to deeper offshore water to spawn.
• Herring. Pacific herring aggregate heavily in the lower Columbia estuary and nearshore Ilwaco waters in late winter to early spring (Feb–Apr) for spawning, driving the strong peak around weeks 7–11. Abundance drops through summer as adults disperse offshore and post-spawn mortality thins schools, with a modest late-summer/fall presence of juveniles and returning fish before winter lull.
• Squid - Opal. Opal (market) squid off Ilwaco/Columbia mouth are strongly warm-season and light-driven, spawning inshore during summer upwelling relaxations, giving a broad late-spring through early-fall presence with a spring (May–June) and a late-summer/early-fall (Sep–Oct) peak tied to spawning aggregations. Winter abundance is very low as squid move offshore and deep, though they never fully vanish in mild ENSO years.

Common questions about Ilwaco