Veteran
Veteran Fishing Trips in Oregon — The Complete Guide
Where to find guided fishing trips for veterans, active-duty military, retired service members, and first responders in Oregon. Discounted rates, partner organizations, and the veteran-owned guide service that built its whole business around it.
If you served — Navy, Army, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard, Space Force, National Guard, or as a first responder — and you live in or visit Oregon, the Columbia River is a hell of a place to spend a day. Here’s what’s available and how to access it without paying full price.
Tony O Guided Adventure — the veteran-built guide service
Tony Owsian is a U.S. Navy veteran. After his service he spent 10 years at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center. He’s been fishing the Columbia for over 25 years and founded Tony O Guided Adventure in 2018. He also volunteers year-round for The Fallen Outdoors (TFO) — sturgeon derbies for sailors coming off the ships, kokanee events at Yale Lake, and trips on call when TFO needs a boat.
The veteran rate isn’t a marketing tactic. It’s the whole reason Tony O Guided Adventure exists.
Who qualifies
- Veterans, any branch, any era
- Active-duty military, any branch
- Retired military, any branch
- First responders — police, fire, EMS, dispatch
- Dependents of any of the above — spouse, kids, parents
Tony doesn’t ask for proof. If you say you qualify, you qualify.
What it costs
- Every trip type — salmon, sturgeon, walleye, Buoy 10: $200 per person ($50 off the $250 standard rate)
- Full boat (up to 6 anglers), any trip: flat $1,500
Bookings by phone. (503) 381-0868. Cash, Venmo, or card at the ramp (3% fee on cards).
Booking a unit, post, or group trip
This is one of Tony’s favorite trips to run. Battle buddies, VFW posts, American Legion chapters, military reunions, first-responder appreciation events — call Tony and he’ll hold the boat for your group. One date. One number. One boat.
Read more about veteran trips with Tony →
Other Oregon veteran outdoor programs worth knowing
Tony’s guide service isn’t the only resource for veterans wanting to get on the water in Oregon. A few others worth knowing:
The Fallen Outdoors (TFO)
National nonprofit that connects veterans and active-duty service members with hunting and fishing trips at no cost. Tony is one of the volunteer guides who runs trips for TFO out of the Pacific Northwest region — sturgeon derbies for sailors coming off the ships, kokanee events at Yale Lake, and trips on call. If you’re a veteran who wants to get on the water for free, TFO is the front door.
Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs (ODVA)
Manages veteran benefits at the state level. Worth knowing about even if you’re not currently using their services — they coordinate with outdoor and wellness programs across the state.
Local VFW and American Legion posts
Most posts maintain informal networks of fishing buddies, hunting partners, and outdoor program contacts. If you’re new to an area, walking into your local post and asking “who fishes around here?” is one of the better ways to find people.
Why a discounted guided trip is worth it
A guided trip removes every obstacle:
- No boat required
- No gear required
- No prior experience required
- No fishing knowledge of the river required
- License is cheap and you can buy it that morning (Oregon or Washington — Columbia is joint waters)
Tony provides everything else — rods, reels, terminal tackle, bait, fuel, fish cleaning. You show up, you fish, you go home with fillets.
For a first-time fisherman — and a lot of veterans fall in that category — that’s the difference between “yeah I’ll get into it sometime” and actually catching a fish this season.
How to book
Pick up the phone. Tony answers most days, 6 AM to 9 PM.
(503) 381-0868
He’ll confirm a date, the trip type, the meet location, and what to bring on the phone.
Written by Tony Owsian · Published on February 15, 2026