Columbia River — Bonneville to St. Helens · Year-round (catch-and-release plus seasonal keeper windows)
Columbia River Sturgeon Fishing Guide
Prehistoric fish. The one people come back for.
Tony O guides Columbia River white sturgeon trips year-round between Bonneville and St. Helens — catch-and-release most days, plus short seasonal keeper windows. 8 hours on heavy gear. $250 per person, $200 for veterans.
Sturgeon are why people get hooked on the Columbia. Six-foot fish, prehistoric bodies, fights that leave your arms shaking. Catch-and-release year-round; seasonal keeper windows open in spring and summer — Tony books them up fast.
Catch-and-release sturgeon days are available almost any day Tony's free. Keeper-window dates book months ahead — call as early as you can if that's what you're after.
Standard
$250/person
Full boat $1500
Veterans
$200/person
Full boat $1500
TONY'S TAKE.
If you've never landed a sturgeon, you don't yet know what you're missing. They're older than the dinosaurs, they bend rods like nothing else in the Pacific Northwest, and the take is unmistakable. Tony's a sturgeon guide first — this is the trip he runs more than any other.
WHAT TO EXPECT
- · Anchor up over deep holes Tony's been fishing for 25 years
- · Heavy gear — these fish are 4 to 8+ feet on a good day
- · Patience between bites, controlled chaos when they hit
- · Photos at the boat, release in the water — the fish goes back
- · Keeper days (a handful per year) Tony books months ahead
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- ✓ Heavy-duty rods, reels, terminal tackle, bait (smelt, herring, sand shrimp depending on bite)
- ✓ Boat fuel and ramp fees
- ✓ On-water instruction from a Navy veteran with 25 years on this river
- ✓ Photos of you with your fish before release
WHAT TO BRING
- → Oregon or Washington fishing license (Columbia is joint waters)
- → Sun protection
- → Lunch and lots of water
- → Proper clothing for the weather
- → Gloves — sturgeon scutes are sharp
- → Cash, Venmo, or card (3% fee on cards)
FROM THIS TRIP
Real clients · real fish
BEST FOR.
- Anglers who want a real fight
- Veteran groups — flat $1,500 full boat
- Anyone who's tired of trout-sized fish
- Bucket-list trips for out-of-state visitors
REGULATIONS.
Oregon or Washington fishing license required, plus the Combined Angling Tag for sturgeon retention days. White sturgeon is mostly catch-and-release on the Columbia. Keeper retention opens for short seasonal windows — usually 1–2 weeks in spring and again in summer. Slot limits apply (currently 44–50 inches fork length on the lower Columbia, subject to ODFW/WDFW changes). Tony tracks all of it.
Booking, payment, weather, what to wear — the full FAQ covers it. Veterans, active-duty military, retired military, first responders, and their dependents pay the veteran rate on this trip and every trip Tony runs. More about Tony's background too.
QUESTIONS
All FAQ →Can you keep sturgeon caught on the Columbia River?
Mostly no — white sturgeon is catch-and-release year-round on the Columbia. Short seasonal keeper windows open in spring and again in summer, typically 1–2 weeks each. Slot limits apply (currently 44–50 inch fork length). Tony tracks ODFW and WDFW announcements and tells you what's legal the morning of your trip.
How big do the sturgeon get?
On a guided trip with Tony, expect fish in the 3 to 6 foot range, with bigger fish (7 to 9 feet, occasionally more) hooked regularly. White sturgeon can live over 100 years and grow past 12 feet.
Is sturgeon fishing good for first-timers?
Yes. Sturgeon fishing is mostly waiting between bites, then 10 minutes of holding on. Tony sets up the gear and walks you through the fight. Most first-timers land their fish.
How much does a Columbia River sturgeon trip cost?
$250 per person standard, $200 per person for veterans, active-duty military, retired military, first responders, and their dependents. Full boat is $1,500 flat.
OTHER TRIPS
More on the boat.
Columbia Salmon
March – October
Spring and fall Chinook. Late-summer coho. Mainstem Columbia, fished by a veteran-owned boat.
From $200 veteran
Buoy 10
August – September
Six weeks. Big chrome. The trip that books out a season ahead.
From $200 veteran
Walleye
March – July
Quiet water. Tight window. Best eating fish in the river.
From $200 veteran
Lock in your date
TONY ANSWERS THE PHONE. CALL HIM.
Catch-and-release sturgeon days are available almost any day Tony's free. Keeper-window dates book months ahead — call as early as you can if that's what you're after.