Salmon Action at Buoy 10 as Oregon Coast Temps Sit at 53–54°F

What's Biting

What's Next

**Next 2–3 days: rough water before any relief**

All three NOAA monitoring stations — 46002, 46029, and 46050 — are reading consistent 8 m/s winds alongside swells in the 6.6–7.5 ft range as of April 30. That combination puts most offshore grounds outside safe reach for trailered boats and raises the bar for Columbia River bar crossings at Astoria. Anglers should pull NOAA marine zone forecasts each morning and remain flexible; windows of opportunity on the Oregon Coast this time of year tend to open quickly and close just as fast.

**Spring Chinook: the primary target**

With water temperatures locked at 53–54°F, the biological clock is ticking for the spring Chinook push. Saltwater Sportsman's coverage of the Buoy 10 fishery near Astoria and Warrenton highlights how productive pre-dawn anchor sessions can be when fish are stacking at the river mouth. The technique Capt. Hugh Harris employs — early-morning anchoring and presenting bait tight to the current — is the approach best suited to the full-moon tidal surge currently running. As the moon begins to wane over the coming days, tidal exchanges will soften, and fish may push slightly upriver; tracking that movement will be key for anglers planning later-week trips.

**Coho: early season, worth a second rod**

Coho were running alongside chinook at Buoy 10 per the Saltwater Sportsman report. Spring coho numbers on the Oregon Coast are typically lighter than the fall run, but any setup fishing herring or spinners for chinook will intercept coho as well. Keep a lighter presentation rigged and ready.

**Weekend outlook**

If swell heights ease toward the weekend, expect renewed pressure on nearshore rockfish structure as boats that have been sidelined return to the water. Rocky bottom and reef structure within a few miles of the coast tends to produce best on outgoing tidal flow during the full-moon phase. Confirm bar and inlet conditions at your launch point the morning of departure — conditions at the Columbia River bar can shift within hours.

Context

Late April is historically the heart of the spring Chinook season on the Oregon Coast. The Columbia River spring run typically peaks between mid-April and late May, making this week a prime window by any historical measure. Buoy 10 — the offshore confluence zone where the Columbia meets the Pacific near Astoria and Warrenton — is one of the Pacific Northwest's most storied salmon fisheries, and Saltwater Sportsman's ongoing coverage of it reflects its enduring draw for anglers up and down the coast.

The 6.6–7.5 ft swells currently showing on buoys 46029 and 46050 are not unusual for late April. The Pacific is still generating significant swell energy from North Pacific storm systems at this time of year, and alternating rough and fishable periods are the rule rather than the exception through May. Water temperatures of 53–54°F are consistent with typical late-April readings for this stretch of coast — cool enough to hold oxygen-rich conditions that salmon prefer, but warm enough that nearshore rockfish are beginning to move off their winter haunts toward shallower structure.

No season-specific run-size data or year-over-year comparison is available in this report's data feeds. Based on general regional patterns, 2026 conditions appear to be tracking a normal late-April trajectory: cold, productive water, salmon accessible near the river mouth, and weather-dependent access to the outer grounds. Anglers wanting a formal benchmark on this year's spring Chinook abundance forecasts should consult Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife preseason projections directly, as annual run sizes vary considerably with ocean upwelling cycles and hatchery returns.