Columbia River Keeper Sturgeon Seasons
March 3rd, 2026 UPDATE: Today is the last day for 2026 Columbia River sturgeon retention. The season wrapped up with a final day of fishing in The Dalles Pool.
We all love keeper sturgeon days, but remember that our action-packed days are our catch-and-release sturgeon trips that take place during 9 months of the year. In fact, the best fishing opportunities are coming up between now and the end of July. We’re currently running catch-and-release sturgeon trips in the Portland area and it won’t be long before Astoria will provide some nice summer opportunities. Let us know if you would like to get a trip on the books.
Astoria Keeper Sturgeon Season
Based on current stock counts, there will not be a keeper season in the Columbia River Estuary for 2026. We know being able to retain sturgeon is on some people’s bucket lists. To protect the population Astoria will be all catch-and-release fishing again this year. That just gives us more days to wrangle monster fish all day.
What makes the keeper sturgeon season so fun? As the water begins to warm up in the estuary, sturgeon from all over converge to gorge on the bait fish that have arrived. It’s an exciting time in Astoria. Keeper sturgeon are typically 20-40 lbs, which will provide many delicious meals. Smoke it. Grill it. Fry it. Kabob it. Do whatever you like. The firm, white, boneless flesh from a sturgeon can be used in almost every way imaginable. Come join us to wrangle some fish!
Columbia River Trophy Sturgeon Season
The fun doesn’t end on the Columbia River or in Astoria when retention ends, we simply shift gears to our Astoria Trophy Sturgeon season, one of the most action packed fisheries of the year. We’ll be fighting these fish through July, where anglers of all ages and abilities can take on big fish on light gear. Sometimes we’re in 3-6 feet of water, and it’s not uncommon to see sturgeon launch out of the water as you’re reeling them in. There’s no other fishing experience like it in the world, and once you’ve taken part, you’ll be hooked.
Sturgeon fishing, whether for retention or catch-and-release, has become a favorite trip for many of our customers. Dates fill up quickly. Questions? Ready to reserve your seat? Let us know how we can help!