Willapa Bay fishing: Chinook Salmon, Shiner Perch

Target species: Chinook Salmon, Shiner Perch
Boat: 5 ramps and launches on file for this water.
Start here: Launch at Palix River, 1 lane.

The estuary

Willapa Bay covers 90,831 acres in Washington, across Pacific County. It is an estuary: the deepest point measured is 116 feet (35.2 m). Our records hold 3 species for this water.

Depth: down to 116 ft at the deepest measured point

Deepest measured point: 116 ft (35.2 m). We hold 110 depth contours for this water, drawn from 43,830 soundings.

2 target fish, led by Chinook Salmon

  • Chinook Salmon — Feeding water: 50–60°F.
  • Shiner Perch — Feeding water: 60–75°F.

Also recorded here: Prickly Sculpin.

Water and conditions

Our water temperature readings average 49°F; they do not cover the whole year, so this is not a yearly average. The coldest single reading we hold is 33°F and the warmest is 78°F; the warmest monthly average is 62°F. pH averages 7.6. These readings span 2016–2021. The latest reading is from 2021, more than three years ago: read these numbers as history, not as the water today.

5 ramps and launches on this water

On this water we hold 3 trailer ramps and 2 boat ramps.

  • Palix River — 1 lane. WDFW.
  • Smith Creek — 1 lane, restrooms. On Smith Creek, WDFW.
  • South Bend — 1 lane. website wdfw.wa.gov/places-to-go/water-access-sites/31035
  • Port of Willapa Harbor, Tokeland website portofwillapaharbor.com/index.php/individual-facilities/tokeland-marina-and-rv-park
  • Tokeland Marina website portofwillapaharbor.com/index.php/individual-facilities/tokeland-marina-and-rv-park

Fee and opening hours are blank for all 5 places in this list: a blank means we hold no such field, not that it is free or always open, and this list may not be complete.

What is hard here

Wind is the limit, not the fish: 90,831 acres of open water build a short steep chop, and there is no shelter in the middle. Winter water drops to 40°F, and the warm-water species stop feeding well before you do.

Where this data comes from

  • USACE eHydro — USACE eHydro channel surveys: class A, a survey of the bottom.
  • NOAA National Bathymetric Source (S-102 ed3.0.0) — NOAA S-102 bathymetric surfaces: contours: class A, a survey of the bottom.
  • NOAA ENC — NOAA Electronic Navigational Charts: soundings: class A, a survey of the bottom.
  • NOAA ENC — NOAA Electronic Navigational Charts: depth contours: class A, a survey of the bottom.