I need some advice on fishing bouy 10, I have never been there before.
Is it doable out of a 16 foot sled?
When is a good time to go for kings?
What tides should I look for?
Where is a good place to launch, not too far of a run is preferable!
What type of terminal tackle?
Do I need a chart of the area or is it self explanatory, could I just follow the other boats?
Thanks for the help!!

Escapee
I can only share my experience. I started fishing Bouy10 in a 15 foot wood Bryant in 1963. I don't recommend small boats like that. It is a matter of picking your conditions to go or not go. I took my two sons out to fish it with a 16 foot alumacraft and we did very well, but I picked the conditions as to go or not go. There are days when it is flat and zero chop. I have seen a man row the bar in a wooden rowboat that looked smaller than anything I had ever been out in. To use good sense is the key. The further up-river from the mouth the less dangerous it is as a general rule. If you fish out of Chinook Wash you should be in OK water most days. The incoming tide gives you the best water. The high slack and first 90 min of outgoing will usually be the best
king bite. Staying with the pack of boats usually makes the most sense. Be sure you have a cell-phone and radio if you need help. The Astoria Coast Guard will come to your aid by calling 503-642-2381.
Troll with fresh herring you can get at the bait shop in Chinook. Use a standard mooching rig, weight will depend on were you are and how fast the water is. Three to six ounces will do the trick. I fish from 10 to 20 pulls.The fish will be following schools of bait.
You can watch for nets being used for landing and try to position your boat to get into the schools. Again use good sense and don't crowd your way into position, the next school may be were you just moved from. I prefer to stay out of the pack and seem to limit as well as anybody else. You should be aware that B10 has been poor to-date. My feeling is that it's a little early and another week will be better. Others will be better at giving you tips and I offer this info as a starting point. Have a safe and fun time!

Escapee:
16' sled; I have a Wooldridge 16' that I fish every year there. The up-turned bow saves me. Yes, it is very doable. Just be careful w/ a out tide and a wind out of the west - it get choppy.
when; last 3 weeks of August. Typical gear. A diver and a kite shaped flasher. they have them both on sale right now at GI Joes. Behind the flasher about 5-6' of leader and a herring. Launch at Ft. Canby State Park and you will see where to go, that simple. the boats troll in a line, there's loads of room so come join in! It's a blast. Stop by Ed'd Bait and Tackle in Illwaco and they'll fix ya up.

Be very careful on the outgoing tide and especially in the afternoon when the wind picks up. If you go up by the bridge, it can be a lumpy snotty ride back if you stay too long. If you keep an eye on the wind and the tide, you should be fine. Remember, you pfd does no good if it's not on.

Make you own decision and get other peoples opinion, but quite frankly I would not even consider going out there in your boat. Been there, done that and will never do it again, just not fun. But you need to know a couple of things, 1, I have access to rides on biggger boats, so my 18ft sled sits home. 2. every year 19, 21 and 23 ft boats go down in this fishery when they get caught in the wrong area and the wrong time in the tide /wind, and/or something goes wrong. 3. I catch lots of salmon throught the year (lots). I am fishing 5 days next week up there and will most likely give away 80% of what I do keep, so I'm not willing to take risks for fish I won't even keep. Do you have 2 motors, VHF Radio, are you an experienced skipper, do you make good decisions or will you take risks to catch a fish, do you have big kahones. It can be done and done saftly, but your margin for error is not large enough for me. My 0.02 worth. Good luck whatever you do.

I fish B10 in a 17'Stryker. Last year had a bad experience in the afternoon wind and outgoing tide, it was nasty but safely retuened after a long bumpy ride. Now, for fishing. I always try to fish the incoming tide or try to get out about an hour before low if in the morning, usually calmer with no wind. I troll the Wash. side by the church or above the bridge. You can buy a map from the FishnMap Co. for the Columbia R. from Bonneville Dam down to B10. Pay attention to the sand flats, gets shallow pretty quick. I use 25lb mainline, No. 0 or 1 deepsix diver, a small fishflash flasher(clear with siver prism tape) and about a 5-6ft. leader with a rotary salmon killer on home tied double solid mooching hooks with about six size 5 beads between hooks and rotator. Stick a herring or chovy on it and put it out 15-25 pulls and keep out of everyone elses way. It shouldn't be to long before you have to ask your partner for the net. When the tide starts to turn and the wind picks up, GET OFF THE RIVER, only bad things will happen if you don't. I launch in Warrenton on the Oregon side, it's close to the bridge and a shorter drive. You can get bait right there at TackleTime next to the launch, call ahead, I'd give you the #, but can't find it right now. Was fishing down there last week and got zip, about another week to ten days it should pick up. Good Luck.

Escapee

I am by no means experienced in this fishery, have done it just once, in someone else's boat. I'm planning on going out of Chinook, and fishing right outside of Chinook, and upstream, by the bridge. I'll be looking for those six pack open sleds, with the phone numbers on the sides. I expect to see just as many fish there as anywhere, based on the number of guides I have seen there in the past.

Based on last year, this should leave me with fairly short runs back to port if it gets bumpy. I have a 19 foot windshield sled, and am not worried from a safety standpoint, but if it gets bumpy, it could be a slow, uncomfortable ride back to home.

With a 16 foot boat, I dunno. The day we were out there, which was a very nice day, in the afternoon, you would have been uncomfortable and, if you were smart, nervous. We had about a 10 to 15 mph wind, and it kicked up a good 3 to 4 foot chop after the tide turned to outgoing. We were in a 21 foot sled, and it was bumpy, but fine. Use your judgement.

We fished the incoming tide, for silvers, with delta divers and whole fresh herring, from 8 to 16 pulls. 20+ hits for four rods, about 10 fish to the boat, three limits after finnage was accounted for. But that was last year. This year, it's chinook that we're after...

Two more things. If you want fresh bait, my understanding is that you need to reserve it at a one of the shops. Chinook Bait and Tackle is one that does this out of Chinook, call by noon the day before. Don't have the phone number handy, get it from information. I greatly prefer fresh bait, don't know if there is any rational basis for the preference, but it damn sure doesn't hurt.

Second, I'll be down there, blue over silver North River with a light blue cooler, yamaha kicker. Three guys. If you see us, say hi.

For what it's worth, the fish are reportedly in.
Call Chinook to confirm report. Well it figures, I can't go for a while.

Just found out B-10 closed for season better luck next year. Besides not a very good fishery.Lots of snags and really shallow, also heavy dangerous current dont atempt in boat smaller than 40ft. See ya next year.

Huh?!?!

Werner, don't be an a-hole.