2026 Willamette Springers: The First One is in the Boat.

If's Officially Springer season! We went out hoping for a miracle and ended up landing the first recorded Willamette River Spring Chinook of 2026. These are the most sought-after salmon in the Pacific Northwest for a reason - they are hard fighting, chrome bright, and the best tasting fish on the planet. This video was filmed near downtown Portland, Oregon. The boat captain is John Shmilenko also known as "The Sultan of Sellwood" and he is accompanied by Professional Salmon Fishing Guide David Pyle.