I was fishing with my husband in Astoria for the Buoy 10 fishery. We had hooked a chinook and it headed right under the First Pass Outfitters boat. The guide immediately asked his clients to reel up. Our fish got tangled up in one of the lines and he immediately cut that line so that we were able to get the fish in. We have finished at buoy 10 for many years and run into similar situations several time and the guide was unwilling to pull their lines from the water to help out a fellow fisherman, resulting in a lost fish. I feel that this is the one of the classiest things I have seen on the water. We have friends coming from Toronto next year and I will try to get them on his boat. He impressed me as a quality guide read more

My cousin Booked the whole boat for Salmon fishing, (August 15th 2025). The weather was not in our favor... Heavy Wind, Lots of Rain, Spotty Sea conditions, ETC... Curtis didn't bat an eye and rather than canceling the trip he approached it with can do attitude "Lets GO"! We had 3 adults and 3 "kids" 10, 14, and 14. Curtis was professional, courteous, and friendly. It was a great trip. We limited out and enjoyed the day regardless of the conditions. As someone who has worked in the boat industry, I can attest to the quality, maintenance, performance, and attention to detail Curtis has put into his boat. Keep up the good work and we are looking forward to future trips! read more

We booked a half day salmon trip over Labor Day weekend. Things were slow going at first, but Curtis kept us moving around constantly looking for fish. We ended the day on a high note as Curtis put us on some big king salmon. Curtis is a great guide. He's a local guy and knows these waters well. We'll definitely come back and fish with Curtis again. Thank you Curtis and First Pass Outfitters for a wonderful time on the Columbia River! read more

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My son first's fishing excursion with his auntie Nikki and Uncles and cousin. He was so happy that he caught his first King Salmon. Thank you for showing him such an incredible time. This is one of the best fishing crew and is definitely recommended when you're out in Astoria. read more

Great guide service got me on last minute. Caught a huge Spring king!!! read more

First Pass Outfitters - 25 pound spring King salmon - Fishing Near Me - Astoria, Oregon

Took 3 of us fishing with Curtis for sturgeon. This was honestly one of my favorite fishing trips I have ever taken. His boat is first class and he gets you on fish. Our group landed 25. If your thinking about doing it you need too. I cant wait to come back. Curtis is a great guide, friendly and hard working. read more

First Pass Outfitters - One of our larger sturgeon - Fishing Near Me - Astoria, Oregon

Wonderful morning on the Columbia River with Captain Curtis. He knows the ins and outs of the river better than most. Catch and release this time of year. I caught 4 sturgeon on a Tuesday morning. read more

First Pass Outfitters - Largest of 4 but not the hardest fighter. And one happy fisherman. - Fishing Near Me - Astoria, Oregon

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Have fished the lower Columbia for over 30 years, mostly without a guide. Found First Pass several years ago and have not stopped! I live in Texas now and fish all over the Americas. There is not another outfit like FirstPass. This last year we got a chinook at 32 lbs. See ya next year Curtis! read more

My husband and son booked a salmon fishing trip toward the end of June. We were only going to be in Astoria for one day, so we didn't have any flexibility in timing. Curtis called the night before to tell us that the salmon fishing wasn't good and asked if they would want to do the second half with sturgeon if the salmon wasn't good in the morning. They agreed, and Curtis was right - the salmon weren't biting. They went towards the sturgeon, and even though they were catch and release, were able to catch some, take some great pictures and ended up having a great time. They liked being on the boat with Curtis - said he was very friendly and knowledgeable. Kudos for him for being up front and honest about the fishing conditions, offering an alternative solution and being flexible. read more

Exceptional experience fishing for sturgeon today with Curtis. He's a wonderful Captain- he was so great with our party of 6. We found some big sturgeon and it was a day we will never forget. If we didn't live across the country in Florida, we would come back to fish with Curtis regularly. read more

I just got back from my second guided salmon trip with First Pass Outfitters. I have been on guided sport trips through several different companies, in Washington, Oregon and Idaho. Without a doubt, Curtis at First Pass was the best I have been part of. We managed to pull three amazing King Salmon out of the river, which was exceptional compared to all the other boats around us. The entire day Curtis was working tirelessly to prep gear, so no matter what happened we were ready. He put us exactly where the fish were, as was evident from the catches and the other boats trying to get to exactly where we were. All through the day he kept us entertained with his stories and education about what we were doing and why each tactic was important. His network among the other fishing boats was amazing, constantly getting and placing calls to other anglers, getting fishing updates and latest info on what areas were hitting. On other fishing charters the guides have been lackluster and always seemed to want to end the day early. Curtis was just the opposite, offering to have us on the water all day. If we didn't need to get home to family, he would have probably kept us out on the water until dark. We had an amazing time and can't wait for the fall to hit the Columbia again with First Pass Outfitters! read more

I just caught the largest salmon of my life with First Pass Outfitters. It was my second trip with them, and we had such success that the fishery biologist tracking fish at the boat launch was amazed at the number of fish we caught. The best thing about the service is the expertise of Curtis who guides all of the trips. He grew up in the area, and knows all the best techniques for catching fish. If the fish are not biting in one area, he calls up his fishing guide friends, and will quickly get you into an area where the fish are biting. He has a fantastic attitude, and works hard to make sure that fish are caught and everyone is having a good time fishing. I will be back again next year to catch more salmon! read more

We booked a trip same day and although the guide was already booked he made time to take us out! The guide Curtis was very nice and made us feel at home. We came out from Texas on a business trip and had a great time while we were out there. The guide had us booked till 7pm and agreed to stay a little longer to get a chance at King Salmon and with the fish gods on our side we were able to catch one. We will return and use this service again. Thanks for taking care of us Curtis. Look forward to the next trip. read more

If you are looking for a guided fishing tour this is the company to go to! Curtis not only knows what he's doing but also knows how to make your day entertaining and fun. Great for all occasions! read more

This was my second year fishing with Curtis, and a second great experience. This trip was for two days, and Curtis let us know upfront that the fishing had slowed way down, but he said would track them down. He was right, that first morning, things were slow, and we stayed out all day searching. We tried everything in his tackle box, but no luck. We caught plenty of fish, about 10 hookups, but no keepers. On the second morning, Curtis told us that he had thought about it all night and had some special lures made up, and a different location for us to try. Bingo! The second morning, Curtis found them and, the fishing was great. Curtis is very personable, helping, and a good judge of fishing ability. He never stopped trying, and he always kept us informed and part of the decision making. On that afternoon, when we arrived at the dock, we spoke to other fisherman and guides, and they all said First Pass Outfitters, had to be the top boat on the water. We'll be back. read more