Night Two: Close, But Not the One We Expected Night number two for Jess, and this time it was just him on the boat—so if that 32-inch giant walleye showed up, it was all his. While the walleye trophy didn’t happen, the night was far from a disappointment. The rods stayed bent all evening with 23 walleye hitting the deck, and they were quality fish too. Plenty of action, steady bites, and a fun grind from start to finish. Then came the surprise of the night—a 33-inch steelhead decided to crash the party. So in the end, I guess we did get a 32-plus fish… just not the species we were chasing. That’s fishing for you. Either way, it was another memorable night on the water with lots of action and a story Jess won’t forget. While we were out looking for that magical 32" walleye for Jess, all the other boats were out putting [...]

The Hunt for 32 Inches Continues Well, wouldn’t you know it—Jess made it back into town for another night on the walleye grounds, chasing that next trophy fish. Jess has fished with us many times and has his sights set on one goal: a 32-inch-plus giant. It’s not that we haven’t been around big fish with him—we have. The funny part is that a couple of times, Jess handed his rod off to other guests, and they ended up getting blessed with the giant instead. That’s just how fishing goes sometimes. We’re not done yet. This was night one of two, and while it didn’t happen tonight, we’ll be right back at it. The hunt continues, and we’re going to keep grinding until we put that 32-incher in Jess’s hands. Stay tuned… tomorrow’s another chance.

Birthday Walleye With the Legend Today kicked off with Legend Pro Guide Miles hitting the water with Mike and Jodi to celebrate Jodi’s birthday the best way possible—walleye fishing on the Columbia. It turned into a great day on the water, with steady action and plenty of fish to keep everyone smiling. The crew managed to fill the bag with some quality walleye, setting Jodi up for some well-earned birthday fish tacos. Good company, good fishing, and a birthday done right.

It was a night we’ve been looking forward to for a long time with the team from Vertical Jigs and Lures. We hit the water after dark with one mission—hunt down night walleye and put the HAVOC HD-30s to work in search of the next state record. We spent the night trolling, covering water, and dialing in the program, pulling nothing but Havocs the entire time. While the true giant didn’t show itself this run, the river still rewarded us with some beautiful, hard-fighting walleye. Every fish that hit the deck came on Vertical Jigs and Lures Havocs, proving once again just how effective these baits are when it comes to night fishing. Beyond the fish, it was an all-around great night on the water—good conversations, solid action, and time well spent doing what we love. The cameras were rolling from start to finish, so keep an eye out for the upcoming release of this [...]

From Troll to Jig—A Day to Remember Pro Guide Steve hit the water out of Boardman, Oregon in search of walleye with Jess and the crew, and it turned into a day they won’t soon forget. The morning started off trolling before switching things up and going to jigs—and both approaches put walleye over the rails of the Willie boat. The day began with a chilly start, but once the sun came out, it turned into a beautiful day on the water. Solid fishing, good adjustments, and great company made for an outstanding trip from start to finish. Another great day chasing Columbia River walleye with the FCO crew.

Scouting While the Show Goes On While we’re busy at the Tri-Cities Sportsman’s Show, a couple of our captains are still out on the water making sure everything is dialed in for upcoming clients. Today, Pro Guide Mike hit the river to scout some new water and track down fish holding in different areas. The run was a success. He found what he was looking for and gathered solid intel that will pay off in the days ahead. Staying ahead of the fish is part of the job, and today was time well spent.

Sportsman’s Show Season Rolls On Well, it’s time for our second Sportsman’s Show of the season. We’re doing things a little differently heading into 2026, and it all kicked off with the Denver Sportsman’s Show. Today, we were back at it again—this time closer to home at the Tri-Cities Sportsman’s Show. It was a great time connecting with past clients, meeting new ones, and building new relationships along the way. While I may feel a little like a fish out of water not being on the boat, it’s always rewarding to step back, share stories, talk fishing, and grow the FCO family. Another solid show in the books and plenty to look forward to as the season keeps rolling.

FCO Pro Guide Steve was out whacking and stacking walleye today, proving once again that cold weather doesn’t slow the bite down. While the temperatures may be low, our boats are fully heated to keep everyone comfortable, and the fishing is absolutely on fire right now. The crew stayed busy all day, rods bending and fish hitting the deck one after another. This is prime winter walleye fishing, and it doesn’t get much better than this. If you’ve been waiting for the right time to get out, this is it. Let’s get you on the water and into the fish.

Cold Ride, Warm Bite We jumped in the boat and hit the Columbia today, making the slick drive from the Tri-Cities to Irrigon through freezing fog. Taking it slow paid off, and we made it safely to the launch. It was a pleasure fishing with Ed and the crew again. Even with the cold conditions, we stayed warm thanks to a solid bite and the heater cranked up high. Plenty of action, good laughs, and another fun day on the water made it all worth it.