4 for 4 on the 4th: An Epic Bodega Bay Salmon Drop Camp

There are some trips that fill the freezer, and then there are trips that fuel obsessions like chasing wild chrome King Salmon in the ocean! I scored a last minute camp site at a hot spot for Salmon season 2026, it was fourth of July Bodega Bay Salmon Drop Camp, and it did fill the cooler and fuel the obsession.

The plan was simple: camp on the coast, launch at first light, chase salmon, and enjoy a few days with good with a great friend that would help land difficult fish. What we got was one of those rare fishing trips that reminds you why we spend countless hours planning, towing boats, rigging gear, and watching weather forecasts.

The fishing was tough. The ocean didn't give up her treasures easily. Every fish was earned. We spent long hours searching, grinding through slow periods, changing gear, and staying committed when it would have been easy to call it a day. The whales started showing, and then the King Salmon started to bite!

By the end of the trip, we had put 3 Chinook salmon over 20 pounds in the fish box, and took home 5 fish total. We hooked several absolute giants that never made it to the net—fish that left us staring at bent rods and telling stories that will only get bigger with time.

And then there was our 2026 Independence Day angler and boat limit.

4 for 4 on the 4th

July 4th, 2026, delivered one of those mornings anglers dream about.

2 rods.

Four salmon.

Four fish in the box.

4 for 4 on the 4th.

Limits secured, high fives exchanged, and smiles that lasted long after the gear was put away.

The kings weren't the only stars of the show on our 4th of July.

Throughout the trip, whales surfaced around the boat, reminding us just how wild and special the Pacific Ocean can be. Watching massive whales rise from the fog while salmon rods bounced behind the boat is the kind of experience that no photograph can fully capture.

Camp Life

The beauty of a drop camp isn't just the fishing.

It's waking up with the ocean nearby.

It's sharing coffee before daylight.

It's cleaning fish at the end of the day and reliving every hookup around the picnic table.

It's the stories, the laughter, and the friendships that grow stronger with every adventure.

Our simple coastal camp became home for a few unforgettable days. Boats, tents, coolers, fishing gear, and good company—all set against the rugged beauty of the Sonoma Coast.

Why We Do It

At All Kind Outdoors, these are the moments we're chasing.

Not just big fish.

Not just full coolers.

But experiences that pull us away from screens and schedules and reconnect us with the outdoors and the people we care about.

This Bodega Bay trip delivered just about everything we could have hoped for:

• Three kings over 20 pounds

• Multiple monster fish lost after epic battles

• Limits on the Fourth of July

• Whales surfacing beside the boat

• Campfire stories and coastal sunsets

• Memories that will last a lifetime

Some trips are measured in pounds.

The best ones are measured in memories.

And this was a Fourth of July we'll never forget.

Interested in joining a future All Kind Outdoors fishing or drop camp adventure?

Keep an eye on upcoming camps and adventures at All Kind Outdoors. The next unforgettable story might be yours.