Saturday, November 05, 2005

Oregon fishing guides and Oregon fishing trip charters

Oregon fishing guides and Oregon fishing trip charters

Oregon Fishing Report

Oregon Fishing Update

Willamette Valley/Metro- The Columbia River is kicking out quality keeper sturgeon to anglers fishing the gorge. Persistent anglers are taking limits and even the shaker sized fish are of good size. Oversize fish are also present, feeding on spawning salmon eggs near the mouth of Tanner Creek. Although the keeper sturgeon fishery is still going strong, it has tapered from the 10/1 opener.

Salmon season remains open on the mainstem but the quality of fish available is poor. Action remains consistent for Chinook in the Bonneville area for anglers back-bouncing eggs or backtrolling plugs. Bag limits differ depending on the area anglers fish so check regulations carefully when fishing around Bonneville Dam.

As one storm front follows another this week, all the valley rivers will certainly be blown out well into next week. The Willamette should improve for sturgeon when things settle down a bit, possibly by the weekend. High, colored water seem to find favor with Willamette sturgeon.
While the Clackamas has been a disappointment for summer steelhead and coho, with fresh water pushing the level up by several feet, it won't be long until winter steelhead are on the angling menu. Keep in mind however that early hatchery winter steelhead plants aren't what they used to be.

With the Sandy River closed to salmon fishing, it's a waiting game for the winter run here as well.

The North Santiam, running high and swift, will offer little to tempt anglers until the winter steelhead arrive later in the spring.

Mid Columbia/Deschutes River - Deschutes River anglers are finding good success with the fly. Wind can be an issue this time of year however, making angling challenging. Precipitation may affect the White River causing further disdain to fishers. This fishery is winding down quickly and opportunity may switch to the mainstem Columbia for eastern Oregon and Idaho bound steelhead.

This is the time of year when John Day River and John Day Pool steelheading becomes a viable option. Anglers targeting fish in the John Day River itself must employ low water techniques in the low flows. Columbia trollers target steelhead just above the dam using wiggle warts in assorted colors.

North Coast - The top news story is the fact that our fall rains are here! This will temporarily put the Tillamook Bay fishery on hold as high water and wood debris will clog the bay. The current weather pattern coupled with the forecast has caused the cancellation of the North Coast Rendezvous. River forecasts are predicted to fluctuate between high and un-fishable into the weekend making opportunities uncertain for the next several days. When the rivers do stabilize, the North Coast streams will be excellent fishing. The Wilson is a good gauge and you can view updated river levels and forecasts at: http://www.nwrfc.noaa.gov/river/station/flowplot/flowplot.cgi?TLMO3. The smaller North Coast streams like the Necanicum and Kilchis will be the first rivers to fish.

Tillamook Bay fishing did improve as east bay migrating Kilchis and Wilson fish have entered the estuary. Bay City and the Ghost Hole have been producing good numbers of Chinook in the 20 pound range. A sea-lion showed was credited with landing several of anglers salmon on Friday and Saturday but disappeared for the Sunday bite. It may be the start of a dangerous trend.

Nehalem Bay slowed this week and with the precipitation the coast is experiencing, this fishery is likely done for the season.

Bay crabbing was also very good prior to the rains. The freshwater influx will damper catches for a bit of time. Netarts may be the exception as only a few feeder streams have little effect on bay salinities.

The upcoming minus tide series would give Clatsop Beach clammers ample opportunity to claim their limit of razor clams however, a large ocean surf may pound clams down and make beaches unsafe to clam.

Mid-Coast - It's late in the season for the Siletz to turn on from the freshet. It's been slow, but the place to try is the top of tidewater.

Fresh water may get fish moving, but it'll put the skids to the crabbing, driving Dungeness back to the ocean.

Tahkenitch has started producing decent catches in the limited wild coho fishery. Siltcoos is also open for unclipped coho which run through the lake.

South Coast - Coastal rivers will blow out during this week of heavy precipitation. Opportunities following will occur initially on the smaller streams which will be the first to recover. Some of the South coast rivers are seeing fresh fish enter, a welcome sight in what has been a mediocre Fall chinook season at many locations.

Bank and boat anglers are taking the occasional chinook from the Cove at Winchester Bay as the season winds down here.

About 80% of the chinook in the Coos and Coquille Rivers are dark, although the occasional 40 pound keeper has been landed. Soon the Elk and Sixes will turn on, giving salmon hopefuls a decent shot at fresh, late-season chromers.

Bright Fall chinook entered the Chetco on Halloween day, mixing with the mostly-darkening salmon already present and providing anglers with many opportunities to score.

The Rogue River could use a shot of fresh chinook, but that occurrence is unlikely. Steelheading is best around Grants Pass, which is fair at best. Many of the metalheads present are wild and must be released.

Many South coast lakes closed to trout fishing as of November 1st. Check the regulations.
Eastern Oregon - The Grande Ronde River is forecasted to have a slight rise in river levels through the weekend. This should stimulate steelhead action as this fishery is coming into its peak period.

Pro guide Rick Arnold (541-480-1570) reports, "With the regular season coming to a close as of Oct. 31, the opportunities to fish some of our lakes are limited to just a few including; Prineville Res., Crescent Lake, Suttle Lake and Billy Chinook. These lakes are open year round and would only be restricted by weather conditions.

Trout fishing- This week the ODFW planted eight, 10 and 12 inch rainbows at Walling Pond and Walter Wirth Lake. Ana River in the Deschutes watershed received several hundred 12 inch fish.

http://www.TheGuidesForecast.com/
http://www.NorthwestGuides.com/oregonfishing/