The Guide's Forecast - volume 7 issue number 44
Northwest Oregon and Washington’s most complete and accurate fishing forecast
Forecasting for the fishing week of May 19th, – May 25th, 2006
Oregon Fisheries Update:
Willamette Valley/Metro- The latest Columbia River spring Chinook return on record continues to impress fishery managers- enough so that biologists agreed to re-open the entire lower Columbia, from Buoy 10 to Bonneville Dam to adipose fin-clipped Chinook. The run has been upgraded to 100,000 adults. The length of the salmon opener will be dictated on angler success and actual run size. The latest the season could go is June 15th. Steelhead and shad are also fair game to pursue in the same stretch of river and should remain open for the remainder of the year.
Salmon anglers fared ok on the May 17th opener although the fishing was not red hot by any means. Heavy flows kept most anglers at anchor in the shallower water or in the back channels near Bonneville and action will likely remain mediocre as the bulk of the run has certainly passed- or so we think.
Sturgeon fishing in the gorge remains excellent with smelt a top bait. Boat anglers averaged over 1 keeper per boat over the weekend and a few oversized sturgeon are being caught. Bank angler success is low due to the new deadline at Marker 85.
The opening of the estuary sturgeon fishery near Astoria was a disappointment on Saturday. Keepers were challenging to find and limits were extremely rare. Water temperatures may have something to do with the low success rates.
Spring Chinook counts at Willamette Falls remain low with the total nearing 13,000 fish though May 7th. The water temperature as of May 12th remained at 58 degrees. Springer action has been slow but steady with prawns and herring. Plain spinners are emerging as an effective favorite.
Boaters trolling with the current are taking Chinook in Multnomah Channel. Springers are being boated from the lower Willamette at various locations from the Clackamas River to the mouth.Pressure on the Willamette will moderate with the Columbia re-opening for Chinook.
The lower Willamette is turning on for smallmouth and largemouth bass. Bass are in pre-spawn stage in the Columbia and Willamette rivers and are likely to spawn in mid-June. The shad fishing is worthwhile and will continue to improve into June.
The Sandy is providing fair fishing for summer steelhead and slow but improving for springers. Chinook have fallen recently for bobber and egg combos.
A few springers have been taken in the lower Clackamas but steelheading has become challenging as smolts are taking baits and lures.Many of the springers and steelhead crossing Willamette Falls are now in the North Santiam. Anglers are seeing fish above Mehema now. Scheduled for planting this week are Timothy Meadows, Big Cliff Reservoir, Blue River Above Reservoir, Blue River Reservoir, Breitenbush River, Detroit Reservoir, E. E. Wilson Pond, Fall Creek, Foster Reservoir, Hills Creek, Junction City Pond, Leaburg Lake, McKenzie River Upper, Middle Fork Willamette River, Salt Creek, Santiam River North Fork, Sunnyside Park Pond and Trail Bridge Reservoir Northwest – Spring Chinook are being taken daily on Tillamook Bay.
Spinner trollers in the upper bay are taking fish and some success is coming from Trask tidewater anglers. Trollers were able to fish in the calm ocean early this week and forecasted seas may allow for additional opportunity into the weekend.
Offshore halibut and bottomfishing opportunities should be great over the weekend. 2005 regulations prohibit the possession of bottomfish with halibut on board. Halibut success was good on the last opener out of Garibaldi but fish were running smaller than usual.
Area rivers remain low and are forecasted to remain that way but lower stretches are producing some results. The Nestucca below Three Rivers remains a hit-or-miss opportunity but the fish are of quality size reports pro guide Jesse Zalonis (503-392-5808).
Cape Mears Lake, Coffenbury Lake, Hebo Lake, Lost Lake (Clatsop County) and Town Lake will be stocked with trout this week.
Southwest - The all-depth halibut fishery off the central Oregon coast was excellent during the last retention period. Most anglers are getting limits.
The ocean was smooth and bottom fishing remained excellent out of Newport and Reedsport over the weekend reports pro guide Bill Kremers (541-754-6411). Abundant rockfish and ling cod are available to anglers. The ODFW considers stocks of ling cod to be fully recovered, resulting in discussion to consider increasing the limit.
Anglers who are opting for sturgeon action in the lower Umpqua over the spotty springer fishing are being rewarded with fine results and oversized fish are present. Shad fishing is good around Sawyers Rapids and Elkton.
Perch fishing is excellent in bays and off beaches in many locations. The redtail surf perch found in ocean breakers is the better table fare.
Weekend effort for spring Chinook on the Rogue River saw little improvement in catch rates. Success remains slow despite great water conditions.
Ocean Chinook salmon season South of Humbug Mountain opened May 15th daily through July 4th.
Boat and bank anglers are doing well at Diamond Lake. The limit was increased May 13th to 20 trout per day and 40 in possession.Rainbows will be planted at Clearwater, Hemlock Lake, Lake of the Woods and Lemolo Reservoir this week.
Eastern - Fly fishing on the lower Deschutes on the Warm Springs stretch has improved now that the river level is stable. Nymphs are reliable and caddis are active. Golden Stone patterns are taking fish in the middle Deschutes.
Crooked River has come back into shape and the caddis hatch is on. The Crooked will offer fine fishing in the coming weeks.Ana Reservoir, Bikini Pond, Duncan Reservoir and Mud Lake in the Deschutes watershed will be stocked this week.
Southwest Washington- Returning adults are at a fraction of last years run on the Cowlitz and Kalama Rivers. The Lewis River, especially near the hatchery is producing excellent results for backbouncers.
The Wind River is still producing good catches although success is more sporadic recently. Drano Lake boat anglers averaged a fish for every 2 rods last week and bank anglers are taking some fish too.
Spring Chinook are present on the Klickitat and White Salmon Rivers.
Upriver, on the Columbia, pro guide Jeff Knotts (509-366-4052) reports steady action for spring Chinook near the mouth of the Umatilla River. "All the standard salmon gear is working including K-13 and K-15 Kwikfish. The action is good and the weather is beautiful!"
Soapbox Update – Our right to fish is under attack. Our salmon returns have drastically diminished because our dams are killing between 60%-90% of these salmon. And fishermen are unjustly taking the blame.
We need concerned river community citizens to speak out for our businesses and families. Please sign the petition to our members of Congress and governors urging them to implement real salmon solutions: http://www.salmonsolutions.org/
From Ilwaco, WA to Hood River, OR – this battle is about our communities, economies and livelihoods – no one is spared. The threat becomes more real everyday. This spring run is on course to be the worst ever – a recent count of chinook at the Bonneville Dam was 2,300 compared to an average of more than 80,000 at the same time over the past decade. We need to pressure our leaders to stop adopting short-term fixes that threaten our jobs and way of life and instead develop sustainable solutions for salmon recovery including:
Washing more water over the dams
Increasing the flow and speed of our rivers
Retiring obsolete dams
We have the solutions, now we need the voices. Sign the petition to your representative and governor TODAY.
http://www.salmonsolutions.org/
Please remember to spread the word to family, friends, colleagues – everyone you can think of in your area – urging them to sign the petition and stand up for our communities.
