Oregon Fishing Update
Willamette Valley/Metro - Oversize sturgeon fishing remains steady in the Columbia River Gorge with fresh shad readily available for sport and sturgeon bait. The keeper bite in the gorge continues to slow as fish migrate downstream to take advantage of better feeding conditions.
Salmon fishing in the gorge has also drawn the attention of experienced anglers. Multiple hook-ups are possible for anglers using spinners along the shallow gravel bars upstream of Beacon Rock reports pro guide Joe Salvey (503-349-1411). Summer Chinook passage is exploding at Bonneville Dam. Plugs are also a viable option but action remains best during the week when stable river flows bring a consistent bite.
Beach plunkers should be taking advantage of a predicted strong run of summer steelhead and an occasional fin-clipped summer Chinook on Sauvies Island and the lower Columbia Beaches. Favorable tides will run through the weekend.
Willamette Falls spring Chinook counts have picked up from fewer than 100 to over 300 a day, pushing the YTD total as of June 2nd to 25,739. This figure is still far short of the 46,500 projection. Steelhead counts are strong with over 9,000 having crossed.
Water temperature at the Falls was 61 degrees on June 12th with flows moderating. The lower river and Multnomah Channel have improved for those dragging spinners. Shad fishing remains good from the Falls to Oregon City. Sturgeon fishing is slow.
Clackamas springers are providing some entertainment now. Summer steelhead action is also picking up.
The Sandy River was fair for spring Chinook prior to the weekend but has slowed dramatically since. The fish are scattered but the upper river has been most productive recently.
North, South and mainstem Santiam anglers, whether targeting springers or steelhead, should see catches improves as the water levels moderate here.
Detroit Reservoir is producing limits of foot-long kokanee. Sheridan Pond will be planted with 2,500 trout for a youth fishing event on Saturday, June 17th from 9:30 AM to 2 PM.
Scheduled for stocking 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, Upper McKenzie River, Middle Fork Willamette River, Salt Creek, North Santiam River, Sunnyside Park Pond, and Trail Bridge Reservoir.
Northwest – Sturgeon anglers did well on estuary sturgeon over the weekend. The best bite took place out of Hammond on the green buoy line. There are numerous oversized sturgeon in the area as well. Anchovies are fishing well in the deeper water and crab and sculpin are not the problem they have been in years past.
Anglers fishing near Tongue Point are also getting good results but larger fish seem to be available downriver. Shrimp are producing but the anchovy bite picked up here as well. Extreme tides open up more opportunity in the shallow water areas.
Extreme tides brought salmon success to upper Tillamook Bay spinner trollers this week. More success is likely through the weekend when anglers can take advantage of extended outgoing tides in the morning.
Limits of rockfish, cabezon and ling cod are being taken out of Depoe and Yaquina Bays. Offshore crabbing is fair but poor at Yaquina.
Scheduled for trout planting this week are Big Creek Reservoir # 1 & #2, Cape Mears Lake, Coffenbury Lake, Eckman Lake, Hebo Lake, Loren's Pond, Lost Lake (Clatsop County), Olalla Creek Reservoir, South Lake, Thissel Pond, Town Lake.
Southwest - Many coho have been hooked by offshore trollers targeting Chinook. The ocean coho fishery off the central and South coast opens Saturday, June 17th. Surf perch fishing remains excellent off Southern beaches.
With the waters of the North Umpqua dropping and warming, smallmouth bass and shad fishing is heating up. Spring Chinook fishing has shown slight improvement but remains only fair.
Rogue Chinook anglers are advised to ply the upper river for the limited number of fish available. Bottomfishing is good out of Brookings with limits of large rockfish the rule. Offshore salmon trollers have seen catches improve when ocean conditions allow safe passage.
Clearwater, Hemlock Lake, Lake of the Woods, Lemolo Reservoir and Section 5 of the Rogue River will be planted with hatchery trout this week.
Eastern - Fish dry Salmonfly and Golden Stone imitations near the banks from Warm Springs to Maupin on the lower Deschutes this week. Fishing is excellent with lots of insects in the air and trout keyed on them.
Fly fishers are doing very well on the Owyhee River now that levels have fallen to normal.
Crane Prairie is fair to good for largemouth. Davis Lake, a fly-fishing only resource, is producing jumbo largemouth bass to eight pounds.
Ana Reservoir, Lake of the Woods, Miller Lake, Olallie Lake and Spring Creek in the Deschutes Reservoir will be planted with rainbows this week.
Oregon fishing report
Sunday, June 18, 2006
Sunday, June 04, 2006
Oregon fishing report
Updated for June 2nd, – June 8th, 2006
Oregon Fishing Update
Willamette Valley/Metro - Angling for Columbia River spring Chinook continues to be a disappointment. High flows have slowed catch rates and migration-even for the prolific shad run. As flows subside, the fishing should improve, particularly in the gorge.
Although shad migration has slowed, success rates are still high. A quality fishery for beginner anglers, anglers anchoring safely in 10 to 12 feet of water continue to experience great action on small spoons and shad darts. Shad make great bait for the oversize sturgeon in the area but anglers need to respect the new deadline at Marker 85.
Success rates have slightly fallen on oversized and keeper sturgeon in the gorge but action for shakers remains great.
Estuary sturgeon fishers are still finding the best success upstream of Tongue Point but pockets of quality keepers are being taken downstream of the Astoria/Megler Bridge. Small crab remain a nuisance for sturgeon anglers in the lower river out of Hammond.
As of May 24th, counts of spring Chinook at Willamette Falls hit 23,337 with summer steelhead approaching 6,000. The water temperature had dropped to 56 degrees at the Falls on May 30th. High water combined with low temperatures has stalled Chinook action in the lower river and Multnomah Channel.
Shad fishing has been hit or miss on the lower Willamette but in the right slot with the right lure, it's possible to catch scores of them. The Clackamas is getting heavy angling pressure, particularly at the parks where bank access is available. Steelhead fishing has been very slow, however. A handful of springers are being taken daily.
Sandy River springer anglers were picking up fish in the upper river late last week before the level rose and water roiled over the weekend. Action had been fair to good on bait from Cedar Creek downstream. Conditions have shown improvement this week.
The South Santiam came up several inches over the weekend but had fallen back to low levels the first of the week. Springer fishing has improved. The North Santiam is finally dropping into fishable shape this week. Combined with a rise in water temperatures, fishing should finally pick up here.
Chinook fishing on the McKenzie has improved.
Faraday Lake, Harriet Lake, North Fork Reservoir, Small Fry Lake, Timothy Meadows, Detroit Reservoir, E. E. Wilson Pond, Junction City Pond, Leaburg Lake and upper McKenzie River will be stocked with trout this week.
Northwest – Despite the great tides, spring salmon action on Tillamook Bay was fair at best over the weekend. The low front that greeted holiday campers didn't help matters. The upper bay high slack bite is no longer but most fish are being found closer to low slack tide. The tide series shifts this week however making lower bay herring trolling a better option.
Seas were very calm early this week and ocean crabbers fishing fresh bait were rewarded with fair catches. Salmon action in the ocean remained slow but bottomfishers were rewarded with easy limits.
Sturgeon fishing remains an option on Tillamook Bay but effort has dropped with the opportunities on the Columbia. Sand shrimp remains the best bait but small crab robbing anglers of more baits in the upper bay as the spring progresses.
Locations scheduled to be stocked with trout this week include Alder Lake, Big Creek Reservoir # 1 and #2, Buck Lake, Cleawox Lake, Dune Lake, Erhart Lake, Georgia Lake, North Georgia Lake, Olalla Creek Reservoir, Perkins Lake and Thissel Pond.
Southwest - Springer fishing is still spotty on the North Umpqua but is expected to improve as the water warms. Shad have entered the river in good numbers. Smallmouth bass fishing is heating up.
Shad fishing was good on the Coos River over the weekend. A few stripers were taken in the Coos and the Coquille.
The only reliable springer action on the Rogue is the crowded hatchery hole where scores are being caught daily. The lower river, flowing fast with water in the mid-50s, is slow and the Grants Pass stretch is dead.
Several streams and rivers opened for trout on Saturday, May 27th. Fishing for sea-run cutthroat has been fair to good. Bait may be used for these fish only in tidewater. Above tidewater, only artificial lures and flies may be used.
South coast waters scheduled for trout stocking this week are Rogue River (Section 5), Willow Lake, and Fish Lake.
Eastern - On the Deschutes, flyfishing is improving with Golden Stones and Salmon flies in abundance now. These will be the dominant patterns through June.
Snow was common on the high lakes last weekend. Odell delivered kokanee to deep jiggers while Crane Prairie is slow but offers fine trout action. Fishing is good for kokanee at Paulina where a few brown trout are also being taken. Green Peter water is very low and at last report, getting lower.
Scheduled to be planted with rainbows this week in the Deschutes watershed week are Badger Lake, Clear Lake, Frog Lake, Lawrence Lake, Olallie Lake, Smock Prairie Reservoir and Spring Creek.
Washington fishing report
Oregon Fishing Update
Willamette Valley/Metro - Angling for Columbia River spring Chinook continues to be a disappointment. High flows have slowed catch rates and migration-even for the prolific shad run. As flows subside, the fishing should improve, particularly in the gorge.
Although shad migration has slowed, success rates are still high. A quality fishery for beginner anglers, anglers anchoring safely in 10 to 12 feet of water continue to experience great action on small spoons and shad darts. Shad make great bait for the oversize sturgeon in the area but anglers need to respect the new deadline at Marker 85.
Success rates have slightly fallen on oversized and keeper sturgeon in the gorge but action for shakers remains great.
Estuary sturgeon fishers are still finding the best success upstream of Tongue Point but pockets of quality keepers are being taken downstream of the Astoria/Megler Bridge. Small crab remain a nuisance for sturgeon anglers in the lower river out of Hammond.
As of May 24th, counts of spring Chinook at Willamette Falls hit 23,337 with summer steelhead approaching 6,000. The water temperature had dropped to 56 degrees at the Falls on May 30th. High water combined with low temperatures has stalled Chinook action in the lower river and Multnomah Channel.
Shad fishing has been hit or miss on the lower Willamette but in the right slot with the right lure, it's possible to catch scores of them. The Clackamas is getting heavy angling pressure, particularly at the parks where bank access is available. Steelhead fishing has been very slow, however. A handful of springers are being taken daily.
Sandy River springer anglers were picking up fish in the upper river late last week before the level rose and water roiled over the weekend. Action had been fair to good on bait from Cedar Creek downstream. Conditions have shown improvement this week.
The South Santiam came up several inches over the weekend but had fallen back to low levels the first of the week. Springer fishing has improved. The North Santiam is finally dropping into fishable shape this week. Combined with a rise in water temperatures, fishing should finally pick up here.
Chinook fishing on the McKenzie has improved.
Faraday Lake, Harriet Lake, North Fork Reservoir, Small Fry Lake, Timothy Meadows, Detroit Reservoir, E. E. Wilson Pond, Junction City Pond, Leaburg Lake and upper McKenzie River will be stocked with trout this week.
Northwest – Despite the great tides, spring salmon action on Tillamook Bay was fair at best over the weekend. The low front that greeted holiday campers didn't help matters. The upper bay high slack bite is no longer but most fish are being found closer to low slack tide. The tide series shifts this week however making lower bay herring trolling a better option.
Seas were very calm early this week and ocean crabbers fishing fresh bait were rewarded with fair catches. Salmon action in the ocean remained slow but bottomfishers were rewarded with easy limits.
Sturgeon fishing remains an option on Tillamook Bay but effort has dropped with the opportunities on the Columbia. Sand shrimp remains the best bait but small crab robbing anglers of more baits in the upper bay as the spring progresses.
Locations scheduled to be stocked with trout this week include Alder Lake, Big Creek Reservoir # 1 and #2, Buck Lake, Cleawox Lake, Dune Lake, Erhart Lake, Georgia Lake, North Georgia Lake, Olalla Creek Reservoir, Perkins Lake and Thissel Pond.
Southwest - Springer fishing is still spotty on the North Umpqua but is expected to improve as the water warms. Shad have entered the river in good numbers. Smallmouth bass fishing is heating up.
Shad fishing was good on the Coos River over the weekend. A few stripers were taken in the Coos and the Coquille.
The only reliable springer action on the Rogue is the crowded hatchery hole where scores are being caught daily. The lower river, flowing fast with water in the mid-50s, is slow and the Grants Pass stretch is dead.
Several streams and rivers opened for trout on Saturday, May 27th. Fishing for sea-run cutthroat has been fair to good. Bait may be used for these fish only in tidewater. Above tidewater, only artificial lures and flies may be used.
South coast waters scheduled for trout stocking this week are Rogue River (Section 5), Willow Lake, and Fish Lake.
Eastern - On the Deschutes, flyfishing is improving with Golden Stones and Salmon flies in abundance now. These will be the dominant patterns through June.
Snow was common on the high lakes last weekend. Odell delivered kokanee to deep jiggers while Crane Prairie is slow but offers fine trout action. Fishing is good for kokanee at Paulina where a few brown trout are also being taken. Green Peter water is very low and at last report, getting lower.
Scheduled to be planted with rainbows this week in the Deschutes watershed week are Badger Lake, Clear Lake, Frog Lake, Lawrence Lake, Olallie Lake, Smock Prairie Reservoir and Spring Creek.
Washington fishing report
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