Oregon Fishing Update
Willamette Valley/Metro - The summer Chinook fishery on the lower Columbia River remains open for sportfishers. A run size update allowed for additional time but success has recently slowed. Anglers in the know were experiencing multiple opportunities when anchored in the right migration lane but dam passage has slowed and the bulk of the run has passed through the lower river. This fishery should remain viable through mid-July however.
Summer steelhead counts continue to rise and beach plunkers should have a good shot at shore-hugging fish on the upcoming minus tide series. Jones Beach near Westport and Rainier area beaches should produce fair results using hot colored spin-n-glos. Small plugs will take fish as well.
Shad counts have also passed their peak and catches have dropped off. Oversized sturgeon are still taking fresh shad but can be choosy with the large food source available to them.
Counts at Willamette Falls are nearing 35,000 spring Chinook and over 14,000 summer steelhead. Springer effort and catches are light in the river.
Steelhead remain the best bet for Santiam anglers. Chinook are present in small numbers but reluctant to bite.
A few keeper sturgeon have been taken by boat and bank anglers in the Gladstone/Oregon City stretch of the lower Willamette. Shad numbers are thinning but it's still possible to catch a few.
The Clackamas water level dropped again over the last week. Steelhead and salmon fishing is slow.
There are very few Chinook in the Sandy and flows continue to drop. Salmon fishing may be best at the mouth for trollers with some interception of Columbia River Chinook. The mouth of Cedar Creek may also produce some results for early morning casters.
Big Cliff Reservoir, Breitenbush River, Detroit Reservoir, Leaburg Lake, McKenzie River, Salt Creek, North Fork Santiam River. Faraday Lake, North Fork Reservoir and Trillium Lake are scheduled to be stocked with trout.
Northwest – The lower Columbia River estuary closed to retention of sturgeon beginning July 5th. Fishing for quality sized keepers was good out of Hammond prior to the closure for anglers using anchovies and sand shrimp. Catch and release is still a great option in this area but sand shrimp may be hard to find with demand dwindling.
The July 3rd opener for salmon, north of Cape Falcon proved productive for anglers getting an early jump start. Some boats took limits of hatchery coho and a few Chinook were in the catch. Most boats averaged 1 coho per rod. The CR Buoy was producing the best and waters south in 180 to 220 foot of water. The wild to hatchery ratio was nearly equal. The smaller sized coho seemed to respond best to anchovies. Fish to 8 pounds were caught.
The last minus tide series along Clatsop Beaches begins on Friday. The season closes on July 15th and will remain closed north of Tillamook Head through September 30th. Digging should be good although clams are on the smaller side.
Salmon fishing out of Garibaldi was once again possible with calming seas early in the week. Catches were improving and a few more Chinook are starting to show in the catches. Coho were being found north of the Tillamook Bay entrance in 280 to 320 feet of water. Ocean crabbing is much better than Tillamook, Netarts and Nehalem Bays.
Bottomfishing has dropped off but one boat landed 25 tuna approximately 60 miles west of Garibaldi. Another all depth-halibut opener runs July 6th – 8th from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain. 25,000 pounds remain on the quota.
Although spring Chinook in the Tillamook district has significantly slowed, 260 salmon were recycled from the Trask hatchery early this week. Even stealth tactics will have limited success on the low waters of the North Oregon Coast.
Three Rivers on the Nestucca system will remain open from the mouth upstream to the hatchery weir deadline through July 9 for adipose fin-clipped summer steelhead and adipose fin-clipped spring chinook. This area will close to all angling from July 10-Sept. 30.
Southwest - Razor clam digging remains open on all Southwest beaches to the California border. A series of minus tides will start Saturday, continuing through the week. Bailey Beach has been reliably producing limits of large razors.
Coho trollers out of Winchester Bay found fair fishing over the weekend when the bar and fog allowed safe crossing. Smallmouth bass fishing in the Umpqua River continues to improve. Anglers may easily catch scores of fish in a day.
Offshore salmon fishing turned on late last week, rewarding anglers with the best Chinook bite so far this year. Huge sardines are feeding the salmon and spurring their growth. Offshore Chinook may be taken through October, but coho closes July 31st North of Humbug Mountain and closed on July 4th south of that point.
Offshore bottom fishing has been phenomenal out of Brookings, yielding black rockfish up to six pounds. Limits are the rule on charter boats. Ling cod catches have been fair to good but should improve as the season progresses.
Catches remain good for ocean crabbers with most Dungeness still in good shape.
Section 5 of the Rogue River will be stocked with catchable-sized trout.
Eastern - The Salmonfly and Golden Hatch is done on the Deschutes with Caddis and Mayflies starting up. Trout fishing is good on the lower river. Caddis and Pale Morning Duns are hatching on the middle Deschutes.
Fly anglers will find excellent fishing at East Lake where Callibaetis patterns are producing fine catches.
Smallmouth bass fishing is great on the lower John Day River. Scheduled for planting this week in the Deschutes watershed are Badger Lake, Campbell Lake, Deadhorse Lake, Olallie Lake and Spring Creek.
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Saturday, July 08, 2006
Sunday, July 02, 2006
Oregon fishing report
Updated for June 30th, – July 6th, 2006
Oregon Fishing Update
Willamette Valley/Metro - Anglers versed in salmon techniques in the gorge are doing well for summer Chinook. Anchored in 10 – 16 feet of water, using spinners and small plugs, salmon fishers are averaging better than a fish per boat. Unmarked Chinook are making up the bulk of the catch. Although current passage indicates the run will be considerably larger than predicted, the sportfishery is nearing its salmon quota. A closure is nearing for anglers downstream of Priest Rapids Dam.
Beach plunkers caught more summer Chinook than steelhead in the weekend creel check between Portland and Longview. The lack of a minus tide series this week will likely slow the bite.
Sturgeon action in the gorge has slowed for oversized fish although dedicated anglers are still landing fish. Shad have saturated the river with over 3.5 million already past Bonneville Dam. Keepers are still hard to come by in the gorge.
Shad fishing remains phenomenal along Ives Island using small spoons or shad darts.
Retention of sturgeon will close to anglers between John Day and McNary Dams beginning July 1st.
As of June 23rd, over 32,000 spring Chinook had crossed at Willamette Falls. If the numbers continue as strong as they have been in recent weeks, the projection of 46,500 may actually be attained. A few are still being caught in the lower river.
Count on consistent, steady action for undersized sturgeon in the lower Willamette. Keepers have been rare here recently. Shad fishing has been winding down for a while although it still possible to catch a few from Willamette Falls to the mouth of the Clackamas. The Sandy River is running low and clear. A few springers were taken at the mouth over last weekend but a greater number of summer steelhead were hooked. Waters of the Clackamas are also low and clear. Upriver areas are producing the best results for summer steelhead.
Springers and steelhead are available throughout the North and South Santiam system but the bite is tough.
Springer fishing on the McKenzie is fair to good although numbers are down from past seasons. Fly fishing is good for large trout with the Caddis hatch underway.
Trout are scheduled to be planted in the Willamette Valley in Trillium Lake.
Northwest – Estuary sturgeon anglers are faring well out of the Astoria area. Anchovies have moved into the lower river and are working well for bait both above and below the Astoria/Megler Bridge. The deeper water on lower Desdemona Sands and the Washington side above the bridge should produce well in the upcoming softer tide series. Lower river anglers are nearing their keeper quota and the season is scheduled to close July 4th. Further, more restrictive opportunities may exist following the closure, only after fishery managers have a chance to review catch statistics.
The ocean north of Cape Falcon to Leadbetter Point in Washington opens on July 3rd for 2 salmon per day. Only 1 of the 2 salmon may be a Chinook and coho must have an adipose fin missing. Catches will likely be light.
Recreational boats have been restricted out of Garibaldi due to rough bar and ocean conditions. With the minus tide series out of the way and calmer seas predicted by the weekend, anglers may have some opportunity for hatchery coho, bottomfish and ocean crab.
Spring Chinook fishing has dropped off considerably on the North Coast but fishing remains viable for river fishermen on the Wilson, Trask and Nestucca Rivers. Bobber and bait will produce best at first light.
Summer Chinook should become an option on Nehalem Bay in the very near future although catches are generally light until early August.
Crabbing has been poor in Tillamook and Netarts Bays and many of the keeper sized crab are in a soft shell stage.
No trout will be planted until September.
Southwest - Rough seas recently have kept bars closed and recreational boaters trying to scratch out bottomfish along jetties inside the bays. The offshore hatchery coho season south of Humbug Mountain rewarded anglers with decent catches last week when they could get out. This ocean fishery will remain open through July 4th if the quota doesn't fill. Coast-wide through June 25th, about 250 coho and 84 Chinook have been retained.
Oversized sturgeon fishing is very good in the lower Umpqua. Although the shad run is winding down, anglers caught decent numbers over the weekend. Smallmouth bass fishing is improving.
With numbers down, springer fishing has gone from slow to slower on the Rogue River. Fewer fish were hooked over the weekend at the Hatchery Hole which has been the most productive spot.
Limits of razor clams were taken during the minus tide series at Bailey Beach.
Clearwater #2, Hemlock Lake, Herberts Pond, Lake of the Woods, Lemolo Reservoir, Fish Lake and Section 5 of the Rogue River will be planted with trout.
Eastern - The best fly fishing on the Deschutes is from Trout Creek to Maupin with the river above receiving lots of pressure. The Salmonfly hatch is a wrap but Pale Morning Duns and Caddis are active. The middle Deschutes is producing early and late in the day.
Pro Guide Mac Huff (800-940-3688) reports the trout fishing in Eastern Oregon is improving as the water levels drop and the weather warms up.
The Wallowa and Grande Ronde rivers are fishing well under stonefly hatches that are currently progressing up the system. Nymphs in the morning and dry-fly fun later in the day is the rule of thumb for abundant trout looking for egg-laying adults flying each day.
State-raised rainbows will be planted in Ana Reservoir Badger Lake, Campbell Lake, Century Gravel Pit, Big Cultus Lake, Deadhorse Lake, 2006 Deschutes River, Devils Lake, East Lake, Fall River, Horseshoe Lake, Lake of the Woods, Lost Lake, Ochoco Creek, Olallie Lake, Shevlin Pond, Sprague Gravel Pit, Spring Creek, Thompson Valley, Three Creeks Lake, North and South Twin Lake and Walton Lake.
Oregon fishing information
Oregon Fishing Update
Willamette Valley/Metro - Anglers versed in salmon techniques in the gorge are doing well for summer Chinook. Anchored in 10 – 16 feet of water, using spinners and small plugs, salmon fishers are averaging better than a fish per boat. Unmarked Chinook are making up the bulk of the catch. Although current passage indicates the run will be considerably larger than predicted, the sportfishery is nearing its salmon quota. A closure is nearing for anglers downstream of Priest Rapids Dam.
Beach plunkers caught more summer Chinook than steelhead in the weekend creel check between Portland and Longview. The lack of a minus tide series this week will likely slow the bite.
Sturgeon action in the gorge has slowed for oversized fish although dedicated anglers are still landing fish. Shad have saturated the river with over 3.5 million already past Bonneville Dam. Keepers are still hard to come by in the gorge.
Shad fishing remains phenomenal along Ives Island using small spoons or shad darts.
Retention of sturgeon will close to anglers between John Day and McNary Dams beginning July 1st.
As of June 23rd, over 32,000 spring Chinook had crossed at Willamette Falls. If the numbers continue as strong as they have been in recent weeks, the projection of 46,500 may actually be attained. A few are still being caught in the lower river.
Count on consistent, steady action for undersized sturgeon in the lower Willamette. Keepers have been rare here recently. Shad fishing has been winding down for a while although it still possible to catch a few from Willamette Falls to the mouth of the Clackamas. The Sandy River is running low and clear. A few springers were taken at the mouth over last weekend but a greater number of summer steelhead were hooked. Waters of the Clackamas are also low and clear. Upriver areas are producing the best results for summer steelhead.
Springers and steelhead are available throughout the North and South Santiam system but the bite is tough.
Springer fishing on the McKenzie is fair to good although numbers are down from past seasons. Fly fishing is good for large trout with the Caddis hatch underway.
Trout are scheduled to be planted in the Willamette Valley in Trillium Lake.
Northwest – Estuary sturgeon anglers are faring well out of the Astoria area. Anchovies have moved into the lower river and are working well for bait both above and below the Astoria/Megler Bridge. The deeper water on lower Desdemona Sands and the Washington side above the bridge should produce well in the upcoming softer tide series. Lower river anglers are nearing their keeper quota and the season is scheduled to close July 4th. Further, more restrictive opportunities may exist following the closure, only after fishery managers have a chance to review catch statistics.
The ocean north of Cape Falcon to Leadbetter Point in Washington opens on July 3rd for 2 salmon per day. Only 1 of the 2 salmon may be a Chinook and coho must have an adipose fin missing. Catches will likely be light.
Recreational boats have been restricted out of Garibaldi due to rough bar and ocean conditions. With the minus tide series out of the way and calmer seas predicted by the weekend, anglers may have some opportunity for hatchery coho, bottomfish and ocean crab.
Spring Chinook fishing has dropped off considerably on the North Coast but fishing remains viable for river fishermen on the Wilson, Trask and Nestucca Rivers. Bobber and bait will produce best at first light.
Summer Chinook should become an option on Nehalem Bay in the very near future although catches are generally light until early August.
Crabbing has been poor in Tillamook and Netarts Bays and many of the keeper sized crab are in a soft shell stage.
No trout will be planted until September.
Southwest - Rough seas recently have kept bars closed and recreational boaters trying to scratch out bottomfish along jetties inside the bays. The offshore hatchery coho season south of Humbug Mountain rewarded anglers with decent catches last week when they could get out. This ocean fishery will remain open through July 4th if the quota doesn't fill. Coast-wide through June 25th, about 250 coho and 84 Chinook have been retained.
Oversized sturgeon fishing is very good in the lower Umpqua. Although the shad run is winding down, anglers caught decent numbers over the weekend. Smallmouth bass fishing is improving.
With numbers down, springer fishing has gone from slow to slower on the Rogue River. Fewer fish were hooked over the weekend at the Hatchery Hole which has been the most productive spot.
Limits of razor clams were taken during the minus tide series at Bailey Beach.
Clearwater #2, Hemlock Lake, Herberts Pond, Lake of the Woods, Lemolo Reservoir, Fish Lake and Section 5 of the Rogue River will be planted with trout.
Eastern - The best fly fishing on the Deschutes is from Trout Creek to Maupin with the river above receiving lots of pressure. The Salmonfly hatch is a wrap but Pale Morning Duns and Caddis are active. The middle Deschutes is producing early and late in the day.
Pro Guide Mac Huff (800-940-3688) reports the trout fishing in Eastern Oregon is improving as the water levels drop and the weather warms up.
The Wallowa and Grande Ronde rivers are fishing well under stonefly hatches that are currently progressing up the system. Nymphs in the morning and dry-fly fun later in the day is the rule of thumb for abundant trout looking for egg-laying adults flying each day.
State-raised rainbows will be planted in Ana Reservoir Badger Lake, Campbell Lake, Century Gravel Pit, Big Cultus Lake, Deadhorse Lake, 2006 Deschutes River, Devils Lake, East Lake, Fall River, Horseshoe Lake, Lake of the Woods, Lost Lake, Ochoco Creek, Olallie Lake, Shevlin Pond, Sprague Gravel Pit, Spring Creek, Thompson Valley, Three Creeks Lake, North and South Twin Lake and Walton Lake.
Oregon fishing information
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