Oregon Fisheries Update:
Good news! Bob Rees still has some openings in the peak month of October for the giant fall chinook of Tillamook Bay. Bob’s first trip of the year on 9/18 yielded 5 nice chinook and 2 coho. A great way to start the season! Take advantage of our fall special:
Full day fishing trip AND accommodations for the night before the trip for 4 anglers for $189.00 each! Call 503.377.9696 or send an e-mail to brees@pacifier.com now.
Willamette Valley/Metro- Even with the additional opportunity mainstem Columbia anglers have with the recent re-opener, chinook fishing has been only fair from Woodland to Bonneville Dam. Traditionally, action picks up in the Bonneville area this time of year as cooler temperatures and a slowing migration stimulates a good salmon bite.
Sturgeon anglers are also taking advantage of the liberalized 7 day/week season and catch rates are on the increase. Boat anglers averaged a keeper for every 2 rods while bank anglers took home a keeper for every 8 rods.
Plug pullers are taking a few coho and an occasional steelhead in the stretch of the Willamette from the mouth of the Clackamas to Meldrum Bar. Sturgeon fishing has yet to heat up in the lower river but will improve into the fall and winter months.
Rain has brought coho into the Clackamas River and plenty of anglers can be found at Eagle Creek. Jigs have been outfishing spinners. On the Sandy, prior to the rain, trolling for coho and a few chinook was good at the mouth reports pro guide Brandon Glass (503-260-8285). The rise in river level has triggered the in-river migration and anglers are pursuing coho to Cedar Creek.
South Santiam steelheaders are hooking up with bobber and jig while McKenzie River fishing has been slow lately.
Mt Hood Pond, Detroit Reservoir and Dexter Reservoir are scheduled to be planted with trout.
Northwest – Heavy concentrations of seaweed hampered fishing success for Tillamook Bay anglers this week but peak season is here for this favored October fishery. Large fish continue to hit the docks in Garibaldi with numerous high 30 and low 40 pound fish already weighed this season. Weaker tides this week should tame seaweed problems but the ocean will likely remain too rough to recreate in.
River levels were on the rise at mid-week on most coastal systems. Chinook should be accessible to driftboaters on the Trask, Nehalem and Nestucca Rivers. This will also be a bank anglers best chance at a bright fish this season. The lower stretches will produce the best catches as river rises are predicted to only be moderate.
Crabbing has been excellent in the lower Columbia and only a rare coho is being caught near the Astoria/Megler Bridge.
Pro Guide Bill Kremers (541 754 6411) reports that Chinook fishing is still slow on Yaquina Bay but crabbing is fair for big, hard-shelled keepers.
The Alsea Bar has produced nicely this season although the action has been sporadic on a day to day basis.
Siletz anglers have seen an increase in catch rates with the recent precipitation but fishing is still only fair.
Register by Saturday, October 6th at local Newport merchants for the U Da Man salmon tournament at Yaquina Bay on the 14th.
Chinook catches picked up in the Siuslaw recently with the stretch from Florence to Swisshome the most productive. Pro Guide Jeff Jackson (541-268-6944) confirms that fishing is still good here.
Southwest – Siltcoos and Tahkenitch lakes opened for wild coho on October 1st. Most anglers troll spinners and plugs for these fish.
Trollers in Winchester Bay picked up fair to good numbers of chinook over the weekend. Rain this week have cooled water on the Umpqua and it’s expected to have a positive effect on the chinook and steelhead bite.
Coos Bay delighted trollers over the weekend, producing limits of bright Chinook for some although the wind was fierce at times. Flashers and plug-cut herring have been effective as long as the bait or lure is kept very near bottom. Keep droppers 18 inches with leaders at five feet in 15 to 20 feet of water.
Rain has roiled the Coquille to the point that it was unfishable on Monday this week.
Chinook and half-pounder fishing has been slow on the lower Rogue. The Grants Pass stretch (Hog Creek boat ramp to Gold Ray Dam) closed to Chinook fishing on October 1st. It remains open to hatchery steelhead and coho.
The ocean re-opened to chinook fishing on October 1st from Twin Rocks to the California border. Known as the Chetco Hog season, this fishery extends three nautical miles offshore and historically generates the largest fish of the season. Anglers may keep one fish per day and four per year through October 14th.
Boaters launching out of Brookings have been experiencing excellent bottom fishing.
Lost Creek Reservoir (Klamath watershed) is scheduled to be stocked with hatchery trout.
Eastern – Fly anglers are hitting good numbers of trout during afternoons with Blue-Winged Olive patterns.
With over 200,000 steelhead having crossed The Dalles Dam, fishing has been good and improving in the lower Deschutes. The upper Deschutes closed for the year on October 1st.
Lost Creek Reservoir (Deschutes watershed) and Taylor Lake are scheduled to be planted.
