Oregon Fishing

Willamette Valley/Metro- Effective today, fishery managers adopted a 2-fish bag limit for chinook on the mainstem Columbia River from Warrior Rock to Bonneville Dam. Anglers fishing near Bonneville Dam have averaged a chinook per boat and success rates will likely continue to climb as temperatures begin to drop and more resident fish begin to congregate below the dam.

Sturgeon fishing is also picking up in the area with boat and bank anglers tallying good results. Quality keepers begin to also congregate near the dam with October a peak month for sportanglers.

The fish ladder at Willamette Falls remains closed for construction. Trollers have managed a few coho hookups around Meldrum Bar. Sturgeon fishing remains slow although a few keepers have been boated.

While the McKenzie River has risen a little, it continues to fish very well with caddis patterns.

The North Santiam is high but it is producing some steelhead. There's a chance for a hookup anywhere between Mehema and Packsaddle Park.

Clackamas anglers are catching a few coho but it has been slow.

Hundreds of coho can be seen on the main river but they're rarely hitting anything. Coho have entered Cedar Creek and are being caught below the hatchery. Fishing at the rivers mouth is also slow, despite high numbers of visible jumpers.

Henry Hagg Lake is scheduled to be planted with 8,000 legal-sized trout this week.

Northwest – Most anglers will begin focusing on the north coast, particularly Tillamook Bay as it offers the best chance at large fall chinook well into November. Action has recently slowed with a poor tide series but flurries of activity can be had near the estuary entrance and in the bubble fishery just outside of the jaws. Coho are still making up a good portion of the catch but many of those fish are wild and must be released. Improving tides should produce better results for upper bay spinner trollers by the weekend.

A mid-week weather system is predicted to rise river levels only slightly. Coho and a few chinook may take advantage of the rain freshet but much more precipitation is needed to justify the launching of driftboats.

Only a few chinook are being taken amongst the coho in Nehalem Bay. Action has been best around Wheeler but most anglers are frustrated with their results.

The Nestucca and Salmon Rivers do have fish present but numbers are down so persistence is necessary. Crabbing is a good alternative.

The Siletz and Alsea estuaries have not been productive so far. It’s still too early to call these systems a bust but it’s pretty clear that these runs have suffered for a second year in a row.

Tuna chasers are still in pursuit but last week, action was best out of Astoria where live bait produced good results for many ocean fishers. The weekend may offer another chance at offshore schools but the weather is likely to be more inconsistent into October.

Southwest – The weekend offshore forecast predicts improving conditions and moderating winds.

Trolling for chinook in the Umpqua estuary has been rewarding with some larger fish being hooked recently. Crabbing is good in Winchester Bay. Albacore have been taken this week at 60 to 70 miles offshore.

Boats launching out of Coos Bay did well for offshore rockfish with most getting limits but ling cod were hard to come by. The salmon derby will be held on Saturday, September 27th. Fishing in the river has been slow.

Bandon halibut fishers did well for large fish during the (perhaps) last all-depth opener over the past weekend.

Trollers in Rogue estuary have seen steady action for chinook with the occasional large coho showing in catches. Fishing upriver slowed dramatically over the weekend for steelhead and half-pounders while the Grants Pass stretch heated up for chinook. Sea-run cutthroat trout and half pounder fishing has been good in the Wild and Scenic section.

Most of the boats launching out of Brookings have been returning with six-fish limits of bottom fish and catches of ling cod are improving.

The Seventh Annual Salmon Derby at the Chetco terminal fishery will take place on October 1st through 4th.

Diamond Lake continues to fish well for rainbows to 16 inches with the occasional 18-incher being landed.

'Trophy-sized' rainbows are scheduled to be planted at Lost Creek Reservoir, Oak Springs, Willow Lake, Applegate Reservoir, Cole Rivers and Fish Lake. 'Trophy' trout measure 16 inches or better.

Eastern – Over 100 Chinook and more than 300 hatchery steelhead were counted at Sherars Falls last week although fishing was slow over the weekend for both steelhead and trout anglers. Anglers are taking some nice brown trout on the middle river. The upper Deschutes which is fishing well for large brook trout now, will close between Little Lava Lake and Crane Prairie at the end of September.

Oregon Fishing

Willamette Valley/Metro- The mainstem recreational sportfishery is now closed from Bonneville Dam to Buoy 10. Anglers fishing in the Tongue Point to Bonneville fishery harvested an estimated 9,100 chinook even though catch rates were not as good as many had predicted. The Columbia River remains open for salmon and steelhead from Bonneville Dam upstream until the end of the year or the catch guideline is met.

Willamette sturgeon fishing remains slow but Bonneville bank anglers continue to witness improving catches. Smelt is a top bait this time of year and catches should continue to improve into October.

The McKenzie is producing good catches of trout and providing fair to good steelheading below Leaburg Dam. Trout fishing is excellent above the dam as well.

The North Santiam will remain high for the rest of the month. Steelheading is fair with the water temperature optimum.

With the season winding gown, anglers are picking up a few bright steelhead on the Clackamas from McIver Park To Barton Park. Coho on the lower river has been spotty but has provided some productive days. Fishery managers increased the daily bag limit to 3 fin-clipped coho per day on the Clackamas and Sandy Rivers as well as Eagle Creek due to higher than average returns to these systems.

Rain is needed to turn on coho fishing on the Sandy but a few fish are coming from the mouth where small spinners are responsible for the limited catches.

Pro guide Brandon Glass (503-260-8285) reports that he’s caught a couple of coho trolling small spinners at the mouth if the Sandy.

Mt. Hood College Pond, North Fork Reservoir, Small Fry Lake and Timber Lake are scheduled to be planted with trout.

Northwest – Coastal fall chinook fishing is underway on most coastal estuaries. Tillamook Bay offers the most consistent opportunity into December and catches in the upper bay were productive for spinner trollers on Saturday. Seaweed is prominent in the bay making spinner trolling the more feasible technique as anglers can whip weed from their lines and keep their gear fishing. High tide exchanges through the weekend should offer up ample opportunity for anglers.

Nehalem anglers are finding some chinook but coho catches have been pretty impressive. The bulk of the coho are wild but the hatchery keepers have been running exceptionally large this year. Ocean water is cold, in the mid to high 40 degree range making ocean and lower bay fishing challenging. The fish are responding better in the warmer waters of the upper reaches of the estuary.

The Nestucca and Salmon River chinook fisheries are peaking in the tidewater sections and effort is increasing on both systems. Bobber and bait or trolled spinners will take chinook. Tides play a critical role in the success of these fisheries.

The Columbia River near Astoria is closed to all fishing but catch and release of sturgeon using fresh jigged anchovies for bait is excellent near Tongue Point.

The Necanicum River tidewater should have some chinook available but a strong rain is what most anglers hope for in this river system. Sea-run cutthroat trout remains a viable catch and release option but anglers can lobby the ODF&W commission on Friday in Forest Grove to support a regulation change for a limited consumptive fishery on the north coast. Details are available on the ODF&W website.

Pro guide Jeff Jackson (541-268-6944) reports that fishing is picking up on the Siuslaw and fish are being caught every day.

In the last scheduled stocking of the year, Cape Meares Lake, Coffenbury Lake, Lost Lake (Clatsop County), Sunset Lake, Town Lake and Foster Reservoir will receive hatchery trout.

Southwest – Halibut fishing was spotty over the weekend with Saturday too rough to allow most boats to cross and Sunday producing mixed results. Likely the last opener of the year is scheduled for this weekend (September 20 and 21) with a 2-fish bag limit per angler. Tuna fishing was good over the past weekend and while waters are cooling off the central Oregon coast, there will likely be at least one more week of opportunity.

The ODFW Commission is considering proposals to either allow recreational ocean crabbing year 'round or to extend it to mid October rather than closing it in August.

Trollers are doing well for coho salmon in tidewater on the Umpqua but not so well for chinook. Fishing has been most productive between Reedsport and Gardner. Crabbing has been good in Winchester Bay.

Coos Bay and the lower river are producing mostly jacks with the occasional adult showing in catches. Coquille anglers are seeing a higher percentage of larger chinook.

The Rogue estuary is fishing well daily but the season is nearly over at this time of year. Trollers using herring or anchovy are taking a mix of large adults and jacks in crowded conditions. Boaters crossing into the ocean have done well for lingcod.

Diamond Lake has continued to fish well for trout to 20 inches. Early mornings have been most productive.

Pro guide Rick Arnold (541-480-1570) reports that Lake Billy Chinook is fishing well for bull trout. He has taken fish from 12 to 22 inches and one nearly 24.

Paulina is producing limits of foot-long-or-better bright kokanee despite the need to sort out fish which are starting to color up as spawning season approaches.

Central and Eastern Oregon – Pro guide Steve Fleming (1-888-624-9424) reports that the John Day River has continued to offer excellent smallmouth bass fishing as the weather and water cools.

Fishing has slowed at Green Peter with the lower water level.


Eastern – Numbers of steelhead in the Trap at Sherars Falls has been picking up as have catches on the lower Deschutes. Fishing has been best from Mack's Canyon to the mouth. Results for redsides have been fair to good depending on hatch activity.