Oregon fishing report

Oregon Fisheries Update:

Willamette Valley/Metro - Although sturgeon fishing in the mainstem Columbia remains slow, there is some effort for sturgeon taking place below the mouth of the Willamette River. Fishery managers will suggest that a small slough section of the river near Rooster Rock remain closed to all fishing for much of the year. This highly productive section was responsible for a large portion of the harvested quota in 2010, crimping other options for consumptive users from Wauna to Bonneville Dam.

The lower Willamette is high and murky. In a decision this week, ODFW officials decided to delay sturgeon retention on the lower Willamette. Originally scheduled to open January 1st, a determination as to when sturgeon may be kept will be made in the first week of February.

Fly fishers have been scoring on the McKenzie whenever the water level is fishable.

Clackamas levels were on a steady drop through Tuesday this week. Pressure has been high with results poor on Eagle Creek.

Winter steelhead are being taken in the Sandy whenever water conditions allow. Expect fish to be scattered. Steelhead will make a much stronger showing by late February.

Huddleston Pond and Junction City Pond are scheduled to be planted with hatchery trout.

Northwest – North coast streams have been without significant rainfall lately, enabling driftboaters to work their favorite waterways such as the Wilson and Nestucca River. Despite the river being in ideal condition success rates were less than ideal for those working the water early in the week. The Wilson did produce a handful of early returning Alsea stock fish but not what most had anticipated, given the good returns on many smaller systems in the same district.

Those smaller streams did produce well in the higher flows. The Necanicum was good on Sunday with some boats reporting double digit opportunities, landing a mix of both semi-colored fish as well as fresh chrome ones. Drifters reported numerous wild coho digging nests in the tailouts of this system.

Despite limited bank access, the North Fork Nehalem produced good catches for anglers fishing near the hatchery over the weekend. With dropping and clearing conditions, success rates will once again fall until the next rain freshet.

Like the North Fork Nehalem, Three Rivers, a Nestucca River tributary will also produce fair to good results near the hatchery at Cedar Creek. As these smaller systems drop, the most productive time of the day will be at daybreak. Smaller baits will be necessary in the lower flows.

The Nestucca itself will be hit or miss as small pods of hatchery fish make their way upstream. The better fishing on the mainstem Nestucca will happen later into February and March, when wild and broodstock fish make their appearance.

High winds have kept anxious sturgeon anglers from testing the waters of Tillamook Bay. Keepers are likely present but the weather forecast will likely continue to discourage effort. Crabbing will remain challenging given the weather forecast as the ocean won’t be an option for recreation through the weekend.

Southwest – Rough seas have curtailed recreational crabbing effort although results have been good when conditions have allowed ocean access. Ocean forecasts for the coming week favor larger, commercial vessels.

Winchester Bay crabbing results have yet to decline due to freshets. The Umpqua system was very high and rising early this week.

Crabbing remains good in Coos Bay despite recent rainstorms. Coos River steelheaders have been doing well recently although, as usual with winters, there have been a far greater number of hookups than landings.
Coquille steelheaders have been experiencing fair to good results when the water level is dropping.

Elk River anglers have caught chinook and fresh winter steelhead recently with precipitation less than expected. The Sixes blew out early this week but will fish a couple of days after the Elk clears.

Rising river levels from weekend rainfall have kept anglers off the Rogue. Although levels were falling early this week, any precipitation will rapidly shut down fishing opportunities.

The Chetco came into shape for plunking late last week and delivered for steelheaders. Spin 'N' Glos were the lure of choice for fresh fish, half or better were of hatchery origin. Storms over this past weekend pushed the Chetco over 10,000 cfs this week but it will fish again for plunkers whenever it's 8,000 cfs and dropping. Look for the 4,000 cfs range to drift it.

Eastern – Summer steelheading is nearly done on the Deschutes with winters on their way.

Cold water angling enthusiasts should enjoy some good results on the Fall River at this time of year. Try fishing nymphs in deep slots.

Most eastern Oregon streams saw a surge in flow and turbidity last week. Prior to the muddy water, fishing was good on the John Day, Wallowa, Umatilla and Imnaha. Fishing should once again improve when snow levels drop and flows subside.

Oregon fishing report

Willamette Valley/Metro - Sturgeon catches remained poor on the lower Columbia but the fishery above Bonneville should begin to heat up when weather patterns stabilize. Anglers are already looking forward to the 2011 spring chinook return. Columbia returns are expected to be down while another great year is in the works for Willamette anglers. A bigger component of the larger 5-year old fish is expected this season.

The lower Willamette is swollen and opaque. Fish passage has virtually stopped in the torrent. The January 1st sturgeon opener may not occur as scheduled and anglers can expect an additional 29% quota reduction in 2011 due to increased sea lion predation and reduced food resources.

Clackamas water levels were very high at mid-week. There are steelhead in the system but it will only fish on the drop. Eagle Creek will be the best bet for weekend foray’s and the run should be peaking about now.

Water levels on the Sandy are predicted to fall through the week and if accurate, the river should fish later this week. The bulk of the run isn’t due for several more weeks however.

Walling Pond and Walter Wirth Lake are scheduled to be planted with legal and larger trout.

Northwest – With north coast rivers reaching flood stage over the weekend, fishing effort was non-existent. Smaller streams will be the first to recover and should produce good results for steelhead.

The North Fork Nehalem was likely to come in by today and should fish well this weekend. Returns have been good for this system and it will likely produce the best results of all north coast streams.

The Necanicum and Three Rivers will also be top bets, along with Gnat Creek, Big Creek and the Klaskanine River. Bigger baits fished in softer water will be the rule this weekend and fish will likely be on the move until flows drop. Be prepared to cover a lot of water but plunking can also be a very effective tool when flows are up. Spin-n-glos tipped with bait or loaded with scent will produce the best.

The Kilchis River is also an option but steelhead returns are lower on this system than most in the district. The Trask River, especially at the Dam Hole, could produce fair catches of both wild and an occasional hatchery stray.

Chinook are still on the table for the Wilson and Kilchis Rivers but target bucks for best tablefare, leaving hens to seed future generations. Plugs should be effective in the higher flows, especially in the tailouts but bait will produce results as well.

Still not many anglers targeting sturgeon in Tillamook Bay but the estuary should have catchable numbers present. The west channel is the likely area of interception. Crab won’t be an issue.

Crabbers should focus their efforts on Netarts Bay or the lower Columbia River. The ocean won’t be an option in the foreseeable future.

Southwest – Rain has slowed crabbing in many smaller bays and estuaries although Winchester and Coos Bays have remained productive.

Recent heavy rains have put fresh winter steelhead in the Alsea River where anglers may expect success into March.

Siuslaw steelheaders will begin to find winters starting in January.

Steelhead were caught in the South Fork Coquille River late last week but it has since blown out with storm fronts passing through this week.

Umpqua steelheaders are taking a break this week with the river high, muddy and unfishable.

When there's even a brief break in the downpour, try the Elk or Sixes rivers. The small systems fall quickly with the Elk inevitably a day or two ahead for coming into shape. Start high on the system when this occurs. Both fresh winter steelhead and bright chinook are in these rivers.

The lower Rogue, reported as high over the past weekend, had risen another foot by mid-day Tuesday. High, muddy water has stalled fishing efforts on the middle and upper Rogue while plunkers on the lower river are catching steelhead whenever the river is on the drop. Wild steelhead must be released until January 1st.

While plunkers enjoyed some success on the Chetco River over the past weekend, with the flow over 15,000 cfs, a break in precipitation will be required for any fishing opportunity here. There are some large fish in the system with an estimated 60-pound chinook caught and released last week. Boats out of Brookings have been making good catches of rockfish but conditions in the coming weekend will disallow launches.

Eastern – The Deschutes is high from recent east-side rainfall. Trout fishing is closed from Pelton to the Northern Reservation Boundary and steelheading closes on this stretch December 31st.

High and muddy, the Metolius may not fish until Christmas week.

The Grande Ronde remains a good option for steelheaders willing to travel but dropping temperatures could make for treacherous travel. Fishing conditions however may be ideal with anglers scoring results every 4 to 7 hours of effort.

Oregon fishing report

Willamette Valley/Metro- The only keeper sturgeon tallied in last weekends creel check occurred in the Portland to Longview stretch. The Bonneville stretch is effectively over for the next few months. Some good sturgeon fishing is likely to occur however above Bonneville, where in recent years, good adult populations have fueled a strong but short consumptive fishery.

Fishery managers are busy calculating 2011 predictions due out next week. Season shaping for salmon and sturgeon will occur over the next several months so stay tuned for public meetings. Now is a good time to purchase your 2011 licenses and tags.

With the river high, steelhead are crossing Willamette Falls in single digits daily. Plunkers at Meldrum Bar have been picking up a few winters.

McKenzie water levels have dropped but remain high for fishing.

The Santiam system is too high and the water too cold for the system to fish well.

Early hatchery winter steelhead are available in the Clackamas with drift fishing most productive. It's best to wait until the water level starts to drop. Higher river levels remain in the forecast, making Eagle Creek an attractive option through the weekend.

A few early Sandy winter steelhead have been caught but results will improve in the coming weeks.

Northwest - High water levels this week have kept most anglers focusing on smaller river systems. Charlie Wooldridge of Bay City landed a chrome chinook buck in the 20-pound range early last week fishing the lower Kilchis River using a Flatfish wrapped with sardine fillet. A few hatchery winter steelhead are also available but this system doesn't get the planted numbers other north coast systems do.

The Wilson has been high for much of the week but anglers did get out over the weekend. Chinook are still being caught on the Wilson but with all the early positive news for steelhead, anglers are switching over to target early fish.

The North Fork Nehalem hatchery has been a steelhead highlight on the north coast recently. In the lower flows, bobbers and jigs produced well. Fishing near the hatchery will likely remain productive for the next few weeks, especially as fish get recycled back downstream by hatchery personnel.

Necanicum anglers have been tangling with steelhead as this system closely mimics the North Fork Nehalem when returns are good. Three Rivers, a Nestucca River tributary near Hebo, is also peaking right now and anglers fishing near the hatchery should produce good weekend catches.

A brief window of offshore opportunity early this week produced magnificent crab catches in the ocean out of Garibaldi and Depoe Bay. A delay in the commercial crab opener contributed to sport success. Anglers sticking close to shore had good conditions for ling cod and rockfish. Anglers aren't likely to see ocean conditions like that again for a long time, certainly not this weekend.

Southwest - Ocean crabbing opened at the beginning of December and has been productive for quality Dungeness when ocean conditions have allowed the activity.

Boats launching out of Depoe Bay have been taking limits of ling cod, rockfish and crab for many boats, good catches for others.

Trollers targeting wild coho at Siltcoos Lake have had poor results over the past week.

Rockfishing has been good off the South Jetty at Winchester Bay when wave action has allowed safe access. High water has hampered fishing on the Umpqua system.

Crabbing has remained good in lower Coos Bay despite recent rains. Winter steelhead had been caught on the South Coos and East Millicoma prior to the water levels rising.

Drift gear allowed anglers to hook a good number of chinook on the Elk River over the past weekend. Rain this week should improve prospects with winter steelheading improving. Ocean trolling at the mouths of the Elk and Sixes is closed.

Winter steelhead are entering the Rogue but high water has prevented fishing around Agness. Anglers are taking some chinook on plugs in the Grants Pass stretch where a few steelhead have been caught. High flows have slowed fishing on the upper Rogue.

Rockfishing has been excellent out of the Port of Brookings when the ocean is calm enough to recreate on. Salmon and steelhead are available in the Chetco although chinook catches (and bright fish availability) are winding down as steelhead action is ramping up. Checking the river level and flow before you hit the river will determine whether anglers pack drift or plunking gear.

Eastern - Nymphing has been most effective for trout on the lower Deschutes. Summer steelhead remain available above Maupin but are pretty well colored up. There was snow on the ground at Maupin on Tuesday this week.

Crescent Lake has produced some large mackinaw to trollers launching in the snow.

The Grande Ronde remains a good option for cold weather steelheaders. A slight warming trend should produce better catches with current creel statistics indicating a fish for every 4 to 7 hours of effort.

Oregon fishing report

Willamette Valley/Metro - Recent rumors of improved fishing for keepers is coming from the gorge. Given that there are very few keepers remaining on the quota, if those rumors are accurate, the fishery is likely to close very soon. The Willamette remains closed to catch and keep fishing but should provide good catch and release opportunities.

Anticipation is running high for metro area salmon anglers. Fishery managers are in the process of modeling 2011 returns and after a banner year on the Willamette last year, anglers are anxious. The Columbia run is likely to be down from last year.

Winter steelhead counts have stalled at Willamette Falls. Bright summer steelhead remain available on the Town Run in the upper Willamette when water conditions allow.

While the McKenzie is driftable, trout fishing has been poor to slow.

North Santiam water levels are high for boating. Watch for new hazards from Shelburn's to Green's Bridge.

Winter steelhead have been hooked and a few landed on the lower Clackamas. The Eagle Creek system may be a better bet this weekend however as high water will have fish on the move.

A few winter steelhead have been banked on the Sandy River but it's early for this system to fish well.

Northwest – Tillamook driftboaters have enjoyed good water conditions to fish in. Action picked up when the water and air temperatures began to rise. Anglers working the upper stretches of the Wilson remain frustrated however as fishers still pursuing chinook and steelhead below Sollie Smith Bridge seem to be intercepting the lion’s share of the fish. Fair numbers of steelhead have been caught on the Wilson already, indicating a good season ahead.

The Kilchis has a few fish available but isn’t fishing as good as most had anticipated. The Trask also has a few late run chinook and a rare steelhead but effort is low. The high water we’re currently experiencing typically bodes well for the Dam Hole on the Trask for early run steelhead.

Smaller streams like the North Fork Nehalem, Necanicum and Three Rivers should all be prime candidates for steelhead right now but North Fork hatchery reported surprisingly few adults in the trap this week. The current rain freshet should stimulate a good push into these systems however.

The Nestucca has been a sleeper lately and in the high water, steelhead are likely to move right into Three Rivers so mainstem fishing will likely remain challenging with the exception of the mouth of Three Rivers itself.

Tillamook Bay remains void of effort. Chinook trollers still have a viable chance in the Ghost Hole after the water clears from this rain event. Sturgeon fishing should be good but little effort exists. A nice tide series starts today but by the weekend, low slack will take place after dark.

Tides will be too strong for good crabbing this weekend. The lower Columbia and Netarts Bay will be the best bets and with a possible delay in the commercial opener, recreational crabbing should remain productive.

Southwest – Crabbing has slowed in bays and estuaries as heavy rains have lowered salinity which always slows Dungeness take. Ocean crabbing opened December 1st. Ironically, after a wild fall, the ocean looks like a possibility for crabbers and fishers this weekend.

The wild coho fishery slowed for trollers on Siltcoos Lake over the past weekend.

Winchester Bay anglers have been doing well for bottom fish off the south jetty when conditions allow safe access. Fishing on the Umpqua has been slow with high, muddy water shutting down the bite.

Winter steelhead have yet to show in the Coquille.

South Coos anglers are taking a few chinook but catches are slowing and most fish are dark.

The Elk and Sixes have been productive lately with some boats taking multiple chinook. High wind has been problematic at times. The ocean fishery off the mouths is closed as of December 1st. Bullard's Bridge should be open during the day but call ODOT to confirm.

Winter steelhead are showing in the lower Rogue with results expected to improve in coming weeks. High, muddy water has challenged steelheaders on the middle Rogue although fishing has been fair at times. The upper Rogue continues to offer the best chance of a hookup with a late-season summer steelhead despite slowing due to higher water.

Boats launching early out of the Port of Brookings have made good catches of rockfish nearshore but few ling cod. Cold water slowed the chinook bite over the past week on the Chetco River although persistent boaters dragging wrapped plugs continued to take a few fish. Low water temperatures didn't prevent early winter steelhead from biting however, as several were taken. December is shaping up to be a good month. The Chetco was 2,700 and dropping on Tuesday this week.

Eastern – A few good-sized trout are being hooked on the Metolius where bull trout are also available.

Steelheading has been good on the Grande Ronde but at last report, a cold snap had formed slushy ice in the river.

Oregon Fishing Report

Willamette Valley/Metro- With the Willamette now closed to catch and keep sturgeon fishing, anglers have little choice for good action unless catch and release on the lower Willamette appeals to anglers. Success in the gorge continues to drop and with falling freezing levels, success will continue to plummet.

As of November 16th, water visibility at Willamette Falls was 3.4 feet. About 150 winter steelhead have been counted. Trout fishing is good on the Middle Fork Willamette and will remain so as long as water levels remain fishable. The coho run is over for the year.

Trout fishing has been fair on the McKenzie. Steelheading efforts continue below Leaburg Dam.

Coho are being hooked on the Santiam with results fair to good at times.

The Clackamas was on the rise earlier this week. Eagle Creek produced a few steelhead over the past weekend.

Thanksgiving traditionalists are expected to hit the Sandy next week despite later-running broodstock steelhead. Catches will likely be spotty.

Northwest - Salmon fishing in the Tillamook district continues to disappoint anglers and the effort defines success rates in recent days. Rivers are producing sub-par results despite excellent conditions. Tillamook Bay is effectively over although persistent anglers still have a fair chance at a late run fall chinook.

The Wilson River should be peaking right now but driftboaters are coming up with poor returns on their investment of time. Dark fish are beginning to show in the catches but it appears that the late run that typically graces the Wilson and Kilchis Rivers will fall short of preseason predictions. Another rain freshet is due today but it is clear by now that chinook destined for these systems are somewhat depressed this season.

The Trask has been a staple for much of the fall but success rates are falling on this system as well. Fish are beginning to turn dark here. A winter steelhead was recently caught however, indicating a decent return may be on the way. Steelhead returns often mimic coho returns and it's likely the wild coho return to the Tillamook basin was under-predicted this season.

The Nestucca has been a late season surprise this year as the pre-season forecast was for a poor return. A limited season is in place with driftboaters allowed from Farmer Creek to the tidewater stretch. Another freshet may put this system out of shape until the weekend but the Nestucca may be a fair option for late weekend boaters. This will likely be the last weekend for bright fish but winter steelhead are soon to follow.

Although still several weeks from peak, bright steelhead should be available on the North Fork Nehalem, Necanicum, Wilson, Kilchis, Nestucca and Three Rivers. The season's first hatchery steelhead has been taken on the North Fork Nehalem where anglers witnessed some of the best catches in years last season. Late run wild coho will also be present so be prepared to properly identify species as all wild coho must be released.

Tillamook Bay has few anglers targeting salmon but some effort still exists in the Ghost Hole and Bay City. Bay anglers may find sturgeon fishing more rewarding as the freshwater influx has pushed crab to the sea. The west channel should be bountiful for sturgeon anglers, especially with the upcoming tide series.

Crabbing remains best in the lower Columbia where limits were the rule over the weekend. Success rates should remain favorable until the commercial season opens in early December. All the other estuaries, with the exception of Netarts Bay will likely produce poorly in the coming weeks.

Southwest - Crabbing has been fair to good in bays and estuaries despite recent rain. Ocean crabbing resumes on December 1st.

Chinook have moved out of Winchester Bay upstream into the Umpqua. South Jetty fishers are catching rockfish and surf perch when ocean conditions allow safe access. Chinook fishing has been fair to good on the Umpqua mainstem.

Chinook catches have slowed on the Coos and Coquille. Crabbing has been good in Coos Bay with some taking limits.

Although boat traffic has been moderate, Chinook catches on the Elk and Sixes Rivers have been very slow. A few were taken on plugs late last week but recent rough seas prevented fishing at the mouth.

Rogue Bay is wrapped up for chinook and lower river fishing is slow while the middle river us producing fair steelhead and coho catches. The upper Rogue continues to offer the better action for late-season summer steelhead. Use caution running a driftboat through the old Gold Ray Dam site where a hazardous rapid has formed.

When ocean conditions have allowed offshore access out of Brookings, most anglers are catching rockfish limits although few lingcod have been taken recently with the 120-foot restriction. Chinook fishing has been good in the Chetco River when water conditions have cooperated.

Eastern - Steelheading is slow on the Deschutes but the occasional fish is being landed. Maupin to Warm Springs has been most productive.

The Grande Ronde is producing fair to good catches of steelhead ranging from chrome to colorful.

Although John Day Pool anglers should be coming into their peak season, catches were mediocre this week. Action may remain fair this week with the ensuing weather pattern in the forecast. Bobber and jig will work in the John Day itself but trollers work the pool above the dam.

Oregon fishing report

Willamette Valley/Metro - With salmon fishing effectively over on the lower Columbia, effort will shift to sturgeon for the remainder of the year. Sturgeon catches continue to taper below Bonneville as fish seemingly move into the lower Willamette this time of year. Anglers are likely to target the mouth of the Willamette as the mainstem Columbia continues to cool.

Catches were good and pressure high at the re-opener of sturgeon retention on the lower Willamette last week. Anglers took 580 keepers which filled the quota, closing the lower Willamette and Multnomah Channel until January 1, 2011. Steelhead remain available on the Middle Fork of the Willamette.

Trout fishing has remained good on the McKenzie when water conditions are conducive where brilliant fall foliage graces the banks.

Steelheading has been fair on the North Santiam but the river is high this week and will remain so through the coming weekend.

Clackamas water levels are up following precipitation over the past weekend and while dropping, fishing remains slow with the coho season about done for the year.

Winter steelhead will be the next fishery on the Sandy but it will be a while as these are broodstock adults with returns delayed until late winter.

Henry Hagg Lake has been fishing well but anglers have only though November 20th, after which it's closed until spring.

Northwest - Wild weather has subdued effort on the north coast, even though fall chinook should be peaking on many river systems. The Wilson and Kilchis River chinook runs aren't materializing like they do most years, this fishery should be peaking now with ideal conditions for driftboaters underway. Some chum are still being caught but anglers can no longer target chum salmon after Monday. Trout fishing closed on October 31st.

The Nestucca River produced some good catches last week even though the run was forecast to be down this season. Plug pullers and backbouncers fared well during the North Coast Salmon Rendezvous last week.

Tillamook Bay continues to challenge anglers but a few bright fish are still being produced in the west channel, Ghost Hole and in the upper bay. Spinners or herring should continue to take fish into early December. Female fish, although bright, sometimes exhibit poor quality flesh this time of year. Bright bucks will provide the best tablefare for the remainder of the season.

Sturgeon should be available in Tillamook Bay as fish continue to exit the lower Columbia and seek better feeding conditions in other estuaries this time of year. With all the recent freshwater, juvenile crabs should not be the problem they typically are for shrimp plunkers. The west channel should be a prime place for interception.

If 2010 steelhead returns come in high, anglers should begin to see chrome returns to the North Fork Nehalem, Necanicum, Kilchis, Wilson, Three Rivers and the Nestucca Rivers within the next 10 days. None have been reported yet.

An excellent tide series over the weekend should produce easy limits for crabbers on the lower Columbia. Expect plenty of competition however.

Southwest - Tidal exchanges this weekend will be mild but offshore conditions may prevent ocean forays.

Trollers are catching fair to good numbers of wild coho at Siltcoos Lake with plugs being most effective this season.

Weekend rainfall relieved low water conditions on the Coos and Coquille. Chinook catches are expected to be
good this week. Crabbing has been good in Coos Bay but too much fresh water will reduce catches.

Chinook catches picked up following rainfall last Sunday on the Elk and Sixes but leaves in the water and high winds have been hampering efforts.

Chetco anglers are taking good numbers of bright chinook with several breaking the 40-pound mark. Bobber and bait fishers, back-bouncers and plug pullers are all taking fish. When ocean conditions have allowed crossing the bar out of Brookings, limits of rockfish were taken and ling cod fishing improved.

The Winchuck River opened for chinook retention over the past weekend. While there was no sign of an early return late last week, rainfall will get this fishery underway and an excellent return is forecast this season.

Eastern - Steelheading has improved on the lower Deschutes with fewer anglers on the river now. With the water cooling, the bite is soft. Most of the steelhead are wild but are running large.

A good late fall and winter fishery, the Crooked River is producing well for fly anglers targeting large rainbows.

The Grande Ronde, Wallowa, Imnaha and Umatilla Rivers are all strong possibilities for late run summer steelhead. Bobbers and bait or jigs should produce nicely for persistent anglers.

Oregon fishing report

Oregon Fisheries Update:

Willamette Valley/Metro - Salmon fishing in the gorge has slowed dramatically as this fishery winds down for the year. Upstream anglers will continue to watch dam counts above Bonneville to target coho near tributary mouths.

Sturgeon anglers in the gorge are still pursuing keepers with boaters doing best. Fish are well distributed, putting bank anglers at an unusual disadvantage. Success rates will likely taper with a lowering snow level in the coming weeks.

The first retention sturgeon opportunity following the re-opening of the lower Willamette will be Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The Middle Fork will fish well for steelhead when the water drops and clears.

The McKenzie is dropping this week and should provide some late fall fishing for steelhead.

Steelheading has picked up on the Clackamas with the recent freshet.

A few coho have been taken on the Sandy but they're getting dark this late in the season.

Limits are being taken by trollers at Hagg Lake. Trout are scheduled to be planted at Walling Pond and Walter Wirth Lake.

Northwest - Brief flurries of success were witnessed late last week following the last rain freshet. Although the Wilson and Kilchis produced sub-par results, the west channel in Tillamook Bay produced good catches on Wednesday but slowed by the weekend. A new series of storms swelled rivers to a season high over the weekend, which should improve fishing once again for this weekend.

Despite low visibility, trollers working herring in the Bay City area as well as the west channel scored fair numbers of fish on Tuesday. With most rivers still out of shape, the few anglers fishing under sunny skies and 60 degree temperatures fared well on the first part of outgoing tide.

As rivers clear, driftboaters will come out in force with the Wilson and Kilchis primary targets. The Kilchis fished best by midweek but the Wilson and Trask will be primary targets over the weekend pending further bouts of torrential downpours.

Most driftable sections of the Nestucca and Nehalem are off limits to boaters this year but some fish may be available in downstream areas. An early winter steelhead may come from Three Rivers or the North Fork Nehalem or Necanicum Rivers but peak season will be later into December.

Heavy rains should clear out crab from most coastal estuaries, making them viable options for sturgeon seekers, especially on Tillamook Bay. Sport crabbing will remain best on Netarts Bay and the lower Columbia River out of Hammond.

Trout season has closed on north coast streams but some quality fish were taken during the consumptive opener.

Southwest - Offshore forecasts indicate difficult ocean conditions. Bottom fishers have successfully made early morning trips but use caution if doing so.

Trolled plugs are catching coho at Siltcoos Lake but the action is hot one day, cold the next.

Winchester Bay crabbing has continued to improve. Most of the Dungeness are hard now and even those trying from docks are getting them. Chinook and coho fishing has been good in the bay and lower Umpqua.

With the wild coho fishery over on the Coquille, chinook catches have remained good.

Concentrate chinook effort on the South Coos now with trolled herring.

A few chinook have been caught near the mouth of the Elk but more rain is needed to kick-start this fishery.

Rough seas out of Gold Beach coupled with high winds has kept boats off the ocean most of the week. Bottom fishing has yielded limits of rockfish when boats could get out. Chinook fishing is slow in the bay with the season nearly over here. Steelheading is fair in the middle river. Summer steelheading remains good on the upper Rogue. The flies-only restriction was lifted on November 1st.

Rain last week allowed the Chetco River to open a week early for chinook fishing. Catches have been slow to fair with best results at the mouth. Fronts passing through have caused Chetco levels to fluctuate, but the river has rarely been out of the optimal range to fish well. It will fish whenever the flow is 4,000 cfs or less providing the water isn't muddy. Winter steelhead will be available here in late November.

Snow was on the ground for the final weekend for Diamond Lake. Fishing was excellent as it will be in the spring next year.

Eastern - Steelheading improved over the past weekend on the lower Deschutes as the water cleared. Catches are mostly native fish, however.

Trollers working the John Day Pool reported good catches but the bulk of the catch were wild, which must be released. This fishery should become more consistent into the month.

Large Mackinaw are being taken by trollers using downriggers in chilly conditions at Crescent Lake.

Oregon fishing report

Willamette Valley/Metro - Salmon fishing still an option for Bonneville area anglers, few quality fish remain however. Sturgeon anglers continue to produce only fair catches with bank anglers doing best closest to the deadline and boat anglers tallied a keeper for every other boat over the weekend. Success rates will likely begin to slow.

Sturgeon retention will resume on the lower Willamette Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays starting in November. Once the upper Willamette water level starts to drop, steelheading should remain reliable from Dexter Dam downstream to the Town Run.

McKenzie River level and flow is high but dropping this week. The last day to fish the upper McKenzie for trout is Sunday, October 31st.

The North Santiam will be closed from Niagara to Packsaddle Park starting in January 2011 due to the construction of a new fish collection facility.

The Clackamas and Sandy Rivers were high and muddy at this writing but are expected to be dropping this week. The Clackamas below River Mill Dam remains open for fin-clipped coho but will close upstream after October 31st. The Sandy River remains open for fin-clipped coho year around when historically, it has closed on October 31st.

Northwest – Tillamook Bay has been blustery most recently, keeping anglers at home and waiting for the next opportunity. Prior to the barrage of storm systems, chinook fishing had slowed with only an occasional fish being taken in the west channel and Ghost Hole areas. The Wilson and Kilchis fish are now overdue.

The storm system provided the optimum opportunity for river anglers with flows dropping into perfect shape by Tuesday on the Trask, Wilson and Kilchis Rivers. Traffic was light on all systems but bank anglers were scoring a combination of chum, wild coho and an occasional chinook at the logger bridge on the Kilchis River. The coho continue to run large, making them easy to misidentify, as they look similar to a fresh run chinook. Be cautious in your harvest.

The bay had calmed by Wednesday, providing good opportunity for anglers in the lower bay. If better numbers of Wilson and Kilchis fish don’t show on this freshet, it will signal a problem with the remainder of the season. Herring should take fair numbers of fish in the Ghost Hole and Bay City. Lower stretches of these rivers should also produce results today and tomorrow.

Most of the river accessible to driftboats is closed to chinook fishing on the Nehalem and Nestucca Rivers. Check the ODF&W web site for what limited opportunities exist in these watersheds.

The Necanicum River was also an option earlier in the week but windfall and shifting gravel bars can make this a hazard to navigate. The North Fork Nehalem did get a few more hatchery coho but most of the fish are dark. The first hatchery winter steelhead will likely come in around the first or second week of November.

Sturgeon fishing may improve on Tillamook Bay after the recent rains, sending crab to the ocean and away from anchored baits in the west channel, where most of the sturgeon effort takes place. Bay crabbing should slow on most north coast estuaries with the lower Columbia being the exception.

Southwest – Rain over the weekend raised water levels and muddied the rivers on the south coast. Fishing should improve as waters drop and clear.

Trollers took chinook on the lower Umpqua last week and more fish will be entering this week with the freshet.

Coos Bay anglers are taking good numbers of chinook although pressure is light. The South Coos was particularly productive.

Chinook catches have been good this season on the Coquille with the action yet to show signs of slowing down.

Offshore boaters out of Gold Beach caught a break at the middle of last week, at which time rockfish were taken but ling cod catches were slow. Chinook results are slow in the bay and rain has roiled much of the river. Steelheading remains good on the upper Rogue above the old Gold Ray Dam site.

The Chetco is experiencing a very good return of adult chinook as well as a high number of jacks as recent ODFW test netting revealed. The river is dropping this week after swelling to nearly 7,000 cfs on October 24th.

Rain doubled the volume of the Elk River earlier this week, causing muddy conditions and filling the river with leaves. It will bring in fish, however, and results should be good when water conditions improve.

Opening November 6th, catches of chinook are expected to be very good at the Winchuck River, located just north of the California border.

Eastern – Steelheading has been challenging on the lower Deschutes. Trout fishing has been decent but most anglers are more interested in steelhead.

The John Day Pool troll fishery is heating up and is likely to peak close to Thanksgiving.

Many east side locations will close to fishing at the end of October. Be sure to check the Oregon fishing regulations before hitting eastside destinations.

Crescent Lake is producing Mackinaw to trollers.

Fishing report for Oregon

Willamette Valley/Metro - Although the sturgeon opener in the gorge started slow, success rates have jumped slightly in the recent week. Some keepers are available but oversize fish seem to make up a large portion of the catch. The fall fishery in the gorge can provide some of the best opportunity for bank anglers to tangle with keeper fish.

Salmon fishing from the gorge to Troutdale continues to wind down with fewer quality fish in the catches. Late run coho should offer some opportunity near tributary mouths in the coming weeks.

Steelheading remains good on the Willamette below Dexter. The upper Willamette and Middle Fork are fishing well for trout.

Trout fishing and steelheading will be holding up through October on the McKenzie, weather permitting. The water level will be dropping in the coming week.

Coho fishing has been slow on the Clackamas despite decent numbers of fish in the river. Eagle Creek is low and clear.

The Sandy River has been off-color but has good numbers of coho available. The bite has been slow to fair. Try various lures and baits for the best chance of a hookup.

Northwest - Tillamook district anglers fared well over the weekend. The predicted wind storms never materialized so what few anglers fishing over the weekend scored fair results. The upper bay produced the best catches but the fish that were present, shot upstream on the recent rain freshet. Chinook fishing has since slowed with only an occasional fish taken from the upper bay to the Ghost Hole.

Weekend rain afforded driftboaters their first real chance at chinook and coho on Monday. The Trask was laden with salmon but were very reluctant to bite. Wild coho were present in heavy numbers but good numbers of chinook were present as well. Flows quickly dropped back down to summer lows, making driftboating challenging once again.

Although it was still a bit early for the Wilson River to produce catches, a few chinook were present early in the week. Flows have subsided making fish wary to anglers offerings. Another rain freshet isn't due in the near future.

Recreational crabbers have not been able to take advantage of the ocean extension for well over a week now due to rough ocean and bar conditions. The season closes after Friday with so much potential lost. Bay crabbing is poor in Tillamook and fair in Netarts and Nehalem estuaries. Soft tides will favor crabbers over the weekend.

The Nehalem and Nestucca Rivers were predictably slow and the North Fork Nehalem hatchery received another shot of hatchery fish this week. Coho catches were only fair near the hatchery with many of the fish landed being wild, requiring release. The hatchery coho run on the north coast is all but over.

Southwest - Crabbing has been poor to slow in Winchester Bay recently. Boats fishing below the confluence of the North and South Umpqua are doing well using bobber and bait combos. The best results occur early and late in the day.

Trollers are taking coho at Siltcoos Lake which are bound for Maple Creek.

Coos Bay has been productive for chinook with Marshfield Channel a high traffic area. Crabbing has been fair to good in the bay.

The wild coho quota on the Coquille has been filled and this fishery is closed. Trolling plug-cut herring is taking chinook in tidewater.

Boats out of Port Orford took limits of black and blue rockfish over the past week. In addition, crabbing has been good for quality Dungeness.

Good returns are forecast for the chinook fishery off the mouth of the Elk River starting Friday, October 15th but fall rains will mark the real kickoff.

Trollers in the Rogue estuary continue to hook plenty of coho, most of which are wild requiring release. Only a few chinook are being taken from the bay. Chinook fishing has been worthwhile upriver below Indian Creek.

The Chetco Ocean Terminal Fishery the first 12 days of October produced mixed results and several chinook over 40 pounds. Rockfishing is good out of the Port of Brookings Harbor with ling cod catches improving.

Eastern - While steelhead numbers are good in the Deschutes now and pressure has been heavy, the bite has been only fair with fish hesitant to strike lure or fly. Persistence is required of these fish as action can occur at any time of day. Recent rains has clouded the river, slowing success rates. Trout catches have improved as cloudy days produce Blue-Winged Olive and Caddis hatches in the evenings.

Steelhead are hitting dark colored flies on the Grande Ronde. Fishing is picking up between freshets.

Mann Lake has been treated with rotenone to control undesirable species introduced by the public. It will be restocked.

Fishing report for Oregon

Willamette Valley/Metro - Anglers continue to do best at Bonneville Dam. A surprising jump in adult chinook crossing at Bonneville last week spurred improved catches, especially for backtrollers. Some anglers continue to pursue chinook using wobblers downstream of the Columbia River Gorge. Success rates are falling but anglers pursuing coho near tributary mouths are intercepting fair numbers of fish.

Sturgeon fishing reopens upstream of the Wauna Powerlines beginning Friday, October 1st, with the 3-day per week openers on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The most recent check indicated a poor showing of keeper sized fish but increased effort will tell the real story. October is typically a good time to sturgeon fish in the gorge, especially for bank anglers fishing near the deadline.

Hundreds of coho are streaming over Willamette Falls daily. While the cumulative total is lagging behind several days, the total is undoubtedly well over 10,000 so far this season.

The McKenzie is fishing well for trout. The two-fly tournament over the past weekend was declared a success.

North Santiam level and flow will be stable through the coming weekend. Fishermen's Bend has been producing steelhead.

Clackamas flows are 750 to 950 cfs which is low for coho fishing. Coho fishing is slow.

Coho are being caught in the Sandy River with fish scattered. Mornings have been the most productive. Cedar Creek is producing fish and is getting very crowded as it does every year during coho season.

Northwest - Tillamook Bay continues to be the highlight on the North Coast. Although catches are far from consistent, fair numbers of chinook are being taken daily. The lower bay will produce the best on the current tide series. The Bubble fishery has not been an option due to rough seas but conditions are forecasted to change for the weekend.

Good numbers of coho are present in the west channel of Tillamook Bay but the vast majority are wild and must be released unharmed. Crabbing in Tillamook Bay is fair at best and good in Netarts Bay.

Large numbers of hatchery coho showed up at the Trask Hatchery last week. Although only a few fell to bank anglers, the next rain freshet should flood the Trask with quality chinook.

Prospects for safe ocean recreation for nearshore salmon, bottomfish and especially crab should improve this weekend with the low tide exchange and a taming swell. Ocean crabbing remains open through October 15th.

Some chinook are present in the Nehalem system and the bay below Nehalem Bay State Park opens on October 1st. Fishing should be decent but only a modest return is expected. Hatchery coho are present in the North Fork and some fair but inconsistent fishing has taken place at the hatchery.

Only a small section of the Nestucca tidewater remains open for chinook and the catch is light but so is effort.

Both bank and boat anglers continue to take chinook in the Salmon River Estuary. Boat anglers will have the advantage this weekend with the soft tide series but this fishery is past its peak.


Southwest - While the 20-fathom bottomfishing restriction has historically been lifted on October 1st in the past, due to concerns over endangered yelloweye catches, anglers must remain in less than 120 feet of water this year.

Most coastal rivers have sea run cutthroat in abundance now. These feisty fish can be found in tidewater and the lower portions of rivers and will respond well to colorful flies. Fishing for sea-run cuts will be good well into fall but the season closes on October 31st.

Chinook and coho are in Winchester Bay and upriver 20 miles with anglers scoring in the Glide stretch.

Coos Bay is giving up some nice-sized chinook to trollers along with smaller coho.

The bite in Rogue Bay turned on this past Sunday and has held up early into this week. Most chinook are in the 30 to 40-pound range although a 50-pounder was landed Sunday. Catches of coho are good in the estuary as well. Ocean crabbing closes October 16th but is expected to be very rewarding until that date. A calm ocean allowed boats to chase bottomfish where ling cod were found in good number. Chinook fishing has been fair in the Grants Pass stretch.

As Chinook numbers improve in Chetco Bay, anglers are looking forward to the ocean 'bubble' fishery opening October 1st. Boats launching out of the Port of Brookings have been taking limits of a colorful variety of rockfish. Calm seas lure anglers out in search of late-season albacore and they were not disappointed. Some boats returned to port with over 20 tuna.

Eastern - Summer steelhead counts have continued to climb at Sherars Falls on the Deschutes with about two-thirds of those fish of hatchery origin. Water fluctuation has created challenging conditions over the past week.

The Grande Ronde, Wallowa and Imnaha Rivers should produce fine steelhead catches in the coming weeks. With great numbers of adults passing Columbia River dams, it should be another good season until the cold weather hits.

The Umatilla is an option for both steelhead and coho salmon.

SW Washington - District streams such as the Cowlitz and Lewis Rivers should begin to see the second wave of coho in the coming weeks. Spinner casters will be the first to intercept quality sized adults, targeting them at the rivers mouth when tides improve.

Chinook regulations vary by watershed but fish are beginning to deteriorate, making them poor tablefare.

The Klickitat and White Salmon Rivers should continue to produce a mix of chinook, coho and steelhead in the weeks ahead but fish should begin to show color as the run begins to taper.

Oregon Fishing Report

Willamette Valley/Metro- After a flurry of success by Bonneville anglers, the bite has slowed although fish are still being hooked with some regularity. Backtrollers are scoring the best results with bait-wrapped Flatfish the most common lure of choice. Action should pick back up again in early October.

The anchor wobbler fishery has also slowed in the Portland to Longview stretch but a few fish will still be taken throughout the rest of this month.

Coho are crossing Willamette Falls in good numbers. Steelheaders on the upper Willamette have been catching steelhead around Eugene.

Trout fishing has been fair on the McKenzie. Spring chinook can be observed spawning here.

Summer steelhead remain available on the North Santiam. Chinook appear to have finished spawning.

Rain showers caused a slight bump in flows at the Clackamas on September 9th but the water level quickly dropped back to summer level lows. Rain this week will put coho in Eagle Creek.

Coho are in the Sandy River in good number now although they can be challenging to hook. Spinners were taking some earlier this week.

Northwest - Lower Tillamook Bay tallied some good fall chinook fishing on Tuesday with some boats taking their 1-fish limits of chinook. Julie Chick of Nehalem boated a fresh buck, tipping the scales at nearly 32 pounds. The fish took a plug cut herring on the inside of the north jetty on the soft outgoing tide.

Hatchery coho have been plentiful in upper Tillamook Bay. The adults have fallen to spinners and herring close to high tide. Although only a slight rise in river levels is in the forecast, the rain freshet could send anxious hatchery fish up the Trask and North Fork Nehalem Rivers over the weekend. This should give bank anglers ample opportunity in the early morning hours.

Calm seas allowed anglers and crabbers to recreate on the ocean for much of this week, taking big numbers of dungeness crab in the nearshore and tuna offshore. A southerly influence may bring tuna even closer to shore where anglers should have a great shot at big numbers when seas calm once again.

The Nestucca River opened for chinook today but detailed restrictions remain in place. Check updated regulations for north coast systems by logging onto the ODF&W web site. Chinook are starting to penetrate the mainstem Nehalem in fair numbers. An occasional pink salmon is showing in some north coast basins and by regulation, are allowed to be retained as part of your daily bag limit.

More coho are due back to the lower Columbia but action was very slow over the weekend. A second run of coho typically runs through the area in mid-October, destined for Washington hatcheries. Crabbing remains good in the lower Columbia, especially on the current low tide exchanges.

The Alsea and Siletz are beginning to show signs of promise. Catches have been best near the estuary. The Salmon River near Lincoln City is also beginning to gain attention and should peak this week.


Southwest - Tuna are being caught 20 to 30 miles off the central Oregon coast but the opportunity will be over when the water cools.

Chinook fishing has picked up for trollers at Winchester Bay and the lower Umpqua. Crabbing continues to improve here as in most southwest bays and estuaries.

Salmon fishing has improved on the Coos with jacks supplementing catches.

The Coquille is now open for coho retention. Trollers are experiencing spotty results for chinook.

Rogue Bay has been spotty for fall chinook with evenings most productive. Half-pounder steelhead catches are good at Agness. The middle Rogue is roiled from the Gold Ray Dam removal site although chinook are being landed. Upper river fishing is worthwhile for steelhead in flies-only water. The Indian Creek Salmon Derby will take place on September 18th with $1,500 prize money to be awarded to the top finishers. Sign up at local merchants.

Ocean conditions are forecast to be friendly for offshore boaters out of Brookings this coming weekend. Bottom fishing and ocean crabbing should be good.

The first significant fall rain will kick of the fall fishery at Elk River.

The first Chetco Bay chinook of the season was landed recently by Brookings resident Wayne Sargent. The Chetco remains closed at River Mile 2.2 until November 6th.

There's $5,000 in prize money up for grabs at the Diamond Lake Trout Derby taking place September 25th. Call 541-973-4831 for information.

Eastern - Steelhead counts at Sherars Falls have picked up significantly over the past week and the majority of these are hatchery keepers. Steelheading is good from Maupin to Macs Canyon and fishing pressure is building commensurately. Trout fishing has improved with nymphing effective during the day and dry caddis patterns taking fish in the evening.

It's getting fairly late in the season to expect quality kokanee form Oregon lakes and reservoirs with spawning time approaching.

Fishing report for Oregon

Willamette Valley/Metro - Chinook fishing on the lower Columbia from Longview to Portland is peaking right now. Although success rates vary day to day, success is good for anchor anglers working wobblers in 30 to 50 foot of water. Anglers will lose access to chinook in waters downstream of Warrior Rock beginning September 12th but fishing upstream of this deadline should remain productive into October. Nearly 20,000 adult chinook per day are crossing Bonneville Dam.

With water temperature in the mid-60s, coho continue to cross Willamette Falls. The best chance for a hookup is for steelhead on the Middle Fork or Town Run.

Trout fishing and steelheading is fair on the McKenzie. Parking will be closed at the Upper McKenzie River Trailhead until construction is completed in October.

The North Santiam is on the rise from water release at Detroit and rising water is not conducive to good fishing. South Santiam steelheading has been challenging despite decent numbers in the river.

Fishing has been slow for coho on the Clackamas although crowds are forming at the Bowling Alley. A few can be seen rolling but it will be a week or two before fishing is worthwhile. Water temperatures will play a role in angler success.

There are a few coho being taken at the Sandy now. Try spinners or drifted roe in the early morning for best results. Adipose fin-clipped chinook salmon may also be retained with the extreme lower portions of the river the most likely place of interception.

Estacada Lake, Faraday Lake, North Fork Reservoir and Small Fry Lake are scheduled for trout stocking.

Northwest – After a banner week of coho fishing downstream of Tongue Point and a short-lived chinook bite upstream, action in the Buoy 10 fishery has slowed dramatically. Although tens of thousands more coho are due back to the river, the run size is down from previous years so success should remain mediocre. Trolled bait will remain the best option, targeting coho on the Washington side of the river both upstream and downstream of the Astoria Bridge.

Ocean fishers will continue to struggle for hatchery coho although September can often bring good success for “B” run hatchery fish destined for Washington State hatcheries later in October. Crabbing should improve in the nearshore and is excellent in the lower Columbia during soft tide exchanges near Buoy’s 20 and 22 on the Oregon side.

Early September can be an excellent time to target albacore tuna 20 to 30 miles offshore and the ocean forecast looks favorable through the weekend. Tuna will respond best to live anchovies but will spook easily is not approached in a stealthy manner.

Chinook catches are improving in the Tillamook district. Quality fish have been taken in upper Tillamook Bay and in the bubble outside of the mouth. Strong afternoon tides favor upper bay fishers over the weekend but early mornings should be productive near the bay entrance as well.

A few chinook are nosing into Nehalem Bay but this fishery remains restrictive so check regulations before participating. The Nestucca River remains closed to salmon angling until after this week. It’s scheduled to open September 16th although catches are expected to be light.

The Salmon River near Lincoln City should be heating up with a fair return expected back to the hatchery this season. A stronger tide series should favor bobber and bait anglers in the upper tidewater and near Highway 101.

Alsea River anglers saw good catches near the mouth on Saturday but the fishery has remained sporadic since. Action will likely remain hit or miss into early October. Crabbing is good.

Southwest – Albacore are being caught 30 to 35 miles off the central Oregon coast.

Salmon fishing is slow to fair for trollers in Coos Bay although Marshfield Channel is getting a great deal of boat traffic.

Trollers are taking fair to good numbers of fall chinook on herring or anchovies in the lower Umpqua River. Dungeness limits are being taken offshore in 60 to 80 feet of water. Boats are making successful tuna runs out of Winchester Bay.

Chinook fishing is very slow on the lower Rogue and in the estuary. Anglers on the Grants Pass stretch are landing large, bright chinook. The upper Rogue is fair for steelhead, closed for chinook and only flies may be used.

Coquille trollers are taking chinook and coho. One wild coho may be retained per day here, up to five for the season.

When the ocean laid down over the past week, bottom fishers have caught limits of rockfish just outside the jaws at Brookings. Ling cod catches have been light but the fish are good quality.

Enter early for the salmon derby running October 1st through 12th during the Chetco bobble fishery opener. There are only 200 slots available and this one fills up in short order. Contact Mike Ramsay at Sporthaven Marina for information or to sign up.

Diamond Lake has continued to fish well for large, fat trout.

Eastern – Fish the lower Deschutes early or late in the day for the best shot at a steelhead hookup. Counts at Sherars Falls are improving. Although not as productive as it used to be, the troll fishery at the mouth should begin to produce better numbers of the larger “B” run steelhead. Destined for Idaho tributaries, fish over 15 pounds become more common.

Green Peter has continued to produce good-sized kokanee, most of which remain in decent condition.

Fishing report for Oregon

Willamette Valley/Metro- Effort is ramping up for anchor anglers pursuing upriver bright chinook from Longview to Portland. Anglers typically target deep running salmon in 30 to 45 foot of water along the shipping channel edges. Fishing is most productive on outgoing tide but anglers need to be aware of ship traffic when anchoring in the channel. Catch rates will ramp up significantly this week with a peak likely in the next two weeks. Bonneville Dam counts are climbing rapidly but anglers typically don't produce good catches until October when more local stocks of Chinook are available.

Steelheading has been productive between Eugene and Springfield on the upper Willamette on days when there has been some cloud cover and temperatures have remained moderate.

Caddis patterns are productive on the upper McKenzie with dries effective in the afternoon.

Steelheading will be best higher up on the North Santiam where water temperatures remain cooler.

The Sandy mouth is getting some traffic but success rates for chinook remain low. Fishing remains poor in the river. Coho will be entering soon.

The occasional steelhead is being taken high on the Clackamas. Coho are a few weeks away.

Northwest - The Buoy 10 fishery is peaking right now. Both chinook and coho are being caught throughout the tide with the exception of the middle 3 hours of outgoing tide. Fresh herring and spinners are both taking fish with spinners working best close to high slack and after. Chinook fishing is slated to close on August 31st but will remain open above Tongue Point. Coho are beginning to make a stronger showing in the estuary and will be a primary focus by September 1st. Call Great White Bait in Hammond or Chinook for your fresh and frozen bait needs. They have some of the best bait in town! (503) 861-0299 and mention this ad on The Guide's Forecast!

The ocean out of the mouth of the Columbia is still producing salmon but native coho seem to make up the bulk of the catch. Effort is waning with the strong prospects in the lower Columbia but September can offer up some nice days with larger "B" run coho still available well into September.

Albacore tuna fishing is picking up for anglers willing to travel up to 40 miles west of the Columbia River mouth. This fishery should be peaking in the next several weeks. Live bait and jigging will begin to produce the best results. Friendly seas are in the forecast.

River crabbing should get good later next week with favorable tides beginning on the 31st. Ocean crabbing remains open and should improve as well.

Interest will be growing for north coast chinook in the coming weeks but with such a strong showing of chinook on the mainstem Columbia, anglers will focus their efforts there. Tillamook Bay is forecast to be above average this year with some quality fish likely due back early next month. Target lower bay salmon on the weak tides and fish the upper reaches on bigger tide exchanges.

The Nestucca and Nehalem Basins are open but a below average return is in the forecast. Fair numbers of hatchery coho will likely begin to show on the Nehalem system but anglers are reminded there is no wild coho retention this year on any north coast stream.

Tuna fishing is also an option out of Garibaldi with reports of good action about 40 miles to the west. Drop your crab pots when heading out as quality males are making their way closer to the shoreline.

Southwest - Coho catches picked up over the past weekend, which saved the day for many boats as warm water moved too far offshore for tuna fishing.

Trolling for chinook has been good in the lower Umpqua around Reedsport. Early mornings have been best. Catches will improve into September. Limits of Dungeness are being taken just outside of the north jetty.

Ocean crabbing is excellent out of Charleston and boaters have landed some large ling cod recently as pots soak. Tuna fishing has been good at times.

While there have been plenty of chinook in Rogue Bay, trollers and moochers have been unable to crack the code over the past week with only a handful landed. Rockfishing has been very good offshore, however. Gold Ray Dam is gone.

Boats launching out of Brookings took decent-sized ling cod and rockfish into the teens. In addition, ocean fishing has improved for coho and chinook. Tuna fishing has been slow, requiring a round trip of 100 miles or more.

Eastern - Due to strong runs, the upper Snake River will open for fall chinook harvest on September 1st for the first time in many years. Two hatchery fish will be allowed per day from the Oregon-Washington border to the deadline below Hells Canyon Dam through October 31st. Chinook must be a minimum of 24 inches and only barbless hooks are allowed.

Fires have been hampering angling efforts on the Deschutes. Steelhead are being caught with crowds thinning on weekdays.

Green Peter is still producing kokanee with better catches in the arms as spawning season approaches.

Event

EVENT - NSIA proudly invites you to join us for the Buoy 10 Salmon Challenge 2010 August 26-27, 2010. Proceeds from this derby go to NSIA's non-stop commitment to preserve, restore and enhance sportfisheries.

For more information and a registration form go here: http://www.theguidesforecast.com/2010Buoy10Registration.pdf or contact NSIA at 503.631.8859.

Oregon fishing report

Willamette Valley/Metro - Summer steelhead success is peaking with gorge anglers taking respectable numbers of keepers. An equal number of natives are being caught but must be released unharmed. Dam passage for steelhead at Bonneville is peaking right now and the fall chinook run is just getting underway although metro area catches have been light.

Willamette fish passage data through the end of July indicates steadily declining numbers of chinook and steelhead as the water temperature languishes in the low 70s. None-the-less, the run size for Willamette springers was underestimated, producing an above average catch this year. Jack counts to date are less than 2009 indicating a slight downturn is possible for next year’s adults.

Upper river slots continue to produce summer steelhead for persistent anglers.

Trout fishers on the lower McKenzie should do well for hatchery trout. There are still some springers available here but many are darkening.

North and South Santiam fishing has been tough although jigs have hooked a few fish.

Water on the Sandy is low and milky while the Clackamas is low and clear. Fishing is slow but stealthy summer steelhead anglers still stand a chance for early morning success.

Northwest – Buoy 10 anglers are still waiting for chinook catches to break loose. A few chinook are being taken on the incoming tide on both the Washington and Oregon sides. If the chinook prediction is to come to fruition, chinook catches will light up this week. Herring is producing the most strikes but an occasional fish is being taken on spinners.

With a $1000.00 big fish prize, anglers should register now for the Buoy 10 Challenge on August 27th. Go to: www.nsiafishing.org for details.

Ocean fishing out of the mouth of the Columbia has slowed since SW winds chilled the bite. Chinook are starting to show in better numbers and the coho are large but scattered. Some anglers are going unprecedented hours without a strike but fishing should improve dramatically this week.

Soft-shelled crabs are still present for ocean crabbers but action is picking up for those working the lower Columbia River downstream of Hammond. With recreational salmon trollers increasing in number, be mindful about where you place your gear. The current strong incoming tide may cause crabbing success to slow. Crabbing is also picking up in other north coast estuaries.

Salmon catches remain light out of other coastal ports.

A few chinook are starting to show on Nehalem Bay but catches are expected to remain light for much of the season. Nearshore catches indicate chinook are starting to stage near estuary entrances signaling the beginning of the run is near. Tillamook Bay should be a top producer this year.

Tuna schools have moved closer to shore with fair fishing reported inside of 40 miles. Trollers are still taking fair numbers of fish but albacore are beginning to respond well to live anchovies for bait. Peak weeks for this fishery will last through mid-September.

Southwest – Crabbing has continued to improve in coastal bays and estuaries. Ocean crabbing is slow to fair.

Although the Coos and Coquille systems have been slow for chinook recently, the action should pick up in the coming weeks with the peak happening later in September.

The Rogue estuary is getting heavy boat pressure although chinook results are only fair at best despite plenty of fish in the bay. On a brighter note, local sporting goods store have been able to obtain anchovies which is considered the most effective bait for chinook. The middle river is slow while springer and steelhead catches remain fair to good on the upper Rogue.

Half-pounder steelhead have entered the lower Rogue in fair numbers and action is picking up for anglers using flies or small spinners.

Offshore winds are forecast to moderate but swell and period are marginal for bar crossings out of Brookings. Outgoing morning tides will once again complicate launch efforts. Bottom fishing has been excellent for ling cod as well as rockfish. Anglers are reminded that the Chetco River is closed to all angling above River Mile 2.2 August 1st through November 5th.

Diamond Lake has been producing good catches and some limits of trout averaging over a foot in length in about 25 feet of water.

Eastern – Redside results have slowed on the lower Deschutes with caddis hatches fading and mid-summer dog days in full force. Nymphing is still effective although the time between strikes and the amount of water that must be covered have increased.

Steelheading on the lower Deschutes is best at first light until the sun is on the water. With moderate air temperatures, anglers have been scoring good numbers of steelhead on spinners despite the warmer than usual water temperatures.

Down riggers fishing 50 to 60 foot depths are accounting for good numbers of fat kokanee at Green Peter.

Kokanee fishing has been worthwhile for trollers at Odell.

SW Washington – Although brief periods of productive fishing have been experienced at the mouth of the Cowlitz, overall action remains fair at best. Anglers working the area should begin to shift focus to fall chinook although peak catches won’t happen for another 3 weeks.

The Lewis remains an option for summer steelhead seekers but catches remain light, even for persistent anglers.

Bonneville counts continue to inspire Drano Lake trollers and with “B” run steelhead soon to migrate, quality fish to 20 pounds are a possibility.

Oregon Fishing Report

Willamette Valley/Metro - Steelhead fishing remains the best option for both boat and bank anglers downstream of Bonneville Dam. Spinners remain a top producer and will likely remain so with water temperatures on the increase.

Fall Chinook on the mainstem Columbia are now on deck but catches aren't likely to improve for a few more weeks. Anglers that do intercept chinook no longer have to look for an adipose fin-clip. With such a large run in the forecast, anglers should get their wobblers in advance as they will be hard to find when the fish start biting.

Water temperature at Willamette Falls and the lower river remains in the 70-degree range, which means warmwater gamefish is the only option.

Fishing is fair to good on the upper McKenzie for hatchery and native trout.

Level and flow on the North Santiam is stable. Steelheading is fair but steady.

Fish the upper Clackamas at first light for the best chance at a steelhead. There are large numbers of steelhead holding near River Mill Dam, both upstream and down where anglers can have good access to them depending on their migration patterns. Trout fishing is fair above Estacada.

Warm weather has the low waters of the Sandy periodically turning glacial gray. Fishing is slow although flashy spinners have gotten a few strikes. Observers were witnessing fresh spring chinook still making their way upstream from the lower river but rafters typically dominate the waterways this time of year.

Northwest - Offshore catches of salmon have typically frustrated anglers seeking coho this time of year. Out of Garibaldi, limits are attainable on some days with a rare keeper the next. Hatchery coho destined for the Columbia are typically available in good numbers out of mid-coast ports this time of year.

Anglers pursuing salmon out of the mouth of the Columbia are also finding sporadic results. Catches seem to be more consistent to the north of the mouth with more chinook beginning to show in the catches. Anglers are still finding a large percentage of wild coho and undersized chinook in the catch but higher ratios of keeper salmon are just a week or two away.

The catch and keep sturgeon fishery on the lower Columbia is now closed but ended with anglers finding some of the best fishing of the season taking place. Catch and release fishing remains open and the action can be great, especially for those using anchovies for bait.

Crabbing has picked up for those soaking pots in the ocean. Fresh salmon or tuna carcasses will produce the best result but cage your baits to keep seals and sealions from stealing your baits.

The Buoy 10 fishery opened with fair catches although any flurries of activity were short-lived. Quality chinook were taken at the mouth of Young's Bay at first light and a few chinook were taken on the red buoy line on the first part of outgoing tide. The commercial fleet will fish downstream of Tongue Point 2 more nights; tonight and Sunday night. Plan your trip accordingly. Don't forget to sign up for the Buoy 10 challenge this year. With a $1000.00 and $500.00 big fish prize at stake, it's really something to get busy with! Go here for details: http://www.theguidesforecast.com/2010Buoy10Registration.pdf

Although chinook season is now open in many coastal estuaries, the action isn't likely to pick up until early September. Early run coho may become available later in August on the Tillamook and Nehalem systems although all wild coho must be released this year.

Southwest - A series of early morning minus tides start this weekend. Clamming in estuaries should be worthwhile early Sunday morning.

Water deeper than 120 feet (20 fathoms) will remain closed to bottom fishing for the remainder of the year.

Albacore were boated offshore over the past weekend off the central Oregon coast but warm water is still a long trip to reach.

Winchester Bay has continued to produce limits of surf perch as have area beaches. South jetty anglers are doing well although pressure is light. Chinook are entering on the incoming tides. Salmon fishing has been fair around Reedsport while ocean fishing is slow.

Chinook have started nosing into the lower Coquille with anglers taking a few recently.

Cold ocean temperatures have hampered salmon fishing out of Charleston. Coos Bay anglers are making decent catches of rockfish and greenling along the jetties.

High winds and numerous baitfish in Rogue Bay combined over the past weekend to slow Chinook fishing slightly on the lower river but large fish are slamming hooks whenever conditions allow. Best results are occurring evenings on an outgoing tide. Run forecasts indicate good numbers this season.

The 20-fathom depth restriction hasn't prevented boats launching out of Brookings Harbor from taking limits of rockfish although wind has been problematic at times. The weekend prediction is more favorable however. Offshore coho catches have been fair but Chinook takes are slow. The Chetco closed August 1st upstream of the BPA powerlines at River Mile 2.2.

No fall Chinook fishing is allowed on the Sixes River through the end of 2010.

Eastern - Steelheading has been fair near the mouth of the Deschutes although high water temps endure. Cooler releases upstream should help to alleviate the problem soon. Steelhead are also being taken from Beavertail to Mack's Canyon and passage at Sherars Falls is good for this time of year. Redsides are responding to spent mayflies.

Fishing report for Oregon

Willamette Valley/Metro - With steelhead continuing to pour over Bonneville Dam, action on the mainstem Columbia is predictably good. Boaters outscored bank anglers this week, mostly due to the fact fish were cruising in deeper water with temperatures on the rise and flows on the decrease. This early run of steelhead is likely to peak in the next 2 weeks, making it a great option when winds don't hamper angling success.

Sturgeon retention closes upstream of the Wauna Powerlines to Bonneville Dam for 2 months beginning Sunday, August 1st. Success rates have been poor anyway but will likely pick up again in the fall.

The 70 degree water of the lower Willamette is conducive only to bass and panfish. Steelhead are being caught on the upper river.

Caddis imitations are fooling cutthroat and rainbows on the McKenzie River. A few summer steelhead and the occasional dark springer is being hooked.

Spring chinook are in the North Santiam in good numbers. Try baiting them below Big Cliff Dam. A mix of bright and dark springers is available in the South Santiam.

The Clackamas is low and clear with fishing poor to slow. First light may be the only option.

Sandy fishing is at a standstill and it's a poor choice for swimming.

Northwest - Offshore salmon fishing out of Garibaldi took a downturn as early run coho begin to make their way north, staging near the Columbia River mouth where baitfish are plentiful. Anglers are consistently reporting catches of large coho for this early in the season. Most anglers are targeting water deeper than 200 foot.

Ocean crabbing is picking up with a better ratio of hard shelled crabs beginning to show.

Coho fishing is considerably better off the mouth of the Columbia River where anglers are beginning to report consistent catches fishing near the CR Buoy. A few quality chinook are beginning to show in the catch. Catches will only get better in the coming weeks with little danger of a closure in the near future as effort has been light.

The famed Buoy 10 fishery opens on August 1st with high expectations of a high chinook catch in the coming weeks. Professional fisherman Buzz Ramsey will detail proven techniques in the area's most popular fishery tonight beginning at 6:00 p.m. at Fishermen's Marine and Outdoor in Oregon City. Over 1 million chinook and coho are due back to the lower Columbia with peak fishing likely to happen the third week of August.

Albacore made a brief showing off the north coast early in the week but warm water pushed back offshore, putting tuna out of reach for most sport boats. August and September are often peak months.

Coastal fall chinook season opens on Sunday with some systems forecasted to be better than average this year. The Nestucca and Nehalem will have heavy restrictions while Tillamook Bay is predicted to produce a better than average catch this season. If the fall run mimics the success of this season's spring chinook, the action should be good.

Bay crabbing on the north coast continues to produce fair results and should improve in the coming weeks.

Southwest - Morning outgoing tides will once again hamper offshore launches this weekend. While the ocean is expected to lay down this coming weekend, afternoon winds may be problematic.

Offshore salmon fishing has picked up a little with a few limits reported but it's spotty.

Tuna remain far offshore but warmer water is gradually moving towards shore.

Pinkfin perch fishing remains good in Winchester Bay and on area beaches when the surf calms down. Fall chinook and coho have started entering the bay where crabbing is fair to good. Try below Elkton on the mainstem Umpqua where smallmouth bass are biting well.

Fall chinook fishing was good in Rogue Bay last week with several fish taken weighing over 30 pounds but action slowed over the weekend with fewer than a dozen fish taken on Saturday and Sunday.

Bottom fishing has been excellent out of Brookings Harbor despite the 20-fathom restriction as of July 23rd with some large ling cod boated. Expect the 120-foot limitation to remain in place for the rest of the year.

Eastern - The Deschutes River continues to disappoint anglers as warm water continues to flow from Pelton Dam. Mainstem Columbia steelhead are known to take up cold water refuge in the lower Deschutes but with this seasons warm water, interception rates are lower. Fortunately, that's expected to change in the coming weeks.

Pressure has increased at Wallowa Lake following four record kokanee landed over the past year but fishing remains good here.

Odell is producing good catches of fat kokanee averaging 10 inches to trollers. Lake trout are being taken on downriggers.

Green Peter Reservoir is producing limits of kokanee. Trolling early and late in the day is most productive.

Wickiup has been fair for good-sized kokanee.

Oregon fishing report

Willamette Valley/Metro - Huge numbers of steelhead continue to pour over Bonneville Dam with over double the return rate this year than last. Peak passage last year took place in mid-August but now is the time to go as water temperatures will rise, putting catch rates on the drop. Small brass and red spinners should take fish along shore edges in the gorge while hot colored spin-n-glos will work for beach anglers in the current minus tide series.

Summer chinook numbers are dropping fast but an occasional fish is still being caught in the Bonneville fishery.

As flow continues to drop on the lower Willamette, water temperatures remain in the high 60s, down from the mid-70s a week ago. Over 60,000 adult spring chinook and 22,000 summer steelhead have crossed Willamette Falls and are now in the tributaries. Fishing is poor in the lower river although the Middle Fork is a great level and color, producing decent catches of rainbows and cutthroat.

Steelheaders continue to catch a few below Leaburg Dam on the McKenzie. Trout fishing is good with evening's best.

Fishing has been slow for steelhead on the Clackamas. In the warmer weather, river rafters have inundated the lower river making for challenging fishing conditions for most of the day. Target steelhead early in the day with the McIver Park area offering up the best prospects.

The Sandy is nearing the end of the summer steelhead season. Early mornings will produce the best possibilities but target steelhead from Dodge Park and upstream.

Trout have moved deeper at Diamond Lake with best catches coming in 30 to 40 feet of water. A toxic algae advisory is in effect here suggesting people remove internal organs and skin before cooking trout.

Northwest - Morning seas have allowed for coho effort to take place on the north coast with Garibaldi remaining a productive port for the south of Falcon fishery. Mixed reports are coming in however with some boats doing better than others but the most consistent fishing seems to be in water deeper than 200 foot. Wild fish are making up the significant portion of the landed catch but most anglers are impressed with the size of the coho this early in the season. Chinook catches are rare and will likely continue to be that way.

Anglers working the ocean out of the mouth of the Columbia are also reporting good catches but seas haven't been as friendly, especially after mid-morning. Anglers continue to focus their effort SW of the CR Buoy but risk a bumpy ride home if they don't get an early limit. Seas are forecasted to be rough for the next few days.

Ocean crabbing on the north coast is improving but a mix of hard and soft-shelled crab are in the catch. Estuaries from Nehalem to the Nestucca are also improving for sport crabbers.

Catch rates of sturgeon are showing a marked increase although effort remains low. Anchovies remain a top bait and as water temperatures continue to warm, they should become even more effective. The catch is best above the Astoria/Megler Bridge as sculpin are plaguing fishers in downstream areas.

Southwest - Offshore ocean forecasts are marginal for the coming weekend. Launches may be hampered by morning minus tides.

Ocean salmon fishing is slow despite showing slight improvement in catches. A few coho anglers have landed large chinook while trolling shallow water offshore.

Tuna fishing is expected to improve this week as warm water once again moves closer to shore.

Better than average catches of near-shore halibut filled the quota early this season, resulting in a closure of the fishery on Saturday, July 17th.

Sturgeon fishing has been worthwhile in the lower Umpqua although many of the fish hooked here are oversized. Smallmouth bass results have been good around Elkton. North Umpqua steelheading is slow.

Anglers out of Gold Beach have experienced fair but improving results for large fall chinook in the lower bay. Steelheading on the Rogue above Gold Ray Dam has been productive for smallish but feisty sea-run rainbows. These fish are willing to make a grab at a variety of offerings from bait to flies and plugs.

Area beaches are producing good catches of pinkfin perch.

Eastern - Water in the lower Deschutes has been pushing 70 degrees but according to PGE, should start cooling around the 1st of August which will improve summer steelhead prospects. The middle Deschutes has been producing brown trout in the evenings. Upper river anglers are taking small brook trout.

Large, dry stonefly imitations are taking fish on the Wallowa River all day long. Fish near the bank. Spring chinook fishing will close on the Wallowa and Imnaha Rivers beginning July 26th after an extension earlier in the month.

Prineville Reservoir anglers are reporting catching larger trout than usual. Pine Hollow is also producing good catches of rainbow trout.

Oregon Fishing Report

Willamette Valley/Metro- Summer chinook numbers are beginning to fade at Bonneville with most anglers unimpressed with the results this season. High flows contributed to low catch rates and action is likely to continue to taper in the coming weeks. Fish over 40 pounds have been taken recently however. Warmer water usually means salmon will respond better to spinners and wobblers. Flows have moderated in recent days and are expected to stay that way throughout the week.

Steelhead anglers near Bonneville should begin to see improvements in catches. Downstream, beach anglers struggled with the low tide exchange last week but that should change this week as minus tides will get flows running again. This will likely be one of the peak weeks for steelhead fishing from beaches downstream of Portland.

Sockeye fishing is still open for recreational anglers although few intercepted them despite a record run passing Bonneville. Large returns may grace the Columbia again in the near future so anglers may want to learn to how produce results in this fishery. Trollers successfully take fish on Lake Washington near Seattle trolling metallic red hooks behind dodgers.

Water temperatures as of July 5th dropped three degrees to 63. Fish counts have not been updated but were strong through the third week of June but the water was nearly 10 degrees cooler. The shad run is winding down at Oregon City.

A few chinook are being taken at Leaburg Dam on the Mackenzie as well as the occasional steelhead to jig fishers.

A few chinook are being hooked at Waterloo on the South Santiam.

Steelheaders on the Clackamas are taking a few but this will be a first-light fishery this week. Spring chinook are concentrated in deeper pools upstream with few anglers finding success targeting them.

Steelhead are visible on the Sandy but have been reluctant to take bait or lure.

Northwest - Coho catches out of Garibaldi were fair last week and the action should continue through most of July. Anglers targeting fish in water over 200 foot deep found the best action. Garibaldi produced the best catches of any port on the Oregon coast in the south of Falcon ocean fishery. Ocean crabbing has only improved slightly with many crabs in a softshell state.

A few hatchery spring chinook are still trickling into Tillamook bay but effort is waning. The tidewater stretches and a few deep holes on the Wilson, Trask and Nestucca Rivers will continue to hold fish, but most will be reluctant to bite in the warmer, low flows that are characteristic for this time of year.

Adult chinook remain a rare catch on the north coast but fishery managers lifted the 1 chinook restriction, allowing anglers to retain any 2 salmon from the Canadian border to Cape Falcon near Manzanita. Coho still need to exhibit a healed over adipose fin clip to be lawfully taken. Size restrictions also remain in effect.

Coho fishing out of the mouth of the Columbia has also been productive for anglers willing to travel SW of the Columbia River Buoy. Captains are reporting a nice grade of fish for this time of year; a sign of good feeding conditions offshore this spring.

Sturgeon fishing in the lower Columbia still remains a slog. Most would agree fish seem to be present but unwilling to bite. Fishery managers are likely to meet again this week to discuss the possibility for another season extension.

Southwest - Offshore salmon fishing has been a disappointment for most boats whether trying for hatchery coho or chinook.

Boats launching out of Bandon have been finding warm water and decent albacore hookups between 40 and 50 miles from the beach. Charleston boats have also returned with tuna.

Chinook fishing is slow in the lower Rogue, slow to fair on the middle river with fish charging through without holding. The upper Rogue, however, is producing catches of both spring chinook and summer steelhead.

Offshore bottom fishing has been outstanding out of Brookings Harbor. Limits of rockfish and ling cod are being brought to dock any day the wind has allowed boats to fish. Forecasts for the coming weekend are marginal which combined with morning minus tides may make crossing into the ocean problematic. Albacore are being taken within 50 miles of port.

Surf perch fishing has been good whenever ocean conditions have allowed, providing limits of pinkfin to many long-rodders.

Diamond Lake is fishing well, producing a few trout every day that measure in pounds rather than inches.

Eastern - With the stonefly hatch a memory for 2010, think caddis patterns for redsides on the lower Deschutes.

Fishing is fair for fly anglers at Davis Lake for largemouth bass.

Green Peter has been fair for trollers looking for kokanee hookups.

Trout and kokanee fishing is good at Wallowa Lake and who knows, there may be another world record kokanee swimming around in there.

The Imnaha has dropped and cleared to great condition and is putting out fair numbers of spring chinook now that flows have finally subsided.

Oregon fishing report

Willamette Valley/Metro - Summer chinook continue to spite anglers on the Columbia below Bonneville Dam. Dam counts remain favorable but fish seem unresponsive. Many anglers have gone to plugs in a fishery that traditionally produces well for those using spinners. Higher than normal flows and cooler water are likely the reason for the slow action. This should be peak week for passage at Bonneville but river conditions may postpone the peak for several more days.

Shad fishing has slowed in the gorge and with it, sturgeon catches are declining too. Oversize fishing should continue to decline as fish congregate closer to the dam for feeding and spawning opportunities.

Bank anglers fishing off beaches downstream of Portland produced only fair results despite the good tide series. Steelhead will be the main quarry and sockeye catches have slowed. Beach plunkers have ideal conditions for productive steelheading and should produce better in the month of July.

Daily counts over Willamette Falls have been strong but the water temperature has jumped from the upper 50s to the upper 60s so it remains to be seen what effect that has on fish movement. Shad catches have been good around Oregon City.

With Golden Stones hatching on the upper McKenzie, this is the best bet for larger trout on this river.

Steelhead numbers are very good in the North Santiam although hookups have been spotty. Steelhead and chinook are being caught on the crowded South Santiam.

Try the Sandy River around Cedar Creek where a few steelhead have been hooked. Chinook fishing remains spotty but anglers can find fish concentrated in deep holes and willing to bite egg and shrimp combinations drifted under a bobber. Early morning and dusk is the best time to produce.

Level and flow at the Clackamas is excellent for steelheading. It's summertime, so try at first light for best results. Chinook numbers are good in the system but lockjaw has set in. If you cover enough water, fish will fall to egg clusters. The highest concentrations of fish are in the McIver Park area.

Northwest - Effort and catch for the ocean coho opener south of Cape Falcon was greatest out of the port of Garibaldi. Coho made up the bulk of the catch with ODF&W reporting .63 kept fish per angler on average. Catch rates will fluctuate throughout the season but Astoria, Garibaldi, Depoe Bay and Newport will be the most productive ports for coho this year. Hatchery coho from this fishery are most likely destined for Columbia River facilities.

Spring chinook fishing in the Tillamook district is all but a memory except for bank anglers working the Trask, Wilson, Nestucca and Three Rivers. Adults are wary under the low water conditions but stealthy anglers can take fish at first light. ODF&W has extended the spring chinook season on Three Rivers through July 11th due to a large run returning.

Sturgeon anglers working the lower Columbia continue to struggle for success. Although fishing picked up slightly last Friday, weekend catches floundered. The season remains open 7 days per week through July 11th when fishery managers will once again look at additional opportunity based on retained catch. Catches should improve when water temperatures rise.

Few anglers took advantage of the offshore chinook fishery near the mouth of the Columbia River. Gordon Lintner from the Salem area reported good action near the CR Buoy trolling with downriggers at depths of 70 to 90 feet. Gordon reported chinook nearing the mid-20 pound mark. Unfortunately, this fishery closed yesterday for clipped chinook but anglers may retain fin-clipped coho or any chinook beginning today. The daily bag limit is 2 salmon per day, of which 1 may be a chinook.

Crabbing remains poor both in north coast estuaries and nearshore in the ocean. Keeper action has improved from previous weeks however. July can be a productive month offshore but crabs often are molting this time of year.

Southwest - According to commercial fishers, albacore are 70 to 80 miles offshore but some boats reported good success as far north as Newport. Success for tuna should dramatically increase in the coming weeks.

Mild tides with incoming in the early mornings combined with mild ocean conditions are forecast for the weekend. Bottomfishing, salmon and halibut fishing are all options with crabbing fair for those willing to go a bit deeper.

Ocean coho is open for a quota of 26,000 hatchery fish. Unlike chinook, coho will be within 20 feet of the surface.

All depth halibut anglers will get once more shot at these fish in the spring fishery on July 1st and 2nd with any remaining quota being added to the summer season starting August 5th.

Sturgeon fishing has finally picked up in Winchester Bay where crabbing has been fair to good. Shad catches are very good at Yellow Creek on the Umpqua.

The shad run has yet to get underway on the Coos and Coquille rivers.

As the run winds down, spring chinook fishing remains fair on the lower Rogue. With the summer steelhead count topping 1,000 at Gold Rat Dam, prospects on the upper river are good.

Diamond Lake has predictably been producing good catches of rainbow trout for anglers using Powerbait. The action is likely to continue through July given the late spring the district has observed.

Limits of ling cod and rockfish are being taken nearshore by boats launching out of the Port of Brookings.

The Klickitat River is another early season option but will produce better results later in the summer, depending on snow melt from higher elevations on the watershed.

Eastern - Fishing for redsides is fair to good on the lower Deschutes.

The Kokanee Power Fishing Derby is July 17th at Green Peter. Call 541-973-4831 to register for additional information.