Sunday, March 21, 2010

Oregon fishing report

Willamette Valley/Metro- Mainstem Columbia springer fishermen are still waiting for better results. Although there have been fair catches of chinook upstream of the mouth of the Willamette, action remains much better in downstream areas such as Kalama and Westport. Test netting continues to disappoint biologists and hopeful anglers as well. If a significant showing of upriver chinook fail to materialize this week, the run could be a bust but cold water temperatures can play a role.

Bank anglers in the gorge are beginning to see fair catches of sturgeon. Although it's a bit early for consistent fishing, creel checks indicated better than a keeper for every 4 rods. Boat effort remained light but catches should improve in the month of April, before the significant May closure takes place there.

Early catches of spring chinook have been unusually good in the lower Willamette this year and a run predicted as the best since 2004, results will only improve in the next few months. Recent rains have improved sturgeon prospects but softened the chinook bite. Water clarity should begin to improve for weekend anglers.

McKenzie levels are dropping while the water temperature is rising. It holds promise for trout anglers this weekend. March Browns will be hatching.

North Santiam water, flow and color should be decent this coming weekend. Wild steelhead have been joined by a very few hatchery summers.

In preparation for spring break, numerous lakes and reservoirs will be stocked with catchable rainbow trout. It's likely to be some of the best trout fishing of the year.

Northwest - Steelheaders got the rain they were desperately seeking, allowing for great driftboat conditions on most north coast streams over the weekend. Smaller streams fished fair on Saturday but the Wilson and Nestucca produced good catches of steelhead by Sunday and into the early part of the week.

Broodstock fish were taken in good numbers on the Wilson and Nestucca while the Trask put out fair numbers of wild fish and an occasional hatchery stray. Most hatchery fish are averaging 7 to 9 pounds with an occasional fish topping 12 pounds. The larger 3-salt fish are not as prevalent this year as they were in the past.

Sidedrifters took the bulk of the catch using small clusters of eggs in the perfect water conditions. As flows drop into the weekend, the upper reaches will slow while the lower reaches should remain consistent. Plugs will become a fair option in the lower flows as fish congregate in bigger numbers in the deeper holes.

Sturgeon fishing and crabbing remain slow in Tillamook Bay but offshore anglers may be able to take advantage of calm seas over the weekend. Ocean crabbing should be fair but bottomfishing should be excellent. Lingcod will be a favorite for those exploring offshore reefs.

Anglers working the lower river near Astoria for spring chinook fared well over the weekend. The best catch rates of the season were realized near Altoona and Tenasillahe Island with nearly a fish for every 2 boats. Action should improve even more this week.

Southwest - Forecasts indicate the ocean laying down for the upcoming weekend. Count on a late morning launch with ebb tides early. Rock fish and lingcod catches should be excellent along with good crabbing.

While the final decision regarding opening dates won't be made until mid-April, it appears there will be an ocean chinook fishery off the Central Oregon coast for the first time since 2007.

As many as 20,000 spring Chinook are forecast to enter the Umpqua system this season. A few are being taken with the stretch below Scottsburg most productive. Steelheading is mostly catch-and-release for natives.

A few steelhead enter with each freshet on the Coquille, but hookups with spawned-out fish will increase as the season winds down. Steelheading has slowed on the Coos River although the Millicoma is still productive.

Steelhead and a couple of chinook were hooked over the last weekend on the Elk River.

While spring chinook fishing has been slow over the past week in the lower Rogue, off-color water from earlier rainfall started to color the lower river early this week and results for springers and steelhead are improving. Springer fishing continues here through June.

Chetco water levels hit 7,800 cfs at Brookings on Saturday but have been dropping rapidly. Steelheading is fair. The Chetco closes to fishing on March 31st.

Emigrant Reservoir, Expo Pond, Lake Selmac, Lost Creek Reservoir, Willow Lake, Reinhart Pond, Herberts Pond, Marie Lake and Loon Lake are scheduled to be planted with trout.

Eastern - Wallowa River steelheading has been fair to good for fly rodders and spin fishers.

Green Peter Reservoir is filling and weekend parking is becoming a little tighter. Trolling for kokanee is producing fair catches of fish that are good-sized for early in the season.