Willamette Valley/Metro- Saturday and Sunday, June 11-12 is Free Fishing Weekend. No licenses or harvest cards are required which creates an excellent opportunity to show a friend, neighbor or youngster the outdoor opportunities existing in Oregon.
Anglers below Bonneville Dam continue to struggle finding willing salmon or steelhead to take gear. Bank angling holds some of the best opportunities but with persistent high water, fish are hard to target. The river is forecast to remain high through mid-month. Jack counts are on track to break the historical record meaning a productive 2012 is likely.
Lower Willamette flow is moderating slightly. About 20,000 springers and 9,000 summer steelhead have crossed the falls. Spring chinook fishing is slow in the Oregon City area but persistence will provide one or two chances per day. The Multnomah Channel and the lower Portland Harbor are booting out great catches of late run chinook however. Trolled spinners and herring are working well. Shad are in at Oregon City but catches should improve when water temperatures climb.
Following fluctuations in flow this week, the McKenzie should settle down and fish well in the coming weekend.
Santiam water levels remain high although spring chinook are being caught below Waterloo.
With water flow moderating slightly this week, steelheading is fair on the Clackamas with spring prospects improving.
Results are slow to fair on the Sandy although persistent anglers are taking a few. Try drifting eggs and yarn for springers.
Northwest – Tillamook spring chinook are in full blossom with good catches coming from the upper bay on the current strong tide series. Boaters are taking good numbers of salmon averaging 16 to 22 pounds on herring and spinners from Memaloose Boat Ramp to the corral in the middle of the bay. Herring trollers working the lower bay were taking some fish but the upper bay has been the most productive.
Participants in the 9th annual Bounty on the Bay tallied 18 spring chinook on Saturday. The largest fish weighed in was 25 pounds. Some anglers sought salmon in the bubble with limited results. Sharon Harmon of Portland tallied a sand dab for several hours of effort offshore in calm seas.
Local rivers remain low with weather forecasts unlikely to help matters. Driftboaters working the lower stretches should find an occasional fish but early mornings are likely to produce the best results are these fish will be spooked. Tidewater anglers should fare well in the coming weeks using bobbers and a shrimp/egg combination.
Another minus tide series will hit beginning Sunday. Razor clam digging in the ocean surf and bay clamming in Tillamook and Netarts should be excellent through the weekend.
Offshore fishing for bottomfish and halibut should be good if the forecast rings true.
Southwest – Offshore salmon fishing has been only fair but catches are expected to improve as the summer months near. Ocean conditions are predicted to be friendly this week.
South coast beaches are providing limits of pinkfin and striped surf perch with a variety of baits appealing to these fish.
Only 28% of the spring quota has been harvested following all-depth efforts through May 26-28 with results from the past weekend not yet available. Sufficient poundage remains in the quota to allow the next scheduled opening will be the 9th, 10th and 11th of June. Catches should be good with calming seas in the forecast.
Crabbing has been spotty in Winchester Bay but will improve with moderating precipitation. Umpqua water levels are dropping this week which should create excellent opportunity for the prolific shad which are in the mainstem now. North Umpqua anglers are making fair to good catches of spring chinook.
Prospects on the lower Rogue are looking up as the water level is forecast to be dropping over the coming week and non-hatchery chinook nay now be retained. A 49-pound native springer was recently taken near Gold Beach. Wrapped Kwikfish are taking a few springers on the middle river. Upper Rogue fishers have continued to enjoy decent results for chinook.
Bottom fishing out of the Port of Brookings has been excellent with limits of rockfish and, when ocean conditions allow access to the reef, limits of large lingcod. Last weekend's all-depth halibut effort yielded good catches. Chinook fishing is fair within five miles of shore. Sea-run cutthroat fishing is good on the Chetco.
Free of ice and with weather moderating, Diamond Lake, where a lucky angler recently bagged an eight pound rainbow, is an appealing destination this coming weekend.
Eastern – Redsides are dining on big bugs with the Salmonflies hatching in force on the entire length of the lower Deschutes. The river is still a little high but is in great color and fishing well, particularly at the edges where insects drop off brush.
The Umatilla River may provide some spring chinook action in the coming weeks. Flows are forecast to drop well past the weekend.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Saturday, June 04, 2011
Oregon fishing report
Willamette Valley/Metro- Unprecedented flows are keeping salmon and steelhead from effectively being harvested. Beaches would be most productive but it’s hard to find a beach to fish on. Flows are expected to remain high through the week so fishing will remain challenging despite the current liberal opportunities. Jack counts continue to show promise for next years adult return.
Sturgeon effort is spread throughout the lower Columbia although the bulk of the effort is taking place downstream of the Wauna Powerlines near Westport, Oregon. Catches remain light but anglers targeting keepers in the extreme deep water are pulling in a few keepers. Success should improve when flows drop and temperatures warm.
Spring chinook and summer steelhead are crossing Willamette Falls in good number, providing opportunities for upstream mainstem and tributary anglers. Flows are up a little on the lower Willamette this week but water temperatures remain good. Catches in the Multnomah Channel were good early in the week. With the high spring flows, the bulk of the run has yet to pass upriver, giving anglers an unusual late season opportunity in the lower river. Action could stay good through the month of June.
The Clackamas and Sandy are improving for spring chinook but flows remain high so target soft water where calorie conscious adults will hold between runs upriver. Bait is the most effective tool under these conditions with eggs and shrimp likely to produce the best results. Don’t overlook steelhead type water for chinook in these flows. Summer run steelhead should also make a significant show in the coming two weeks.
Levels have dropped this week on the McKenzie River with water temperatures in the mid-40s. Hatches are ongoing with the coming weekend looking worthwhile.
Water levels on the Santiams are high and will remain that way for a while. The South Santiam has produced springers and summer steelhead but it's spotty.
Northwest – Success rates uncharacteristically dropped off in Tillamook Bay this weekend. The soft tide series drew excited anglers to the lower bay to troll herring along the jetty. Results were spotty at best with the most consistent action at Lyster’s Corner at the upper most end of the north jetty. The Ghost Hole and Coast Guard Station in the lower estuary also booted out fair catches over the weekend near high tide.
Unlock the secrets of preparing your herring and fishing them on Tillamook Bay by signing up for the Friday night “how-to” seminar by local pro guide John Kirby. Kirby spills his information at the 8th annual Bounty on the Bay fundraiser benefiting the Tillamook Estuaries Partnership this weekend. Go to www.tbnep.org for more info.
This weekend on Tillamook Bay, anglers are likely to utilize the incredible minus tide series by working upper Tillamook Bay as another wave of Trask River bound salmon are due to hit the system. Returns have been so bountiful this season that the hatchery hole on the upper Trask will remain open through June 30th instead of the typical closure date of May 31st.
Spring chinook and steelhead have been caught on the Wilson River recently. The recent rise in river level should have ample fish in most north coast systems. The Nestucca and Three Rivers should also fare well in the coming week.
More rough seas in the forecast for the weekend, keeping offshore anglers from recreating. Crabbing improved slightly this week but limits are unlikely no matter what grade of bait you’re using.
Razor clam digging should be good north of Tillamook Head in the early morning hours. Good tides will last into the weekend.
Southwest – Predictions for ocean conditions during the coming weekend look good for offshore launches in this district. Ocean salmon trolling has been fair but will be picking up. Catches of various colorful rockfish and lingcod are expected to be good. All-depth halibut will open again June 2nd through 4th provided the spring quota has not filled.
Crabbing has been improving in Winchester Bay as Umpqua flows moderate. There's still plenty of water in the river, although the North Umpqua is producing fair to good catches of spring chinook.
Tidewater stretches of the Coquille have been producing fair catches of striped bass early and late in the day.
Boats launching out of Gold Beach for bottom fish have made good catches of rockfish along with fair to good catches of lingcod. Ocean chinook anglers have been taking fish daily on anchovies and rotary flashers. Salmon will be easier to target as they start to school in the coming weeks. Chinook fishing is poor on the lower Rogue, fair on the middle river with upper Rogue results best.
Brookings launches have resulted in spotty ocean chinook catches five to seven miles out. Bottom fishing results have remained solid. Forecasts for offshore launches look quite positive late this week.
The weather was cold with blowing snow over the Memorial Weekend at Diamond Lake. Chunky trout were caught steadily, however, with bait, lures and flies all effective.
Eastern – Golden Stones and Salmonflies are evident below Warm Springs on the lower Deschutes and seem to be winding down around Maupin. Redsides are keyed on the big bugs and fishing is good but this is a limited-time opportunity.
Hatchery chinook may now be kept from the Imnaha and Wallowa rivers although district rivers remain high and challenging to fish.
Sturgeon effort is spread throughout the lower Columbia although the bulk of the effort is taking place downstream of the Wauna Powerlines near Westport, Oregon. Catches remain light but anglers targeting keepers in the extreme deep water are pulling in a few keepers. Success should improve when flows drop and temperatures warm.
Spring chinook and summer steelhead are crossing Willamette Falls in good number, providing opportunities for upstream mainstem and tributary anglers. Flows are up a little on the lower Willamette this week but water temperatures remain good. Catches in the Multnomah Channel were good early in the week. With the high spring flows, the bulk of the run has yet to pass upriver, giving anglers an unusual late season opportunity in the lower river. Action could stay good through the month of June.
The Clackamas and Sandy are improving for spring chinook but flows remain high so target soft water where calorie conscious adults will hold between runs upriver. Bait is the most effective tool under these conditions with eggs and shrimp likely to produce the best results. Don’t overlook steelhead type water for chinook in these flows. Summer run steelhead should also make a significant show in the coming two weeks.
Levels have dropped this week on the McKenzie River with water temperatures in the mid-40s. Hatches are ongoing with the coming weekend looking worthwhile.
Water levels on the Santiams are high and will remain that way for a while. The South Santiam has produced springers and summer steelhead but it's spotty.
Northwest – Success rates uncharacteristically dropped off in Tillamook Bay this weekend. The soft tide series drew excited anglers to the lower bay to troll herring along the jetty. Results were spotty at best with the most consistent action at Lyster’s Corner at the upper most end of the north jetty. The Ghost Hole and Coast Guard Station in the lower estuary also booted out fair catches over the weekend near high tide.
Unlock the secrets of preparing your herring and fishing them on Tillamook Bay by signing up for the Friday night “how-to” seminar by local pro guide John Kirby. Kirby spills his information at the 8th annual Bounty on the Bay fundraiser benefiting the Tillamook Estuaries Partnership this weekend. Go to www.tbnep.org for more info.
This weekend on Tillamook Bay, anglers are likely to utilize the incredible minus tide series by working upper Tillamook Bay as another wave of Trask River bound salmon are due to hit the system. Returns have been so bountiful this season that the hatchery hole on the upper Trask will remain open through June 30th instead of the typical closure date of May 31st.
Spring chinook and steelhead have been caught on the Wilson River recently. The recent rise in river level should have ample fish in most north coast systems. The Nestucca and Three Rivers should also fare well in the coming week.
More rough seas in the forecast for the weekend, keeping offshore anglers from recreating. Crabbing improved slightly this week but limits are unlikely no matter what grade of bait you’re using.
Razor clam digging should be good north of Tillamook Head in the early morning hours. Good tides will last into the weekend.
Southwest – Predictions for ocean conditions during the coming weekend look good for offshore launches in this district. Ocean salmon trolling has been fair but will be picking up. Catches of various colorful rockfish and lingcod are expected to be good. All-depth halibut will open again June 2nd through 4th provided the spring quota has not filled.
Crabbing has been improving in Winchester Bay as Umpqua flows moderate. There's still plenty of water in the river, although the North Umpqua is producing fair to good catches of spring chinook.
Tidewater stretches of the Coquille have been producing fair catches of striped bass early and late in the day.
Boats launching out of Gold Beach for bottom fish have made good catches of rockfish along with fair to good catches of lingcod. Ocean chinook anglers have been taking fish daily on anchovies and rotary flashers. Salmon will be easier to target as they start to school in the coming weeks. Chinook fishing is poor on the lower Rogue, fair on the middle river with upper Rogue results best.
Brookings launches have resulted in spotty ocean chinook catches five to seven miles out. Bottom fishing results have remained solid. Forecasts for offshore launches look quite positive late this week.
The weather was cold with blowing snow over the Memorial Weekend at Diamond Lake. Chunky trout were caught steadily, however, with bait, lures and flies all effective.
Eastern – Golden Stones and Salmonflies are evident below Warm Springs on the lower Deschutes and seem to be winding down around Maupin. Redsides are keyed on the big bugs and fishing is good but this is a limited-time opportunity.
Hatchery chinook may now be kept from the Imnaha and Wallowa rivers although district rivers remain high and challenging to fish.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)