Thursday, December 29, 2011

Oregon fishing report

Willamette Valley/Metro- Don’t forget to purchase your new 2012 angling licenses and tags. Also return your 2011 tags whether you punched a keeper or not. Smelt often make a showing in the lower Columbia River on a weather system such as what we experiencing. This may stimulate the bite in the St. Helens area and downstream but the regions smelt population is currently listed and unlawful to harvest by either sport or commercial fishers. The Willamette is high and roiled this week. The 2012 lower Willamette sturgeon retention fishery will be decided in January, open in February and may be only two weekends in duration due to a shortage of keeper-sized fish. Rain this week has the McKenzie out of shape but the level is predicted to be dropping in the coming week. The Santiam system is high and angry this week. Clackamas water levels are forecast to rise nearly six feet at Estacada but will be dropping through the New Year's weekend. Steelhead will enter with the freshet. Although there aren’t as many steelhead on Eagle Creek as there used to be, recent precipitation should flood the system with fresh fish headed for the hatchery. Steelheading has been fair on the Sandy. This glacial river will experience a moderate impact from rain this week with levels dependent on freezing levels on Mount Hood. Northwest – Steelhead angler’s long awaited rain freshet is now pounding coastal systems, with water conditions less than ideal until we near the New Year. If weather models remain accurate, smaller systems like the Highway 30 streams, the Necanicum and Kilchis may offer some opportunities. The North Fork Nehalem and Three Rivers will be outstanding options however once they clear and that may be as early as Friday. Larger systems such as the Wilson, Trask and Nestucca are further off and may not fish until early of next week. When those systems do clear, the Wilson will be a top bet for hatchery and wild fish with excellent opportunities for bank fishers at the Dam Hole on the Trask, even in high water. Plunkers will be the first to produce measureable results, targeting moving fish in the shallow water not far from shore. Steelhead will be moving in the slower flows close to the bank to avoid burning valuable calories on their upstream migration. Large colored lures like the spin-n-glo, tipped with eggs should produce fair results for systems with heavier concentrations of fish. When flows subside to “steelhead green”, side-drifters will score the best results with the upper reaches of these systems producing the best early and the lower reaches as flows continue to subside. As we enter what appears to be the authentic Oregon winter weather pattern, steelheaders may find that they only have short windows of opportunity between systems. High winds will put large trees down, making all systems potentially dangerous at any river level. This is the time of year to proceed with extreme caution. Sturgeon anglers found good success in Tillamook Bay prior to the holiday. The west channel of Tillamook Bay produced the most consistent catches for anglers using sand shrimp. The middle of next week may produce the next such opportunity for anglers working the late outgoing tide. Southwest – Ocean crabbing, open north of Gold Beach, has been slow to fair while results in bays and estuaries have been good. Offshore crabbing opens south of Gold Beach on January 15th. On rare winter days when boats have been able to get out on the ocean, lingcod fishing has been very good while rockfish catches have been spotty. Early winter steelhead results have been slow on the Coos and Coquille but precipitation this week should turn things around as water levels start to drop. Winter steelhead are scattered on the Umpqua mainstem but catches have been spotty. Fishing has remained slow on the North Umpqua. Rain this week should finally move winter steelhead into the South Umpqua which opened the 1st of December but has had no winters available. Steelheading in the low. clear waters of the Chetco was surprisingly good over the past weekend. Once the river recovers from rain this week it should be excellent. There is very little action on the lower Rogue at this time but the freshet this week should rejuvenate winter steelheading. Reports indicate only a few steelhead and half-pounders in the Agness stretch with the middle Rogue producing the occasional winter fish. Summer steelheading has been fair but steady on the upper Rogue for smoker-quality fish. Rain this week is putting much-needed water in the Elk and Sixes rivers. Fresh fish will enter but early chinook are already spawning. It might be time to think winter steelhead here. Eastern – Results on the Deschutes have been spotty for steelheaders. There are a few fish around but they have obviously been in fresh water for a while. Deep trolled jigs and large plugs are taking fair to good catches of lake trout at Crescent Lake. Steelheaders working the John Day area are starting to see their fishery begin to fade.

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Oregon fishing report

Willamette Valley/Metro- Although a fresh quota will be available for mainstem Columbia sturgeon seekers, action will remain dormant until spring flows increase the water temperatures. Action may be best near the mouth of the Willamette although the Portland Harbor itself will produce the best results. Willamette River sturgeon anglers got official word that a delay in the season will put off catch and keep opportunities until February at least. Action will be fast with a very abbreviated season on a dwindling population. Fish passage has nearly ceased at Willamette falls in low, cold water. The water is too low for productive plunking in the Meldrum Bar stretch. There is optimism regarding the 2012 spring Chinook return for which the numbers are predicted to be greater than the 2011 actual return. McKenzie flows have dropped below 2,000 cfs at Vida which means stealth tactics for winter trout fishing, The Santiams are low, clear, cold and slow for fishing. Water on the Clackamas is at low levels and too clear to fish well. Eagle Creek is not generating a lot of interest although there are fish present. The mouth should be the most ideal spot to intercept these returning fish. Similar conditions on the Sandy River have made for slow results for early broodstock winter steelhead. Northwest – Although the peak of the winter steelhead season, river levels have curtailed effort and success. Savvy anglers are focusing efforts on the tidewater reaches of north coast systems where fish are likely stacking up in anticipation of the next rain freshet which isn’t predicted until after Christmas. When the rains do come, the fishing will be excellent. Anglers are forced to use small offerings, light gear and stealthy approaches to maximize opportunity but until fish feel more secure in higher flows, success rates will be mediocre. Larger systems such as the Wilson, Nestucca and the Trask offer up the best opportunities for wild and hatchery fish but boaters will have the best access to productive drifts where bank anglers will be constrained due to limited river access. The North Fork Nehalem has good numbers of steelhead present and early morning anglers are scoring the best results but fish are slow to move towards the hatchery where bank anglers have their best shot at what looks to be a good return. The Necanicum River will be much the same with the tidewater stretches producing the best results. Chinook are still an option on Tillamook Bay and the lower Wilson River. One boat posted a double on chinook in the Ghost Hole on Tuesday, landing 2 bright bucks on their first pass using herring for bait. Chinook retention closes at the end of the month and fish upstream of tidewater are likely close to spawning and should be avoided, especially if they are hens. Sturgeon fishing is underway on Tillamook Bay and legals are falling to west channel anglers. Sand shrimp is the top bait but the peak part of the tide, low slack, happens after sunset this week. Anglers can still find success before dark however; navigate with caution however. Crabbing will be a poor option with the extreme tide series but razor clam digging along Clatsop County Beaches should produce fair results after sunset. Southwest – Offshore bottom fishing is great for rockfish and lingcod when ocean conditions allow boats to get out. Crabbing has been slow to fair in the ocean. If offshore ocean forecasts remain accurate, boats will not be able to get out in the weekend to come. Winchester Bay crabbing has been very good. North Umpqua steelheading remains slow and winter steelhead have yet to enter the low waters of the South Umpqua. Crabbing in Coos Bay is excellent from boats or docks with Dungeness full and hard. Boats venturing offshore are taking good numbers of lingcod. Fishing for early winters has been slow on the Coos River. Although a few winter steelhead were taken following rain last week, the Coquille slowed as water levels dropped. Winter steelhead fishing on the lower Rogue has ground to a near standstill with low water conditions. Middle Rogue steelheading is primarily a catch-and-release affair for wild fish. The upper Rogue is pretty skinny, summer steelhead and the occasional coho continue to cooperate with anglers. The waters of the Chetco are low and gin clear in one of the driest winters in recent history. Winter steelhead are present but catching them requires stealthy techniques similar to those implemented for low-water summers: long, light leaders and small offerings. Ocean crabbing is not legal until mid-January but good results are coming from the docks in Brookings Harbor. The Elk and Sixes rivers are again low and clear. There are a few chinook around but many are turning dark. Wait for the next round of rainfall to try these small ocean tributaries. Eastern – Trout fishing is spotty on the Crooked River but whitefish are plentiful and cooperative. Crescent Lake is producing decent catches of lake trout to deep trollers. Good numbers of bull trout are being caught at Lake Billy Chinook.

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Oregon fishing report

Willamette Valley/Metro- As the Columbia enters its winter slumber, anglers just received news of great spring chinook returns in 2012. Although fish have been historically caught as early as January, March and April are prime months pending spring run-off on the mainstem. Seasons are likely to be set later in January. Flows at Willamette Falls are low with the water temperature falling to the high 30s. These conditions have stalled winter steelhead movement. The sturgeon bite is also likely to slow but the Portland Harbor will likely remain the best bet for those seeking fair to good catch and release activity. Smelt will continue to be a top bait and although smelt is officially listed under the Endangered Species Act, it may still be used as bait. Thawing tributaries bumped the McKenzie flows at Vida from 2,300 cfs to 2,900 cfs over the past weekend. It will be dropping this week. Flows are stable on the Santiam system although fishing is slow. Flows are decent on the Clackamas but the water is extremely clear. Fishing has been poor. Water levels are forecast to increase next week. The Sandy River has dropped and will remain clear in cold weather. Effort is light and justifiably so. Steelhead will enter in better numbers by February. Northwest – Steelheaders continue to hope for precipitation although a significant event is not in the near-term forecast. Steelhead are likely pooling up in the lower reaches of most north coast systems with tidewater a viable option for the few that know how to utilize this stretch of a coastal river. First light can take fish in the most productive drifts but that’s also when air temperatures are nearly the coldest. Bobber and jigs or small deep diving plugs will produce the best results but success will improve dramatically with any rise in river levels. Driving conditions are hazardous so travel with extreme caution. Some chinook are still being taken in Tillamook Bay and its larger tributaries. Trollers working herring in the Ghost Hole are still catching an occasional fish and a driftboat working the lower Trask reportedly tied into a few bright chinook earlier this week. Anglers should consider releasing female chinook this time of year as even bright hens cut pale in color, making them poor tablefare. Good sturgeon tides begin on Sunday for adventurous anglers willing to brave the cold on Tillamook Bay. Afternoon tides may make the outing more tolerable however. Sand shrimp will be a top bait. Ocean crabbing opens up today with only small windows of opportunity typical for recreational boaters this time of year. Commercial pots will be out in force so crabbers may want to avoid competition by utilizing coastal estuaries instead. The lower Columbia River remains the best bet. Good razor clam tides begin early next week with Clatsop Beaches likely to produce the best results. Southwest – While bank anglers can keep cabezon until the end of the year; currently off-limits to boaters, they’ll be off limits to all recreational users from January 1 until April 1, 2012. Much to the relief of commercial and recreational Dungeness enthusiasts, the delayed ocean crabbing season will open for the most part on Thursday, December 15th, with Dungeness filled out sufficiently to retain. Crabbing will not be allowed from north of Gold beach to the California border until January 15th. Lack of precipitation in the district has anglers anxious for rain. Steelhead season should be well underway but most rivers are low and clear with lack of rain this month. Winchester Bay is producing well for crabbers. Summer steelheading is slow on the North Umpqua and winters have yet to enter the South Umpqua. Crabbing is excellent and the quality of Dungeness has improved in Coos Bay. Rockfishing has been worthwhile on the south jetty and catches have been excellent when boats have been able to dross the bar. Low, clear water has stalled steelheading on the lower and middle Rogue. Summer steelhead are biting plugs on low flows on the upper Rogue but they’re colored up. Smoke anglers are still taking fish that are deemed good enough to smoke. Coho are being taken in this stretch as well. When boats have been able to get out of Brookings Harbor, rockfish catches have been good with a few lings in the mix. Fishing is slow for late chinook and winter steelhead on the Chetco River although occasional flurries of steelhead are coming in. Chinook fishing is usually good at this time of year on the Elk and Sixes but lack of rain has resulted in slow results. Eastern – John Day steelheaders are finding nice, bright fish above Service Creek but most are natives which must be released. Brace for cold weather and chilly, fluctuating water levels here. Effort in the John Day Pool is slowing, as is the success rates. It was a productive season. The Grande Ronde is beginning to ice up, making for poor steelheading. Success rates will likely pick up again if temperatures warm.

Thursday, December 08, 2011

Oregon fishing report 12/09/2011

Willamette Valley/Metro- Sturgeon fishing slowed to a crawl on the lower Columbia and with cold temperatures likely to continue to grip the region, it likely will not get any better. The Willamette River, in the Portland Harbor will likely be the go-to spot for the remainder of the winter season. It remains catch and release there however and likely won’t open until February, much like last year. Fishery managers were surprised to see another downward trend in the population models for keeper-sized sturgeon. Further quota restrictions are highly likely in the 2012 season, not only in the Willamette but throughout the lower Columbia as well. Water temperature is in the low 40s at Willamette Falls. The Falls navigation locks have been shut down indefinitely due to safety concerns. Plunkers are trying for winters at Meldrum Bar and late summers and cutthroat in the upper river around Dexter Dam. McKenzie flows have returned to pre-storm level. Trout will respond to nymphs in winter although there are occasional blue winged olive hatches. The North Santiam has dropped to a navigable level from Packsaddle downstream. Winter steelhead have been in the Sandy for a few weeks in modest number. Broodstock catches will improve in January and February. Very few winter steelhead have been caught in the Clackamas but numbers will improve in weeks to come. The river is in excellent condition. Northwest – After a good stretch of chinook fishing in the Tillamook district, flows have once again subsided and chinook are harder to come by. Quality fish remain in the Wilson River but are hunkered down in the deeper holes and less likely to bite the longer they reside in fresh water. The tidewater stretch is the best place to intercept chinook under the current conditions. It’s been bitterly cold in the morning but trollers working the Ghost Hole in Tillamook Bay continue to score fresh chinook. Pat Vining and Ted Lane scored their 2-fish limit by 7:45 a.m. on Tuesday, taking 25 and 18 pound fish respectively. The two anglers were trolling herring 2 hours before high slack in the Ghost Hole. Chinook action is winding down on other north coast streams as steelhead action is coming on. Although not quite the peak of the run, steelhead are well distributed in many north coast systems with the North Fork Nehalem and Three Rivers being primary targets for those seeking early run hatchery fish. Water temperatures are dropping making afternoons a viable option so anglers can avoid iced up roads. These smaller streams are also extremely clear, causing steelhead to be skittish and less likely to bite. There will be many good options in this district when warmer, wetter weather returns to the north coast. There is no sign of that in the near future. Tillamook Bay crabbing is spotty with some crabbers reporting good success and others just mediocre. Ocean crabbing remains temporarily closed until adults fill out more. That is disappointing for bottomfishers that are scoring great catches of lingcod and rockfish in the deep reefs on calm seas. Calm seas are forecast to come up by the weekend however. The lower Columbia River remains the best place to catch crab, with limits easily attained around Buoys 20 and 22. Put in your best effort near high or low slack and be cautious of heavy tide exchanges that will likely submerge crab pot buoys if your timing is off. An after-sunset minus tide series begins tonight. Clamming should be excellent prior to the weekend along Clatsop County beaches. Southwest – Offshore charter boats have been able to launch this week. Limits of rockfish were taken as well as some large ling cod, particularly for boats targeting them in deeper water. Unfortunately, swells are forecast to increase into the coming weekend. Recent Dungeness samples taken by ODFW biologists indicate crabs are not yet of harvestable quality. The ocean season will remain closed to commercial and recreational crabbing until at least December 15th. Crabbing has improved in Winchester Bay with lower flows on the Umpqua but sorting of lightweights is required to cull quality catches. Chinook fishing is done for the season in the Coos and Coquille systems. Steelheaders on the lower Rogue have started catching early winters. Fishing has been slow on the middle river. Anglers on the upper Rogue continue to take steelhead but it's getting late in the season for quality summers. The fish are showing a lot of color and are, for the most part, suitable only for smoking. A few coho are also being taken. With the Chetco River low, only the occasional chinook is being caught in tidewater and far upstream. Early winters are showing but the river is too skinny to fish well. Low, clear water has virtually shut down chinook catches on the Elk and Sixes rivers. Rain will rejuvenate this fishery but mostly dry days are in the long range weather forecast. The Washougal River is a good metro option with fish already reported back to the hatchery. Eastern – Steelheading this late in the season is fair at best on the Deschutes. Traffic is very light at this time of year and the weather can be bone-chilling. The John Day Pool and John Day Arm slowed a bit this week; likely due to the drastic drop in air and water temperatures. Action should pick back up again when temperatures moderate. The Grande Ronde and Umatilla Rivers are good for steelheading. Anglers are averaging 4 to 5.4 hours per fish respectively on these systems. Bitter cold temperatures in these systems mean the possibility for streamside ice in the morning hours, use caution.

Thursday, December 01, 2011

Oregon fishing report 12/2/11

Willamette Valley/Metro- Sturgeon fishing on the mainstem Columbia remains best in the Portland to Longview stretch where boaters were averaging a keeper for every 11 boats. Far from its potential, action on the mainstem likely won’t pick up again until spring time. Impact from rainfall was evident at Willamette Falls November 24th & 25th when water levels rose and muddied. Flows have been moderating this week. Catch and release sturgeon fishing in the Portland Harbor remains very good with smelt producing the best results. McKenzie River levels were high but dropping Tuesday this week so it should fish by the weekend. North Santiam levels are forecast to drop into the weekend but it's too early for winters here and most summer steelhead are past their prime. Clackamas levels are returning to normal so it should fish by the weekend. A few early winter steelhead should be around with the mouth of Eagle Creek and Eagle Creek itself providing the best opportunity. Hatchery fish will return through January to the popular tributary. Water color is improving on the Sandy and while it's early for winter steelhead, rumors are circulating that there may be a few around. Northwest – Many north coast anglers are anxious to get the next season underway; winter steelhead. December can provide some good opportunities for late run chinook however and action was good in the tidewater of the Wilson on Monday. Effort was light as a slide in the upper watershed is contributing to muddy conditions. The Wilson River bite slowed by Tuesday but fish are expected to continue to come in through the month. Effort has been low on Tillamook Bay but may jump as river levels continue to drop. Effort will likely remain in the Ghost Hole although jetty fishing may be an option by early next week as the tide series softens. Weather is forecasted to be cold, especially on the bay but sturgeon should become more prevalent in the coming weeks. Sand shrimp will provide the best action. Crabbing may improve, especially on Netarts Bay, by early next week. Although winter steelhead remain a rare treasure on the coast, they are due in bigger numbers in the coming weeks. Steelhead are being caught from the disabled fishing platform on the North Fork Nehalem with action likely to only improve in the coming weeks. Conditions were ideal at mid-week. The Nehalem system closed to wild coho retention yesterday. It was the only coastal system that didn’t attain its harvest quota goal this year. The Nestucca and Three Rivers should see improving catches of winter steelhead with the peak likely in the next 3 weeks. The mainstem Nestucca will be the favored option once flows drop but target the mouth of Three Rivers near Hebo for the best opportunity. The Necanicum, Big Creek, Gnat Creek and the North Fork of the Klaskanine River produce best in higher flows which we’re not likely to see for at least another week. A cold east wind is supposed to blow, making steelhead fishing a frigid experience. Crabbing should be excellent on the lower Columbia after the weekend but expect a stiff east wind and very cold conditions. Southwest – While the ocean is open to bottom fishing without depth restrictions, days when it’s safe to launch become a rarity in wintertime. When boats do get out, fishing is usually excellent. Ocean crabbing is tentatively scheduled to re-open on December 15th but only of Dungeness are in good condition. Crabbing has slowed dramatically in Winchester and many other bays and estuaries following the recent influx of fresh water. North Umpqua steelheading did not improve as a result of the freshet. Chinook fishing appears to have wrapped up for the season in Coos Bay and the lower Coquille. A few winter steelhead have been taken on the lower Rogue. Early winters are often a harbinger of a good seasonal run. Chinook fishing is very slow. Steelhead and half-pounder catches on the middle Rogue have been poor to fair. With the river coming back into shape, summer steelheading has resumed in the upper river with mixed results. Chetco is in good shape this week and is forecast to continue to drop and remain in decent condition for weekend fishing. Big chinook are available this season although none have topped the 65-pounder taken last week. Results will be good into early December although winter steelhead will also be entering in ever-greater number. Plunkers have taken winters this week although the edge will go to side-drifters as the river level drops. As the Elk and Sixes rose and fell with recent precipitation, anglers followed. Despite crowded conditions, bright fish were taken as the river dropped into shape. Both will be low and clear by the coming weekend. Eastern – Prospects are fair this week for steelhead on the Wallowa, Imnaha and Grande Ronde rivers. The John Day Pool and John Day River itself are producing great catches of steelhead although wild fish outnumber hatchery ones. Action should continue to produce for anglers willing to brave cold winds this week.