Willamette Valley/Metro- Although inconsistent day to day, the wobbler fishery around Portland is underway. The best fishing is taking place from Portland to Longview with some hoglines consistently out-producing others. Veteran anglers expected better results on the current tide series but better action is likely to happen next week. Action is reported as good at the mouth of the Cowlitz.
The gorge is predictably slow for salmon, even though thousands are pouring over the dam daily. Summer steelhead counts are beginning to slow and so is the action. Larger, “B” run fish will begin to make a showing but warmer water temperatures keep these quality fish from biting on the mainstem.
Water temperatures at Willamette Falls is approaching 72 degrees. Fish upriver for bass which is good; trout success is only fair.
Trout fishing is worthwhile on the McKenzie with Caddis the primary hatch. Summer steelhead are available but most springers are dark.
Despite indications otherwise, North Santiam flows will increase starting September 1st. Salmon are due to spawn.
The Clackamas is low, clear and very slow for fishing. Coho may begin to show at the mouth and lower drifts although Clackamas coho are notoriously known for not biting all that well this far up the system.
A few steelhead are being taken from the milky waters of the Sandy where most chinook are past their prime. Coho should begin to show with the peak likely in early October. Returning numbers are not forecasted to be large however.
Northwest – Effort in the Buoy 10 fishery plummeted when chinook season closed on Sunday. Anglers are enjoying sparser effort but catches of hatchery coho are slim. Anglers are still tangling with fair numbers of chinook however, indicating more good fishing ahead for upriver anglers. Gail Aylor of Sisters, Oregon released an estimated 35-pounder in front of Hammond on Tuesday, the fish took a small spinner at 18 feet. Weaker tides should stimulate a good chinook bite above Tongue Point for the holiday weekend.
There are still coho available in the north of Cape Falcon ocean fishery but windy weather will keep most anglers in-river over the weekend. You’ll still have to weed through lots of wild fish to take a hatchery limit.
South of Cape Falcon, anglers will get to experience a rare opportunity beginning September 1st. Two salmon of any species, whether from a hatchery or of wild origin may be retained as long as it meets minimum length requirements. The short season begins on September 1st and lasts through September 10th or until a quota of 5,900 fish are retained. Seas are predicted to be rough so participation is likely to be low in the early part of the season.
Tillamook Bay saw its first chinook of the season last week as strong tides drew Trask and Tillamook River fish into the upper estuary. The weaker tide series will be more conducive to lower bay herring trolling. Coho are largely absent from the bay but a wild coho fishery on many coastal basins begins on September 15th. Check regulations carefully before participating in this fishery.
The Nehalem has been producing some chinook catches in open waters. Coho are oddly absent but should make a strong showing soon.
Southwest – Ocean coho fishing opens September 1st. During this non-selective opportunity, two fish may be kept, fin-clipped or not. Chinook may also be taken through September 30th.
Chinook fishing has improved for those trolling or mooching Winchester Bay. Typical of fall chinook, some days are better than others but fish over 30 pounds have been landed.
Rockfish and lingcod catches are good out of central Oregon ports. Tuna fishing remains worthwhile whenever offshore conditions allow. Ocean crabbing is excellent. Nearshore halibut remained open at this writing.
Tuna Charters out of Charleston have been doing well. Coos and Coquille chinook catches have been fair but steady. Action is expected to improve in the next couple of weeks.
Offshore bottom fishing has been very good out of Gold Beach. Fall chinook trolling in Rogue Bay has been hot or cold over the past week with best results coming late afternoons and evenings. Fortunately, it was good for the Sea Lion Patrol Salmon Derby on Saturday, August 27th. Chinook are moving upstream during cool, foggy mornings. Summer steelheading is good on the upper Rogue in higher-than-normal flows.
Mild offshore conditions over the last week allowed boats easy ocean access out of the Port of Brookings. Limits of rockfish were the rule, many limited on lingcod and several Pacific Halibut weighing 40 pounds or better were landed. Fair numbers of chinook have been landed with albacore taken further offshore.
Eastern – Steelheading has continued to improve on the lower Deschutes while hot weather has slowed trout results.
With trout moving into the channels, Crane Prairie results are improving.
East Lake is producing limits of kokanee with the fish starting to show signs of the upcoming spawning season.
Kokanee fishing is poor at Paulina.
SW Washington – The mouth of the Cowlitz is producing a mix of chinook, coho and a few steelhead. This will be a coveted hot-spot over the next several weeks as migrating chinook enjoy a cool reprieve from the warm waters of the mainstem. Wobblers and spinners will take the majority of the fish.
The Lewis does have some summer steelhead available but most anglers will wait for the late arriving coho.
Boat anglers at Drano Lake are still faring well for steelhead with chinook catches likely to improve in the coming days.
The mouth of the White Salmon River should also produce nicely for the next several weeks with chinook early and coho a bit later.
