Willamette Valley/Metro- Although the wobbler fishing is slowing down for mainstem anglers, Bonneville backtrollers continue to find fair to good success using sardine wrapped plugs in the deep water. This fishery should improve even further into early October although anglers will have to become more choosy as fish near the end of their life-cycle.
The much anticipated fall sturgeon fishery upstream of the Wauna Powerlines begins on October 1st. Anglers may retain 1 keeper sized fish per day from Thursday though Saturday through the end of the year or until the quota has been reached. Fishing is expected to be good. Bonneville typically produces the best catches.
Over 1,000 fall chinook and a similar number of coho have been counted at Willamette Falls as daily numbers increase. The Middle Fork is producing a few steelhead.
Steelhead are hitting spinners on the McKenzie but stay clear of spawning salmon.
Trout fishing is good on the upper North Santiam where chinook are spawning and October Caddis are hatching.
Coho fishing remains slow on the Clackamas although spinner casters lining up at the Bowling alley Hole are taking the occasional fish.
With coho numbers building in the Sandy, spinners and drifted yarn have resulted in a few hookups.
Northwest – Tillamook Bay has been producing good numbers of chinook but wild weather on Sunday and Monday inundated the bay with seaweed and eelgrass. High tide offers the only reprieve from the weed and chinook have been taken in the Ghost Hole and at Bay City during the peak part of the incoming tide.
Portland angler Frank Ness landed a 37-pound birthday buck at Bay City on Saturday. The fish took a plug-cut herring trolled in 11 feet of water on the incoming tide. The upper bay has produced poorly in recent days.
The Nehalem produced excellent fishing late last week with higher numbers of chinook clearly present compared to the previous several years. Bigger tides and a little rain should stimulate more movement into the basin.
Wild coho numbers are starting to show in better numbers on many north coast streams. Check the ODF&W web site for updates on basin quotas.
The Salmon and Nestucca Rivers should be consistently productive through this weekend. Bobber fishers and tidewater trollers will likely produce the best results.
Recent rains were not significant enough to raise summer low levels on most north coast streams. Therefore, chinook and coho will likely remain in the lower reaches of these systems, including tidewater. Bigger tides should draw in even more biters this week.
The Alsea and Siletz Rivers have also been productive although fishing is not consistent day to day.
Crabbing remains fair to good in most north coast estuaries but a rough ocean isn’t allowing sportanglers to take advantage of the bounty at sea right now. Evening minus tides should be fair for razor clam diggers north of Tillamook Head.
Southwest – In a September 26th News Release, the ODFW announced that all-depth fishing for rockfish and lingcod will re-open on October 1st.
Nearshore halibut remained open at this writing with 25% of the quota remaining available as of the latest data on September 18th.
Chinook catches have been good in Winchester Bay. The remaining wild coho quota is dwindling with good catches on the lower Umpqua River and will likely close in the near future. Crabbing has been good in the bay.
Following a slow week, the past weekend turned on for anglers in Rogue bay and the lower river when the ocean laid down and fish moved in. Boats are taking primarily chinook although coho make up a significant component in catches. Results have been very good at times. The upper Rogue is consistently delivering summer steelhead to anglers throwing egg patterns to fish feeding below spawning chinook.
Officially, the Chetco River Fall Chinook State Waters Ocean Terminal Area Recreational Fishery opens this year on Saturday, October 1st for 12 days and fish to 40 pounds or better. Chinook fishing in the lower Chetco has been good for a mix of Chinook adults and jacks.
Trout fishing at Diamond Lake is good with Power Bait effective although deep trollers are also taking fish.
Eastern – It's been busy on the Deschutes at the Sherars Falls fish trap recently with over 100 chinook, steelhead and coho counted on September 25th alone. Steelheading on the lower river is good. For trout, it's mostly a caddis show with long-rodders experiencing fair to good results.
Kokanee fishing is about done at Odell with low catch numbers and the majority of fish in full spawning colors.
