Thursday, June 07, 2012

Oregon fishing report

Willamette Valley/Metro- Spring chinook counts have topped 20,000 at Willamette Falls while over 12,000 summer steelhead have crossed. Interest in spring chinook has waned in the lower Willamette but persistent anglers are still catching their share at Oregon City. As the shad run continues, anglers are stocking freezers with these big bait fish that help them to catch halibut, sturgeon and crab. Expect the shad to be plentiful through the end of the month. Both spring chinook and summer steelhead are available in the Clackamas in good numbers but the springers are playing hard to get. Anglers focusing their attention on steelhead in the riffles and tailouts are having better days than the salmon fishermen. The Sandy River has been keeping anglers busy this season with surprising consistency. The lower river continues to kick out chinook while steelhead are present in all the usual hang-outs from Dabney park upriver. Expect chinook fishing to shift to the middle and upper river soon. While the water level of the McKenzie had been dropping over the past week, it spiked on June 4th and has been rising since that date. It will fish well for trout, steelhead and springers as the flow moderates. Although spring chinook numbers remain low, summer steelhead counts have been ramping up at Foster Dam. South Santiam levels are high but forecast to be dropping into the middle of June. No license, tag or permit is required to fish, crab or clam anywhere in Oregon during Free Fishing Weekend June 9th and 10th. Northwest – Tillamook area spring chinook fishing remains challenging. Anglers had high expectations based on the previous year’s success and although quality fish are available, success rates aren’t as good as most were expecting. The 9th annual Bounty on the Bay event, held on Saturday, yielded just 7 fish compared to 18 last year. The largest fish, a 21-pounder, was landed by Tim Leatherman, founder of Leatherman Tool group. Ironically, he was awarded a Leatherman Tool which he promptly donated back to event volunteer Richard Knutsen. Calm seas on Sunday and Monday produced fair chinook catches just outside of the Tillamook Bay entrance. Bottomfishers had a harder time catching sea bass at Three Arch Rocks over the weekend but lingcod responded well at the tide change. Area rivers, particularly the Trask River, do have fish available although area streams remain low and clear, compromising success rates. The Wilson and Nestucca systems also have fish available and a predicted rain freshet over the weekend could bolster catch rates. The Hatchery Hole remains open through the month of June but new regulations are now in effect that deter snaggers from illegal activities. Check the ODF&W web site for more detailed information. There were reports of fair fishing at the mouth of Nestucca Bay but fish are likely to move upriver on the current tide series. The ocean remains most productive for quality crabbing but Lee Richey and fellow angler Charles reported taking 35 keeper crab for 2 days effort near Crab Harbor in Tillamook Bay. Bay clam digging has been excellent and razor clam digging along Clatsop area beaches was productive early this week also. Sturgeon fishing is picking up on the lower Columbia although anglers should still expect to work for your catches. Sand shrimp remains a top bait for anglers fishing above Tongue Point and will likely remain that way until water levels come down. Anchovies will likely begin producing in the near future. Southwest – The last all-depth halibut opener yielded limits for some while others blanked. While the status of the quota won't be available until June 8th, it's very likely the fishery will open again on June 14-16. Bottom fishing has been excellent out of central Oregon ports and ocean crabbing has been good. Limits of large pink-fin surf perch are being taken from south coast beaches, particularly near river and bay mouths. Crabbing is fair in Winchester Bay while sturgeon fishing has been slow. Spring chinook fishing has been fair to good on the mainstem Umpqua near Elkton. Rising earlier this week, the water level will be dropping in the coming weekend. Gold Beach charters are limiting out on lingcod and rockfish. With salmon catches improving, combo trips are becoming a regular event. The lower Rogue has been slow to fair over the past weekend but picked up this week for chinook. Wild fish may be kept here as of June 1st. Water conditions are decent but catches are slow on the middle river while the upper Rogue has been reliable for springers. Boats launching out of Brookings have seen the chinook bite picking up daily. Some of the salmon are short of the 24-inch minimum length but are getting larger with plenty of feed in the ocean. Anchovies trolled at 30- to 120-foot depths are getting bit. Sea-run cutthroat fishing is good in tidewater on the Chetco. Eastern – Dries and nymphs were taking redsides on the Deschutes over the past weekend as the bite was on although the salmonfly hatch is about done. An emergency closure for spring chinook anglers takes place after today’s effort. Chinook numbers back to the Deschutes are much lower than anticipated. With the water temperature in the mid-60s, the John Day River has been fishing very well for smallmouth bass. Green Peter has been producing limits of kokanee on various lure combinations and at depths from 30 to 60 feet. Bait has been effective for kokanee at Wallowa Lake although fishing has been slow. SW Washington – The Cowlitz is the best spring chinook option for the district and catches of steelhead are ramping up as well. The Kalama River remains closed to the harvest of spring chinook but remains open to summer steelhead fishing. Catches of salmon and steelhead on the Lewis remains fair with peak season upon us. Backbounced eggs is working best for salmon while backtrolled plugs is working well for steelhead. Bank anglers have the best access to fish on the Wind River and Little White Salmon. Bag limits are generous now but check regulations for more important details.