Willamette Valley/Metro- As
fishing for salmon winds down on the lower Columbia, anglers are still finding
a few fish in key spots from the mouth of the Sandy up to Bonneville dam. Last
week had a surge of coho activity down in the estuary, indicating that there's
more to come. A few coho were taken this week at the Sandy's mouth by spinner
tossers and the very occasional chinook is being hooked. Up at the dam, the
fishing has been just "good" on the best days and just average most
days. Look for another week of possibility here.
Not much activity from the lower Willamette, other than a few coho have been caught in the Multnomah Channel. Troll red, orange or fire tiger plugs upstream for best results. A couple of coho have also been caught at the blacktop below Clackamette Park. Bass and Walleye are also present but few anglers are putting in any time pursuing them.
McKenzie flow has been stable with the level dropping slightly over the past week. Fall trout fishing is as good as it gets with Caddis and PMDs hatching.
The North Santiam is high but stable. Fishing has been slow. Large numbers of salmon are spawning from Packsaddle to Mehama.
There are reports of a handful of coho in the Clackamas River, but very little catching is happening.
Not much activity from the lower Willamette, other than a few coho have been caught in the Multnomah Channel. Troll red, orange or fire tiger plugs upstream for best results. A couple of coho have also been caught at the blacktop below Clackamette Park. Bass and Walleye are also present but few anglers are putting in any time pursuing them.
McKenzie flow has been stable with the level dropping slightly over the past week. Fall trout fishing is as good as it gets with Caddis and PMDs hatching.
The North Santiam is high but stable. Fishing has been slow. Large numbers of salmon are spawning from Packsaddle to Mehama.
There are reports of a handful of coho in the Clackamas River, but very little catching is happening.
In the
Sandy River, a smattering of coho are being spotted rolling all the way up to
Cedar Creek but not in numbers that are getting anglers excited.
Northwest – Limits of hatchery coho were still common out of Astoria over the weekend although most would expect action to slow anytime now. The upcoming weak tide series may make for some fair combo crabbing and salmon fishing in the Astoria area. Seas off of the south jetty of the Columbia may even offer some fair lingcod and rockfish options.
Tillamook Bay
chinook catches have slowed but strong winds and high seas haven’t helped
matters. The additional disturbance has caused eel grass and seaweed to
inundate the estuary, making it challenging for anglers to keep their offerings
effectively fishing. Weekend anglers would be best suited fishing along the
jetty and the ocean may once again be an option if the swell and wind waves
subside.
Nehalem Bay has been
producing hit and miss action for mostly chinook with more coho likely to show
in the coming two weeks.
Wild coho have been
largely absent on most north coast estuaries thus far. Anglers are anxiously
awaiting the additional opportunity to harvest this rebounding resource as the
run should begin to show in force anytime now. North coast estuaries may differ
in regulation so check carefully before heading out.
Rivers remain as extreme low levels kegging salmon in the lower reaches of tidewater. Bobber fishing has been fair at best but should improve as tides wane this weekend.
Crabbing remains fair in most estuaries and should be excellent if the ocean calms down again.
Fair numbers of
chinook are reported in the Nestucca, Salmon and Alsea systems but anglers are
having a hard time motivating them to bite.
Southwest- The offshore
30-fathom limit was lifted on October 1st, allowing all-depth
fishing for rockfish and lingcod. Nearshore halibut fishery is ongoing after a
revised quota of 4,786 pounds. Unfortunately, wind and wave conditions earlier
this week prevented much effort.
Long range forecasts indicate moderating swells and winds late this week with a friendly ocean over the coming weekend.
Chinook fishing is good in Coos Bay as is crabbing. Wild and hatchery coho are being caught along the jetties and up to Dellwood.
The lower Umpqua is fishing well for chinook while smallmouth catches are good around Elkton. Steelheading is fair to good on the North Umpqua.
Bottom fishing out of Bandon has been excellent whenever boats have been able to get out. Rockfish have been on the surface periodically.
Long range forecasts indicate moderating swells and winds late this week with a friendly ocean over the coming weekend.
Chinook fishing is good in Coos Bay as is crabbing. Wild and hatchery coho are being caught along the jetties and up to Dellwood.
The lower Umpqua is fishing well for chinook while smallmouth catches are good around Elkton. Steelheading is fair to good on the North Umpqua.
Bottom fishing out of Bandon has been excellent whenever boats have been able to get out. Rockfish have been on the surface periodically.
Trollers in the Rogue estuary had a couple of good days over the past week although ocean swells shut down fishing more often than not. Half-pounders are being taken in good numbers around Agness. Chinook fishing slowed on the lower and middle Rogue. Upper river flows have dropped further, creating challenging conditions for fly fishers although catches remain steady.
Chinook fishing was less than spectacular at the opening of the Chetco Bubble on October 1st although the lower Chetco has been producing fish to 35 pounds or better. Trolling anchovies has been most effective.
Diamond Lake anglers are doing best on the south side, averaging four or five broad-shouldered trout per trip with few eight-fish limits reported.
Eastern – Steelhead are scattered on the Deschutes with
results erratic. Best numbers are above Maupin. Fishing for redsides has been
good with little competition as most are focusing on the alternate fishery.
Counts of steelhead and Chinook picked up over the past week at Sherars Falls.
Trout fishing has been very good on the Crooked. Low water here only seems to improve results. Caddis are coming on as Pale Morning Dun hatches are on the wane.
SW Washington- District
streams are running extremely low for this time of year. Chinook are present in
good numbers, especially on the Cowlitz and Lewis Rivers. Action on these
streams should improve substantially when fall rains arrive.
Chinook
and some coho are being taken at the mouths of the White Salmon and Klickitat
Rivers. Action for coho should only improve from here.
Fishery
managers rescinded the proposed sturgeon season above Bonneville Dam beginning
October 20th. Higher than expected catch rates were realized
effectively closing most of the Columbia River and Willamette River harvest for
the remainder of the year. Catch and release fishing remains a good option.
Retention is allowed in The Dalles Pool Thursdays through Saturdays, until the
300 fish quota is met.
Soapbox Update: This is a call to sportanglers. THE most
important call in the history of sportfishing! Here is the information from
NSIA’s Liz Hamilton:
The gillnetters are showing, through their participation in recent
meetings what Columbia River mainstem gillnetting means to them. Last week’s
meeting in Washington resulted in only a handful of sportfishing industry
representatives present…gillnetters filled the room.
The Columbia River is the single-largest driver of
Sportfishing-related expenditures in the region. For 20 years NSIA has worked
hard to open the door for your business to this incredible wealth of
sustainable business opportunity. The time has arrived to show-up, be counted
and be heard.
Governor Kitzhaber has a plan on the table that will deliver the
goods. His compromise will provide better protection for wild
fish and better economic returns on the fisheries in the river.
It’s not going to happen unless
you show-up and participate. If getting the gillnets out of the main
stem Columbia River is important to you and your business then you’ll show
through your actions just how important that opportunity is. Your
participation is needed to succeed.
To win this, here’s what we need
from you:
- Attend every
meeting! The next two are:
- October 6 in
the Columbia Room of the state Legislative Building at 614 Sid Snyder
Ave. S.W. in Olympia.
- October 18, in
Portland 7900 NE 82nd Ave. Portland, OR. This is a joint commission work
group meeting. Public Comment will be taken.
- Write to the
Commissions! odfw.commission@state.or.us,
commission@dfw.wa.gov - STAY TUNED AND
READY!
Your message is easy. Tell them what this proposal means and
how important it is to your business and to you personally. Call
NSIA today and let us know you’re going to participate. We need to hear from
you now. (503) 631-8859
We’ll keep you posted and be there every step of the way to
support you and the message you bring.
This is the single-largest
development for NW Sportfishing in the past 50 years. Don’t miss it!
