Oregon fishing report for 2/1713

Willamette Valley/Metro - Precipitation and the rising freezing level has brought the valley rivers to just above prime. With this rise comes the hope of more fresh steelhead entering the system. The Willamette remains at a good fishable level and rumors of a couple of spring chinook have surfaced from Meldrum bar. More impressive is the confirmed wild spring chinook caught and released at Sellwood last week. Expect conditions to hold up through the week, barring any unforeseen rainstorms. Catch and release sturgeon fishing in the harbor remains good and should continue to hold up through April. A limited catch and keep fishery on the Willamette and lower Columbia is likely to be set at today's compact meeting.

The Bonneville Pool continues to put out fair sturgeon fishing with a keeper for every 7 boat rods last week. Bank anglers continue to struggle however.

While levels continued to rise early this week, waters of the McKenzie will be dropping with dry weather but will still be high over the coming weekend. Winter trout fishing can be good when conditions are right.

The Santiams are high but will be dropping through the week. With fewer than 750 winter steelhead counted at Willamette Falls, the only catches reported recently were of spawned-out summers.

The Clackamas is running above optimum level, but anglers can find some fishable water in the four miles below Rivermill dam. Expect the river to slowly drop and get back to prime by the weekend, then steelhead fishing will resume. February, March and April are the top months for Clackamas winter steelhead.

Before the rise in water level, the Sandy River was giving up respectable numbers of fresh winter steelhead. Expect a quick rise and fall mid-week and fishing will be back on by Friday or Saturday. Fish have been spread throughout the system, but the stretch from Dodge Park to Dabney has been producing best.

Northwest – The much needed weather change brought better steelheading for north coast anglers with the Wilson and Nestucca producing the best results. Although there were a fair number of down-running steelhead in the catches, some fresh, quality broodstock fish also appeared in the catches.

If the river forecast remains accurate, most north coast systems should see another shot of fish under good water conditions through the weekend. We're still a few weeks away from more consistent catch rates however, at least for quality steelhead.

The North Fork Nehalem reported working up around 200 fish on Monday so even the smaller streams remain an option.

Steelhead will remain the top prospect on the north coast but sturgeon fishing should remain a fair option into April. Tides are fair through the weekend and the weather should be too. Unfortunately, Friday may be the only day for an offshore opportunity but ocean conditions change very frequently.

Southwest- When ocean conditions cooperate, excellent bottom fishing awaits winter anglers who may take up to seven rockfish and two lingcod 22 inches or better. Check regulations for other species, especially cabezon.

Fresh water flowing into Winchester Bay is likely to slow crabbing in all but the lower estuary. The mainstem Umpqua shot from 7,000 cfs to over 29,000 cfs late last week but is currently recovering. Hatchery steelhead fishing will improve in February on the South Umpqua.

Crabbing has been quite productive for those launching out of Charleston to fish Coos Bay. Dungeness are running large hard, and full of meat. Coos River steelheaders are once again taking fish now that water conditions are on the mend.

As lower Rogue water levels rose over the past weekend, plunkers caught good numbers of winter steelhead. Flows are predicted to be moderating over the coming weekend with fresh winters in the system from the last freshet. Anglers running plugs from anchored boats have been doing best this week with the water level falling. Flows at Grants Pass, moderately impacted by rainfall, will be dropping this week. There is a mix of spawned-out summers and fresh winters available. Only dark steelhead are in the upper Rogue with few trying for these older fish.

As anticipated, precipitation over the past week improved water temperatures and flows and along with it, catches of fresh, bright winter steelhead on the Chetco. The river was dropping on Tuesday this week and with marginal conditions forecast for the coming weekend.

Eastern – The Metolius has delivered some beautiful fish recently to anglers who can fool those crafty rainbows. Try stonefly imitations.

Crooked River flows are low again this week, offering reason for optimism to fly fishers.

Oregon fishing reports for 1/24/2013

Willamette Valley/Metro- Continued cold, icy conditions have made for tough fishing and reduced effort on the valley rivers and streams. The Willamette at Oregon City has squeaked out a few steelhead from Meldrum Bar but anglers are spread thin like the fish. Water clarity is about optimum but the temperature is less than, making for a slow bite. A few sturgeon are bending rods down in the Portland harbor, but effort here is diminishing as well.

 

Snowmelt pushed the McKenzie levels to the 4,000 cfs range this week. It offers fair winter fishing for redsides.

 

North Santiam levels are forecast to be rising this week while the South Santiam will gradually drop. There are a few steelhead in the system.

 

The Clackamas has dropped below prime level and although pressure is light, a few steelies are being checked. Most anglers are reporting a lack of clipped hatchery steelhead in contrast to the abundance of native fish. Low water techniques will sometime prevail, with a "nightmare" pattern jig under a bobber being the go-to.

 

Although very low and clear, the Sandy River still has been kicking out a smattering of winter steelhead. The hatchery keepers are more abundant here and have rendered the catch about 50/50 wild to hatchery reared. Bobber and jig set-ups will shine best here with the drought like conditions. 

 

Northwest –  All systems except the mainstem Nehalem have been running low and clear causing anglers to employ low-water tactics for minimal success.

 

Despite a fair tide series, it appears that few fish came in over the weekend but anglers still took to the rivers in pursuit of faint hopes.

 

The Wilson River, one of the top prospects on the North coast for fresh steelhead, produced poorly from top to bottom under these conditions. An occasional broodstock fish was caught with a mix of some spent hatchery fish that are in poor condition.

 

The Nestucca River produced much the same results with only a few fish taken over the weekend that were of any quality or size.

 

Some native steelhead are beginning to show and that will be the case for most North coast rivers. The exception is the Wilson and the Nestucca, which will produce fresh hatchery late-run fish as well as natives, into early April.

 

Rain is in the forecast along with warming temperatures which could spur another shot of fish over the weekend.

 

Anglers should expect a lull in fresh fish until mid-February.

 

With a good tide series over the weekend, sturgeon anglers pursued keepers on Tillamook Bay with limited success.

 

Despite an ocean free of wind waves, anglers were not allowed over the Tillamook Bay bar to pursue offshore species such as rockfish and crab. A significant swell persisted through the weekend. Don't look for offshore opportunities to improve anytime soon.

 

 

Southwest- Boats have been unable to launch recently out of Newport and Depoe Bay, a common problem in the wintertime. Good fishing and crabbing awaits when offshore conditions allow.

 

North Umpqua anglers are catching a few steelhead and while most fish here are natives, an 18-pounder was caught and released late last week.

 

Coos Bay crabbing is good. The Coos as well as the Coquille Rivers will fish well for steelhead as they drop following rainfall this week.

Steelhead catches have been spotty on the lower Rogue as anchor fishers using plugs are taking only a few fish here and there. Low, cold water is blamed for lackluster results but this situation will turn around as rainfall resumes this week, raising water levels and temperatures.

 

A few winters are being taken on the middle Rogue while upper river anglers are hooking summers which are not of table (or smoker) quality.

 

Boats launching out of the Port of Brookings in friendly seas over the past week have enjoyed good catches of rockfish, lingcod and ocean crab. Steelheading had been good before the water dropped, yielding some large specimens including a 21-pound hatchery fish taken earlier this month. Look for results to improve with rainfall this week.

 

Despite record rainfall at the Elk River hatchery facility, without recent rain, the river remained low and clear as of Tuesday this week. Precipitation forecast this week will rejuvenate winter steelheading here.

 

Eastern – The clear waters of the lower Deschutes are providing fair results for redsides but steelheading remains dismal.

 

The Crooked River dropped further over the last week to even lower levels and continues to fish well. Midge patterns predominate with Blue-Winged-Olive hatches sporadic. Nymphs are effective in the absence of hatch activity.

 

SW Washington- Southwest Washington rivers are done for a while as early run steelhead continue to near their spawning phase.

 

The Cowlitz River will remain the best bet especially as the hatchery program focuses more emphasis on later returning Fish.

 

The Kalama River is really slow and the Lewis River can produce nice sized late running wild steelhead but they often come later in February.

 

Efforts remains somewhat high for sturgeon in the Longview area but success rates have slowed recently.

Oregon Fishing

Willamette Valley/Metro - The cold snap has kept many anglers indoors, but reports are still coming in from all the local rivers. Although pressure is lighter, Willamette River bank fishermen are still getting a few steelhead at Meldrum Bar and the blacktop. Backtrollers here have been almost nonexistent as of lately, but good water conditions warrant the effort. Catch and release sturgeon fishing in the Portland harbor has also produced for the few who brave the cold weather.

The Columbia below Bonneville Dam has for the most part been a ghost town, other than the occasional boat spotted in the Rainier/Kalama vicinity. Cold water temperatures drive sturgeon up into the Willamette that runs a few degrees warmer and anglers best serve themselves by focusing their time there. A few reports of "decent" sturgeon fishing have come in from above Bonneville Dam in the Cascade Locks and Stevenson areas.

The Clackamas has been in great shape and steelhead anglers are getting a few steelhead. Boaters and bank fishermen are both getting their share and some boaters have reported rather good fishing from the stretch between Feldheimers and Carver. Free-drifting roe and yarn as well as bobber and jig are producing. Expect good water conditions through the weekend. Eagle Creek is very low and clear and fishing conditions are poor, expect an improvement after the next rainstorm.

On the Sandy River, steelhead anglers have been busy catching fish. Water conditions were prime over the weekend and prospective anglers should expect lower, clearer conditions for the next several days. Fish are spread through-out the system, but the Dodge to Oxbow and Oxbow to Dabney drifts have been producing the best.

McKenzie levels came up on the 10th of January but have been falling since. It was at 4,000 cfs at Vida earlier this week and should provide a little winter C&R trout fishing for anglers in the area. Steelhead can be found below Leaburg Dam.

There are a few native winters in the Santiams but with only 600 over the Falls, it's not enough to create much of a catch-and-release fishery.

Northwest – With conditions ideal for weekend anglers on the north coast, anglers were out in force despite frigid temperatures. Although several anglers braved the hazardous road conditions in the early morning, anglers reported a fair bite first thing in the morning but action typically picks up better when water and air temperatures come closer together. That’s usually from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Effort and success was likely best on the Wilson and Trask Rivers with the Nestucca starting to kick out more consistent success as well. A mix of both early run fish, both spent and a few fresher as well as broodstock fish are beginning to show. From here on through early April, quality hatchery fish will likely be from the broodstock program prevalent on the Wilson and Nestucca Rivers with every other north coast stream producing a fair return of wild fish and far less crowded conditions.

Smaller systems such as the Necanicum, North Fork Nehalem and Three Rivers largely contain spent early run fish this time of year. Wild fish will return later in the winter but quality fish on these systems will be few and far between for the next several weeks. Rain is once again needed to enhance these now low and clear streams.

Hazardous road conditions are likely to remain through the weekend. Vehicles towing boats over the coastal pass are especially susceptible to dangerous travel conditions. Use extreme caution and consider a later start for safety and improved angling opportunity.

With an east wind influence possible over the weekend, offshore conditions may exist that will allow safe bar crossings and smooth seas. Anglers wishing to take advantage of these potential offshore conditions will likely be rewarded with bountiful catches of seabass and lingcod out of most northern ports. Fair Dungeness crabbing is also a possibility although larger crab seem to move offshore this time of year.

Sturgeon tides are favorable although not below the optimum 0.0 stage. Target the afternoon low tide on Tillamook Bay using sand shrimp for bait in the west or middle channels.  Bay crabbing will likely remain poor.

Southwest- With boats able to cross into the ocean over the past weekend, limits of rockfish and lingcod were taken out of central Oregon ports. Bottom fishing is open to all depths through March.

The entire coast remains closed to mussel harvest due to a naturally-occurring toxin. Scallop harvest is allowed but only the abductor mussel should be consumed.

As the mainstem Umpqua drops this week, it should produce winter steelhead although most will be natives requiring release. It's still early to expect the South Umpqua to provide quality fishing for hatchery steelhead.

Coos and Coquille systems are getting too low and clear to fish at their best. West Fork Millicoma anglers are taking a few.

The lower Rogue is predicted to settle in the 5,000 cfs range which is low by winter standards, but still fishable. Steelheaders have been pulling fish out of this stretch regularly. With winters moving into the middle Rogue with regularity, boaters pulling plugs and side-drifters should do well. The lower Applegate has been producing winters. Upper Rogue anglers are still taking a few summers but most are showing signs of too much time in the river.

 

Water levels at the Chetco are dropping and have turned clear. If the forecast remains accurate, it will be too low to fish well by the weekend to come and this is unfortunate as results have been good. Winter steelhead averaging 10 pounds are distributed throughout the system with the occasional hatchery fish in the 20-pound class.

 

The Elk and Sixes rivers will be low and clear until the next round of precipitation falls in the southwest.

 

The ice at Diamond Lake is improving with three inches on the surface and about a foot of compacted snow atop that. Caution is still advised. Fishing is fair but it seems all who have tried it have taken a few fat trout.

 

Eastern – Redside fishing is fair on the lower Deschutes with tiny BWOs and caddis patterns effective. Steelheading remains very slow.

 

Generally considered the best winter stream fishing in Oregon, action on the Crooked River is holding up well. Primarily a nymph fishing show, dries are effective when Blue-Winged-Olive hatches occur.

 

The tricky Metolius has been fishing well for those who know the river and its idiosyncrasies.

SW Washington- The already poor return of hatchery fish on most district streams will further disappoint although the Cowlitz will continue to provide the best opportunity for most district anglers.

Wild fish will begin to enter these systems but numbers won’t improve significantly for several more weeks on the Lewis and Kalama. The Washougal will also produce some wild fish but anglers won’t be overly impressed here.

 

Sturgeon interest continues to improve although the cold east wind has anglers thinking twice about exposure. Keepers may congregate near the mouth of the Cowlitz in greater numbers in the next several weeks, especially if the smelt run materializes.

Oregon fishing report

Willamette Valley/Metro - Steelhead are consistently getting caught at Meldrum Bar on the Willamette River. Anglers plunking spin-n-glows from the bank are getting fish right along with the small core of back trollers running plugs at the blacktop and along the island. Decent sturgeon fishing was also reported from the Portland Harbor but effort remains low. The bump in temperature will likely spur boat anglers to get out and try this coming weekend. Few, if any sturgeon anglers have been hitting the Columbia River with last week's cold snap.
The Clackamas River produced this past week with decent catches of fresh winter steelhead. The upper stretches from Carver upstream to McIver Park are getting the most attention and recent rains will likely introduce more fresh fish into the system. Although a few steelhead have been taken from Eagle Creek, the catch remains sporadic at best.
Sandy River fishermen had a good week, with many boats reporting 2-6 steelhead for a day's drift. Sleds on the lower river haven't fared quite as well, but they are still in the game. Bank anglers are getting their share too at Oxbow and Dodge Parks. The catch has been about 50/50, wild to hatchery fish but nobody's complaining as long as they are catching. This week's rain will push it out of shape for most anglers, but it should be back in fishable order by the weekend with a shot of fresh fish. 
While McKenzie levels had been dropping over the past week, it has started rising to unfishable levels.
On the rise but predicted to be dropping in to the weekend, the South Santiam produced a few steelhead over the past weekend.
Northwest – After a short reprieve from rainfall, north coast rivers are once again on the rise, making smaller streams an option again after experiencing low and clear conditions over the weekend. Hatchery workers on the North Fork of the Nehalem reported over 500 fish in the trap on Tuesday morning but stated fishing was poor for anglers working the water near the hatchery. Boaters also reported poor results downstream of the hatchery on Tuesday. The river was on the rise.
The Necanicum and Highway 30 streams should once again be options although the bulk of the fish anglers are likely to come across will be in a darker condition. Although fresh early run fish should continue to come in for another week, the next pulse of fresh fish on these systems likely won't be until late February, and they will largely be wild.
Larger systems, particularly the Wilson, fished well last Friday, after a short period of low productivity as we transition from early run to late run steelhead. One guide reported double-digit opportunities last Friday, fishing downstream of Donaldson's Boat Ramp. A mix of spent early run fish and a rare fresh broodstock or early run steelhead exists this time of year.
The Trask River should start to see better returns of wild fish in the coming weeks. The Dam Hole is an excellent place to intercept fish in higher flows but boaters have good access in the upper reaches in higher flows and downstream of the hatchery is dropping conditions.
A minus tide series graces the coast over the weekend which is typically good for sturgeon anglers. The problem is, low slack happens well after sunset, traditionally the best time to target estuary keepers in Tillamook Bay.
Crabbing will likely be challenging, no matter what estuary you try. The swell is expected to moderate which could bode well for razor clam diggers along Clatsop Beaches.
Southwest- When boats have been able to get out of central Oregon ports recently, catches of rockfish and lingcod have been good to excellent.
Crabbing in most coastal bays and estuaries has been productive, producing limits or near limits of hard Dungeness. Mussel harvest is closed coast wide although scallops may still be taken.
Water levels are rising on the Umpqua system this week. Steelheaders might consider the lower South Umpqua once the water starts to drop and clear.
The Coos River, which has been running low, clear and cold, will be rising this week. Steelheaders should see some improvement as the water drops.
Steelheading on the lower South Fork Coquille has been good at times.
Steelheading has been good on the lower Rogue over the past week for boat and bank anglers. Best results have been very low on the river. Most of the winters hooked have been natives with only small percentage of hatchery origin. Winter steelheading is just getting underway on the middle Rogue.
Plug-pullers are doing best on the Chetco River, taking decent numbers of chrome-bright winter steelhead.
Steelheaders have been taking fish on the Elk and Sixes where the window of opportunity is usually brief as conditions change rapidly on these small, volatile rivers. The Elk was low and clear early this week.
Eastern – Fly fishing for redsides is worthwhile on the lower Deschutes with Blue-Winged Olives the primary pattern of interest although midges and small caddis patterns work at times. Steelheading remains slow.
Rainbows on the Crooked River have been cooperating with anglers this week, often taking dries although nymphs have been effective at times.

Oregon Fishing

Willamette Valley/Metro - A valid 2013 fishing and shellfish license is required for the new year; available both at local retail stores and through the ODF&W web site.
Water conditions have stabilized on the valley rivers and anglers will observe a slow drop for the next few days. The Willamette is clearing up and should provide some better fishing for the start of the New Year for both sturgeon and winter steelhead. Steelhead fishing at Meldrum Bar will likely improve with this week's dryer weather. Catch and release sturgeon fishing is fair but steady.
The Clackamas River is holding at optimum flow for boaters and bank anglers alike. "Average" would be a good word to describe last week's steelhead catch and this week should produce similar results.
Sandy River anglers experienced respectable steelhead fishing last week and that will likely continue through the middle of this week when flows drop below prime. Low water tactics will then be in order and should account for a few fish till the next rainstorm. East winds have been a problem this week.
Water levels will be dropping over the coming week on the Santiam system. There are few steelhead around although winter counts have started to pick up at Willamette Falls.
Northwest – With a dramatic improvement in the weather, anglers have taken to area streams with steelhead on tap for the next several months. Although anglers will transition from the early run steelhead to later returning wild and hatchery broodstock fish, both are available during the month of January.
Larger systems will fish well into the weekend with the Wilson, Nestucca and Trask offering the best opportunities for quality wild and hatchery steelhead. Several wild fish were taken at the Dam Hole on the Trask River late last week; this spot often produces best in higher flows. The Wilson produced fair results for anglers targeting steelhead using high water techniques.
Smaller systems such as the North Fork Nehalem, Necanicum, Kilchis and Three Rivers all have fish but are skittish due to low, clear water. Bobber and jigs or small baits may still take fish throughout the week and weekend. The peak return of adults to these systems has passed and anglers will start to find more spent fish in the coming weeks.
A late-season flurry of winter chinook were taken in the Ghost Hole last week, a last hurrah as these fish are no longer allowed to be pursued on any north coast system until early April. Steelhead anglers may still encounter chinook while pursuing steelhead on north coast systems but chinook must be released unharmed.
Soft late-afternoon high tides will bode well for crabbers but the commercial season has opened which will slow the recreational catch. Larger adult males often move offshore this time of year anyway. Tillamook was slow for crabbing last weekend but the lower Columbia still produced fair results. Commercial gear is working the lower Columbia at this time however.
Despite a cool, east wind influence, no reprieve is in sight for offshore recreation.
Southwest- Winter steelhead have started entering most southwest rivers. With little precipitation in the forecast, they should remain in good condition and productive for the coming week.
As good as offshore bottom fishing can be in the winter, opportunities are rare and ocean forecasts for the coming week aren't optimistic.
Steelheading has been fair to good on the Alsea over the past week.
Large steelhead have been spotted at the fish ladder on the North Umpqua at Roseburg. While these steelhead are predominately wild, the South Umpqua offers the best shot at a hatchery keeper. The Umpqua system will be dropping and clearing this week.
The Coos River is coming into good condition for fishing. Millicoma steelheaders have been reporting spotty results.
Good fishing on the Coquille over the past Sunday made for a crowded river on New Year's Eve but steelheading slowed.
Winter steelhead have been entering the lower Rogue for weeks. The level will be dropping this week with flows optimum and fairly stable by the coming weekend. Expect low clear water on the Grants Pass stretch with flows fairly steady and winters passing through. Expect low, clear water on the upper Rogue.
While plunking was the order of the day on the Chetco over the past weekend, with the water dropping and clearing this week, side-drifters are likely to be most successful through the coming weekend.
The Elk River has produced a mix of late chinook and winter steelhead over the past weekend but is now low and clear.
Diamond Lake opened to year-around fishing on New Year's Day. About two inches of ice is covering the lakes surface under three feet of snow. Access is with snowshoes only until the ice thickens but fishing should be good.
Eastern – Results for redsides are fair to good on the lower Deschutes with midge, caddis and Blue-Winged-Olive patterns effective. Steelheading is slow. Middle Deschutes waters will be gradually on the rise this week.
Crooked River fly anglers are doing well with best results coming on Blue-Winged-Olive patterns during the afternoons when air temperatures have increased although some days it doesn't get above freezing.
Soapbox Update: Here's a great op-ed article from Carmen McDonald: http://www.ifish.net/board/blog.php?b=40