Oregon fishing report

Willamette Valley/Metro - The Willamette River continues to put out the occasional, early spring chinook despite a slight rise and increased turbidity. Reported catches have come in from the Multnomah Channel all the way up to Oregon City, with Sellwood and Willamette Park being the hot spots. Green label herring is the bait of choice for the majority of anglers, but as you move upriver from Milwaukie, prawns, sand shrimp and cured roe are more prevalent. The random steelhead continues to get caught up at Meldrum Bar and the blacktop, but most anglers here are targeting salmon by now.

Catch and release sturgeon fishing remains good, when anglers put their time in on the outgoing tides. Smelt, herring, sand shrimp and earthworms are the baits that get bites.

McKenzie water levels are variable this week but the river will be productive whenever the water level is dropping. Caddis patterns will be effective for redsides.

The South Santiam is recovering from a spike in the water level, which occurred late last week. Boats are drifting the North Santiam from Mehama to Stayton during which a few steelhead have been caught.  

On the Clackamas River, the water conditions are at optimum but the steelhead fishing could be better. Local anglers are getting a few and resident guides are having a hit or miss season, but the river has seen better seasons. Expect water conditions to remain steady through the weekend.  

On the Sandy River, steelhead fishermen are enjoying better days despite the fluctuating river levels. This season, the Sandy River could be called NW Oregon's "bright spot" for steelhead. The recent rains brought the river back up to healthy level and good reports have come in since the river began its drop. It's been a mix of about 50/50 wild fish to hatchery fish and they have been averaging a bit on the large side.

Henry Hagg Lake opens for the season on Saturday, March 2nd. It will be stocked with 18,000 legal-sized trout this week.

Northwest – Despite ideal conditions over the weekend, steelheaders were largely disappointed with the meager showing of what should have been a big kick-off for late season wild and broodstock fish. Despite the disappointment, fair numbers of wild and hatchery fish were taken on the top two favorites; the Wilson and Nestucca with some fish nearing the 20-pound class.

Jamie Duval of Bay City took a 9-pound broodstock fish on the new orange Corkie Cluster on Sunday, drifting from Siskeyville to Mills Bridge on the Wilson River. Side-drifters fared best using small clusters of bait and drift bobbers.

Wild fish should be well distributed in all north coast systems but March will remain the top prospect for those seeking late season steelhead options.

Offshore season setting options will take place for industry stakeholders in Newport on February 28th. With the likelihood of another strong showing of chinook and a rebound of hatchery coho this year, seasons could be generous.

No sign of a calming ocean in the near future so bottomfishing and offshore crabbing remain untapped.

Bay crabbing remains fair at best with better tides anticipated over the weekend. Hopefully, the weather cooperates.

Southwest- Rough ocean conditions this week have prevented effort by charter or recreational anglers and crabbers.

South coast beach casters are taking good numbers of pinkfin perch when the surf is lying down. The best time is two hours before high tide with the bite often continuing into the first hour of the ebb.

Crabbing has been slow to fair at Winchester Bay. The mainstem and North Umpqua are providing decent catch-and-release fishing for native steelhead while pressure for hatchery fish is increasing on the South Umpqua.

Charleston remains the top port for crabbers. Even those crabbing from docks have been doing well here.

How about a great spring chinook run on the Rogue River this season? That's the prediction with the first Rogue springer of 2013 likely to be landed this week. Most anglers are concentrating on winter steelhead now and rightly so, as adults and half-pounders are being landed regularly in the lower river. Side-drifters and plug-pullers in the middle Rogue are taking winters from the Applegate River to Drift Creek. A fresh batch of winters hit the upper Rogue following rain over the past weekend.

Low, clear water that has challenged Chetco steelheaders recently will turn around with rain this week. The river closes at the end of March so anglers are hoping for good water conditions in the coming weeks.

Rain off and on this week in the southwest corner of the state should provide some winter steelheading on the Elk River. Cured eggs or drifted corkies will take fish here. The season ends on March 31st on both the Elk and Sixes with no further opportunities until fall chinook starts in November.

Ice at Diamond Lake is about a foot thick now with several inches of packed snow on the surface. Expect to put in a couple of hours for every trout but they're typically large here.

Eastern – The Deschutes is in good condition and excellent color although there was snow on the banks early this week and it has been windy. Fishing for redsides has been fair with mid-day the best time to try. While a few Skwalas are hatching, trout are not yet keyed on them. Caddis and midge patterns remain the mainstays.

Skwala stoneflies are getting attention from trout on the Metolius where fly fishers are taking redsides on large dries and nymphs.

Lake Billy Chinook is producing kokanee averaging 11 inches for trollers using small hoochies on downriggers in about 70 feet of water.

Oregon fishing report for 2/22/13

Willamette Valley/Metro - The Willamette River remains in prime shape for early spring chinook fishermen. The clarity and the warmer temperature are at a level rarely had for mid-February, allowing for exceptional conditions. Early in the week a small handful of chinook were taken from Sellwood, Milwaukie and Oregon City. Green label plug cut herring and cured prawns are the baits being offered and anglers can expect the action to only improve as the weeks trudge on. The steelhead counts over Willamette Falls have been dismal, and most anglers at Oregon City have switched to more salmon friendly tactics. Catch and release sturgeon fishing down river in the Portland Harbor was reportedly good for many this week and should remain consistent through April. The usual baits and usual holes are all producing.

While the McKenzie River was dropping on Tuesday this week, flows are expected to increase with daily showers in the forecast. Winter fly fishing has been good here when water levels cooperate.

The Santiam system will be on the rise over the coming weekend. Regardless of water conditions, winter steelhead numbers remain too low to create much of a fishery here.

On the Clackamas River, with the high freezing level, the water level remains stable, but anglers are struggling with the clear water. Steelhead are there to be had but stealthier presentations are required for any success. Smaller, more subtle offerings are going to attract more strikes. Most of the catch is being taken from between Barton and Riverside Park.

Sandy River anglers continue to catch winter steelhead, despite the low, clear water. The best action has been reported from Oxbow Park down to Dabney, with a few taken between Dabney and Lewis and Clark State Park. Small baits and lures on lighter leaders are called for, until the next rain adds color to the water.

Northwest – Continued low-water scenarios have required anglers to take a savvy approach to North Coast steelheading. River levels have been low for quite some time now forcing fishermen to employ light line fishing and the use of small baits.

Even the larger systems like the Nestucca and Wilson as well as the Trask have been low and clear for some time. First light fishermen have had the most luck with early morning launches required to pick off the more motivated fish in the lower reaches of these rivers. By the time the rest of the fleet engages in the activity, most fish are put down for the day.

Anglers are looking forward to this weeks predicted precipitation; it should jumpstart the later run of steelhead we have all been waiting for. The bulk of the precipitation is slated to fall on Friday, possibly putting weekend anglers in a very good position for productive fishing for the first few days afterwards. This is the first significant rainfall in quite a while; it should lead off with a strong push of late-season steelhead.

Tides are once again improving for weekend sturgeon anglers. Effort was low on the weak tide exchange last week but some keepers should be available in the Tillamook system.

The weekend storm system may put off ocean recreation for a while longer. Swells and combined seas are forecasted to be around 20 foot. This will put clamming and crabbing as well as fishing off the table for most boaters this weekend.

Southwest- The 2013 Lower Umpqua Flycasters' Fly Fishing Expo will be held on February 23rd at the Reedsport High School. This free one day event is an excellent opportunity to learn from some of the Pacific Northwest's best fly tiers or get fly casting instruction.

Charters launching out of Depoe Bay on Monday this week took easy limits of rockfish and lingcod. While crab pots produced good-quality Dungeness, numbers were low.

Spinners and pink plastic worms have been fooling steelhead on the Siuslaw this week.

Rain this week will relieve low water conditions on the Umpqua system. There should be decent numbers of hatchery fish available to steelheaders on the South Umpqua as it drops back into shape.

With the lower Rogue dropping, steelheaders took winter fish by pulling plugs and side-drifting over the past weekend. The river is rising and is forecast to continue to do so through the weekend to come. With similar water conditions on the middle Rogue, winter steelheading may be on hold here until the last week in February. With winter steelhead into the upper river, anglers here well fare well following the freshet this week. Keeping one wild steelhead per day over 24 inches is allowed on the Rogue, up to five per year.

South coast surf casters started taking pinkfin surf perch this week from beaches near Gold Beach.

Elk and Sixes Rivers fell to levels too low to fish over the past weekend but rain in the forecast this week should revitalize them. Try these smaller ocean tributaries as they recover from the freshet.

Eastern – The start of irrigation on the middle Deschutes had only a slight impact on the high water here. Redside results are expected to improve in March.

Crooked River remains at good levels for fly fishers but the water temperature has dropped into the 30s, slowing catch rates. Scuds, midges and Blue-Winged-Olive patters have been most effective.

Redsides have been a little more cooperative on the Metolius during caddis hatches this week.

Soapbox Update: Check out an article written by Bob Rees, Make the Connection. Streams once never expected to suffer from high temperatures are now exceeding desirable temperatures. http://www.theguidesforecast.com/2013/MaketheConnection.pdf

Oregon fishing report

Willamette Valley/Metro - Two more spring chinook have been confirmed on the Willamette River, one from Sellwood and one at Milwaukie. It's likely others have been taken at Meldrum Bar in recent days, but the fishermen there usually keep it to themselves. As long as we dodge major rainstorms, the Willamette should continue to kick out the occasional early spring king, with action picking up substantially by the middle of next month. Back trollers fishing for steelhead at Meldrum Bar are having less than stellar success, as the falls count has yet to spike. Catch and release sturgeon angling in the Portland Harbor remains good for willing participants. Smelt, squid and sand shrimp are getting the most bites.

McKenzie River Water levels have been gradually dropping since the first of February, creating excellent opportunities for fly fishers to enjoy redside action. Nymphing has been most effective on partly sunny days.

The Santiams are forecast to rise a little this week but will be on the drop by the coming weekend. There are a few winter steelhead in the system and there have been reports of the occasional hookup. Chances for winters will improve later in the season.

The Clackamas River is giving up a few steelhead to anglers willing to put in their time. The native fish show up in strength February through April and the hatchery broodstock fish mimic that timing. Drift boats, sleds and bank anglers are scoring best from Riverside Park up to Rivermill Dam.  

On the Sandy River, fishing has been a bit more productive. Good numbers of hatchery steelhead are showing in creel samples, while anglers have been reporting the occasional wild fish. Expect more wild fish to show up now through March and if things keep going as they have, the hatchery fish will continue their strong presence. Drift boats and pontoon boats are sporting the best results from the Dodge to Oxbow and the Oxbow to Dabney Park drifts. Peak time for winter steelhead on the Sandy River is January through March. 

Northwest – With moderating flow comes moderate fishing. Steelheaders are gearing up for the 2nd of two peak periods for north coast steelheading. With the early run largely over, wild and late-run broodstock fish are now on deck for most of the district's rivers.

The Wilson and Nestucca systems will produce the bulk of the hatchery returns in the late season and reports of some large fish are fairly consistent. Good steelhead returns the last two winter seasons often translates into good returns of these larger 3-salt fish. Some of these fish are nearing or topping 20-pounds; a fish of a lifetime for most steelheaders.

The Kilchis, Trask, mainstem Nehalem as well as the numerous smaller streams on the coast should start to see a stronger influx of wild steelhead in the coming weeks. Anglers should still look for an adipose fin-clipped prize for take-home but there will only be a rare hatchery stray on most of these systems.

With dropping water conditions, the lower reaches of these systems will produce the best. Although tides are not conducive for big returns, the run timing for these coastal systems should provide opportunity for anglers through the weekend.

A soft tide series should make crabbing a possibility this weekend with reports of fair catches coming from Tillamook Bay. Netarts should also offer up some opportunity but offshore options may exist today through Friday if estuary bars are safe to cross.

Southwest- Offshore boaters haven't been able to get out this week due to high ocean swells but conditions are likely to improve late this week.

South coast beaches have been producing good catches of pinkfin surf perch. The best time to try this activity is a couple of hours before high tide.

The 2013 Lower Umpqua Flycasters' Fly Fishing Expo will be held on February 23 at the Reedsport Community Charter School. This free event runs from 9 Am until 3 PM.

Crabbing is fair on Winchester Bay. South jetty anglers have been taking good-sized striped surf perch on shrimp recently. The best bet for a hatchery steelhead is the South Umpqua where flows and fishing are fair.

Coos Bay crabbing catches have been good. Steelheading on the Coos and Coquille Rivers will improve following the next round of rainfall although the South Coquille has fish and holds promise for some action.

Water levels are low on the lower Rogue and will continue dropping through the weekend. Catches of fin-clipped winter steelhead are expected to improve through February once the water comes up. Winter steelhead catches have been slow on the middle Rogue due in part to cold water. No need to wait for March to fish winters on the upper Rogue; they're in now and at 2,000 cfs, the water flow is fishable. This bodes well for a good upper river season this year.

Chetco River steelheading has been fair over the past week for both bank and boat anglers. The water level is less than optimum for fishing and is predicted to continue dropping into the coming week which will further slow the bite.

Steelheading has been productive at times on the Elk and Sixes Rivers over the past week depending on precipitation and water conditions.

Eastern – Fall River is producing nice-sized rainbows to fly anglers using streamers and dry patterns.

The Crooked River is low - even for this system - but is still producing some trout on nymphs and midges.

Lake Billy Chinook has given up bull trout to deep trollers over the past week.

Oregon fishing reports

Willamette Valley/Metro - The Willamette River has given up another spring chinook, this time of hatchery origin. This should come as no surprise and others will follow in the coming weeks. Water conditions remain "good" with decent clarity, average temperature and a very fishable level. Bank anglers at Meldrum Bar are giving it a go, as are a couple die hard back trollers at Oregon City and one to four boats a day are spotted at Sellwood. From Lake Oswego downstream, green label plug cut herring is the standard bait, trolled slowly with four to eight ounces of weight. From Lake Oswego upstream to Willamette Falls, cured prawns, sand shrimp, coon shrimp and cured roe are the favorites, either back trolled or plunked. Expect spring chinook fishing to pick up by mid-March and continue through May.

Catch and release sturgeon fishing in the Portland Harbor has been steady for most. Anglers are reporting good to excellent fishing with a mix of shorts, keeper size and a couple of oversized fish to bend rods. Most all baits are working, including smelt, roll mop herring, sand shrimp and even worms. If you drop your anchor in a spot and give it a solid 30 minutes without any action, get up and find a new spot.

Mackenzie River water levels took a hit from recent rain at the end of January but have been dropping since and should offer winter fly fishing opportunities for redsides this week.

Although counts of winter steelhead have topped 1,000 at the Falls, that's still not a sufficient number to expect a great deal of action for native winters on the North Santiam although water conditions are decent.

On the Clackamas, steelhead anglers are putting in their time and finding action on most accounts. When water conditions have been favorable, there are fish to be had, but nobody has reported excellent results. February, March and April are the prime months for Clackamas winter steelhead.

The Sandy River continues to kick out nice winter steelhead for both boaters and bank fishermen. Although the catch rate isn't off the charts, more experienced anglers are getting their share and sometimes reporting excellent results. The section between Dodge Park and Dabney Park has been giving up the most steelhead. Plugs fished from a drift boat and bobber and jig combos are the go-to. Expect the action to continue through the first week of April.

Northwest – After a brief period of good fishing following the prolonged low water, action dropped off on most north coast streams despite ideal water conditions. By the weekend, anglers were lucky to have engaged in a single hook-up for a day's effort. Angler success will change however, as February wears on and certainly into March.

Another rise is expected prior to the weekend, making smaller streams a viable option over the weekend, followed by the larger systems such as the Wilson, Trask and Nestucca, early next week. Bank anglers may see decent opportunities over the weekend in the upper reaches of these systems where conditions tend to improve more rapidly. The best hatcher options will remain on the Wilson and Nestucca systems. Darker, spent fish are starting to show with more regularity on all the other early run systems on the coast.

The north Oregon Coast is coming into a nice minus tide series mid-week, next week. This makes sturgeon fishing an option this weekend and beyond and if the ocean swell cooperates, razor clam digging could be good in the middle of next week too. There is no sign of a cooperative ocean forecast for those seeking bottomfish.

Southwest- Offshore bottom fishing out of central ports has remained an excellent option when ocean conditions allow launching. Reports indicate easy limits of lingcod while it has taken a little longer to fill rockfish limits.

Showers on the south coast have alleviated low, clear water conditions only slightly this week with dry weather forecast to return for the weekend. Even a little freshet can improve steelheading, however.

Mussels may now be taken north of Cape Arago at Coos Bay but harvesting remains closed south of that point.

While mainstem Umpqua flows are rising this week, the South Umpqua is in decent shape for steelheading where a fair to good number of hatchery fish have been making an early appearance this season.

Coos Bay has remained productive for crabbing and will remain so through the coming weekend.

When offshore conditions have allowed, bottom fishing out of Gold Beach has been good. A few pinkfin surf perch have been taken in Rogue Bay although it's early for this fishery to shine. Steelheading has been worthwhile on the lower Rogue. While flows may increase a little over the weekend, fishing should hold up. The middle Rogue has been productive for plug-pullers and side drifters in many stretches up to the moth of the Applegate River. There will be little interest for anglers on the upper Rogue until winters, which are running late this year, swim this far upstream.

The rising waters of the Chetco are forecast to crest overnight Friday, February 9th, and then drop throughout the coming weekend. For weeks, steelhead have been taken every day and in every condition although it's always better when conditions are conducive, as when flows are moderating.

Eastern – In a news release dated February 4, the ODFW unannounced there will be no spring chinook season on the Deschutes in 2013. Redside fishing has been fair on the lower Deschutes. Rainbows and brown trout have been responding to streamers on the middle river.

The Dalles and the Bonneville Pool have both been producing some keeper sturgeon and will likely continue to do so through the open period.

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