Oregon Fishing

Oregon fishing report

2012-01-22T11:08:00.000-08:00

Willamette Valley/Metro- Sturgeon anglers below Bonneville Dam are still struggling to find keepers although boaters working the Portland to Longview stretch are getting into some undersize fish. Bonneville Pool anglers posted good catches again this week but success rates should drop as temperatures do. The quota for this reservoir will certainly get eaten up quick however.Willamette River sturgeon anglers finally got word about their 2012 season. Washington and Oregon came up with an agreed allotment guideline between 1,768 and 2,022 fish. This equates to a modeled 4-day fishery which will take place on February 17th & 18th as well as February 24th and 25th. Effort will be high and it’s likely the catch will be too. Winter steelhead passage will be negatively affected by high water this week as will plunkers at Meldrum Bar as their fishing area goes underwater.McKenzie water levels are expected to be too high for fishing for a week or so.The Santiams will blow out with the storm this week and will be slow to recover.Steelheading has been spotty on the Clackamas with the water dropping well below optimum for best results. Expect the river to be high and muddy by the coming weekend.Fishing has been slow to fair on the Sandy over the past week. Levels are up now but water clarity will be determined as much by the freezing level as precipitation. Northwest – Driftboaters will still taking fair to good numbers of fish late last week on the Wilson River. Although the flows were low, stealthy side-drifters and plug pullers each scored fair results on Friday. Some of the catch was made up of the earlier returning Alsea stock steelhead, which were less than ideal for table fare.The cold snap dramatically dropped water temperatures, slowing the bite north coast wide. River levels remained fishable until mid-week, when the big storm is predicted to take rivers to unfishable levels for several days.Most early season steelhead opportunities will slow, with only darker and near-spawn steelhead available. The exception will be the Wilson and Nestucca systems which should receive broodstock hatchery fish well into April this year.Three Rivers, the North Fork Nehalem and Necanicum Rivers as well as the Highway 30 streams near Astoria will likely produce more spent fish than fresh ones. Wild fish should be available to a lesser degree however. Despite good tides, cold, wet weather kept sturgeon anglers from attempting an outing on Tillamook Bay this week. These fish won’t go anywhere as the food source for these fish remains good through the winter months. Crabbing effort and success were low this week with not much improvement in the near future.Southwest – Ocean bottom fishing has been consistently good for rockfish and good at times for lingcod. Offshore fishing will not be an option this coming weekend with seas predicted to top 15 feet.Steelheading has been good on most rivers despite low, clear water conditions. Storms this week will put most rivers out of shape for the coming weekend.Winchester Bay has been producing good catches of Dungeness but crabbing will suffer from the freshet this week. Sturgeon fishing has picked up in the lower Umpqua downstream of the Highway 101 Bridge but it's challenging to find one small enough to keep as most are oversized fish which must be released. While winter steelhead were nosing into the mainstem and catches have been fair, once the river recovers from rainfall this week, it will be good fishing.Crabbing has been excellent in Coos Bay over the past week but fresh water from storms this week will chase Dungeness back into the ocean and results will suffer as salinity levels drop.Steelheading on the Coquille was good following the last freshet, then slowed as the river dropped and cleared. Precipitation this week will bring fresh fish in for steelheaders to reap as conditions improve in a week or so.Skinny water hasn't deterred steelheaders on the lower Rogue where catches have been fair gut steady although fish have been running on the small side. The high water this week will silence low water complaints for a while. If river forecasts remain accurate, on Thursday, January 19th, the Chetco River will be approaching an angler-unfriendly 40,000 cfs at Brookings. This prediction could be off by a lot but the result will be the same; it's not going to fish in the coming weekend.Low and green at this writing on January 17th, the Elk River will blow out mid-week with heavy precipitation but, along with the Sixes, will recover rapidly and will produce winter steelhead.Eastern – The east side is not predicted to receive heavy rain but temperatures will be cold, sometimes remaining below freezing throughout the day in the week to come. Prepare accordingly.The Dalles Pool put out some keeper steelhead, especially for boaters over the weekend. Action will likely taper in this reservoir as well as the John Day Pool as temperatures drop.

Oregon Fishing Report

2012-01-14T11:14:00.001-08:00

Willamette Valley/Metro- Although there is some effort for sturgeon in the Portland to Longview stretch, catch is slow and will likely remain that way. Success rates may change when pilot runs of smelt come in the mainstem; that should be any week now.Bonneville Pool anglers are catching fair numbers of sturgeon, including keepers in this reach. Eighteen legals and over 200 shakers were reported for 25 boats over the weekend. This can be a peak fishing period for anglers working this reservoir right now. Water flow at Willamette Falls has moderated with the clarity improving and the temperature dropping into the low 40s. Winter steelhead are on the move with the YTD count about 1,000. No word yet on the sturgeon retention season for 2012 but it’s likely to be short and occur during the month of February. McKenzie levels continue to benefit from rain late last month. It will be in good shape and gradually dropping for the weekend. Be aware that in the 2012 regulations, bait is prohibited for steelhead or salmon until April 28th.North Santiam flows remain above the seasonal norm but are forecast to drop and clear over the next week or so. Steelhead won’t be moving until the water warms somewhat.As the waters of the Clackamas River clear. the best chance for a winter steelhead hookup will become first and last light. Overall, results have been slow.Drift fishing is accounting for some winter steelhead catches on the Sandy this week with corkies and yarn effective recently. Expect to see some changes in the river from the recent high water. Broodstock fish should show with more regularity later this month. Northwest – Steelheaders fared better than expected on many north coast streams this week. Following the big rain, most systems have been without precipitation for several days and are getting low and clearing. The larger systems such as the Wilson and Nestucca are producing fair to good catches with great catches reported on Tuesday. Levels are getting low enough for plug pullers to take advantage of concentrated numbers but side-drifters are still getting fair numbers too. Broodstock fish are clearly present on the Wilson while the Nestucca is rumored to be giving up mostly wild fish for catch and release purposes.Smaller streams like the Necanicum and North Fork Nehalem remain viable options for bank anglers but boaters will have a more challenging time as flows continue to drop. The North Fork Nehalem hatchery is still reporting high pressure but good catches, especially from the disabled fishing platform. Early mornings will be a key time for anglers to take advantage of eager biters. Three Rivers near Cloverdale will also produce good catches for at least the next week although hatchery workers are already spawning adult steelhead.With no rain in sight, the mainstem Nehalem should come into shape by the weekend. Although still weeks away from peak season, there should be fishable numbers of steelhead available in all reaches. Big, bright lures and baits are encouraged.Sturgeon fishing should be an option for Tillamook anglers beginning Saturday with the west channel likely to produce the best results.The ocean may lay down for offshore anglers this weekend with crab and bottomfish a fair option. Don’t have high expectations for crab however, the commercial catch appears to be down so far this season.Southwest – Commercial charters were able to get out over the past weekend to experience excellent fishing for rockfish although lingcod catches were only fair. Ocean crabbing has been slow to fair.Winchester Bay crabbing is once again productive following the freshet in late December. Crabbing has rebounded at Coos Bay with the salinity level returning to normal. Both boat and dock crabbers are catching good-quality Dungeness. Steelheading on the Coos River has been fair but is slowing.Coquille River winter steelhead catches were great following the freshet but the action is cooling as the water drops and clears.Winter steelheading has been good on the lower Rogue as the water levels gradually drop. Results on the middle Rogue for winter steelhead have been slow to fair but results will improve in the weeks to come. Upper Rogue steelheading is fair but winding down as summer steelhead spawning season approaches.Water is dropping and clearing on the Elk River which will lead to marginal conditions by the weekend to come. No rain is forecast until the third week in January.Eastern – Redside fishing has been fair to good on the lower Deschutes, particularly as hatches appear in the afternoons. Steelheading is winding down as summers enter tributaries to spawn.Crescent Lake has continued to produce fair catches of large lake trout to trollers using downriggers.Bull trout catches have been good at Lake Billy Chinook with the best action mid-day and afternoons.

Oregon fishing report

2012-01-05T20:29:00.001-08:00

Willamette Valley/Metro- Do you have your 2012 fishing licenses and tags yet? Be sure to acquire them before your first fishing trip of the year, it can be a costly oversight.Reports of salmon taken by sea-lions near Astoria are speculative but quite possible. Spring chinook have been taken in January in both the mainstem Columbia and Willamette Rivers and with a good run forecast this year, it could happen again. Sea-lions may also be present for smelt, which are likely to enter this time of year as well but remain closed to sport and commercial harvest.The lower Willamette River level crested on New Year’s Eve and has been gradually dropping since although it remains off-color. Steelhead aren't moving over the Falls in high water but plunkers at Meldrum will be getting busy this week. Sturgeon fishing should improve once levels taper off again but it remains open to catch and release opportunity only until further notice.McKenzie levels spiked near the end of 2011 but have been dropping since. It remains a little high for best results.The Santiam system is forecast to remain high through the coming week.Water levels on the Clackamas are quite fishable this week and the river is clearing. Fresh winter steelhead entered with rainfall over the past weekend. Eagle Creek has been slow but showed signs of improvement recently. For the limited numbers of hatchery steelhead still returning, this week should provide some fair opportunity.Sandy levels are still high and off color this week. Clarity will improve as the freezing level drops. Fresh winter steelhead are in the system. Northwest – Steelheaders are coming into their best opportunity in weeks but early indicators aren’t what some would have expected. Smaller systems like the Necanicum and North Fork Nehalem were in prime shape late in the weekend. The Necanicum produced best on Sunday but there is a large obstruction that will likely cause boaters to drag driftboats across gravel. This situation will get more challenging as water levels drop. The North Fork Nehalem produced good catches amongst the high angler effort early in the week but will taper as flows drop.The Wilson fished poorly on Tuesday but remained a bit high for optimum results. The Trask and Nestucca posted similar results early in the week and with another rain likely to rise river levels on Thursday, high water will persist into the weekend. Although some steelhead should certainly be present on these systems, the better action is likely to take place later in early spring. A good mixture of broodstock and wild steelhead will enter in better numbers by mid-February. Early run hatchery fish may already be making their way into smaller tributaries to spawn in the next few weeks.Sturgeon anglers focused on Tillamook Bay are yielding results. Good tides for sturgeon take place now through the weekend with the best action likely just prior to low slack. The west channel of Tillamook will likely produce the most consistent results but other narrow channels in the middle of the estuary will also hold feeding keepers.Crabbing in Tillamook Bay is slow but some anglers are getting fair numbers in Netarts Bay. The mouths of these coastal estuaries are extremely dangerous this time of year so check motor reliability and safety equipment before heading out. Lives are lost nearly every year.Southwest – Offshore boats are taking good numbers of lingcod when ocean conditions have allowed them to get out. Rockfish catches have been fair to good. Last week's storm caused a predictable slowing of Dungeness success in bays and estuaries but results will improve this week as salinity levels rise.Winter steelhead will be available in the South Umpqua as it drops and clears from the weekend freshet.Steelheaders on the Coos and South Fork Coquille Rivers are expected to do well this week as water conditions improve with dry weather.Plunkers took winter steelhead on the lower Rogue following the storm over the past weekend. Bait and lures will be effective this week as the river settles down. Winter steelhead will be into middle Rogue stretches with the freshet moving fish upriver. Bait is legal river-wide as of January 1.Still a little high early this week, the Chetco should be in excellent shape this coming weekend. Plunkers have been doing well for hatchery winter steelhead but conventional techniques will become effective as water conditions improve.Waters of the Elk were high and muddy on New Year’s Day but dry weather this week will provide good conditions as the river produces winter steelhead.Eastern – Metolius fly anglers have been making fair catches using nymphs although Blue-Winged Olives are hatching afternoons. The occasional bull trout has been taken.Winter fly fishing has been decent for whitefish on the Crooked River.John Day anglers are still taking steelhead although the bulk of the catch are wild and must be released unharmed.

Oregon fishing report

2011-12-29T18:31:00.001-08:00

Willamette Valley/Metro- Don’t forget to purchase your new 2012 angling licenses and tags. Also return your 2011 tags whether you punched a keeper or not.Smelt often make a showing in the lower Columbia River on a weather system such as what we experiencing. This may stimulate the bite in the St. Helens area and downstream but the regions smelt population is currently listed and unlawful to harvest by either sport or commercial fishers.The Willamette is high and roiled this week. The 2012 lower Willamette sturgeon retention fishery will be decided in January, open in February and may be only two weekends in duration due to a shortage of keeper-sized fish.Rain this week has the McKenzie out of shape but the level is predicted to be dropping in the coming week.The Santiam system is high and angry this week.Clackamas water levels are forecast to rise nearly six feet at Estacada but will be dropping through the New Year's weekend. Steelhead will enter with the freshet. Although there aren’t as many steelhead on Eagle Creek as there used to be, recent precipitation should flood the system with fresh fish headed for the hatchery.Steelheading has been fair on the Sandy. This glacial river will experience a moderate impact from rain this week with levels dependent on freezing levels on Mount Hood. Northwest – Steelhead angler’s long awaited rain freshet is now pounding coastal systems, with water conditions less than ideal until we near the New Year. If weather models remain accurate, smaller systems like the Highway 30 streams, the Necanicum and Kilchis may offer some opportunities. The North Fork Nehalem and Three Rivers will be outstanding options however once they clear and that may be as early as Friday.Larger systems such as the Wilson, Trask and Nestucca are further off and may not fish until early of next week. When those systems do clear, the Wilson will be a top bet for hatchery and wild fish with excellent opportunities for bank fishers at the Dam Hole on the Trask, even in high water.Plunkers will be the first to produce measureable results, targeting moving fish in the shallow water not far from shore. Steelhead will be moving in the slower flows close to the bank to avoid burning valuable calories on their upstream migration. Large colored lures like the spin-n-glo, tipped with eggs should produce fair results for systems with heavier concentrations of fish.When flows subside to “steelhead green”, side-drifters will score the best results with the upper reaches of these systems producing the best early and the lower reaches as flows continue to subside.As we enter what appears to be the authentic Oregon winter weather pattern, steelheaders may find that they only have short windows of opportunity between systems. High winds will put large trees down, making all systems potentially dangerous at any river level. This is the time of year to proceed with extreme caution.Sturgeon anglers found good success in Tillamook Bay prior to the holiday. The west channel of Tillamook Bay produced the most consistent catches for anglers using sand shrimp. The middle of next week may produce the next such opportunity for anglers working the late outgoing tide.Southwest – Ocean crabbing, open north of Gold Beach, has been slow to fair while results in bays and estuaries have been good. Offshore crabbing opens south of Gold Beach on January 15th.On rare winter days when boats have been able to get out on the ocean, lingcod fishing has been very good while rockfish catches have been spotty.Early winter steelhead results have been slow on the Coos and Coquille but precipitation this week should turn things around as water levels start to drop.Winter steelhead are scattered on the Umpqua mainstem but catches have been spotty. Fishing has remained slow on the North Umpqua. Rain this week should finally move winter steelhead into the South Umpqua which opened the 1st of December but has had no winters available.Steelheading in the low. clear waters of the Chetco was surprisingly good over the past weekend. Once the river recovers from rain this week it should be excellent.There is very little action on the lower Rogue at this time but the freshet this week should rejuvenate winter steelheading. Reports indicate only a few steelhead and half-pounders in the Agness stretch with the middle Rogue producing the occasional winter fish. Summer steelheading has been fair but steady on the upper Rogue for smoker-quality fish.Rain this week is putting much-needed water in the Elk and Sixes rivers. Fresh fish will enter but early chinook are already spawning. It might be time to think winter steelhead here.Eastern – Results on the Deschutes have been spotty for steelheaders. There are a few fish around but they have obviously been in fresh water for a while.Deep trolled jigs and large plugs are taking fair to good catches of lake trout at Crescent Lake.Steelheaders working the John Day area are starting to see their fishery begin to fade.

Oregon fishing report

2011-12-22T17:04:00.001-08:00

Willamette Valley/Metro- Although a fresh quota will be available for mainstem Columbia sturgeon seekers, action will remain dormant until spring flows increase the water temperatures. Action may be best near the mouth of the Willamette although the Portland Harbor itself will produce the best results. Willamette River sturgeon anglers got official word that a delay in the season will put off catch and keep opportunities until February at least. Action will be fast with a very abbreviated season on a dwindling population.Fish passage has nearly ceased at Willamette falls in low, cold water. The water is too low for productive plunking in the Meldrum Bar stretch. There is optimism regarding the 2012 spring Chinook return for which the numbers are predicted to be greater than the 2011 actual return.McKenzie flows have dropped below 2,000 cfs at Vida which means stealth tactics for winter trout fishing,The Santiams are low, clear, cold and slow for fishing.Water on the Clackamas is at low levels and too clear to fish well. Eagle Creek is not generating a lot of interest although there are fish present. The mouth should be the most ideal spot to intercept these returning fish.Similar conditions on the Sandy River have made for slow results for early broodstock winter steelhead. Northwest – Although the peak of the winter steelhead season, river levels have curtailed effort and success. Savvy anglers are focusing efforts on the tidewater reaches of north coast systems where fish are likely stacking up in anticipation of the next rain freshet which isn’t predicted until after Christmas. When the rains do come, the fishing will be excellent.Anglers are forced to use small offerings, light gear and stealthy approaches to maximize opportunity but until fish feel more secure in higher flows, success rates will be mediocre. Larger systems such as the Wilson, Nestucca and the Trask offer up the best opportunities for wild and hatchery fish but boaters will have the best access to productive drifts where bank anglers will be constrained due to limited river access.The North Fork Nehalem has good numbers of steelhead present and early morning anglers are scoring the best results but fish are slow to move towards the hatchery where bank anglers have their best shot at what looks to be a good return. The Necanicum River will be much the same with the tidewater stretches producing the best results.Chinook are still an option on Tillamook Bay and the lower Wilson River. One boat posted a double on chinook in the Ghost Hole on Tuesday, landing 2 bright bucks on their first pass using herring for bait. Chinook retention closes at the end of the month and fish upstream of tidewater are likely close to spawning and should be avoided, especially if they are hens.Sturgeon fishing is underway on Tillamook Bay and legals are falling to west channel anglers. Sand shrimp is the top bait but the peak part of the tide, low slack, happens after sunset this week. Anglers can still find success before dark however; navigate with caution however.Crabbing will be a poor option with the extreme tide series but razor clam digging along Clatsop County Beaches should produce fair results after sunset.Southwest – Offshore bottom fishing is great for rockfish and lingcod when ocean conditions allow boats to get out. Crabbing has been slow to fair in the ocean.If offshore ocean forecasts remain accurate, boats will not be able to get out in the weekend to come.Winchester Bay crabbing has been very good. North Umpqua steelheading remains slow and winter steelhead have yet to enter the low waters of the South Umpqua. Crabbing in Coos Bay is excellent from boats or docks with Dungeness full and hard. Boats venturing offshore are taking good numbers of lingcod. Fishing for early winters has been slow on the Coos River.Although a few winter steelhead were taken following rain last week, the Coquille slowed as water levels dropped.Winter steelhead fishing on the lower Rogue has ground to a near standstill with low water conditions. Middle Rogue steelheading is primarily a catch-and-release affair for wild fish. The upper Rogue is pretty skinny, summer steelhead and the occasional coho continue to cooperate with anglers. The waters of the Chetco are low and gin clear in one of the driest winters in recent history. Winter steelhead are present but catching them requires stealthy techniques similar to those implemented for low-water summers: long, light leaders and small offerings. Ocean crabbing is not legal until mid-January but good results are coming from the docks in Brookings Harbor.The Elk and Sixes rivers are again low and clear. There are a few chinook around but many are turning dark. Wait for the next round of rainfall to try these small ocean tributaries.Eastern – Trout fishing is spotty on the Crooked River but whitefish are plentiful and cooperative.Crescent Lake is producing decent catches of lake trout to deep trollers.Good numbers of bull trout are being caught at Lake Billy Chinook.

Oregon fishing report

2011-12-17T06:02:00.001-08:00

Willamette Valley/Metro- As the Columbia enters its winter slumber, anglers just received news of great spring chinook returns in 2012. Although fish have been historically caught as early as January, March and April are prime months pending spring run-off on the mainstem. Seasons are likely to be set later in January. Flows at Willamette Falls are low with the water temperature falling to the high 30s. These conditions have stalled winter steelhead movement. The sturgeon bite is also likely to slow but the Portland Harbor will likely remain the best bet for those seeking fair to good catch and release activity. Smelt will continue to be a top bait and although smelt is officially listed under the Endangered Species Act, it may still be used as bait.Thawing tributaries bumped the McKenzie flows at Vida from 2,300 cfs to 2,900 cfs over the past weekend. It will be dropping this week.Flows are stable on the Santiam system although fishing is slow.Flows are decent on the Clackamas but the water is extremely clear. Fishing has been poor. Water levels are forecast to increase next week.The Sandy River has dropped and will remain clear in cold weather. Effort is light and justifiably so. Steelhead will enter in better numbers by February. Northwest – Steelheaders continue to hope for precipitation although a significant event is not in the near-term forecast. Steelhead are likely pooling up in the lower reaches of most north coast systems with tidewater a viable option for the few that know how to utilize this stretch of a coastal river.First light can take fish in the most productive drifts but that’s also when air temperatures are nearly the coldest. Bobber and jigs or small deep diving plugs will produce the best results but success will improve dramatically with any rise in river levels. Driving conditions are hazardous so travel with extreme caution.Some chinook are still being taken in Tillamook Bay and its larger tributaries. Trollers working herring in the Ghost Hole are still catching an occasional fish and a driftboat working the lower Trask reportedly tied into a few bright chinook earlier this week. Anglers should consider releasing female chinook this time of year as even bright hens cut pale in color, making them poor tablefare.Good sturgeon tides begin on Sunday for adventurous anglers willing to brave the cold on Tillamook Bay. Afternoon tides may make the outing more tolerable however. Sand shrimp will be a top bait.Ocean crabbing opens up today with only small windows of opportunity typical for recreational boaters this time of year. Commercial pots will be out in force so crabbers may want to avoid competition by utilizing coastal estuaries instead. The lower Columbia River remains the best bet.Good razor clam tides begin early next week with Clatsop Beaches likely to produce the best results.Southwest – While bank anglers can keep cabezon until the end of the year; currently off-limits to boaters, they’ll be off limits to all recreational users from January 1 until April 1, 2012.Much to the relief of commercial and recreational Dungeness enthusiasts, the delayed ocean crabbing season will open for the most part on Thursday, December 15th, with Dungeness filled out sufficiently to retain. Crabbing will not be allowed from north of Gold beach to the California border until January 15th.Lack of precipitation in the district has anglers anxious for rain. Steelhead season should be well underway but most rivers are low and clear with lack of rain this month.Winchester Bay is producing well for crabbers. Summer steelheading is slow on the North Umpqua and winters have yet to enter the South Umpqua.Crabbing is excellent and the quality of Dungeness has improved in Coos Bay. Rockfishing has been worthwhile on the south jetty and catches have been excellent when boats have been able to dross the bar.Low, clear water has stalled steelheading on the lower and middle Rogue. Summer steelhead are biting plugs on low flows on the upper Rogue but they’re colored up. Smoke anglers are still taking fish that are deemed good enough to smoke. Coho are being taken in this stretch as well.When boats have been able to get out of Brookings Harbor, rockfish catches have been good with a few lings in the mix. Fishing is slow for late chinook and winter steelhead on the Chetco River although occasional flurries of steelhead are coming in.Chinook fishing is usually good at this time of year on the Elk and Sixes but lack of rain has resulted in slow results.Eastern – John Day steelheaders are finding nice, bright fish above Service Creek but most are natives which must be released. Brace for cold weather and chilly, fluctuating water levels here.Effort in the John Day Pool is slowing, as is the success rates. It was a productive season.The Grande Ronde is beginning to ice up, making for poor steelheading. Success rates will likely pick up again if temperatures warm.

Oregon fishing report 12/09/2011

2011-12-08T19:49:00.001-08:00

Willamette Valley/Metro- Sturgeon fishing slowed to a crawl on the lower Columbia and with cold temperatures likely to continue to grip the region, it likely will not get any better. The Willamette River, in the Portland Harbor will likely be the go-to spot for the remainder of the winter season. It remains catch and release there however and likely won’t open until February, much like last year.Fishery managers were surprised to see another downward trend in the population models for keeper-sized sturgeon. Further quota restrictions are highly likely in the 2012 season, not only in the Willamette but throughout the lower Columbia as well.Water temperature is in the low 40s at Willamette Falls. The Falls navigation locks have been shut down indefinitely due to safety concerns. Plunkers are trying for winters at Meldrum Bar and late summers and cutthroat in the upper river around Dexter Dam.McKenzie flows have returned to pre-storm level. Trout will respond to nymphs in winter although there are occasional blue winged olive hatches.The North Santiam has dropped to a navigable level from Packsaddle downstream.Winter steelhead have been in the Sandy for a few weeks in modest number. Broodstock catches will improve in January and February.Very few winter steelhead have been caught in the Clackamas but numbers will improve in weeks to come. The river is in excellent condition. Northwest – After a good stretch of chinook fishing in the Tillamook district, flows have once again subsided and chinook are harder to come by. Quality fish remain in the Wilson River but are hunkered down in the deeper holes and less likely to bite the longer they reside in fresh water. The tidewater stretch is the best place to intercept chinook under the current conditions.It’s been bitterly cold in the morning but trollers working the Ghost Hole in Tillamook Bay continue to score fresh chinook. Pat Vining and Ted Lane scored their 2-fish limit by 7:45 a.m. on Tuesday, taking 25 and 18 pound fish respectively. The two anglers were trolling herring 2 hours before high slack in the Ghost Hole.Chinook action is winding down on other north coast streams as steelhead action is coming on. Although not quite the peak of the run, steelhead are well distributed in many north coast systems with the North Fork Nehalem and Three Rivers being primary targets for those seeking early run hatchery fish. Water temperatures are dropping making afternoons a viable option so anglers can avoid iced up roads. These smaller streams are also extremely clear, causing steelhead to be skittish and less likely to bite. There will be many good options in this district when warmer, wetter weather returns to the north coast. There is no sign of that in the near future.Tillamook Bay crabbing is spotty with some crabbers reporting good success and others just mediocre. Ocean crabbing remains temporarily closed until adults fill out more. That is disappointing for bottomfishers that are scoring great catches of lingcod and rockfish in the deep reefs on calm seas. Calm seas are forecast to come up by the weekend however.The lower Columbia River remains the best place to catch crab, with limits easily attained around Buoys 20 and 22. Put in your best effort near high or low slack and be cautious of heavy tide exchanges that will likely submerge crab pot buoys if your timing is off.An after-sunset minus tide series begins tonight. Clamming should be excellent prior to the weekend along Clatsop County beaches.Southwest – Offshore charter boats have been able to launch this week. Limits of rockfish were taken as well as some large ling cod, particularly for boats targeting them in deeper water. Unfortunately, swells are forecast to increase into the coming weekend.Recent Dungeness samples taken by ODFW biologists indicate crabs are not yet of harvestable quality. The ocean season will remain closed to commercial and recreational crabbing until at least December 15th.Crabbing has improved in Winchester Bay with lower flows on the Umpqua but sorting of lightweights is required to cull quality catches. Chinook fishing is done for the season in the Coos and Coquille systems.Steelheaders on the lower Rogue have started catching early winters. Fishing has been slow on the middle river. Anglers on the upper Rogue continue to take steelhead but it's getting late in the season for quality summers. The fish are showing a lot of color and are, for the most part, suitable only for smoking. A few coho are also being taken.With the Chetco River low, only the occasional chinook is being caught in tidewater and far upstream. Early winters are showing but the river is too skinny to fish well.Low, clear water has virtually shut down chinook catches on the Elk and Sixes rivers. Rain will rejuvenate this fishery but mostly dry days are in the long range weather forecast. The Washougal River is a good metro option with fish already reported back to the hatchery.Eastern – Steelheading this late in the season is fair at best on the Deschutes. Traffic is very light at this time of year and the weather can be bone-chilling.The John Day Pool and John Day Arm slowed a bit this week; likely due to the drastic drop in air and water temperatures. Action should pick back up again when temperatures moderate.The Grande Ronde and Umatilla Rivers are good for steelheading. Anglers are averaging 4 to 5.4 hours per fish respectively on these systems. Bitter cold temperatures in these systems mean the possibility for streamside ice in the morning hours, use caution.

Oregon fishing report 12/2/11

2011-12-01T19:05:00.001-08:00

Willamette Valley/Metro- Sturgeon fishing on the mainstem Columbia remains best in the Portland to Longview stretch where boaters were averaging a keeper for every 11 boats. Far from its potential, action on the mainstem likely won’t pick up again until spring time.Impact from rainfall was evident at Willamette Falls November 24th & 25th when water levels rose and muddied. Flows have been moderating this week. Catch and release sturgeon fishing in the Portland Harbor remains very good with smelt producing the best results.McKenzie River levels were high but dropping Tuesday this week so it should fish by the weekend.North Santiam levels are forecast to drop into the weekend but it's too early for winters here and most summer steelhead are past their prime.Clackamas levels are returning to normal so it should fish by the weekend. A few early winter steelhead should be around with the mouth of Eagle Creek and Eagle Creek itself providing the best opportunity. Hatchery fish will return through January to the popular tributary.Water color is improving on the Sandy and while it's early for winter steelhead, rumors are circulating that there may be a few around. Northwest – Many north coast anglers are anxious to get the next season underway; winter steelhead. December can provide some good opportunities for late run chinook however and action was good in the tidewater of the Wilson on Monday. Effort was light as a slide in the upper watershed is contributing to muddy conditions. The Wilson River bite slowed by Tuesday but fish are expected to continue to come in through the month.Effort has been low on Tillamook Bay but may jump as river levels continue to drop. Effort will likely remain in the Ghost Hole although jetty fishing may be an option by early next week as the tide series softens. Weather is forecasted to be cold, especially on the bay but sturgeon should become more prevalent in the coming weeks. Sand shrimp will provide the best action. Crabbing may improve, especially on Netarts Bay, by early next week.Although winter steelhead remain a rare treasure on the coast, they are due in bigger numbers in the coming weeks. Steelhead are being caught from the disabled fishing platform on the North Fork Nehalem with action likely to only improve in the coming weeks. Conditions were ideal at mid-week. The Nehalem system closed to wild coho retention yesterday. It was the only coastal system that didn’t attain its harvest quota goal this year.The Nestucca and Three Rivers should see improving catches of winter steelhead with the peak likely in the next 3 weeks. The mainstem Nestucca will be the favored option once flows drop but target the mouth of Three Rivers near Hebo for the best opportunity.The Necanicum, Big Creek, Gnat Creek and the North Fork of the Klaskanine River produce best in higher flows which we’re not likely to see for at least another week. A cold east wind is supposed to blow, making steelhead fishing a frigid experience.Crabbing should be excellent on the lower Columbia after the weekend but expect a stiff east wind and very cold conditions.Southwest – While the ocean is open to bottom fishing without depth restrictions, days when it’s safe to launch become a rarity in wintertime. When boats do get out, fishing is usually excellent.Ocean crabbing is tentatively scheduled to re-open on December 15th but only of Dungeness are in good condition.Crabbing has slowed dramatically in Winchester and many other bays and estuaries following the recent influx of fresh water. North Umpqua steelheading did not improve as a result of the freshet.Chinook fishing appears to have wrapped up for the season in Coos Bay and the lower Coquille.A few winter steelhead have been taken on the lower Rogue. Early winters are often a harbinger of a good seasonal run. Chinook fishing is very slow. Steelhead and half-pounder catches on the middle Rogue have been poor to fair. With the river coming back into shape, summer steelheading has resumed in the upper river with mixed results.Chetco is in good shape this week and is forecast to continue to drop and remain in decent condition for weekend fishing. Big chinook are available this season although none have topped the 65-pounder taken last week. Results will be good into early December although winter steelhead will also be entering in ever-greater number. Plunkers have taken winters this week although the edge will go to side-drifters as the river level drops.As the Elk and Sixes rose and fell with recent precipitation, anglers followed. Despite crowded conditions, bright fish were taken as the river dropped into shape. Both will be low and clear by the coming weekend.Eastern – Prospects are fair this week for steelhead on the Wallowa, Imnaha and Grande Ronde rivers.The John Day Pool and John Day River itself are producing great catches of steelhead although wild fish outnumber hatchery ones. Action should continue to produce for anglers willing to brave cold winds this week.

Oregon fishing report 11/24/11

2011-11-24T08:00:00.001-08:00

Willamette Valley/Metro- Anglers fishing the mainstem Columbia have been put off by dropping catch rates and inclement weather. Neither is expected to improve although anglers may find varying degrees of success pursuing catch and release sturgeon opportunities in the Bonneville Pool. Keepers should remain available in the Portland to Longview stretch but will be challenging to come by. Waters adjacent to the mouth of the Willamette are also a fair option.As water temperatures on the Willamette drop to the mid-40s, level and flow will be increasing over the coming week and beyond as it will be slower to react and recover from the storm.The McKenzie River has been fishing well, providing some dry fly action afternoons but as with other valley rivers, it is rapidly rising.Sandy and Clackamas rivers will be unfishable and won't be recovering until sometime next week. There isn’t much to pursue here anyway, until broodstock steelhead begin to make a showing early next year.Travelers are reminded to dial 511 for Oregon travel and road information. Northwest – Prior to the winter storm, district rivers were fishing good for fresh chinook. The lower Wilson was a top producer with the Kilchis also putting out fair numbers of chinook and incidental chum salmon. Tidewater of the Wilson produced the most consistent results for backtrollers and backbouncers with fresh fish into the high 20-pound class reported.Tillamook Bay itself produced fair results for a dwindling fleet. Action remained on the east side of the bay where the Ghost Hole and Bay City were producing half way through the incoming tide. Although there will likely continue to be effort in the bay into December, it will be several days before conditions are favorable for salmon catches.Tillamook Bay often sees its first significant catches of sturgeon in November and with fresh water inundating the estuary, juvenile crab, which often compete for anglers bait while sturgeon fishing, will likely be washed to the ocean making for good opportunity for anglers targeting the west channel and middle bay. Sand shrimp is the top bait when pursuing sturgeon.The North Fork Nehalem will be one of the earliest rivers to recover after the storm series and should provide good opportunity for steelheaders working the reach nearest the hatchery. Steelhead have already been taken near the hatchery and workers have caught a handful in the trap already. The Necanicum River will offer up similar opportunity when systems pass through.Anglers will have to use extreme caution when floating rivers after the high water events. Dynamic channel carving and high water will recruit large wood debris into the watersheds, causing navigational hazards that are life-threatening. Boat safely and always wear a lifejacket when on board.The Nestucca River had traffic prior to the high water and may provide a rare bright chinook and early winter steelhead when it clears again. Target steelhead downstream of Three Rivers or in Three Rivers itself as the early run is likely destined for this small tributary.Crabbing is out for most north coast bays but the lower Columbia and Netarts Bay remain options. More severe weather however will make them treacherous to recreate in. Use extreme caution and only crab on an incoming tide.Southwest – Rock and jetty fishing is both productive and hazardous at this time of year. While there are plenty of rockfish, sea-going perch and even lingcod just a short cast away, winter wave action can be dangerous. Check conditions ahead of time and keep a constant eye on the water.Ocean conditions are expected to be very rough this week with combined seas over 20 feet. Winter storms and high water will put coastal rivers out of shape this week but this surge of fresh water will pass, waters will recede, and, when this occurs, many ocean tributaries will contain fresh winter steelhead.Umpqua levels increased sharply over the past weekend and as with other southwest streams, will be highest on Thanksgiving Day. Even prior to the blowout, fishing was slow.Chinook fishing, which has slowed over the past couple of weeks at Coos Bay and in the lower Coquille, is out of the question this week. Winter storms will undoubtedly dump enough fresh water into bays and estuaries to drive Dungeness out to sea.With the Rogue level and flow predicted to more than double into Thursday this week, it will be a while before this larger river recovers from the storm sufficiently to fish again. The first to find success after the freshet will be plunkers.Currently, the Chetco River is rising even more rapidly than forecasted. At this rate, expect flows over 20,000 cfs at Brookings on Thanksgiving Day. While the level is predicted to moderate into the weekend, it remains to be seen if it actually drops to fishable level. When it does, chinook fishing should be good. Wayne Smith of Yreka, California landed his salmon of a lifetime on November 19th. The 47-inch chinook was estimated to weigh near 65-pounds, landed on a T-55 Hog Nose Flatfish on the lower Chetco River fishing with pro guide Andy Martin (206-388-8988).The Elk and Sixes rivers will be the first to recover from the storm.Eastern – Deschutes anglers scored redsides and the occasional brightly-colored steelhead over the past weekend. Weather this week will not be conducive to fishing the east side.The Crooked River fished well for fly anglers over the past weekend, producing decent numbers of large trout along with a few whitefish.Grande Ronde steelheaders should also see some fair opportunity when flows subside after the storm pushes through. The Imnaha and Umatilla may also be good late season options.

Oregon fishing reports

2011-11-17T19:30:00.001-08:00

Willamette Valley/Metro- Sturgeon remains the only viable option for gorge anglers but the Bonneville Pool often produces good catches this time of year as well. It remains catch and release fishing in this reservoir. Anglers working the Portland to Longview stretch, particularly around Trojan, are still catching some keepers and a fair number of shakers.Water temperatures at Willamette Falls have dropped to 50 degrees. While fish passage is at a near-standstill, a few steelhead are being taken upriver on the Town Run. Sturgeon fishing remains good in the Portland Harbor but catch and release regulations are still in effect. Catch and keep seasons for 2012 have yet to be set.While the McKenzie had been dropping into shape this week, rain will cause the river to rise. A dry weekend may allow some fishing opportunities.North Santiam fishing has been best around Packsaddle but the river is on the rise this week. Anglers may keep up to two coho per day.Fishing on the Clackamas and Sandy has been slow. It remains to be seen what results from rain this week. Anglers may have a long wait for winter steelhead in these systems. Northwest – Chinook are still available in the Tillamook area with driftboaters still anxiously awaiting the first good rain freshet of the season. Meanwhile, herring trollers working the Ghost Hole and Bay City continue to take fresh chinook but action is sporadic at best.Tidewater of the Wilson, Kilchis and Trask Rivers has been putting out good numbers of chinook and a slight increase in river levels over the weekend boosted catches in the lower reaches of these rivers. Another, more significant rain event is forecast before the weekend which could put rivers in ideal shape by the weekend. Fresh chinook will be most available on the Wilson and Kilchis Rivers but all north coast streams should produce good catches.Targeted chum salmon fishing is now closed but a large return is coming in on the Kilchis, Miami and Wilson Rivers. Fish are spawning in the lower reaches. Wading anglers should be cognizant of eggs incubating in fresh redds.Sturgeon typically make a stronger showing in Tillamook and Nehalem Bays this month. Tides will improve later in the month but fish should be available.The Nehalem system continues to slow but hatchery workers on the North Fork were surprised not to find the season’s first winter run steelhead in their trap after the last rain. Early returning steelhead are often an indication for how the season will shape up. No winter-run steelhead have been reported on the north coast yet.The Nestucca should also be a fair fall chinook option after the next rain but anglers need to be mindful of the salmon closure upstream of First Bridge near Beaver.Weak tides should make for productive crabbing in most estuaries, barring a large amount of rain inundating the watershed. The lower Columbia should provide the best opportunity if winds remain subdued. Netarts Bay should also be a strong option. Southwest – Neither commercial nor recreational crabbing will be allowed to crab in the ocean as scheduled because Dungeness have not sufficiently recovered from the summer molt according to a November 10th announcement from the ODFW. Commercial efforts will not be allowed in bays and estuaries as of December 1st although recreational crabbers may continue to reap the bounty. Ocean crabbing will be delayed until December 15th or possibly later.Offshore all-depth bottom fishing is excellent at this time of year although days which allow crossing the bar are few and this week is predicted to be rough. Halibut is closed for the year.Chinook and coho catches are on the wane at Winchester Bay although crabbing has been very good.Crabbing has been excellent for numbers in Coos Bay but the situation that delayed ocean crabbing this year is evident in catches - Dungeness are not yet filled out with meat. Chinook fishing is slow.Chinook catches are slow on the lower Rogue with a few being taken near Indian Creek. Half-pounder catches are spotty at Agness. Steelheading is fair to good on the middle river although the majority are wild, requiring release. The upper Rogue has been fishing fairly well for steelhead with no one technique producing better than another. Bait is allowed above Shady Cove, artificials elsewhere.As rain fell and the Chetco rose, then dropped following the opening above tidewater on November 2nd, anglers experienced excellent fishing at times. Bobber and bait was most successful followed by spoons and spinners. The Chetco is forecast to rise again over the coming week and is expected to fish very well.Most effort on the Elk and Sixes Rivers has been near the mouths. Despite crowded conditions, it has been slow to fair at best. Rain will improve results.Eastern – With the Crooked River at excellent level and flow and plenty of trout available, fishing has been good although fish are running on the smallish side.The John Day Pool and John Day River itself is now peaking for late-season steelhead. Trollers take a good number of fish this time of year, fishing just upstream of the John Day Dam but bobber and jig anglers can witness good action in the lower 8 or 10 miles of the John Day River too. The Grande Ronde, Umatilla and Imnaha Rivers should begin to provide more opportunity until winter temperatures begin to freeze the river banks. Fish are not large but can provide some of the best opportunity for the year.SW Washington – Although chinook and coho are present in good numbers on many district streams, most fish are dark, making for poor table fare. Anglers are anxious for the upcoming winter steelhead season.Winter steelhead will be most prevalent on the Cowlitz River, where Thanksgiving is a predictable indicator on how the season will progress. Good numbers of larger-than-average fish should be available to both bank and boat anglers.Klickitat River anglers are still finding some coho but like other areas, fish are beginning to turn dark. Some late run summer steelhead should also be available.

Oregon fishing report

2011-11-10T19:33:00.001-08:00

Willamette Valley/Metro- With the closure of fishing for salmon from a floating device above Beacon Rock, chinook season on the Columbia near Bonneville is effectively over. Most chinook are dark now and close to spawning.Sturgeon season remains open but catches have slowed. Bank anglers yielded a keeper for about every 10 rods while boat anglers didn’t quite do that good. The bite will likely continue to slow. Sturgeon anglers fishing downstream of Portland on the mainstem Columbia are still catching a few keepers but that too is likely to slow. Good catch and release sturgeon fishing remains in the Portland Harbor.With the water temperature dropping, fish passage remains low at Willamette Falls. A few coho are being counted along with 15 winter steelhead. Steelhead passing Willamette Falls beginning November 1st are considered winter-run fish.McKenzie levels have dropped and held steady for several days but this will change with weekend rains.North Santiam levels will be fairly high through November. Start looking for winters in December.Clackamas water levels are little changed and fishing is slow for mostly dark fish. Many are waiting for winter steelhead.Results have been slow to fair on the Sandy. The next round of rainfall should improve prospects. Northwest – Chinook fishing really took off late last week with the North Coast Rendezvous tallying over 100 fish for the 2-day event. The jetty produced the best action on Thursday but the Ghost Hole and Bay City took off on Friday. Since the event, bay action has slowed but Jeff Nickol of Hood River took the biggest salmon of his life on Sunday. The 28½ pound buck hit a herring near Lyster’s Corner along the jetty about 2 hours before low slack.Good tides through the weekend and the prospects of rain on Sunday should continue to motivate salmon to enter Tillamook Bay. There have been a surprising number of chum salmon caught and released with fish jumping like coho near Bay City.Tidewater of the Wilson has been producing good catches of bright chinook lately. Chinook are well distributed in most tidewater sections of Tillamook area rivers and sloughs. Bobber and eggs tipped with shrimp will continue to produce results through the weekend.If the weather models remain accurate, rivers may rise early next week, jumpstarting the driftboat season with unprecedented action likely on the Wilson, Trask, Kilchis and Nestucca Rivers. The Necanicum River near Seaside should also produce results. Chum and coho salmon will also likely be present and must be released unharmed unless they are missing an adipose fin.Wild coho season remains open on the Nehalem but few fish are being taken. An occasional chinook remains in the fishery but this season is winding down.Strong tides should damper crabbing success but clammers willing to use lights at night should find favorable conditions on the minus tide series beginning tonight.Southwest – With rough ocean conditions in the forecast this week, boats may not be able to get out to take advantage of the seasonally excellent bottom fishing. Halibut closed for the year on Monday this week.Crabbing remains excellent in Winchester Bay although chinook catches have slowed dramatically. Chinook are being caught below Roseburg. North Umpqua steelhead catches are slow.Action for chinook is slow on Coos Bay although crabbing has been excellent for somewhat lightweight Dungeness. Results will be good for crabbers until the fall rains start.Trollers dragging herring behind a flasher are making slow but steady catches of chinook on the Coquille.Chinook fishing is slow to fair on the lower Rogue. Steelhead and half-pounder catches are spotty at Agness. Steelheaders on the middle Rogue are taking a few but most are wild, requiring release. Low, clear water has slowed the steelhead bite on the upper Rogue. Side-drifters seem to be doing best below the Shady Cove boat ramp where bait is allowed. Above Shady Cove to the old dam site, only artificials are allowed and plug pullers have done well although egg flies are still effective. The Chetco River opened above Milepost 2.2 on schedule November 2nd with precipitation in the forecast. Water levels rose sharply on November 6th and are forecast to come way up around mid-month, falling thereafter (creating optimum fishing conditions) but shutting down action in tidewater. A couple of fish in the 40 and 50-pound range were taken over the past week.Rainfall has improved water conditions and catches on the Elk and Sixes river but more water is needed to encourage fresh fish holding offshore to enter. Fly anglers do well for chinook here.Eastern – Steelheading is fair on the Deschutes with smaller offerings most effective. While there was a decent chinook return this season, most are spawning. Caddis patterns are most effective for red-sides with fishing good at this time of year.Results have been good on the Crooked River recently. Fish haven't been large but numbers are good for those using a nymph fished with a strike indicator.John Day River and John Day Pool steelheading is ramping up with boaters reporting nearly a fish per boat average on the last creel check. Over half of the fish caught are wild however and must be released. This wild to hatchery ratio is likely to be maintained throughout the season.

Oregon fishing report for November 04

2011-11-03T20:00:00.001-07:00

Willamette Valley/Metro- Salmon fishing at Bonneville remains active although anglers working the area are releasing almost all of the fish. Of the 5 boats fishing there on the weekend, 16 chinook were reported caught but all were released. Plugs remain the most effective but fish are near spawning.Sturgeon action continues to slow although keepers are still coming from the bank and boat fisheries. A keeper for every 10 rods in the boat fishery and every 8 rods for bank anglers.Water temperature has dropped to the low 50s at Willamette Falls. Fish passage is at a near standstill. Steelheading has slowed in the upper Willamette. Catch and release sturgeon fishing is good in the Portland Harbor. Retention for sturgeon likely won’t open until early next year.Fishing remains slow on the Clackamas and slow to fair on the Sandy. Cedar Creek is the likely area to target coho for Sandy River anglers although fish are turning dark.Fly casters on the lower McKenzie are enjoying steady action for trout on nymphs and the occasional surprise summer steelhead hookup.The Santiam system is fairly high and is forecast to rise sharply around November 10th. Fishing is slow. Northwest – Tillamook chinook remains a late-season option although action has been slow with the exception of last Friday. Staging fish made a strong showing for bay anglers in the morning but afternoon winds had boats scurrying for shore. By Saturday, the bite had slowed as fish made their way into area rivers.The Ghost Hole and Bay City remain the best bet for weekend anglers as a mid-morning high tide should push fish in, destined for the Wilson and Kilchis Rivers. Although November fishing has not been all the productive in recent years, it seems this year will be different.North coast streams only witnessed a mild rise in river levels over the weekend but it was enough to stimulate a good bite in tidewater and get fish moving upstream in preparation for spawning. Trask tidewater fished good for bobber fishers on Saturday and remains fair.As the north coast enters the wet season, driftboat opportunities will continue to expand. The Wilson, Kilchis, Trask and Nestucca Rivers should offer up some of the best late season salmon options in that order. Plugs become very effective in freshwater but back-bounced eggs and shrimp will also be a favorite technique employed.Chum salmon have made a showing in Tillamook Bay, surprising herring trollers on some days. Chum historically provided excellent sport opportunity on the Miami and Kilchis Rivers and anglers may still pursue them for catch and release through mid-November.Nehalem Bay remains open for chinook but is nearing its wild coho quota. Check the ODF&W website before targeting wild coho. The first winter steelhead will likely nose into the North Fork Nehalem in the coming weeks.Bay crabbing slowed last week with the strong tides but should improve this week. Netarts will likely remain the best option as winter storms saturate larger estuaries with fresh water. Southwest – Offshore bottom fishing has been excellent when boats have been able to get out. The ocean is closed to crabbing through November.Trollers in Winchester Bay have been catching fish daily but the number of fish has started to wane. Crabbing is good in the bay.Chinook fishing has remained steady in the lower Coquille River for boaters trolling herring.Crabbing is excellent in Coos Bay from boats as well as from the docks although Dungeness are not yet in prime condition. Chinook catches have slowed.Chinook are in evidence but off the bite on the lower Rogue. Steelheading has been good on the middle river. The flies-only restriction on the Rogue above Shady Cove has ended. Bait fishers can now feed real salmon eggs to steelhead which are dining downstream of spawning chinook. No bait is allowed below Shady Cove to the old Gold Ray Dam site but artificial lures are OK to use in addition to flies.Brookings area trollers have been making steady catches of chinook. Jetty anglers throwing spoons are also hooking up with a 50-pounder landed last week. The Chetco is scheduled to open above River Mile 2.2 on November 5th but the opening is contingent upon water levels.While water levels are still fairly low, chinook fishing was very good at the Elk River late last week but slowed as hundreds of anglers stormed the area. The Sixes River is producing fair to good catches of chinook in tidewater.Diamond Lake is closed as of the 1st of November. It will re-open April 23, 2012.Eastern – The lower Deschutes is fishing well for trout on nymphs with best results early and late in the day. Steelheading has been slow for the most part.John Day anglers are beginning to see a surge in steelhead success. Boaters working the mainstem with bobber and jigs along with trollers dragging plugs in the reservoir directly upstream of the dam are reporting good action. Better than a fish per boat was reported last weekend with a slightly higher chance at releasing a wild fish than retaining a hatchery one. This fishery will peak later this month.Grande Ronde steelheaders are doing fairly well fishing deep in low water levels.There is very little pressure on the Imnaha River although there are steelhead to be caught.

Oregon fishing report

2011-10-27T21:29:00.001-07:00

Recent creel checks for boaters working the Gorge near Bonneville still show willing chinook falling to backtrolled plugs and boats on anchor. Although the quality of fish is quickly degrading, a late showing of bright fish at the mouth a few weeks ago could keep this fishery going into early November. Fish of any quality however will be increasingly more challenging to find. Sturgeon action in the gorge continues to decline with bank anglers tallying just a keeper for every 10 rods. Boat anglers aren’t even producing that. The mainstem Columbia will slowly go to sleep over the next few weeks.With little change in the water temperature or flow at Willamette Falls, fish passage has nearly ceased. Catch and release fishing in the lower Willamette has been very good reports pro guide Frank Russum (503-804-1622). Frank suggests for the purposes of good action, fish the lower Willamette versus the Columbia River Gorge.Trout fishing has been very good on the McKenzie for a mix of rainbows and cutthroat. Fly anglers are occasionally surprised by steelhead hookups.Trout fishing is fair on the North Santiam but closes after October 31st.Fishing has been very slow in the low, clear water of the Clackamas. A few coho are being hooked on the Sandy but many have been dark. Anglers are advised to stay clear of spawning chinook. Northwest – Anglers on Tillamook Bay continue to produce reliable results for chinook throughout the estuary. With the strong tide series through the weekend, action should remain the best in the lower bay early on the incoming tide and move to the upper estuary as high slack occurs. The west channel is hit or miss but some chinook are still being taken there.Lenora Lawrence of Oceanside took a 24-pound buck in the Ghost Hole on Tuesday. The fish took a whole herring in 12 feet of water on the early part of the incoming tide.Spinner fishers on Tillamook are taking a mix of wild coho, which must be released, and chinook in the middle and upper bay. Tidewater bobber fishers on the Trask and Wilson Rivers should start to see improved catches this weekend. Precipitation is in the forecast but measureable rainfall will likely not be significant enough to jump-start the driftboat season.The Nehalem remains an option for both chinook and coho although coho catch rates have dropped dramatically. Chinook fishing should be best from Wheeler upstream as strong tides should push fish well into the estuary. Only a few hundred fish remain on the wild coho quota but it is the only remaining wild coho fishery open on the north coast. The Nestucca tidewater still holds fish but many are turning dark. Fresh fish may arrive on the current tide series however. The Salmon River run is about over but bobber fishers may see another batch of wild fish too.Although effort is light and reports sparse, some late run coho may make a showing in the lower Columbia. These same coho should be available at SW Washington tributaries this week for anglers casting spinners or plunking eggs.Trout season closes in many north coast basins after October 31st. Check regulations before heading out.Crabbing will remain good in most estuaries but extreme tides will keep most keepers buried until the water velocity slows.Southwest – The wild coho fishery is over in rivers on the southwest coast although the troll fishery at Tenmile Lake has yet to start producing.Offshore bottomfish trips were postponed off the central coast early this week due to unfavorable ocean conditions but tuna remain on the radar with fish reported within 30 miles of port. October 31st is the last day nearshore halibut may be taken.Winchester Bay has been rewarding to trollers targeting chinook and crab catches have improved over the past week. Crabbing has been excellent for boaters in Coos Bay around Charleston where chinook fishing has been good for trollers.Fishing slowed in Rogue Bay and the lower river late into the past weekend. At last report, only a few coho, most of which were wild requiring release, and the occasional jack were taken. Steelheading remains worthwhile in the Flies-only upper Rogue.While chinook fishing has been slow to get underway in the Chetco estuary, a 50-pounder was landed on Friday last week during a guided trip. Rain will energize this fishery, predicted to be about 35% greater than the 20-year average. The Chetco River is closed above mile 2.2 until November 5th. Anglers awaiting rain are gathering at the mouth of the Elk although fishing has been slow with only a few jacks to show for their effort.Trout fishing remains good at Diamond Lake for those fishing Power Bait in 15 to 20 feet of water. This coming weekend is the last chance to fish it.Eastern – With steelhead scattered on the Deschutes, the better opportunity for the coming weekend is above Maupin. Expect to fish hard between hookups. Trout fishers are doing well by throwing nymphs.Metolius fly fishers have been doing well for late-season bull trout.Despite good water conditions, success on the Grande Ronde was limited until last week. With temperatures dropping and steelhead more receptive, action on the Grande Ronde, Imnaha and Umatilla should heat up. Although the fish are not large, their numbers can provide all day action for an angler versed in small stream tactics.

Oregon fishing report

2011-10-20T20:19:00.001-07:00

Willamette Valley/Metro- Chinook fishing at Bonneville continues to slow although weekend boat anglers still tallied over 2 salmon per boat fishing in the area. Some bright fish are still being taken but as fish counts plummet, so will the opportunity for fresh fish. Sturgeon anglers working the gorge are still tagging keepers, especially near the deadline at Bonneville Dam. Success rates will continue to fall however as keepers get culled from the population and fish begin to enter a more lethargic period as temperatures drop. Squid and shrimp remain the favored baits.Flows at Willamette Falls remain moderate with water temperatures in the mid-50s. The better fishing is above the falls for smallmouth bass and trout.Slow but steady results are reported by fly anglers targeting fall trout on the McKenzie where the occasional steelhead hookup has been exciting.The North Santiam is somewhat high but the flow is steady. There are some steelhead and a few coho in the river but South Santiam prospects are somewhat better.Fishing is slow to fair on the Clackamas. Rain brought a few coho into Eagle Creek where the crowds have followed.Coho catches have been slow to fair on the Sandy River. Northwest – With other estuaries slowing, Tillamook will become the main focus of salmon anglers well into November. Fishing on Tillamook has been good this season with the later returning component of the run seemingly as strong as the early run. These late chinook are often destined for the Wilson and Kilchis systems and although they tend to be smaller in size, they do seem plentiful.Weaker tides had anglers focused along the north jetty, inside Tillamook Bay, where catches were good on Tuesday for herring trollers from Lyster’s Corner to the bay entrance. Charlie Wooldridge of Bay City tagged a rare hatchery coho and wild chinook. Wild coho remain plentiful on the north coast but most fisheries are closed with exception to the Nehalem and Siletz on the north coast. The Nehalem is likely to close very soon.Although inconsistent, the Nestucca has good numbers of chinook present with a fair percentage of hatchery origin. The Nehalem saw fair chinook catches on Saturday but slowed thereafter. The Salmon River is still surprisingly producing good catches of chinook but action should slow in the coming weeks.The Alsea should be peaking over the next few weeks, especially for bobber fishers working the tidewater areas.The ocean has been friendly enough to take advantage of deep reef bottomfishing, with limits of quality lingcod coming out of Garibaldi recently. Ocean crabbing closed on October 15th with impressive catches coming from those participating in this relatively new sport opportunity. Bay crabbing remains fair in Tillamook, Nehalem and Netarts estuaries and excellent in the lower Columbia River.Southwest – Offshore fishing for rockfish has been very good out of central Oregon ports while lingcod catches are slow to fair with the ocean open to all-depths for bottom fishing. Ocean forecasts indicate mild conditions through the coming weekend and perhaps one more chance for October albacore.The wild coho fishery at Tenmile which opened October 1 has yet to start producing decent catches. Effort is light by trollers dragging plugs and spinners.Chinook results remain decent and steady for trollers in Winchester Bay.Results for chinook slowed on Coos Bay this week. Catches and boat traffic have been very light. Crabbing has been excellent. At the last update from the ODFW, the wild coho fishery remains open on the Coos system with well over half of the 1,200-fish quota yet to be taken.The wild coho quota has been met but chinook fishing remains worthwhile out of Bandon.Fishing slowed in Rogue Bay and the lower river into the past weekend following several fairly productive days. At last report, only the occasional coho and a handful of jacks made up a day’s catch. Half-pounders are being caught at Agness. Steelheading has been good on the upper Rogue where it remains flies-only through October.Trollers are taking a few chinook in Brookings Harbor and the lower Chetco River.Eastern – Steelhead fishing has been a fair but steady affair on the lower Deschutes with fish scattered throughout. Redsides are responding to both dries and nymphs at times. Despite decent trout results, steelhead continue to get the most attention at this time of year.Crooked River fly fishers are hooking good numbers of smaller trout.The John Day Pool will likely begin to light up later in November for steelhead but trollers are taking a fair number of chinook in the reservoir. Catches for chinook will likely taper after this weekend however. Look for steelhead to start in by the middle of November.

Oregon fishing report

2011-10-09T07:12:00.001-07:00

Willamette Valley/Metro- Although counts at Bonneville are dropping dramatically, success rates are hit and miss for salmon as anglers enter the late season. Upriver brights make up the bulk of the catch through the month but anglers will have to grade through fish to find some of tablefare quality. Plugs will remain the best option for action. Sturgeon effort on the Saturday opener was high and success was fair. Bank anglers fared well with counts from the Washington side tallying a keeper for every 4 rods. Sand shrimp fished near the deadline should be consistent throughout the month of October. Boaters landing on the Oregon side reported 25 legals landed for 33 boats. There were also a fair number of oversize sturgeon in the mix. About 1,500 fall chinook and 2,300 coho have crossed Willamette Falls. Try for steelhead or trout on the Middle Fork. Smallmouth bass fishing is good many places above Willamette Falls. October Caddis are out in full force on the McKenzie with trout responding to matching patterns. Steelhead remain available. The North Santiam will be fluctuating this week although there are coho in the system. While coho care trickling into the Clackamas system, catches are negligible. Rain should improve prospects. Coho fishing is fair on the Sandy. Cedar Creek is producing a few but is getting pressure. Northwest – North coast chinook fishing slowed this week although good numbers of fish seem to be present. Spinner fisherman fared well in upper Tillamook Bay late last week as Tillamook and Trask chinook staged before heading into tidewater. The current soft tide series has anglers focused on the lower bay where the Ghost Hole, Bay City and the jetty has been producing just a few fish. The wild coho quota on Tillamook Bay has been utilized, closing the fishery effective today. All chinook and hatchery coho may still be retained although hatchery coho have been oddly absent. The ocean out of Tillamook Bay has been productive for both salmon and crab but rough ocean conditions have kept boats inside with no signs of improvement. The Nehalem has been productive with both wild coho and chinook falling to herring trollers near the jaws. A rough bar is in the forecast so anglers need to use precautionary measures. The wild coho quota is double what the Tillamook quota was and remains open. Weather systems are forecast to raise river levels on the north coast, possibly allowing for an early driftboat season on some of the larger river systems. The Trask should be a high priority but other systems should also produce fish if the weather models are accurate. Check local regulations before heading out however as complicated rules remain in effect on a watershed by watershed basis. Soft tides on the Siletz, Salmon and Nestucca will likely slow the bite. These river systems are just passing peak season right now with action likely to improve when the tides do beginning early next week. The Alsea tidewater bobber fishing and trolling should also improve after the weekend. These systems are showing signs of improving returns over previous years. Southwest – When the ocean has cooperated and with the depth restriction lifted, offshore bottom fishing has been very productive for rockfish and lingcod. Boats dropping pots on the way out have harvested excellent Dungeness catches. With the wild quota filled earlier than other systems on the coast, the Umpqua River and bay closed to harvest on October 1st. Chinook catches are good in Winchester Bay and the lower Umpqua mainstem. Lower Coquille chinook trolling is productive with a larger-than average return predicted this year. Coos Bay trollers have been taking chinook regularly with hookups occasionally hitting double digits. Chinook will move up the Coos River as the season progresses. Crabbing is good in the bay. Rogue Bay has been producing good catches of adult and jack chinook and coho to trollers over the past week. Upriver, side drifting has been more productive at times. Steelhead fishing was good on the upper Rogue although it shut down early this week due to muddy water from a broken irrigation ditch. Referred to locally as “Hawg Season”, the Chetco Terminal fishery opened October 1st and will continue through October 12th. This fishery is known to produce chinook to 40 pounds or better. Slow-troll herring starting just outside jetty tips for one per day and five for the season. Fall salmon are also being taken inside Brookings Harbor with catches expected to improve later in the month. Elk River fishing will commence with sufficient rain but it was still low early this week. Diamond Lake trout catches are good for still-fishers and trollers but weather is likely to be problematic during October.

Oregon fishing report

2011-10-02T06:53:00.003-07:00

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.

Oregon fishing report

2011-09-24T08:09:00.001-07:00

Willamette Valley/Metro- Anglers fishing Bonneville had some great fishing last week and action remains fair in water that traditionally doesn’t produce good catches for another few weeks. Fishing should improve, even as passage is likely to slow. Anglers anchored with plugs seem to be producing the best results.

Anchor anglers using wobblers are still producing chinook from Portland to Warrior Rock but peak action is winding down. Anglers will begin to focus on coho near tributary mouths in the coming weeks.

The lower Willamette will remain closed for sturgeon retention through 2011. Middle Fork anglers are taking a few steelhead while trout fishing is fair on the North Fork.

Expect to see October Caddis start to appear on the McKenzie any day now. Steelhead fishing is fair.

A few coho have joined steelhead in the Santiams but overall, fishing is slow. Flow at Mehema will increase to over 3,000 cfs next week.

Sandy fishers are seeing coho in the lower river but hooking these finicky fish has been a challenge.

Coho fishing is underway in the Clackamas although catches are spotty. Spinners or drifted, cured eggs are getting hits.

Northwest – Action at Buoy 10 finally skid to a halt following the coastal deluge over the weekend. Hatchery coho should remain available but limits seem unlikely until the later returning “B” run arrives in October.

Crabbing in the lower Columbia is good.

Tillamook Bay anglers continue to get rewarded with good chinook fishing. Soft tides had most guides focused on the lower bay and ocean but the ocean won’t be a good option if the offshore forecast comes to fruition.

Another large halibut nearing 70 pounds was taken near the green can just outside of Tillamook Bay on Tuesday. The nearshore season remains open.

Tillamook Bay fishing has only been fair with seaweed and eelgrass hampering success. Some wild coho are beginning to get caught with prospects improving later this month. Sturgeon are present in Tillamook Bay but until fresh water inundates the estuary, you’re likely to be feeding juvenile crab with your offerings.

Ocean crabbing is awesome but rough seas will keep most bar options closed. Bay crabbing is good in most estuaries with Tillamook offering up limits for those willing to put in their time.

Nehalem Bay fishing has been good with chinook and coho in the mix. Stronger tides over the weekend should produce better results in the upper bay for spinner and herring trollers. The bobber bite should also pick up.

The Nestucca, Salmon, Alsea and Siletz Rivers all produced fair to good results on the current tide series. Although a significant amount of rain fell over the weekend, river levels did not rise significantly in any of the coastal basins but it did get fish moving.

Southwest – Boats launching off the central Oregon coast have taken fairly easy limits of rockfish inside the 20-fathom line although lingcod have been off the bite. Ocean crabbing remains worthwhile and nearshore halibut remains open as of Tuesday this week. Albacore are an option whenever ocean conditions allow.

Winchester Bay has been good for chinook while the wild coho fishery which started the 15th has been spotty but will improve. North Umpqua steelheading is slow.

While chinook fishing has been fair in the lower Coquille with catches steady, Coos Bay has been somewhat better with hookups common over the past week.

Despite good numbers of chinook in Rogue Bay, fishing has been slow. It has been much better outside in the ocean when boats have been able to cross the bar. Chinook catches are also good below Grants Pass for plug-pullers and back-bouncers. The upper Rogue is a reliable fishery for anglers tempting steelhead with egg patterns fished below spawning chinook.

Salmon fishing is underway in the lower Chetco. Jacks are being caught as they are generally the first to arrive but adults are also coming over the gunwales.

Good news came in over the past week for halibut fishers south of Humbug Mountain with no early closure as rumored and halibut catches continuing through October.

Trout fishing was reported as slow over the past weekend at Diamond Lake although Greg Juber of McMinnville, Oregon caught the largest trout taken since ridding the lake of tui chub in 2006; a 26 1/2 inch rainbow weighing 7.10-pounds.

Eastern – Steelheading has been good on the Deschutes below Maupin. Trout fishing is fair to good at times with October Caddis amongst the hatches.

Trout catches have eclipsed those of bass at Davis Lake. Fishing is best when the wind is light.

Oregon fishing report

2011-09-10T09:08:00.001-07:00

Willamette Valley/Metro- Anchor fishing from Longview to Bonneville Dam is ramping up with wobbler anglers reporting good success, although inconsistent from 30 to 45 foot of water. Anglers must be cognizant of where they anchor as ship traffic has the right-of-way. The next two weeks should be peak fishing in the Portland to Longview stretch.

Bonneville counts are impressive now. It would be worth your time to take kids to the fish-viewing window just to see the magnitude of this run. Summer steelhead numbers are dropping but mid-river action, especially near the mouth of the Deschutes should continually be improving. Sturgeon retention in the Bonneville stretch won’t open for another month.

Fall chinook and coho are crossing Willamette Falls in modest number. Bass fishing is good on the Willamette and will only get better as fall approaches.

The McKenzie remains in decent shape thanks to a wet spring and good snow pack. Trout and steelhead are being caught.

Santiam flows should remain steady until fall rains. Fishing is slow on the North Santiam, fair on the South Santiam.

A few steelhead have been caught on the Clackamas. Remaining spring chinook are dark. Coho should start showing up in fair numbers this week but often are reluctant biters.

Jigs & spinners are taking the occasional steelhead on the murky Sandy River but overall it's slow. Coho will be the target here soon.

Northwest – Hatchery coho showed in force on the Washington side just above the Astoria Bridge on Labor Day. Although limits are not consistent, it is the best hatchery coho fishing of the season. Coinciding with this fishery, the Tongue Point chinook bite turned on the next day. Chinook limits were common on Tuesday and Wednesday with many jacks legally retained as well. This fishery closes after September 9th but will remain open above Warrior Rock near St. Helens and increase to a two chinook bag limit until further notice.

Ocean fishers out of the Columbia are still catching coho and chinook but river action is much better.

The all-salmon ocean fishery closed to wild and hatchery coho salmon last night. Higher than anticipated angler effort and very successful catch rates allowed anglers to attain the quota faster than what was modeled. The ocean will remain open to chinook salmon however and action should pick up near estuary mouths, particularly Tillamook Bay.

The Tillamook, Nestucca, Salmon River, Siletz River and Alsea River estuaries should all be good options for lower bay herring trolling this weekend. Estuary mouths can be a dangerous place to fish so be sure your safety equipment is in good working order. Soft tides this weekend should produce fair catches for this early in the season.

Tuna anglers are struggling to find consistent success but they are averaging large right now. Interest is waning with most enthusiasts already looking forward to next summer.

Ocean crabbing is picking up and should stay good with the extended recreational fishery lasting through mid-October.

Southwest – The ocean coho fishery which allows retention of either wild or hatchery fish, closed Wednesday night. This section of the ocean will remain open to chinook however.

Tuna fishing has been hit or miss off the central coast but decent for those who locate schools of albacore and use live bait or jigs. Keeping one fish hooked up at all times keeps the school of fish interested.

Crabbing is fair to good at Winchester Bay. Smallmouth catches are excellent on the South Umpqua while steelheading on the North Umpqua has been slow.

Chinook fishing was fair to good on Coos Bay over the Labor Day weekend with very heavy boat traffic.

Boats launching out of Port Orford have done well for albacore over the past week.

Charters out of Gold Beach have been doing well for bottom fish despite the 20-fathom depth restriction. Limits of rockfish were taken recently along with good catches of lingcod to 30 pounds or better. Offshore salmon fishing also improved over the past week. Trollers using anchovies have continued to take chinook in Rogue Bay. Wrapped Kwikfish are taking fair to good numbers of chinook on the middle Rogue. Steelheading is good on the upper Rogue, which is flies-only through October.

Eastern – With the waters of the Deschutes markedly cooler than the Columbia, summer steelhead are entering in good numbers now, creating a fishery described by some as the best in 20 years.

Green Peter is producing good catches of kokanee averaging 14 inches.

Paulina has been very slow while nearby East Lake is producing good numbers of smallish kokanee

Fishing has been slow at Crane Prairie over the past week.

Oregon fishing report

2011-09-03T06:37:00.001-07:00

Willamette Valley/Metro- Although inconsistent day to day, the wobbler fishery around Portland is underway. The best fishing is taking place from Portland to Longview with some hoglines consistently out-producing others. Veteran anglers expected better results on the current tide series but better action is likely to happen next week. Action is reported as good at the mouth of the Cowlitz.

The gorge is predictably slow for salmon, even though thousands are pouring over the dam daily. Summer steelhead counts are beginning to slow and so is the action. Larger, “B” run fish will begin to make a showing but warmer water temperatures keep these quality fish from biting on the mainstem.

Water temperatures at Willamette Falls is approaching 72 degrees. Fish upriver for bass which is good; trout success is only fair.

Trout fishing is worthwhile on the McKenzie with Caddis the primary hatch. Summer steelhead are available but most springers are dark.

Despite indications otherwise, North Santiam flows will increase starting September 1st. Salmon are due to spawn.

The Clackamas is low, clear and very slow for fishing. Coho may begin to show at the mouth and lower drifts although Clackamas coho are notoriously known for not biting all that well this far up the system.

A few steelhead are being taken from the milky waters of the Sandy where most chinook are past their prime. Coho should begin to show with the peak likely in early October. Returning numbers are not forecasted to be large however.

Northwest – Effort in the Buoy 10 fishery plummeted when chinook season closed on Sunday. Anglers are enjoying sparser effort but catches of hatchery coho are slim. Anglers are still tangling with fair numbers of chinook however, indicating more good fishing ahead for upriver anglers. Gail Aylor of Sisters, Oregon released an estimated 35-pounder in front of Hammond on Tuesday, the fish took a small spinner at 18 feet. Weaker tides should stimulate a good chinook bite above Tongue Point for the holiday weekend.

There are still coho available in the north of Cape Falcon ocean fishery but windy weather will keep most anglers in-river over the weekend. You’ll still have to weed through lots of wild fish to take a hatchery limit.

South of Cape Falcon, anglers will get to experience a rare opportunity beginning September 1st. Two salmon of any species, whether from a hatchery or of wild origin may be retained as long as it meets minimum length requirements. The short season begins on September 1st and lasts through September 10th or until a quota of 5,900 fish are retained. Seas are predicted to be rough so participation is likely to be low in the early part of the season.

Tillamook Bay saw its first chinook of the season last week as strong tides drew Trask and Tillamook River fish into the upper estuary. The weaker tide series will be more conducive to lower bay herring trolling. Coho are largely absent from the bay but a wild coho fishery on many coastal basins begins on September 15th. Check regulations carefully before participating in this fishery.

The Nehalem has been producing some chinook catches in open waters. Coho are oddly absent but should make a strong showing soon.

Southwest – Ocean coho fishing opens September 1st. During this non-selective opportunity, two fish may be kept, fin-clipped or not. Chinook may also be taken through September 30th.

Chinook fishing has improved for those trolling or mooching Winchester Bay. Typical of fall chinook, some days are better than others but fish over 30 pounds have been landed.

Rockfish and lingcod catches are good out of central Oregon ports. Tuna fishing remains worthwhile whenever offshore conditions allow. Ocean crabbing is excellent. Nearshore halibut remained open at this writing.

Tuna Charters out of Charleston have been doing well. Coos and Coquille chinook catches have been fair but steady. Action is expected to improve in the next couple of weeks.

Offshore bottom fishing has been very good out of Gold Beach. Fall chinook trolling in Rogue Bay has been hot or cold over the past week with best results coming late afternoons and evenings. Fortunately, it was good for the Sea Lion Patrol Salmon Derby on Saturday, August 27th. Chinook are moving upstream during cool, foggy mornings. Summer steelheading is good on the upper Rogue in higher-than-normal flows.

Mild offshore conditions over the last week allowed boats easy ocean access out of the Port of Brookings. Limits of rockfish were the rule, many limited on lingcod and several Pacific Halibut weighing 40 pounds or better were landed. Fair numbers of chinook have been landed with albacore taken further offshore.

Eastern – Steelheading has continued to improve on the lower Deschutes while hot weather has slowed trout results.

With trout moving into the channels, Crane Prairie results are improving.

East Lake is producing limits of kokanee with the fish starting to show signs of the upcoming spawning season.

Kokanee fishing is poor at Paulina.

SW Washington – The mouth of the Cowlitz is producing a mix of chinook, coho and a few steelhead. This will be a coveted hot-spot over the next several weeks as migrating chinook enjoy a cool reprieve from the warm waters of the mainstem. Wobblers and spinners will take the majority of the fish.

The Lewis does have some summer steelhead available but most anglers will wait for the late arriving coho.

Boat anglers at Drano Lake are still faring well for steelhead with chinook catches likely to improve in the coming days.

The mouth of the White Salmon River should also produce nicely for the next several weeks with chinook early and coho a bit later.

Oregon fishing report

2011-08-27T06:23:00.001-07:00

Willamette Valley/Metro- As is commonly the case, catch rates in the Portland area don’t reflect the large numbers of chinook passing Bonneville Dam. These earlier returning fish often don’t fall to anglers working the gorge area as they focus more on migration that feeding and aggressive behavior. Catch rates in the gorge should improve in late September.

Anchor anglers however are witnessing improving catches from Portland to Longview as excitement grows with angler success and the quality of fish being taken in this fishery. Half of the sport boats working this stretch saw action between salmon and steelhead catches. This fishery should really take off this week.

Smallmouth bass fishing remains productive on much of the Willamette above the falls.

Trout catches are as steady as the water conditions on the McKenzie although there are very few anglers on the river.

The North Santiam is stable with the water crystal clear and fishing slow. The remaining, mostly-dark spring Chinook are off-limits as of mid-August.

Steelheading is near-standstill on the Clackamas. Banks are lined with litter and beer cans from Barton to Carver due to the carelessness of the inflatable plastics crowd.

Although the sandy is roiled from glacial runoff, a few fish are being caught. Coho will likely begin to show in catchable numbers by mid-September.

Northwest – The Buoy 10 fishery busted wide open this week with great catches of chinook and some coho around the Astoria/Megler Bridge on both sides of the river. Barbara Trinkle and her family of 5 took a 6 chinook limit by noon on Tuesday, finishing up above Tongue Point where numerous salmon were falling on both the incoming and outgoing tides. The group took most of the fish on plug cut herring, fishing within 7 feet of the bottom in about 30-foot of water.

Chinook retention is slated to close after Sunday, August 28th with numbers reportedly coming in as modeled. Anglers can continue to retain chinook above Tongue Point however although this area fishes best on the smaller tide exchanges, like the current one we are now experiencing.

Coho catches have been sparse but numbers are building with the peak of the “A” run coho due in the next 2 weeks. October can also provide excellent catches; these later running fish are deemed the “B” run.

The ocean out of the Columbia will remain open to coho but will close to the retention of chinook effective Monday, August 29th. There isn’t much effort in the ocean with lower Columbia catches coming into full bloom. The weekend forecast offshore is calling for significant wind waves, further motivating anglers to stay inland.

Ocean crabbing should begin to pick up as males move closer to shore in preparation for fall feeding and spawning. They are still a bit light for meat recovery but that too should change next month.

Nehalem Bay anglers are finding fair success from Wheeler to Nehalem. Trolled herring are taking some fish and improving tides should bolster catches. Bobber tossers are starting to take fish above Nehalem.

The Nestucca and Tillamook districts should begin to see chinook staging this week with better catches occurring by mid-September. Both systems will have small quotas for wild coho this year but Tillamook Bay should see a fair return of hatchery coho as well.

Southwest – Offshore crabbing has resulted in excellent catches. Sorting of softshells is still required but dungeness are hardening. Bottom fishing has been fair to good for rockfish and lingcod. Coho salmon fishing resumes September 1st. Nearshore halibut fishing currently remains open.

Crabbing has been very good this week out of Waldport in Alsea Bay.

Boats fishing the bar at Winchester Bay are taking chinook but those trying should exercise caution in this hazardous area. Reedsport has started producing chinook to trollers. Fishing is fair to good for summer steelhead on the North Umpqua. Smallmouth bass fishing is good near Elkton and in the South Umpqua.

Chinook are being taken daily in Coos Bay while the chinook fishery is just starting to become productive in the lower Coquille.

As seas calmed and fog rolled in over the past week, albacore anglers found fish inside the 15-mile mark out of Gold Beach. Trollers in Rogue Bay have been averaging numerous chinook a day although the fishery is on one day, off the next with salmon moving upriver quickly.

Boats launching out of the Port of Brookings have made trips of 35 to 40 miles to find warm water and tuna but catches have been excellent. Rockfish catches have been excellent as well with lingcod results fair. Lingcod are being taken by jetty fishers in decent numbers.

Eastern – Summer steelhead are moving into the lower Deschutes in good number now with catches improving despite warm water. Early and late day results have been best.

At the Odell kokanee derby held over the past weekend, anglers made decent catches of fish averaging over 12 inches.

Jigging has been more effective than trolling at Paulina with kokanee schooled in good numbers.

Oregon Fishing Report

2011-08-13T07:52:00.001-07:00

Willamette Valley/Metro- Although not consistent every day, summer steelheading in the gorge remains excellent. Bank anglers witnessed an unprecedented ½ fish per rod average over the weekend with half of those fish needing to be released because of their wild origin. Boaters did well for steelhead too with the seasons first fall chinook showing in the catches. Steelhead will remain the main focus for another week but with the strong return of salmon in the forecast, fishing should pick up earlier than normal for the chinook fishery above Tongue Point.

With daily counts dwindling, roughly 44,000 spring Chinook and 21,000 summer steelhead are now upstream from Willamette Falls, the majority of which are in the tributaries. Lower river temperatures are approaching the mid-70s. Smallmouth bass fishing is good in the upper Willamette.

Water conditions remains good with the McKenzie stable. Trout fishing has been fair to good.

Steelhead are available in the North Santiam with best results early in the day around Mehama. Spinner fishers landed a few springers on the South Santiam over the past weekend.

First light steelheading has produced a few on the Clackamas recently. Try the upper river with bobber & jig.

Fishing has been very slow on the Sandy over the past week.

Northwest – Fishing on the lower Columbia is picking up for chinook. Coho catches remain light in the river but chinook anglers are targeting their quarry at the mouth of Young’s Bay. The Rogue River strain of chinook are plentiful right now, indicated by a modified left ventral clip. These are high quality fish raised in net-pens in Young’s Bay, primarily for the terminal gillnet fishery inside Young’s Bay. Action here should be strong through this week when mainstem fish make a stronger showing.

Although trolled herring are a staple on the lower river, the new size 8 Flash Glo spinner has been responsible for several chinook this week near Young’s Bay. Troll spinners about 30 inches behind a chartreuse fish flash in 19 to 22 foot of water for a good chance at a chinook.

Offshore salmon fishers out of the mouth of the Columbia are finding more consistent catches of chinook in close and coho in about 260 feet of water NW of the river entrance. Fishing should continue to pick up off of the mouth with both coho and chinook staging and feeding heavily over the next few weeks.

Although effort increased this week for offshore coho, catches remained subdued out of Garibaldi. The offshore fishery is slated to close after August 13th but will remain open to chinook. Nearly 60% of the coho quota is likely to remain underutilized although many of those fish are destined for the Columbia fishery.

Chinook catches remain fair in the Wheeler area on Nehalem Bay. Some chinook are being caught just outside of the jaws of the Nehalem although this is a dangerous place to fish. Fishing inside the estuary is likely to pick up later this month but you have to be knowledgeable of the changing regulations in this area.

Tillamook Bay is likely to see their first chinook closer to the end of the month. A stronger return is predicted from the last 2 years. Wild coho returns are expected to be higher as well.

Tuna remain far offshore but anglers willing to travel are taking fair numbers of fish. Trolling success will likely continue to wane as live bait and jigging become more popular this month. The weekend offshore forecast looks favorable for a run to the tuna grounds.

Southwest – A few chinook have been taken at the Winchester Bay jaws contingent upon ocean conditions. Bay crabbing has been slow to fair with sorting of softshells required. A few chinook have been caught at Reedsport but it's early for this fishery although the occasional fish has been caught in the lower mainstem. Steelheading remains good in the North Umpqua with smallmouth bass fishing only fair in the South Umpqua due to lower than normal water temperatures.

Charleston coho anglers experienced an improvement in catches offshore over the past week. Ocean crabbing has been fair although some are soft. Check regulations for upcoming closures.

Boats out of Gold Beach have been scoring limits of rockfish and lingcod when offshore conditions have allowed safe crossing. Trollers in Rogue Bay have done well on some days although chinook have been going off the bite periodically. Fall chinook are upriver in higher than normal water conditions with boaters using plugs to take them as high as Galice. Summer steelhead and half-pounder catches are improving in the lower river. While chinook fishing is over in the upper Rogue, summer steelheading has been good and should hold up for a while.

Ocean chinook fishing has picked up out of the Port of Brookings over the past week. As salmon appeared only a few miles offshore and offshore conditions moderated, the bite was actually good at times. Bottomfishers reaped offshore rewards of rockfish, lingcod and the occasional pacific halibut. Tropical ocean water temperatures have been far offshore, preventing recreational tuna fishers from pursuing them but that situation may soon change. Surf perch fishers have been taking limits casting from area beaches. The Chetco River is closed to all fishing above River Mile 2.2.

The blue-green algae advisory remains in place at Diamond Lake. Fishing has been worthwhile but trout should be skinned before cooking.

Eastern – Warm water in the lower Deschutes has kept summer steelhead numbers low although counts at Sherars Falls picked up a little in the first week of August. Trout fishing is best early and late in the day on the lower river.

Wallowa River fly fishers are doing well on nymphs for smaller fish during the day with large trout hitting attractor patterns in the evening. Wallowa Lake has been productive for stocked trout.

SW Washington – The Cowlitz, especially the lower reaches, is a fair option for summer steelhead.

Anglers should start to see chinook penetrating several district streams but regulations vary so study them carefully before venturing out.

Good steelhead counts at Bonneville should continue to fuel fisheries on the Klickitat River and Drano Lake. Action should stay favorable until fall chinook arrive in the coming weeks.

Oregon fishing report

2011-08-07T06:55:00.000-07:00

Willamette Valley/Metro- Steelheaders working the river below Bonneville continue to produce great catches of summer steelhead with more hatchery keepers in the mix this week. Boaters continue to do the best but bank anglers held their own in what is usually past the peak season. With passage behind schedule, action should remain good through the month of August is water temperatures don’t warm much more. Anglers are now allowed to retain chinook whether they are fin-clipped or not. The limit is one chinook per day. Regulations vary by section so check carefully.

Sturgeon fishing from Buoy 10 to Bonneville Dam is now closed to retention but remains open for catch and release opportunity. The popular fall fishery from Wauna Powerlines to Bonneville Dam will reopen in early October with fair fishing expected when water temperatures cool again.

Chinook passage was good as steelhead numbers continued to wane on the last week of July at Willamette Falls. Water temperatures in the lower river have topped 70 degrees.

Summer steelhead fishing has been fair to good on the McKenzie River. Trout fishing has also been producing good catches. The McKenzie rose from 3.65 feet to over 5 feet and from 970 cfs to about 2,800 cfs below Leaburg Dam in a matter of a few hours on Monday night. Power canal work was being performed.

North Santiam levels have dropped. Steelhead are available while chinook are showing some color.

Previous weeks on the Clackamas were producing fair results for lower river anglers but warmer temperatures and rafting traffic has slowed the bite. Action will remain best in the early morning hours with fish distributed well into McIver Park.

Chinook have been hooked over the past week above Cedar Creek on the Sandy River but steelhead will remain the focus for most through this month. Just an average run of coho is expected later in the fall.

Northwest – The Buoy 10 opener was less than impressive but the best tide was later in the day when most anglers had folded up their effort. Success rates will likely remain subdued this week. Gillnets are scheduled to fish for 9 hours beginning August 4th at 9:00 p.m. It is the only scheduled opener for the river downstream of the Kalama this summer.

Catch and keep sturgeon fishing is now closed but anglers experienced one of the best years in recent memory. Quality sized keepers fell in good numbers for the whole month of July.

Offshore anglers are just now getting back to work after a long week of onshore flow, keeping the ocean lumpy. Coho success remains low with not even a third of the quota taken. The fishery will last through the 13th of August, even though anglers will fall far short of the 15,000 allowable catch. The first non-selective ocean coho season in nearly 2 decades will occur in early September; details to follow.

Rough weather and shifting temperatures disappointed albacore anglers for much of the week. Improving conditions should excite tuna chasers once again but anglers will still have to expect a long run west to run into qualifying temperatures. Live bait becomes more popular this time of year but fish should still respond to trolled clones and cedar plugs. Some larger fish should begin to show in the catches.

Although effort remains light, some chinook are starting to show in the Nehalem system. Anglers will still have to know the detailed regulations and softer tides this week may stall the bite at Wheeler or Nehalem. Fall regulations for chinook and coho are relaxed from last year however.

District rivers remain low and clear, challenging steelheaders on the Wilson and Nestucca Rivers. Trout fishing should be a strong option in the estuaries and tidewater sections of most north coast watersheds with tides playing a critical role in the lower reaches and early mornings producing the best results higher up.

Southwest – Coho catches off the central Oregon coast were warm one day, cold the next over the past week. Bottom fishing inside the 20-fathom line was also spotty. Boats are landing fair to good numbers of albacore. All-depth halibut re-opens August 5th and 6th.

Chinook catches near the bar at Winchester Bay have been good at times with some days producing multiple hookups. Crabbing is slow to fair in the bay. Smallmouth bass fishing is good in the South Umpqua. Summer steelhead catches are fair to good in the North Umpqua.

Charter boats out of Charleston have seen an improvement in coho hookups and success with albacore when offshore conditions have allowed.

Surf perch fishing from south coast beaches has been very good with many anglers bagging 15-fish limits.

Offshore trips out of Gold Beach were rare over much of the past week, with high offshore winds preventing boats from crossing to the ocean. Local reports indicate chinook starting to stack up in Rogue Bay which means the troll fishery should improving soon. Chinook catches are gradually improving in the middle river. The upper Rogue is closed to chinook above Dodge Bridge where anglers continue to do well for summer steelhead.

Tuna are about a 30-mile trip out of Brookings, but ocean conditions have prevented boats from trying recently. Crabbing from the public pier in the harbor has been excellent.

Eastern – Steelhead and chinook passage has been slow but steady on the Deschutes according to counts at Sherars Falls.

Green Peter is producing fair to good catches of mixed-size kokanee.

Although slowing, the Wallowa River closes after August 7th for spring chinook.

John Day smallmouth fishing is excellent for sheer quantity. River flows are around 1600 cfs with the river remaining most navigable above 1000 cfs.

SW Washington – The Cowlitz remains the best option for tributary anglers below Bonneville Dam with the Lewis and Kalama Rivers still down in returning hatchery adults. The Washougal River is a rare bright spot in the district.

Drano Lake and the Klickitat River fisheries should be going full speed right now. Passage at Bonneville is peaking, fueling good opportunity for these summer favorites.

Oregon Fishing Report

2011-07-29T06:17:00.001-07:00

Willamette Valley/Metro- Columbia River Gorge anglers lit up the summer steelhead over the weekend with some boats reporting double digit opportunities. On average, boaters working the swift water took a whopping 2.4 steelhead per boat with the bulk of those fish of wild origin. The action is good but be prepared to release fish; only steelhead and adipose fin-clipped chinook jacks may be retained through August 1st.

August 1st marks the opener of the mainstem for chinook with or without an adipose fin-clip. Although action won’t heat up for several more weeks, steelheaders that incidentally hook an adult chinook will be allowed to retain it. Steelhead action, particularly in the gorge, is likely to remain excellent as peak passage at Bonneville is still to come.

Chinook and steelhead numbers at Willamette Falls have moderated to a little over 100 per day for each species. Over 41,000 springers and about 20,000 summers have been counted this season. Fly fishers are doing well on the Middle Fork for trout and steelhead.

The entire McKenzie River is in excellent shape and fishing well. Results are best on days with cloud cover or early and late when it's sunny.

The North Santiam is expected to show a marked improvement in steelhead results in late July and early August.

Clackamas anglers are taking a few summers with first light fishing most productive.

A few steelhead and springers are being hooked at first light on the Sandy. The upper reaches between Dodge Park and Cedar Creek are producing the best for anglers using small baits or spinners.

Northwest – Boaters taking advantage of calm seas out of Garibaldi are coming up empty in pursuit of coho. Action was good several days ago but quickly dropped off when water temperatures cooled. Clear, blue water in the mid-50’s exists offshore but seems barren of life. Offshore crabbing is productive however although many of the large keepers are only half full.

Tuna action was good several days ago too but the temperature shift has them far offshore. Some anglers are reporting going as far west as 70 miles to find consistent fishing. Temperature fingers are always changing however so don’t expect that run to be a staple in the coming weeks. We’re entering the prime albacore season.

Salmon boats out of Astoria are finding the same results. Action is slow although a few fish are available to the north of the mouth of the Columbia. Reports of excellent catches Columbia River bound chinook off of Vancouver Island indicate the huge Columbia run is likely to come to fruition.

Sturgeon fishing remains open in the lower Columbia below Wauna through Sunday. After that, catch and release is still an option and action should continue to be good. Quality keepers are still falling to sand shrimp in the Taylor Sands area but softer tides may produce better results in the deeper water.

The famed Buoy 10 fishery will open on August 1st and although there likely won’t be many coho around, anglers targeting chinook near the mouth of Young’s Bay should catch a few Rogue River strain chinook destined for the terminal fishery just upstream. Trolled herring took fair numbers on the opener last year. This fishery likely won’t get more consistent for another few weeks. Crabbing remains slow in the lower river.

Southwest – Boats launching out of central Oregon ports are reporting an improvement in coho catches but wild fish predominate. Bottom fishing has produced good catches of rockfish and a few lings even with the recent 20-fathom restriction.

Ocean beaches are providing good results for surf perch, particularly near the mouths of coastal rivers.

Fishing for chinook and coho out of Winchester Bay has remained very slow but is due to improve in the next few weeks. Summer steelheading is worthwhile on the North Umpqua while smallmouth bass anglers are enjoying an increase in catches on the South Umpqua as the water drops and warms.

Ocean trips out of Gold Beach have been productive for rockfish and lingcod. The lower Rogue produced limits of chinook in the middle of last week; water temperatures were cool. As the water warmed, action shut down on the river and boats were again fishing the bay. Upper Rogue anglers are catching a mix of springers and summer steelhead.

Albacore anglers have taken fish inside 20 miles of shore out of the Port of Brookings over the past week. Some good-sized halibut have also been landed as these fish may be taken south of Humbug Mountain through October.

Chinook catches are improving offshore. Sea-run cutthroat catches have been good in Chetco River tidewater for those drifting bait.

Eastern – Few summer steelhead are being taken on the lower Deschutes but with the water temperatures high, early and late day fishing will yield the best results. Trout anglers are doing well matching the caddis hatch. Upper Deschutes fly fishers are doing well using duns, caddis patterns and terrestrials.

Good catches of chinook over the past weekend caused an abrupt July 23rd closure of the fishery on the Imnaha.

The Wallowa River will remain open for chinook until further notice. Fishing for rainbows and bull trout has been quite good here.

Oregon fishing update

2011-07-24T07:57:00.001-07:00

The Guide's Forecast - volume 13 issue number 29
Northwest Oregon and Washington’s most complete and accurate fishing forecast

Forecasting for the fishing week of July 22st – July 28th, 2011

Willamette Valley/Metro- With the summer chinook closure earlier this week, anglers will again focus on summer steelhead which should be abundant in the mainstem Columbia. Boaters usually do very well this time of year in the gorge but continued high water may delay the action up there. Metro area beaches, such as those on Sauvie’s Island, should provide a fair opportunity for bank anglers using spin-n-glos that are heavily scented. Chinook season will re-open on August 1st but won’t get good again in the metro area until late August.

Daily fish passage at Willamette Falls dropped off a little at mid-month. The shad run, disappointing for many, seems to be over. Trout fishing has been good on the Middle Fork Willamette.

McKenzie anglers are catching rainbows and native cutthroat. A few bright summer steelhead were taken over the past weekend. Flow increased with precipitation on Tuesday of this week.

Fish are being seen on the North Santiam below Fishermen's Bend but few are biting. A few summers have been landed upstream to Packsaddle.

A few steelhead have been caught at McIver, but overall it's been very slow on the Clackamas.

The Cedar Creek area on the Sandy is producing a few summer runs but it has been crowded.

Northwest – With momentum gaining for albacore tuna fishing, focus has quickly shifted from salmon to “long-fins” out of most northern ports. Action for coho is reported as fair NW of the Tillamook Bay entrance but calm seas have had anglers more motivated to travel further west in pursuit of bigger quarry. Garibaldi, Pacific City and Depoe Bay remain the 3 most productive ports on the Oregon Coast for coho salmon although wild fish dominate the catches.

Tuna anglers were having success just outside of 20 miles to the west. However, warm water pockets change almost daily so anglers interested in learning how to successfully target this species should get to know how to read sea surface temperatures at www.terrafin.com. Trollers are doing best using bright colored clones but jigging should pick up later in the season.

Sturgeon fishing remains good on the lower Columbia with numerous oversize fish in the catch. Keepers remain focused on sand shrimp for bait with Taylor Sands and the water above Tongue Point producing good catches. The better bite has been on the incoming tide.

Tides become less favorable for beach plunkers looking for summer steelhead. Fortunately, with the high summer flow, action should stay fair for those working hot colored spin-n-glos in the outgoing tide. Jones Beach near Westport to Rainier should produce well.

River fishers on the north coast should be focusing on sea-run cutthroat trout in the lower reaches of most watersheds. Action should peak in the next several weeks with small spoons or lake trolls tipped with worms. Regulations vary by watershed so check them carefully before venturing out.

Chinook are rumored in the Nestucca tidewater. Chinook fishing in Nehalem Bay has been predictably poor. Other district streams are very low and clear, creating challenging conditions for those targeting coastal summer steelhead.

Southwest – Ocean-bound boaters out of Winchester Bay found albacore over the past weekend at just over 25 miles to catch all they could carry back to port. Very few coho have been taken outside of Winchester and crabbing is slow. Steelheading is worthwhile in the North Umpqua while smallmouth bass fishing has turned on in the South Umpqua.

Tuna fishers out of Charleston enjoyed good fishing last weekend with most boats landing good numbers.

Offshore bottom fishing has been hot or cold one day to the next out of Gold beach with easy limits one day and only a few opportunities the next. Ocean crabbing has been fair but steady. Salmon fishing in Rogue Bay fell off over the past week as chinook catches picked up in the lower river due to good flows of cool water, a non-typical event in July. Fishing is poor in the middle river but the upper Rogue has continued to put out springers and summer steelhead.

While central and northern Oregon ports have been bagging albacore for weeks, boats launching from the south have had to cover a lot of water to find tuna. Over the past week, however, warm, blue water moved nearer to shore, enabling recreational craft to make good catches out of Brookings fewer than 20 miles out. Mild offshore conditions contributed to boater success although didn't help chinook and coho fishing which has been poor.

Eastern – Steelheading remains slow on the lower Deschutes with numbers of summers in the river still low. Trout fishing is good as water levels drop.

Fishing is fair on the Wallowa River with the water level starting to drop. Wallowa Lake has been fishing well.

Water remains high on the Grande Ronde hampering results which would otherwise be decent at this time of year.

Surf perch fishing has been excellent at river mouths, particularly the Winchuck and Elk.

Oregon fishing report

2011-06-11T07:54:00.001-07:00

Willamette Valley/Metro- Saturday and Sunday, June 11-12 is Free Fishing Weekend. No licenses or harvest cards are required which creates an excellent opportunity to show a friend, neighbor or youngster the outdoor opportunities existing in Oregon.

Anglers below Bonneville Dam continue to struggle finding willing salmon or steelhead to take gear. Bank angling holds some of the best opportunities but with persistent high water, fish are hard to target. The river is forecast to remain high through mid-month. Jack counts are on track to break the historical record meaning a productive 2012 is likely.

Lower Willamette flow is moderating slightly. About 20,000 springers and 9,000 summer steelhead have crossed the falls. Spring chinook fishing is slow in the Oregon City area but persistence will provide one or two chances per day. The Multnomah Channel and the lower Portland Harbor are booting out great catches of late run chinook however. Trolled spinners and herring are working well. Shad are in at Oregon City but catches should improve when water temperatures climb.

Following fluctuations in flow this week, the McKenzie should settle down and fish well in the coming weekend.

Santiam water levels remain high although spring chinook are being caught below Waterloo.

With water flow moderating slightly this week, steelheading is fair on the Clackamas with spring prospects improving.

Results are slow to fair on the Sandy although persistent anglers are taking a few. Try drifting eggs and yarn for springers.

Northwest – Tillamook spring chinook are in full blossom with good catches coming from the upper bay on the current strong tide series. Boaters are taking good numbers of salmon averaging 16 to 22 pounds on herring and spinners from Memaloose Boat Ramp to the corral in the middle of the bay. Herring trollers working the lower bay were taking some fish but the upper bay has been the most productive.

Participants in the 9th annual Bounty on the Bay tallied 18 spring chinook on Saturday. The largest fish weighed in was 25 pounds. Some anglers sought salmon in the bubble with limited results. Sharon Harmon of Portland tallied a sand dab for several hours of effort offshore in calm seas.

Local rivers remain low with weather forecasts unlikely to help matters. Driftboaters working the lower stretches should find an occasional fish but early mornings are likely to produce the best results are these fish will be spooked. Tidewater anglers should fare well in the coming weeks using bobbers and a shrimp/egg combination.

Another minus tide series will hit beginning Sunday. Razor clam digging in the ocean surf and bay clamming in Tillamook and Netarts should be excellent through the weekend.

Offshore fishing for bottomfish and halibut should be good if the forecast rings true.

Southwest – Offshore salmon fishing has been only fair but catches are expected to improve as the summer months near. Ocean conditions are predicted to be friendly this week.

South coast beaches are providing limits of pinkfin and striped surf perch with a variety of baits appealing to these fish.

Only 28% of the spring quota has been harvested following all-depth efforts through May 26-28 with results from the past weekend not yet available. Sufficient poundage remains in the quota to allow the next scheduled opening will be the 9th, 10th and 11th of June. Catches should be good with calming seas in the forecast.

Crabbing has been spotty in Winchester Bay but will improve with moderating precipitation. Umpqua water levels are dropping this week which should create excellent opportunity for the prolific shad which are in the mainstem now. North Umpqua anglers are making fair to good catches of spring chinook.

Prospects on the lower Rogue are looking up as the water level is forecast to be dropping over the coming week and non-hatchery chinook nay now be retained. A 49-pound native springer was recently taken near Gold Beach. Wrapped Kwikfish are taking a few springers on the middle river. Upper Rogue fishers have continued to enjoy decent results for chinook.

Bottom fishing out of the Port of Brookings has been excellent with limits of rockfish and, when ocean conditions allow access to the reef, limits of large lingcod. Last weekend's all-depth halibut effort yielded good catches. Chinook fishing is fair within five miles of shore. Sea-run cutthroat fishing is good on the Chetco.

Free of ice and with weather moderating, Diamond Lake, where a lucky angler recently bagged an eight pound rainbow, is an appealing destination this coming weekend.

Eastern – Redsides are dining on big bugs with the Salmonflies hatching in force on the entire length of the lower Deschutes. The river is still a little high but is in great color and fishing well, particularly at the edges where insects drop off brush.

The Umatilla River may provide some spring chinook action in the coming weeks. Flows are forecast to drop well past the weekend.

Oregon fishing report

2011-06-04T06:25:00.001-07:00

Willamette Valley/Metro- Unprecedented flows are keeping salmon and steelhead from effectively being harvested. Beaches would be most productive but it’s hard to find a beach to fish on. Flows are expected to remain high through the week so fishing will remain challenging despite the current liberal opportunities. Jack counts continue to show promise for next years adult return.

Sturgeon effort is spread throughout the lower Columbia although the bulk of the effort is taking place downstream of the Wauna Powerlines near Westport, Oregon. Catches remain light but anglers targeting keepers in the extreme deep water are pulling in a few keepers. Success should improve when flows drop and temperatures warm.

Spring chinook and summer steelhead are crossing Willamette Falls in good number, providing opportunities for upstream mainstem and tributary anglers. Flows are up a little on the lower Willamette this week but water temperatures remain good. Catches in the Multnomah Channel were good early in the week. With the high spring flows, the bulk of the run has yet to pass upriver, giving anglers an unusual late season opportunity in the lower river. Action could stay good through the month of June.

The Clackamas and Sandy are improving for spring chinook but flows remain high so target soft water where calorie conscious adults will hold between runs upriver. Bait is the most effective tool under these conditions with eggs and shrimp likely to produce the best results. Don’t overlook steelhead type water for chinook in these flows. Summer run steelhead should also make a significant show in the coming two weeks.

Levels have dropped this week on the McKenzie River with water temperatures in the mid-40s. Hatches are ongoing with the coming weekend looking worthwhile.

Water levels on the Santiams are high and will remain that way for a while. The South Santiam has produced springers and summer steelhead but it's spotty.

Northwest – Success rates uncharacteristically dropped off in Tillamook Bay this weekend. The soft tide series drew excited anglers to the lower bay to troll herring along the jetty. Results were spotty at best with the most consistent action at Lyster’s Corner at the upper most end of the north jetty. The Ghost Hole and Coast Guard Station in the lower estuary also booted out fair catches over the weekend near high tide.

Unlock the secrets of preparing your herring and fishing them on Tillamook Bay by signing up for the Friday night “how-to” seminar by local pro guide John Kirby. Kirby spills his information at the 8th annual Bounty on the Bay fundraiser benefiting the Tillamook Estuaries Partnership this weekend. Go to www.tbnep.org for more info.

This weekend on Tillamook Bay, anglers are likely to utilize the incredible minus tide series by working upper Tillamook Bay as another wave of Trask River bound salmon are due to hit the system. Returns have been so bountiful this season that the hatchery hole on the upper Trask will remain open through June 30th instead of the typical closure date of May 31st.

Spring chinook and steelhead have been caught on the Wilson River recently. The recent rise in river level should have ample fish in most north coast systems. The Nestucca and Three Rivers should also fare well in the coming week.

More rough seas in the forecast for the weekend, keeping offshore anglers from recreating. Crabbing improved slightly this week but limits are unlikely no matter what grade of bait you’re using.

Razor clam digging should be good north of Tillamook Head in the early morning hours. Good tides will last into the weekend.

Southwest – Predictions for ocean conditions during the coming weekend look good for offshore launches in this district. Ocean salmon trolling has been fair but will be picking up. Catches of various colorful rockfish and lingcod are expected to be good. All-depth halibut will open again June 2nd through 4th provided the spring quota has not filled.

Crabbing has been improving in Winchester Bay as Umpqua flows moderate. There's still plenty of water in the river, although the North Umpqua is producing fair to good catches of spring chinook.

Tidewater stretches of the Coquille have been producing fair catches of striped bass early and late in the day.

Boats launching out of Gold Beach for bottom fish have made good catches of rockfish along with fair to good catches of lingcod. Ocean chinook anglers have been taking fish daily on anchovies and rotary flashers. Salmon will be easier to target as they start to school in the coming weeks. Chinook fishing is poor on the lower Rogue, fair on the middle river with upper Rogue results best.

Brookings launches have resulted in spotty ocean chinook catches five to seven miles out. Bottom fishing results have remained solid. Forecasts for offshore launches look quite positive late this week.

The weather was cold with blowing snow over the Memorial Weekend at Diamond Lake. Chunky trout were caught steadily, however, with bait, lures and flies all effective.

Eastern – Golden Stones and Salmonflies are evident below Warm Springs on the lower Deschutes and seem to be winding down around Maupin. Redsides are keyed on the big bugs and fishing is good but this is a limited-time opportunity.

Hatchery chinook may now be kept from the Imnaha and Wallowa rivers although district rivers remain high and challenging to fish.

Oregon fishing report

2011-05-27T06:21:00.001-07:00

Willamette Valley/Metro- Although the Columbia remains open for opportunity, passage numbers have plummeted in the recent week. Catch rates downriver indicate low numbers still to come but jack counts seem very strong in creel census data however. An occasional steelhead is showing up for bank anglers between Portland and Longview.

Beginning Friday, fishery managers will extend the deadline from Beacon Rock to Bonneville Dam in a decision on Wednesday. This section of river hasn’t been open for years, indicating the level of confidence that fishery managers have that catch rates will remain low enough not to jeopardize impact rates or catch sharing agreements. Fishing will remain challenging in the high flows and use extra caution when anchoring in this area.

A few sturgeon, including oversize, are starting to show in the below Marker 82 fishery. Shad, the primary bait for oversize anglers are starting to trickle over Bonneville Dam so bait collection isn’t easy. The oversize fishery should peak in the coming weeks but effort has faded over the years.

Over 14,000 spring chinook have been counted at Willamette Falls along with roughly 5,500 summer steelhead. Water color and temperature are good in the lower river although high spring flows have fish off the bite. Chinook are being taken daily in the Oregon City area but results aren’t consistent day to day. With the high flows we’re experiencing this year and the fact that only a fraction of the adult salmon have migrated over the falls, fishing should remain good in Oregon City, especially when flows begin to subside.

Expect higher-than normal flows on the McKenzie but trout and steelhead are available to those willing to adapt.

South Santiam plunkers have taken a few spring chinook in high water conditions. Action should build as Willamette Falls passage increases.

Springers are in the lower Clackamas but so are the sea lions. Summer steelhead are scattered.

A few summer steelhead have been taken on the Sandy with the color remaining good. Springer fishing is slow.

Northwest – Spring chinook have shown in strong numbers on Tillamook Bay. It’s clearly going to be a good run as Tillamook chinook often mimics the Willamette run. Avid angler Pat Vining of Bay City hooked 18 fish in the last 6 days, landing 13 fish for take-home. Spinners and plugs took the bulk of upper bay fish this week.

Upcoming tides dictate lower bay fishing, using herring along the jetty. The soft tides keep adults from migrating into the upper reaches of Tillamook Bay. Bar crossings would be friendly but ocean forecasts are calling for significant wind chop, likely keeping the offshore fleet inshore.

Halibut fishing would likely be productive but the weather forecast makes it appear as if it wouldn’t be fun. To boot, the grade of fish this season has been on the small side. There will be other opportunity into June.

Bay crabbing remains challenging but an overnight soak if the ocean comes down should produce a few quality crab.

Rivers remain low but are forecast to rise this week with the shower activity predicted. Spring chinook and summer steelhead should make their way into the Trask and Wilson Rivers. The Nestucca and Three Rivers should also see a fair bump of salmon this week.

Southwest – All-depth halibut will be open Thursday through Saturday, May 26 through 28 with the next three-day opener starting on June 2nd.

Rough offshore conditions have prevented effort for ocean crab for much of the spring season. Ocean forecasts for the Memorial Day weekend look discouraging.

Crabbing has been fair in Winchester Bay but will slow with the next freshet. Bay chinook fishing is slow. Flows are high but improving on the mainstem Umpqua although another rise is predicted by the weekend. Shad fishing will be good when the water level drops.

Tidewater Coquille anglers are making fair to good catches of striped bass early and late in the day.

Boats launching out of Gold Beach have experienced fair but steady catches of bottom fish and ling cod.

Ocean chinook fishing has been worthwhile but spotty. Lower Rogue springer fishing has been slow with only a few taken daily. Results are slow to spotty for chinook on the middle river. All the action is on the upper Rogue and is likely to remain so. Flows are predicted to be higher and cooler through summer this year, which will require a change of tactics for anglers on the Rogue.

Ocean salmon fishing has been producing fair catches out of the Port of Brookings where the season opened over the past weekend.

Diamond Lake anglers have been able to get out by launching at the north ramp and slogging through slushy snow. Fish are biting light but catches have been fair to good.

Eastern – Salmonflies are hatching on the lower Deschutes below Mecca where the water is high but the color is good. With Golden Stones and Salmonflies hatching in the middle Deschutes, fly fishing has been good.

Crane Prairie has been producing large trout to fly anglers using leach patterns in the Rock Creek area.

Davis Lake has slowed for bass fishing although trout catches are good.

SW Washington – The Cowlitz remains the bright spot in the district with spring chinook and an occasional steelhead being taken in the upper reaches. Like the mainstem Columbia, jacks counts remain high indicating better years ahead.

The Kalama and Lewis are not drawing a lot of interest from anglers. Hatchery returns have been much lower than expected but with high flows, the run may be late, such is the case on the Columbia. Summer steelhead should begin to make a stronger showing.

Drano Lake and Wind River fisheries are waning, with the adult salmon counts at Bonneville Dam. Fishing in the upper reaches has been good for bank anglers.

Numerous regulation changes happen in this district in early June. Be sure to check regulations before heading out.

Oregon fishing report

2011-05-21T05:50:00.001-07:00

Willamette Valley/Metro- Although sport anglers are appreciative for the extended opportunity on the mainstem Columbia, flows are very high, keeping fish on the move and not motivated to bite. Bank anglers working the Rainier stretch were picking up fair numbers of salmon and steelhead in the higher flows. Boat angling will remain challenging.

Adults continue to cross Bonneville Dam in good numbers but jack counts look very promising for next years adult returns. A few shad are beginning to cross the facility as well.

Spring chinook are crossing Willamette Falls by the hundreds every day. Summer steelhead counts remain good. Spring chinook catches on the lower river have been well worth the trip. Despite high water, Oregon City anglers continue to fare well using smaller clusters of eggs and plugs along the shoreline, where flows aren’t as strong.

McKenzie fly anglers have been doing well for cutthroat and redsides. Nymphs and attractor patterns are most effective in water that's higher than seasonal average and likely to stay that way for a while.

The entire Santiam system remains too high to fish well although summer steelhead are available with better odds on the South Santiam which is forecast to be dropping. Watch out for a log jam at the confluence.

Fish low on the Clackamas for the best chance of hooking a chinook or steelhead. Sea lions have been eating springers as far upriver as High Rocks.

Anglers on the Sandy are catching a few summer steelhead and spring chinook but it's been slow. Although only a fair run is in the forecast, peak season is upon us.

Northwest – Spring chinook catches are beginning to improve on Tillamook Bay. Anglers working the jetty late last week took fair numbers of quality fish. This week, effort is switching to the upper bay where anglers are taking a few fish on spinners or herring. Chinook have entered the lower Trask.

Low flows will continue to keep springers low in the system on both the Wilson and Trask Rivers but bobber and bait casters should encounter some opportunities. Some summer steelhead should be available on the Wilson and Nestucca Rivers but stealthy tactics will have to be employed.

Some sturgeon remain in Tillamook Bay and may provide fair catches into early June. Anglers however will be focusing mainly on salmon in the coming weeks.

Ocean conditions allowed for good halibut catches on last weeks all-depth opener. Halibut season is closed this week but will resume for 3 days beginning May 26th. Fishing should remain excellent.

Bar crossings will be dangerous this weekend but the ocean may be in fair condition to target bottomfish. Crabbing is fair at best with an overnight soak producing the best results.

Razor clam digging is excellent along the north coast although tides will peak out before the weekend hits. Fair digging should last through the weekend however.

Sturgeon fishing on the lower Columbia is predictably slow with the high, cold run-off from upriver tributaries. Action will likely remain slow into mid-June.

Southwest – Ocean chinook fishing has been slow to spotty with bottom fishing producing good numbers of rockfish and lingcod. Halibut fishing is open within 240 feet with the next all-depth opportunity taking place Thursday through Saturday, May 26-28.

Crabbing is only fair in Winchester Bay due to freshwater runoff. Striped bass action is fair, sturgeon catches are slow. A few chinook have been taken in the estuary. Spring chinook fishing has been good on the Umpqua mainstem with catches improving on the North Umpqua. South Umpqua fishing will reopen with trout season.

A few striped bass are being taken in Coos Bay and in tidewater on the Coquille with best catches at first and last light or overnight.

Boats launching out of Port Orford for all-depth halibut on May 12-14 did well although offshore conditions were challenging on the 13th. Most charters and many recreational boats took limits with some fish 50 pounds or better.

Spring chinook fishing is slowing on the lower Rogue. Anchor fishing migration lanes with wrapped plugs has been most productive on the middle river. Catches of springers are fair to good on the upper Rogue as chinook push upstream. Wild steelhead and salmon must be released river-wide.

Bottom-fishers launching out of the Port of Brookings have enjoyed excellent results for a variety of rockfish and lingcod along with good catches of dungeness. Ocean chinook season opened south of Humbug Mountain on Saturday, May 14. Fishing for surfperch is good on south coast beaches. Fishing is closed in the Chetco River.

Eastern – Action for redsides keying on large salmon flies is just starting on the lower Deschutes. Nymphing has been most effective with occasional action on dries. River flows are swelling in the spring run-off, which will further compromise river conditions.

The Umatilla River has fishable numbers of spring chinook but river flows remain too high for productive fishing. As flows drop, catches will improve.

Oregon fishing report

2011-05-14T06:46:00.001-07:00

Willamette Valley/Metro- Fishery managers continue to look at good passage rates over Bonneville. Of particular interest is the jack count. Court ordered spill in recent years has drastically improved survival rates, which will translate into excellent opportunity next season. Managers will likely meet later this week to discuss options for a re-opener downstream of Bonneville Dam.

The water has remained clear and is warming in the lower Willamette with the flow fairly stable. Chinook fishing slowed this week but should improve with stronger tides. Over 2,000 springers crossed at Willamette Falls on May 5th. Anglers working the Oregon City area cite the importance of sizing down baits for willing springers. Shrimp and egg combinations are working the best but keep the size of your egg clusters to 10 to 15 berries. The Middle Fork is fishing well for trout.

McKenzie fly anglers are enjoying good fishing for trout with the water cold but stable and a variety of dries and nymphs effective. Look for stoneflies starting to hatch. A few summer steelhead are being taken.

Steelheading is slow on the Clackamas although there are a few springers in the lower river. The spring chinook run should peak later this year as high, cold water will influence success for the next few weeks. Fishing could remain good into July this season.

Sandy fishing remains slow. Steelhead remain the primary focus. Only a few summers are around with an occasional late winter run being taken. Fly fishers interested in two-handed casting will want to check out the Spey Class at Oxbow Park Friday through Sunday this week.

Summer steelhead fishing has been fair on the South Santiam.

Northwest – Effort has all but disappeared for steelhead on the north coast. Some summer run fish should be nosing into the Wilson and Nestucca Rivers.

Spring chinook have been caught in the upper bay and Trask tidewater. The fishing will only improve from here with favorable tides beginning around the 15th for upper bay trollers. This should be the first good push of springers on Tillamook Bay although the better fishing is likely to happen later in the month.

River levels are dropping which should aid estuary anglers. A small bump in river levels is in the forecast just after the weekend which could provide a rare opportunity for driftboaters on the Trask and Wilson Rivers for spring chinook and a rare summer steelhead.

There should still be some sturgeon available in Tillamook Bay with the upcoming minus tide series. Keepers should be available for those soaking shrimp in the upper and middle estuary.

Ocean enthusiasts may have a welcome opportunity this weekend with swell forecasts tolerable for those seeking bottomfish, offshore chinook, crab and halibut. With the limited opportunity that has presented itself this season, action should be great.

The all-depth fishery for halibut opens up today through Saturday and action should be excellent for those willing to make a run. The hot spot out of Garibaldi is about 24 miles NW of the jetty tips.

Southwest – Bottom fishing has been worthwhile off the central Oregon coast with near-limits the rule for rockfish along with a few lingcod. Halibut may be taken seven days a week inside the 40-fathom line with all-depth fishing opening Thursday through Saturday this week.

Crabbing has produced only fair results in Winchester Bay. Spring chinook catches have picked up on the Umpqua mainstem. North Umpqua steelheading is fair while the South Umpqua remains closed.

Little effort for ocean chinook has taken place out of Charleston. Crabbing has been fair with best results in the lower bay.

Boats crossing the bar out of Gold Beach have experienced good fishing for rockfish and fair to good ling catches when offshore wind has allowed access. Ocean salmon fishing was a bust for the most part over the past week. Spring chinook are being hooked daily on the lower Rogue although more wild fish are showing up in catches. Results have slowed as the water clears. Fishing for springers has been fair on the middle river. Upper Rogue steelheaders are catching a fair to good number of fish with many in decent condition for this time of year.

Offshore bottom fishing has been rewarding for boats launching out of the Port of Brookings with charter and recreational anglers taking limits. Ocean chinook fishing will open on Saturday, May 14th. Surf perch fishing has been good off area beaches.

Diamond Lake anglers will have to wait for the spring thaw as ice covering the water has become too soft to walk on. Hopes are high for Memorial Day weekend.

Eastern – Big stoneflies are just starting to show on the lower Deschutes. Warm weather this week should trigger the hatch. Nymphing has been taking redsides this week. Salmonflies are evident on the middle river.

The Umatilla is an option for spring chinook anglers. Although the count is only a few hundred fish, the action should jump in the coming weeks as this run builds over time.

Oregon fishing report

2011-05-08T10:43:00.001-07:00

Willamette Valley/Metro- Spring chinook anglers continue to be sidelined as thousands of chinook pour over Bonneville Dam. Managers may take a look at a re-opener but momentum must continue to build to bring optimism. Over 50,000 fish crossed Bonneville in just the last 7 days.

The level, flow and visibility are good on the lower Willamette and Multnomah Channel. Over 2,000 springers have crossed the Falls. Spring chinook anglers have been on a roller coaster ride of action but when the bite has been on, it's been rewarding. Oregon City has had an occasional great bite but most fish seem to be staging below Milwaukie. This should be a break out week for Oregon City anglers.

Nymph fishing on the Middle Fork Willamette is yielding large rainbows.

McKenzie water level is on the drop, temperatures are on the rise and fish are looking up with March Browns hatching.

Over 12,000 spring Chinook are forecasted to enter the Clackamas system. Try the lower river to intercept early arrivals. Steelhead fishing is improving.

There are steelhead and a few springers in the waters of the Sandy but fishing has been slow and results spotty. Chinook fishing should be peaking soon but a mediocre run is in the forecast.

Northwest – With waters getting low and clear, steelheaders employing stealth techniques are still getting late winter steelhead on the Wilson and Nestucca Rivers. Bank anglers have an advantage in these lower flows but must target fish higher in the watersheds. Most winter fish are turning dark but a few bright winter fish are still present with a few summer run fish on their heels.

Still no glowing reports of spring chinook although one was reported at the Trask hatchery last week. One reliable report from upper Tillamook Bay had a local netting a chinook on Monday that spewed eggs in the bottom of the boat, indicating a late run fall fish. The fish was returned to the water but definitely an anomaly. Better tides will occur the week after this one.

Sturgeon are still being reported from the middle and lower bay on Tillamook. They should be easy targets in this weeks minus tide series.

Bay clamming should be easy on most coastal estuaries. Razor clamming has been challenging along Oregon beaches but if the surf calms, digging should improve.

Calm seas are in the forecast for Friday only. Bottomfishing should be excellent. Crabbing will be challenging and the offshore forecast is calling for rough water again by the weekend.

All-depth halibut season opens today north of Cape Falcon for three days per week, Thursday through Saturday. South of Falcon, nearshore (inside of 40 fathoms) opened on May 1st. Halibut often come close to shore this time of year to feed on softshell dungeness crab. The first all-depth fishery in this zone opens on May 12 – 14.

Southwest – With excellent returns predicted for the majority of south coast rivers, offshore chinook fishing should be very good this season.

Umpqua water level and flow has disallowed fishing recently but the river is forecast to recover by the coming weekend. Spring chinook will be in the upper mainstem and steelheading should be good for hatchery fish on the South Umpqua.

While there hasn't been much hoopla about ocean chinook catches, boats launching out of Charleston have made good catches of large fish recently.

When ocean conditions have allowed launches out of Gold beach, catches of rockfish and lingcod have been good.

Boats in productive locations on the lower Rogue have had plenty of hookups with spring chinook on the lower Rogue. Salmon are running about 50% hatchery keepers. Fishing is fair on the middle river. Steelheading remains good on the upper Rogue with springers starting to make an appearance. Wild steelhead must be released as of May 1st.

Offshore launches out of the Port of Brookings have produced a colorful mix of rockfish and lingcod as well as decent takes of ocean dungeness.

Ice and snow will likely greet Diamond Lake fishers again this coming weekend but most are taking limits of large trout by auguring to water level. The daily bag limit is now eight fish.

Eastern – Deschutes anglers are taking redsides averaging 15 inches on a combination of top and sub-surface offerings but dry action is expected to improve as water levels drop and the weather improves. Action has been decent on the middle Deschutes with the Salmonfly hatch occurring later this month.

Although the weather has been unsettled, John Day anglers have been taking large smallmouth bass.

SW Washington – Steelhead remain the top choice for SW Washington anglers. However, the Cowlitz does have a mix of spring chinook and steelhead right now. Summer steelhead are starting to show.

The Kalama has a mix of early summer run steelhead, late broodstock and wild winter fish with only a rare chinook showing.

The Washougal has summer run fish but will peak later into June.

With dam passage at an impressive season high, Drano Lake and the Wind River fisheries are well underway. Fishing should be excellent for the next 2 weeks as fish not familiar with sport gear continue to cross Bonneville.

Oregon fishing report

2011-04-30T06:44:00.001-07:00

Willamette Valley/Metro - Chinook counts at Bonneville Dam finally crested over 1,000 fish per day. The run is typically well underway by now but managers are still holding out hope that the nearly 200,000 prediction will come to fruition. The jump in counts should stimulate sport fishing above Bonneville Dam but the season will close after Sunday.

Willamette level and flow have been moderating over the past week with the water visibility improving. Over 100 springers were counted at the falls on Monday this week and summer steelhead crossed in even greater numbers. Springer fishing has been spotty with periodic flurries of activity around Sellwood Bridge. The Garbage Hole just below the I-205 Bridge had an epic bite on Monday. Prawns remain a top bait.

Following a slight rise early this week, water levels on the McKenzie are dropping and will fish well this week. Try the lower river for redsides, around Leaburg for planted trout.

Steelheading has been just fair on the Clackamas River with most anglers optimistically gearing up for spring chinook. Chinook are likely to be late again this season with late May and June producing the best catches. Summer and late winter broodstock steelhead should be making a stronger showing soon.

Fishing has been slow on the Sandy. It may be worth waiting until springers start to enter. Warmer air and water temperatures will also stimulate the bite.

Northwest – Steelheaders put one last cap on a great north coast steelhead season late last week, tallying great catches of fresh and dark fish on the Wilson and Nestucca Rivers. There were still fish in the high teens being reported but a large percentage of the catch were wild fish.

No reports of summer run steelhead on the north coast and high water has hampered spring chinook effort. Both species will likely make a show this week but weather has kept most sensible anglers from trying.

Sturgeon catches were fair on the last tide series with another good set of tides starting early next week. Fishing could stay good through the month of May.

Seas could calm again by late in the weekend, giving offshore anglers an opportunity for bottomfish and California stocks of chinook well offshore. Ocean salmon regulations remain complex so check the ODF&W website for the expanded opportunity we’ll be experiencing this season.

ODF&W will host a series of meetings on the coast April 26th – April 28th to craft fall salmon options for sport and commercial fishers. Overall, returns look much improved from recent years, allowing the department to relax regulations on most systems for chinook and even implementing non-selective coho seasons on some which haven’t seen opportunity for well over a decade.

Crabbing remains poor on most estuaries and nearshore areas on the north coast. Prospects may not improve until mid-summer.

Southwest – When offshore conditions allow crossing, charter and recreational boats out of central Oregon ports witnessed good catches of rockfish and lingcod despite the 40-fathom restriction.

Crabbing has been fair in Winchester Bay. As the Umpqua drops and clears, fishing for springers will pick up on the mainstem. Steelheaders will take hatchery fish on the South Umpqua as conditions improve.

Cooperative offshore conditions out of Gold Beach allowed productive bottom fishing over the past weekend. Boats landed limits or near limits of rockfish, many took good catches of lingcod and crabbing was fair to good. Conditions are once again rough this week but long-range forecasts look optimistic for weekend ocean forays. Spring chinook fishing has been fair on the lower Rogue despite high water. With river conditions forecast to improve this week, good results are expected to follow. Springer results will be picking up with dropping and clearing water on the middle Rogue. Early springers and late winter steelhead are being bagged on the upper river.

Local beaches have been the daily scene of south coast surf fishers with striped surf perch on the bite during incoming tides. Catches have been good and are expected to continue into mid-May. Good-sized fish are available with some scaling two pounds.

It was an ice-fishing show, as expected, at the Diamond Lake opener on April 23rd but everyone caught trout. Snow and ice still covered the lake early this week although the area is gradually thawing. Anglers can enjoy a little extra time on the water starting May 1st when the limit increases from five to eight trout per day.

Eastern – Lower Deschutes water conditions remain a little high but results for nymph fishers have been good. Best hatches continue to occur mid-day as the regular suspects begin taking wing.

Kokanee anglers enjoyed decent fishing over the past weekend for larger-than-average fish and the area clear of snow.

Trollers took limits while bait anglers scratched out only a few at the opener on Howard Prairie.

Oregon fishing report

2011-04-23T06:09:00.001-07:00

Willamette Valley/Metro - After two additional fishing extensions, the lower Columbia River is now closed to spring chinook. Fishery managers decided on the hard closure last week as numbers continue to just trickle over Bonneville Dam. More opportunity may come in May but dam passage must jump significantly to begin the conversation. Success rates remained fair at best prior to the closure but bank anglers fared well under the high water conditions. The Columbia above Bonneville remains open through Sunday, April 24th.

Willamette flow was up on Tuesday this week with visibility reduced to 1.5 feet and water temperature down to 48 degrees. Plunking may be the best bet until it clears. Passage of spring chinook and steelhead remains fair. Good action was witnessed near St. Johns prior to the rise in river levels. Now is the traditional peak for spring chinook on the Willamette but with the late run timing, the best action may still be a few weeks away.

McKenzie water levels, high at mid-week, will be falling until the next round of rainfall. Prospects will be good when anglers catch a break with March Browns on the hatch.

Fishing has been fair on the Clackamas River with spinners and jigs taking steelhead. Sandy fishing has been slow. It's too early to target spring chinook in these rivers but that will change in May and action should continue into June with the high spring flow.

There are decent numbers of steelhead in the Santiam system. Try the South Santiam for the best chance of a hookup with an early hatchery summer fish.

Northwest – Steelheaders saw another good shot of fish come into the Wilson and Nestucca Rivers this week. Monday produced good results for small crowds of people on the Wilson downstream of Siskeyville. Sidedrifters continue to produce the best results in the higher flows but plug pulling may become a good option when flows drop.

Steelhead season is winding down but the Nestucca and Wilson should remain the best options. Anglers are likely to find fair numbers of spawning or spawned-out fish, these should be released unharmed. Summer steelhead should begin to show in the catches however but number far fewer than the winter run.

Although the districts first spring chinook has yet to be reported, adults should be available in the Tillamook system. The Trask, Wilson and Nestucca are the best options when flows are high but good tides exist for bay trollers as well. The run will start in stronger by mid-May.

The 8th annual Bounty on the Bay will move a few weeks closer to peak season. Anglers will have an opportunity to catch the north coasts’ most premier species, spring chinook. The event is June 3rd and 4th with a seminar on the evening of the 3rd detailing proper preparation and presentation of herring for trolling by local professional John Kirby. Register at www.tbnep.org.

Sturgeon were taken in Tillamook Bay last week with tides conducive to good action through the weekend.

Calm seas have finally allowed offshore anglers to take advantage of willing bottomfish species. Lingcod and seabass made up the bulk of the catch and action should remain good as long as seas remain calm. Offshore crabbing is reported as poor.

Southwest – The Pacific Fishery Management Council has determined offshore chinook fishing will remain open off the central and southern Oregon coast to Humbug Mountain near Port Orford through September 30th. Rough offshore conditions have prevented effort for ocean salmon most days this season.

Ocean conditions have been cooperative this week, allowing charter and recreational offshore boats to take limits of rockfish and lingcod out of central Oregon ports. Ocean conditions should remain good into the coming weekend.

Trout season opens in the Southwest Zone on Saturday, April 23rd with Diamond Lake a prime destination. ODFW biologists estimate over 400,000 holdover trout are in the waters of Diamond Lake with over half of those 16 inches or better. A five-fish limit will be in effect until May 1st when anglers may keep eight per day, only one of which may be over 20 inches. Conditions for the opener are still up in the air with ice on the lake. Phone 541-793-3333 for the latest conditions.

Although the lower Rogue was running high early in the week, it is forecast to be dropping through the weekend to come. Spring chinook fishing was steady over the past week and is expected to be productive through April and into May. Herring or anchovy, fished straight or using a Rogue River spinner rig have been effective in landing springers. About a third of the salmon landed have been wild, requiring release. With springers just starting to nose into the upper Rogue, steelhead remain the target of choice.

Boaters launching out of the Port of Brookings did well for rockfish on a variety of lures with many reporting seven-fish limits. A few lingcod were taken as well but have been more difficult to locate. Offshore forecasts early this week predict good conditions through Saturday.

Eastern – While the water level remains a little high on the lower Deschutes, redside results are decent with March Browns and Blue-Winged-Olives hatching and drawing attention from rising trout. Nymphs are effective early and late in the day.

Early season kokanee fishing has been slow at Green Peter Reservoir with the water level low. It will improve as it fills and the water warms.

Deep water jigging has been producing limits of kokanee this week at Wallowa Lake with some big fish in the mix.

Oregon fishing update

2011-04-16T06:25:00.001-07:00

Willamette Valley/Metro - After last week’s performance, anglers aren’t too excited about prospects on the mainstem Columbia. Effort has been waning, especially with the Willamette River coming into shape. The Columbia is scheduled to close tomorrow but fishery managers will access sport catches today and determine if more time should be allowed for sportanglers. Passage at Bonneville is picking up with peak passage likely in early May. If flows drop, fishing should improve.

The water level in the lower Willamette has been stable for several days with flow decreasing. Pressure has been lighter than normal on the lower Willamette and Multnomah Channel with springer fishing only fair. The water temperature is in the high 40s and broke 50 degrees on Tuesday. Chinook results are improving as it warms a few degrees. Fish passage is picking up following a lull during the recent high water.

With the McKenzie on steady drop over the past several days, March Browns and Blue-Winged-Olives are hatching.

Flow on the Santiam system has dropped and is fishable. Summer steelhead have been taken recently at the mouth.

The water level on the Clackamas has dropped and is fairly stable. There are broodstock in the river and soon, springers.

Sandy fishers have seen little action recently but spring chinook will be in the river soon. The Sandy run doesn’t compare in numbers to the Clackamas but fishing can still be good.

Boaters should keep an eye out for floating debris at Detroit Reservoir as it fills.

Northwest – Steelheaders finally saw quality conditions grace north coast streams early in the week. Good catches were reported on the Wilson and fair on the Nestucca and district streams remain busy as Willamette Valley fishing is slow. Despite high flows, some of the best fishing took place downstream of Sollie Smith Bridge on the Wilson. Side-drifters did best in the higher flows.

The Kilchis produced some fish over the weekend but flows are dropping and clearing making fishing challenging. The Trask is an option too with April being one of the better months on this mostly native river.

Rivers are forecast to rise slightly on the weekend but then begin a steady drop next week. The Nestucca and Wilson will remain the best bets but action should wind down after next week. Anglers may begin seeing a few dark fish in the mix as we near spawning time.

Spring chinook should begin entering Tillamook Bay but the peak period is still a month away. Tillamook springers average larger than their inland cousins but aren’t as plentiful. The Trask and Wilson Rivers are primary destinations for hatchery bound fish.

Another minus tide will greet sturgeon anglers on Tillamook Bay over the weekend but low slack is just after daylight. It’s best to wait to have at least 4 hours of fishing near the bottom of the outgoing tide. Bar crossings will be sketchy in these conditions. Persistent wind across the ocean is in the forecast.

Southwest – A family fun day with activities for young and old will take place in honor of Earth Day on Saturday, April 16th from 8 AM to 3 PM at Olalla Reservoir. Although the reservoir will be planted, activities will be available for those who don’t fish as well. Parking will be limited.

Boats launching out of central Oregon ports have been taking limits of lingcod averaging 10 pounds which are perfect for the table. Ocean Chinook fishing will remain open through the end of the month.

Pressure is building and hog lines are forming on the Umpqua mainstem as spring chinook season gets underway here. The water level is forecast to rise into the coming weekend, however.

The April 23rd Diamond Lake opener is just over a week away although if current conditions persist, it may be necessary to access by snowmobile to fish through the ice. On a brighter note, there are half a million trout awaiting anxious anglers.

Trollers and bank fishers on the lower Rogue have been doing well for springers to 20 pounds and occasionally larger. Some anglers have taken limits although there are wild fish around which must be released. Fishing has been fair on the middle Rogue and good for winter steelhead on the upper river.

When ocean conditions have allowed offshore launches out of Brookings recently, bottom fishers have boated limits of rockfish just outside the harbor. Catches of lingcod have been slow to fair but are expected to improve. If offshore forecasts hold true, there will be opportunities to fish the ocean this coming weekend and into next week. Area beaches are producing surf perch as is the mouth of the Winchuck River.

Eastern – Trollers at Green Peter are spotting good numbers of fish on depth finders but are catching very few kokanee.

Lake Billy Chinook is producing bull trout to herring trollers.

Oregon fishing report

2011-04-09T06:40:00.001-07:00

Willamette Valley/Metro- The Columbia River below Bonneville Dam closed after Monday. The season ended with most anglers disappointed and the lack of effort showed that sentiment for most of the season. Kim Reller of Portland was one of the lucky anglers on Sunday, boating a 15-pound spring chinook just below the I-5 Bridge on a sardine wrapped plug in 17 feet of water. High water plagued the sport fleet for most of the season, leaving nearly half of the sport quota unutilized.

Fishery managers decided Wednesday to extend the sportfishery on the mainstem Columbia, adding an additional 7 days for sportanglers between Buoy 10 and Rooster Rock. If water conditions remain challenging as expected, more time may be allotted but that won't be decided until another meeting occurs on April 13th.

Sturgeon fishing continues slow in most areas of the Columbia but keeper action did improve in the Portland to Longview stretch slightly. Effort and catch will likely remain subdued until flows subside and temperatures warm.

Water levels are expected to rise once again on the Willamette where muddy water has already hampered success rates in what should be approaching peak season. Flows did not stop fish passage as over 800 summer steelhead have been counted in addition to the nearly 5,900 winters.

The water level and flow on the McKenzie was on the increase earlier this week. Snowmelt will likely continue to keep the level up and water temperatures down. This will make fishing challenging for anglers.

The Clackamas has settled into normal level and flow for this time of year. It should provide fishing for a mix of wild and broodstock steelhead. Sidedrifting bait often produces the best in these higher flows as fish are likely to utilize shallower, slower flows, especially in colored water.

Sandy River water levels rose again earlier this week and it looks like a long shot for the coming weekend. Broodstock steelhead await anglers when conditions improve.

Northwest - Steelheaders remains justifiably frustrated as high water limited the river systems most have been able to access recently. Traffic however was busy over the weekend with the Wilson and Nestucca Rivers bearing the brunt of the effort.

River levels are expected to come into good shape again by the weekend but with such a prolonged period of high water, fishing is likely to be only fair. Both wild and hatchery broodstock fish should be available however with a rare summer steelhead available on the Wilson and Nestucca Rivers.

This Kilchis remains a viable option in higher flows and should continue to produce almost exclusively wild fish at least through mid-April. Most other small streams closed to fishing on March 31st.

Sturgeon fishers continue to catch some keepers in Tillamook Bay. Fair tides will allow some opportunity through the weekend but keepers typically begin exiting the estuary about this time of year.

Wind wave and swell height will likely keep offshore anglers from accessing hungry lingcod and seabass schools. When ocean weather does settle, the fishing should be excellent.

Crabbing remains the best in the lower Columbia where crabbers with fresh bait are still taking limits of crab. Tides will remain favorable in the afternoon but the freshwater influx on the lower Columbia should slow catches.

Southwest - With rainfall moderating, lingcod catches will improve inside the 40-fathom line. As of April 1st, offshore bottom fishers may keep only one cabezon per day. Poor ocean conditions have hampered efforts.

Historically, boats launching out of Coos Bay and Winchester Bay have caught the most ocean salmon but weather conditions have prevented launches since the opener. Long-range forecasts indicate a glimmer of hope for the coming weekend.

Crabbing has been slow to fair due to fresh water influx from coastal river runoff. Surf perch fishing has been good on area beaches when wave action has moderated.

Steelheaders have done well on the North and South Umpqua when water levels have been dropping. The ODFW predicts a good hatchery return on the South.

Fishing on the Elk River was good right up to the end of March. The Elk and Sixes are closed as of April 1st.

On the Rogue spring chinook catches have been on one day, off the next, but even slow days have produced several bright fish. Overall, anglers are pleased with results for this early in the run. Lower Rogue level and flow is forecast to be good and dropping over the coming weekend. Fishing for winter steelhead has been slow on the middle river due to high water but good on the upper river.

The last day for steelheaders on the Chetco River was March 31st. It will re-open on May 28th when sea-run cutthroat will be the species of interest with salmon and steelhead runs over at that time.

Eastern - It's the time of year when spring runoff will hamper effort on the lower Deschutes. High water may potentially continue for weeks although fishing will be good when the water drops.

The John Day crested at flood level on April 3rd but has been dropping since. It is forecast to drop through the coming weekend but will remain high for fishing.

Sturgeon retention season will close in the John Day Pool beginning April 10th. The 500 fish quota is expected to have been met by then.

Walleye anglers are catching fair numbers of fish despite high water flows. The action should remain good for another few weeks.

SW Washington - High water has hampered steelhead success on the Cowlitz, Lewis and Kalama Rivers. Steelhead remain available and the Cowlitz is one of the better options when flows drop.

Spring chinook should begin to show in fair numbers on the Cowlitz and Lewis Rivers. Forecasts aren't great however but peak season is fast approaching.

Bonneville Dam passage of spring chinook isn't favorable enough to excite Drano Lake and Wind River salmon anglers. Late April is the better time and biologists expect significantly better passage to happen in the next few weeks.

Oregon fishing report

2011-04-03T07:52:00.001-07:00

Willamette Valley/Metro - Since the lower Columbia cleared due to the dropping flows of the Willamette River, the better action has taken place from Kalama to Westport Oregon. Anglers both trolling and anchor fishing with plugs have been faring well. Anglers still working the water around I-5 and the airport are still catching an occasional fish but some are reporting seeing no fish caught after a full day's effort.

April 4th will be the last day to fish the lower Columbia River from Buoy 10 to Bonneville Dam. With the high percentage of upper Columbia bound fish in the catch this year, anglers couldn't expect additional time after the closure. The stretch above Bonneville will remain open until April 24th or until the catch guideline of 1050 fish are retained.

Sturgeon anglers working the gorge for sturgeon was an upsurge in success. Effort remained low but success for keepers was good. The Portland to Longview stretch was productive as well.

Winter and summer steelhead are crossing Willamette Falls in fair numbers with a few springers accompanying. Spring chinook results have been on one day, off the next on the lower Willamette. Oregon City anglers are beginning to see catches improve but additional rainfall may put the river out again. With the upswing in earlier returning 5-year old fish, the peak may come a bit earlier this year. Look for the Willamette to be the go to spot for spring chinook when the water is running clear.

Lower McKenzie water levels rose slightly over the past weekend but the river will fall into good shape this week. Water temperature remains in the lower 40s.

Water conditions should be worthwhile this week on the Santiam systems. Fair numbers of wild winters are available along with a very few summer steelhead.

Sandy steelheaders took fish over the past weekend with jigs and drifted roe drawing strikes.

The Clackamas has been getting a good deal of pressure although catches have only been fair. Bobber and jig has been effective at times but side-drifters are taking the lion's share.

Northwest - Steelheaders remain frustrated at water conditions on the north coast. Smaller streams are fishing best but anglers wanting a hatchery option will be out of luck until late in the weekend at the earliest. Flows are forecast to be high for the rest of the week so fish should be well distributed throughout most river systems.

The Wilson and Nestucca Rivers will remain fair hatchery steelhead options through mid-April. Summer steelhead may also be making their way into the Wilson and Nestucca Rivers. Spring chinook retention is allowed in the Tillamook Basin beginning April 1st. Fishing isn't likely to pick up until mid-May however.

Smolt releases began this week so anglers fishing bait targeting steelhead may find it challenging to keep the hungry juveniles off. Trout season doesn't open until late May due to mis-identification of smolts by novice anglers.

Sturgeon anglers caught some keepers on Tillamook Bay over the last tide series. Good tides won' return for a while however so anglers may turn their focus to crabbing in Netarts Bay. Other estuaries will likely produce poor results due to the influx of fresh water from the last rain freshet.

Bass may begin to stir as temperatures warm this week. Many north coast lakes now harbor largemouth bass and trout imitations may take some of the larger ones.

Southwest - Offshore trips were not a possibility due to rough ocean conditions over the past week and the forecast for the coming week does provide reason for optimism. Ocean salmon fishing is open, bottom fishing outside the 40-fathom line closes on March 31st. Only one cabezon per day is allowed as part of the seven-rockfish per day limit starting April 1st.

South coast surf fishing is heating up, yielding limits of striped perch recently. Pinkfin surf perch, preferred for their table quality, will be showing in greater number shortly.

Avoid a $200 fine - get those studded tires off your fishing rig before April 5th.

Steelheading has been fair to good on the North and South Umpqua when water levels are falling.

Slow crabbing in Winchester Bay will improve as the Umpqua drops and salinity levels improve in the estuary.

Boat launching facilities are up and running following tsunami damage in the Port of Brookings. Waters of the Chetco River closed to salmon and steelhead retention on the last day of March to reopen in June. Trout fishing is closed until May 28th.

Elk River steelheaders did well when water conditions were good recently although about half the fish hooked were spawned out and heading back to sea.

Lower Rogue fishers did well over the past week for a mix of mostly-hatchery spring chinook and mostly-bright winter steelhead. When a storm front hit over the past weekend, the river blew out but is expected to settle down and fish well this week with catches further improving as the water temperature climbs into the lower 50s. Muddy water has hampered steelheading efforts in the middle Rogue at what is potentially the peak of the season here. Upper Rogue steelheaders stand a good chance at a hookup as conditions improve this week.

Eastern - Pro guide Mac Huff (800-940-3688) reports that while steelheading is winding down with two weeks remaining, fishing has been very good on the Grande Ronde.

The middle Deschutes is expected to remain somewhat high until irrigation begins around mid-April. A few brown trout have been taken with nymphing most effective.

High water has prevented any effort on the Crooked River but good results are expected when the flow drops.

Fall River fly anglers have experienced good results using nymphs.

Oregon fishing report

2011-03-26T07:14:00.001-07:00

Willamette Valley/Metro- After a slow-down in spring chinook fishing on the Columbia in the Portland area, catches picked up on Tuesday. Winter run-off has been high, likely due to low elevation snow melt, causing fish to not respond as well as they normally would for late March. If flows continue to moderate, the last stretch of the Columbia season should produce good catches.

Although fishery managers haven’t been forthcoming for where the sport fleet is on the Columbia quota, optimistic anglers are hopeful for additional time downstream of Rooster Rock. April 4th is the proposed spring chinook closure for metro anglers.

Flows at Willamette Falls are moderating and catches should improve by the weekend. Summer steelhead passage is ramping up as winter counts drop off. Clarity of the lower Willamette is fair, springer fishing is slow. It will be crowded after the Columbia closes April 4th.

Steelhead catches have picked up although only a few are scoring on the Clackamas. The level is high but the color is good. Experienced anglers are noting the action isn’t as good as it was last year but the broodstock keepers to wild fish ratio is improving.

Although high, the Sandy River came into good color over the past weekend and has been dropping since. Fishing was good last weekend and if water levels remain stable, action should continue to improve.

Northwest – After weeks of less than ideal conditions, north coast streams are in prime shape and producing good numbers of steelhead. Peak season is now and consistent catches are coming from nearly every north coast stream and river.

The Wilson has been producing well throughout the system but as flows drop, the lower sections will get the freshest fish. Bank anglers should have access to good numbers downstream of Lee’s Camp. Anglers may have to drop down in size and color by the weekend as the water clears.

The Nestucca has been producing as well. With both broodstock and wild fish available, anglers have seen some of the best action of the season this week. By the weekend however, catches will likely slow but fish should remain available on the lower reaches.

Smaller streams such as the Necanicum fished well late last week and over the weekend. Those systems are clear now with fish only likely to bite at first light. Many smaller coastal rivers close to steelhead on March 31st so check regulations before heading out.

Spring chinook opens in the Tillamook district on April 1st. The first fish really won’t show until at least mid-April with the peak later in May. After a good season last year, anticipation is running high.

Sturgeon effort was increasing over spring break but fishing was fair at best. Bay clam diggers took more interest in the minus tide series with options running into the weekend. Tillamook Bay diggers were taking limits of cockles on Tuesday.

Razor clam diggers in Oregon haven’t been doing as well as Long Beach Washington diggers. Success is sure to slow by the weekend. Crabbing in the lower Columbia remains good but strong tides will limit success until next week.

Southwest – Charters were able to get out of central Oregon ports over the past weekend to take limits or near-limits of rockfish and excellent catches of large ling cod from deeper water. The ocean closes for bottom fishing outside the 40-fathom line on April 1st. Ocean chinook fishing is open through April 30th with the summer season to be set at a later date.

All-depth halibut will open May 12th for select Thursday through Saturday retention periods from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain. Details will follow as the opener nears.

Surf perch fishing has improved and is good on south coast beaches when the ocean isn't too rough.

The sturgeon bite in Winchester Bay has yet to turn on. Crabbing is fair. The Umpqua system has settled down with little change in flows expected during the coming week although water color should improve.

Crabbing in Coos Bay is slow to fair.

The Elk River was marginally fishable late last week with the winter steelhead season wrapping up. Early this week, the level was 5.5 feet and the water was clear.

Level and flow are dropping on the lower Rogue. Early spring chinook results were good so prospects are positive as conditions improve this week. Drift boats on the middle Rogue have a decent shot at end-of-season winter steelhead when water conditions cooperate with side-drifting most productive. Winter steelhead catches will continue to improve on the upper Rogue.

Tsunami damage remains evident in the Port of Brookings. Rough offshore conditions are in the forecast. If accurate, ocean fishing will not be an option through the coming weekend. Prospects are fair for late-run winters this coming weekend.

Eastern – Wallowa Reservoir is producing limits of larger-than-average kokanee to anglers using bright-colored jigs.

Kokanee fishing has been slow at Green Peter with the water level very low. Water temperature is in the low to mid-40s.

Trollers are taking good numbers of kokanee along with a few bull trout at Lake Billy Chinook.

Oregon fishing report

2011-03-18T13:11:00.001-07:00

Willamette Valley/Metro- After several slow days of spring chinook fishing, the bite has picked up in recent days for Davis Bar anglers. Trolled green label herring is producing the best results but unusually high flows this time of year is keeping anglers from fully realizing their potential. It doesn’t look like flows will subside anytime either.

With the Willamette high and muddy, the mainstem Columbia above the mouth of the Willamette may be the best bet. Anglers were reporting good catches of Chinook on Monday and Tuesday and action should continue to be steady as more fish come in. Gillnets remained dockside last week. Test netting revealed a high presence of wild steelhead and chinook in the catches. A higher portion of hatchery fish should begin showing soon.

The lower Willamette River will be on the rise and muddy this week. Spring chinook fishing will be difficult in these conditions but won't hamper catch-and-release sturgeon efforts now that retention season has closed. Summer and winter steelhead are crossing at the Falls in fair numbers. Middle Willamette trout fishing is good on bead-head nymphs.

Expect to find McKenzie flows to be in the 5,000 cfs range at Vida over the coming weekend. Nymphs will draw strikes until trout key on the recent March Brown hatches.

High but dropping water is predicted for the Clackamas this week as broodstock steelhead mingle with wild fish. Good fishing should come through April with summer steelhead beginning to show later into April.

Sandy levels are fishable but clarity is contingent upon freezing level on this glacial river. Quality broodstock fish should begin to make a stronger showing in the coming weeks.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is stocking many lakes and ponds in preparation for spring break. See http://tinyurl.com/4c3avxg for details.

Northwest – Most north coast tributaries remained too high for good fishing, despite healthy sighs indicating a good return. Smaller streams, namely the Kilchis and Necanicum, produced fair results up until March 17th. Another surge of rain rose rivers again but main systems should be fishing again by the weekend. Wild steelhead will dominate the catches on these systems.

The Wilson will top the districts most popular watershed but the Nestucca should also have good numbers of hatchery fish as well as wild steelhead available. Upper stretches should produce the best early and fish should be well distributed throughout the systems with the prolonged period of high water we are coming off of.

The Trask should also be a fair option although this system is primarily managed for wild fish but a few Wilson strays are checked here every year. Like other systems, the upper reaches should produce the best catches. The Trask stays productive through the majority of April.

More rough weather kept anglers from fishing sturgeon on Tillamook Bay. Effort will remain on the rivers as rough seas are once again predicted through the weekend. Crabbing on the lower Columbia should become more challenging with the tides and rainfall though the weekend.

Southwest – Depoe Bay suffered damage to Dock One from tidal surges as a result of the tsunami. Deep water bottom fishing will continue through the month of March contingent upon offshore conditions.

Winchester Bay has been fair for crabbing. The North Umpqua is a good place to catch-and-release wild steelhead while the South Umpqua holds the best chance for hatchery fish as the system recovers from the current freshet.

High and muddy earlier this week, the lower Rogue is forecast to begin dropping and clearing into the coming weekend although it may not be fishable until sometime next week. A similar scenario is predicted for fishing on the middle Rogue. With winter steelheading wrapped up here, target spring chinook as the river recovers. Springer catches will continue to improve into April. Winter steelhead are into the upper river but fishing has been slow.

Expect the Elk and Sixes to produce winter steelhead whenever these rivers drop into shape although catches will be winding down through the remainder of March.

While some boats sunk and docks were damaged or worse, the Port of Brookings is recovering from tsunami damage. As the Chetco River drops back into shape over the coming weekend, high water will limit efforts to plunking. Steelheading will be slow to spotty this late in the season for primarily spawned-out fish.

Eastern – Mid-day has been most productive for redsides on the lower Deschutes. Blue-Winged-Olives are predominant although March Browns are appearing in greater number. Nymph fishing has produced consistent results in the absence of hatches.

Bull trout fishing was been good for trollers over the past weekend at Lake Billy Chinook.

Fishing is slow to fair for lake trout at Crescent Lake. Deep trolling is required and snow on the ground has periodically required four-wheel-drive launch vehicles.

Oregon fishing report

2011-03-12T10:42:00.001-08:00

Willamette Valley/Metro - Salmon fishing effort is picking up on the lower Columbia where boats fishing above the influence of the Willamette River are intercepting fair numbers of fish for this early in the season. Larger, 5-year old fish make up a significant portion of the catch this time of year with a few fish over 20 pounds reported recently. As water temperatures warm, so should the bite. Effort will likely intensify as well as the season is forecasted to only last through April 4th.

Just as the waters of the lower Willamette had started to clear early this week, additional rainfall will roil it yet again. Good for sturgeon fishing but not so much for springers. An alternate quarry might be catfish, however, as a 30 pound channel cat was landed last week.

Sturgeon anglers on the lower Willamette tallied 137 keepers in the last 3-day retention period. Approximately another 500 keepers remain before the 2,550 guideline is reached. It likely won’t last into April.

Willamette Valley rivers will be on the rise this week, the least desirable situation for steelheading. This is a good time to prepare tackle, sharpen hooks and hone a good game plan to implement when the local waters begin to clear. With such a prolonged period of high water, fishing should be fantastic when systems do drop.

The 2011 Northwest Fly Tyer & Fly Fishing Expo will take place March 11th & 12th at the Linn County Expo Center in Albany, Oregon.

High water is a good time to take the kids (or yourself) trout fishing. St. Paul Ponds are producing limits and Henry Hagg Lake opened for the season on Saturday, March 5th.

Also scheduled for stocking this week are Alton Baker Canal, Cottage Grove Reservoir and Creswell Pond.

Northwest – Wilson River anglers experienced epic fishing on Saturday with many boats posting double-digit results for late run steelhead. It was the first opportunity in several days for anglers to fish ideal conditions when the run is in its peak.

The Nestucca also fished well early in the week but another round of rain is expected to take these two most productive hatchery steelhead streams out of commission in the coming days. They may fish again by the weekend, barring any large amounts of precipitation.

Wild fish catches on smaller streams should produce fair results until the larger systems come into shape. The mainstem Nehalem should be peaking this month as well but given the immense size of the watershed, it’s been running silty with little exception.

Sturgeon effort remains light on Tillamook Bay but fair morning tides may produce some catches in the West Channel and at Bay City.

Reports of good crabbing are still coming from the lower Columbia River. A soft afternoon incoming tide should produce good catches through the weekend.

Combined seas will likely keep ocean going vessels in port through the weekend. Bottomfishing should be good when conditions allow.

Southwest – South coast beaches are producing fair to good surf perch numbers with catches improving through March.

Offshore bottom fishers are not restricted by depth limits through March but restrictions will begin once again on April 1st.

Crabbing is fair to good in Winchester Bay. Spring chinook will soon be in catches here. The best chance for winter steelhead will be on the South Umpqua although the predicted stellar returns of hatchery fish have yet to materialize.

While the Coquille has been crowded at times this season, winter steelhead catches have made the effort worthwhile. Look for this one to continue producing when the water drops and clears.

Pro guide Curtis Palmer (541-870-9451) reports the Coquille as having provided and excellent fishery this season.

The Elk and Sixes rivers have been productive whenever levels are falling and water is sufficiently clear for steelhead to see offerings.

Plug-pullers have taken fair catches of winter steelhead on the lower Rogue in marginal water conditions. Four spring chinook were confirmed over the past week. The middle river has been most consistent but storms moving through will create challenging conditions. The upper river is slow.

Nearshore fishing out of the Port of Brookings is producing good catches of rockfish and ling cod. Forecasts for the coming week look too rough for crossing the bar, however. The Chetco level is forecast to be fluctuating over the coming week, a less than optimum situation for fishing success. Plunkers will do best as it drops between storm fronts.

Dave Pitts (Salmon Trout and Steelhead.com) reports, "Once again it held true, within five weeks of the Blue Backs showing the Chetco season is slowly coming to an end.

Eastern – Pro Guide Mac Huff (800-940-3688) reports, "The cold and ice have cleared out of the Grande Ronde River, the water level has stabilized this week and steelhead fishing is excellent.”

While the Deschutes is producing redsides all day long, mid-day remains most productive. Results are fair with caddis and Blue-Winged-Olives the patterns of note but March Browns will start appearing soon.

Late season steelheading on the Umatilla, Grande Ronde and Imnaha Rivers has been good lately. Anglers also averaged 4.1 hours per steelhead on the Wallowa River over the weekend.

Oregon fishing report

2011-03-05T07:42:00.001-08:00

Willamette Valley/Metro- With the Willamette River blown out, motivated anglers will take to the mainstem Columbia upstream of the influence of the Willamette River at Kelly Point Park. Davis Bar and the I-5 area should continue to produce some catches of spring chinook. Gillnets will take the week off as test netting yielded more wild steelhead than spring chinook. These quality steelhead are likely destined for the Sandy and Clackamas systems.

Willamette flow continued to moderate through the end of February as winter steelhead counts tapered off. Results from last week’s sturgeon retention fishery indicated lighter catch and effort but shakers kept anglers busy throughout the day. The fishery will continue Thursday through Saturday until a 2,550 fish quota is attained.

After a fair February on the Willamette for river conditions and action, spring chinook catches have tapered recently with the muddy water influence of the Clackamas River and tributaries above Willamette Falls. It may be weeks before good action returns to trollers seeking success.

Rising water levels this week will put the McKenzie out of shape for the coming weekend.

The North Santiam is fishable but that will change as snowmelt begins and rain continues this week. The first Learn the River trip will occur on Saturday, March 5th. Call 503-897-3301 for information.

Expect the Clackamas to be rising this week with prospects for winter steelhead improving as the rain moderates and water levels drop. Wild fish and broodstock keepers should begin to show in better numbers.

Sandy steelheaders have experienced slow to spotty results recently. Most of the hookups have been with wild fish although hatchery broodstock steelhead are also entering.

Northwest – Low flows challenged anglers for much of the weekend but recent precipitation has brought several systems back into fishable shape. With snow falling at relatively low elevations, some watersheds remain fishable, particularly the smaller rivers such as the Necanicum and the Kilchis. Expect mostly wild fish on these systems.

Anglers were still tallying an occasional broodstock steelhead as well as some wild fish on the Wilson and Nestucca Rivers over the weekend. River levels will fluctuate throughout the week and weekend but these two signature streams should fish well when flows permit.

With the prolonged period of high water, steelhead will be well distributed throughout north coast river systems. March is peak month for wild steelhead and the few broodstock steelhead programs on the Wilson, Nestucca, Alsea and Siletz Rivers. Use big baits and bright colors in higher flows and fish the river edges where migrating fish will take advantage of slower flows during high water periods.

Poor tides and inclement weather will keep anglers from recreating on any open bodies of water. Good bottomfishing waits for anglers when calm seas return. Crabbing remains fair in the lower Columbia when weather allows.

Southwest – Storms have been keeping boats off the ocean this week but when offshore trips have been possible, limits of rockfish have been common off the Oregon coast. Fishing for large ling cod has been excellent when conditions have allowed and will continue through March.

An eight-hour boating safety education course conducted by the U.S Coast Guard Auxiliary in Charleston on Saturday, March 12, will cost only $15. Call 541-267-6152 for information or to register.

Rain is expected to put a damper on crabbing this week at Winchester Bay. Steelheading has been fair to good on the South Umpqua but high water will postpone efforts for a while.

Bait has been outfishing lures on the Coquille River where steelheading is expected to be worthwhile as the river drops and clears.

Low and clear at the end of February, rain this week will improve conditions and prospects for steelhead on the Elk and Sixes river.

An 18-pound Chinook taken at Rainie Falls by Jim Mauie on Friday, February 25th is the first reported Rogue springer of 2011. Water levels on the Rogue River are predicted to be rising through the coming weekend. Steelhead returns have been promising for this time of year, so hit the river as it recovers for fresh, bright winters. Fishing has been slow on the upper river. Surf perch fishing has been good on area beaches when the ocean has calmed down.

Over the past week, Chetco steelheaders have taken decent numbers of hatchery fish. This is a pleasant surprise as it is considered late in the season for this system. Unfortunately, the Chetco is forecast to be blown out for the coming weekend but results over the past week give reason for hope as the river drops.

Eastern – The lower Deschutes has been in good condition and is providing fair to god fishing for redsides. Results on the middle Deschutes will improve over the coming weeks.

While snow remains on the banks of Fall River, anglers using nymphs are hooking fish and as the weather improves, caddis will be hatching.

The Metolius usually fishes very well in the month of March.

Oregon fishing report

2011-02-19T07:02:00.001-08:00

Willamette Valley/Metro - Although catch rates are beginning to dip, the Bonneville Pool remains the best option on the mainstem Columbia for keeper sturgeon fishing. The season is set to close tomorrow however as the quota of 2,000 keepers is likely to be achieved.

Sturgeon anglers are likely to re-focus their efforts on the lower Willamette, particularly in the Portland Harbor where the catch and keep fishery opened today. Action should be excellent, as this stretch of river has been closed for some time, enabling keepers to congregate without being targeted. One sturgeon per day may be kept every Thursday through Saturday until a 2,550 fish quota is attained.

Steelhead passage has been moderate at Willamette Falls although an increase in flow could slow migration rates further. Spring chinook fishing has slowed with the muddied water but great early season success rates indicate the predicted return should come to fruition. Late March through April will bring peak catches.

Wild trout were responding well for fly anglers using large nymphs on the McKenzie early this week.

It remains to be seen to what degree rain effects the river flow which started spiking late Monday this week.

The Santiam system took a hit from rainfall mid-week but is forecast to be dropping into the coming weekend. There is a fair number of wild steelhead in the river now.

The Clackamas, where steelheading has been slow, is forecast to rise through mid week, then drop below current levels. Accuracy aside, fresh water should boost hookups. Broodstock fish are likely to begin showing in greater numbers.

Sandy steelheading has been sow with one or two fish per day reported river-wide although there was some improvement Monday this week. Rain will provide a welcome change, but only after flows subside once again.

Northwest – Weekend steelheaders produced great catches of wild and broodstock fish with the Wilson and Nestucca predictably the best. A slight rise in river levels stimulated migration but more recent rainfall has put the river out of shape, slowing catches. The first rain after a prolonged period of dry weather typically produces excellent catches. These larger north coast streams should fish good again by the weekend, barring any oversight in the weather forecast.

Smaller streams may fish best just prior to the weekend with the Necanicum, North Fork Nehalem, Kilchis and upper Trask producing good catches of wild steelhead and a few spawned out hatchery fish as well. Larger baits should produce the best results until flows drop and clear. Use artificials, including plugs when fish begin to slow their migration rates.

The Siletz and Alsea Rivers shouldn’t be overlooked when flows drop. The Alsea will become primarily a wild fish show but quality broodstock fish should remain a good option on the Siletz. Broodstock smolt releases have decreased in recent years however so don’t expect the great action we saw just a few years ago but experienced anglers will produce fair to good results.

Sturgeon fishing should remain fair in Tillamook Bay but the best of this season has likely passed. The West and middle channels should remain top prospects for anglers fishing fresh sand shrimp.

Crabbing has slowed in most estuaries but remains a viable option in the lower Columbia.

Southwest – Rain was pounding the south coast earlier this week, causing river levels and flow to increase dramatically. If forecasts are accurate, anglers should see some dropping and clearing conditions during the week which is good news as winter steelhead remain widely available.

Crabbing has remained good for boaters in Winchester Bay but fresh water from the Umpqua may push Dungeness back to the ocean. While mainstem Umpqua steelheaders have been taking fish through the recent stretch of dry weather, the recent freshet will make the South Umpqua the destination of choice. Hopefully, the strong return of hatchery steelhead predicted by ODFW biologists will come to pass.

The productive South Fork Coquille, which has suffered from low and clear water conditions, should be rejuvenated this week as flows improve.

When the ocean has aid down, charter boats out of Gold Beach have been doing very well for lingcod and rockfish while offshore crabbing has been slow to fair. Even in summer-level low and clear water, the lower Rogue produced winter steelhead with side-drifting most effective. Fresh winter steelhead will be entering daily this week with precipitation. Steelheaders on the middle Rogue have experienced the most consistent results but action should shift downstream with rainfall.

Bottom fishing has been excellent out of the Port of Brookings when offshore conditions have allowed. Ocean crabbing has been fair. Rain this week is expected to have a positive effect for steelheading on the Chetco River. It should fish well whenever the level is falling although the winter steelhead season will be winding down here.

Eastern – Deschutes fly anglers scored decent numbers of redsides on the lower river over the past weekend. With few hatches evident, nymphs were effective.

Afternoon hatches are occurring on the Metolius but nymphs have been more effective in hooking trout.

Good spring steelheading should be the rule on the Wallowa, Imnaha and Grande Ronde Rivers as long as snow levels remain low and flows stable. Some days, steelheaders are likely to average around a fish for every 4 hours of effort.

Oregon Fishing Report

2011-02-12T06:06:00.001-08:00

Willamette Valley/Metro- Although bank anglers are catching a few keeper sturgeon in the Bonneville Pool, boat anglers continue to produce good results with nearly a fish per boat average over the weekend. Although cooler temperatures may slow the bite, it remains the best prospect for keepers in the region.

Sport caught spring chinook have been reported and officially tallied in the mainstem Columbia downstream of Portland. It’s a sure sign that a good return is imminent. Anglers should continue to pursue their quarry downstream of St. Helens for the best opportunity to intercept a Willamette bound salmon which are in greater concentrations than later returning Columbia fish.

Over 2,300 winter steelhead have crossed at Willamette Falls. Plunking has been slow at Meldrum Bar.

Sturgeon retention days were announced on Tuesday with the Willamette reopening three days per week (Thursdays – Saturdays) beginning February 17th and continuing until a harvest guideline of 2,550 keepers is obtained. With the prolonged closure and given the concentration of keepers in the lower Willamette, this season likely won’t last long.

McKenzie fly fishers continue to find foot-long redsides on the lower river. Trout are responding to deep-dredged nymphs as the water remains cool.

Steelheading is spotty on the Sandy where water conditions are a combination of clear and roiled depending upon river current.

Clackamas water is in fairly good shape but steelheading has been very slow.

The Pacific Northwest Sportsmen's Show runs through Sunday at the Portland Expo Center.

Northwest – A slight rise in river levels improved catches after the weekend on an already shiny season for north coast steelheaders. Broodstock and wild steelhead continue to bite best on the Nestucca and Wilson systems. Broodstock collection is ahead of last year at this time but more wild fish are needed from the Wilson and Nestucca into the month of April.

Joel Aylor of Sisters Oregon landed a mint-bright 7 pound wild steelhead on the Nestucca last week. He caught the fish below First Bridge on a K-11X Kwikfish near the head of the hole where steelhead concentrate in lower flows. This fishery should begin to peak over the next several weeks.

A stronger weather system is on tap for next week, which should really jump start late season catches on many north coast streams.

Sturgeon anglers have fared well on Tillamook Bay with another set of good tides starting over the weekend. These tides should also produce good catches of razor clams along north coast beaches if the surf cooperates.

Brief periods of calm weather has allowed for some offshore fishing to take place. Ling cod catches have been steady out of Depoe Bay and Garibaldi when weather allows. Although ocean crabbing has only been fair, it remains one of the best options on the north coast with the exception of the lower Columbia River. Ocean conditions don’t look favorable over the weekend with the next weather system bringing winds from the south.

Southwest – Crabbing has been good in Winchester Bay having improved following the freshet. The mainstem Umpqua has sufficient level and flow to maintain decent steelheading conditions and catches have been worthwhile. North and South Umpqua levels are low, the water clear and steelheading is poor to slow. Low water tacticians have been taking a few on the East Fork Millicoma.

Coos Bay is producing good catches of Dungeness. When ocean conditions have allowed, anglers have made good catches of rockfish from the jetties.

Steelhead catches have slowed on the Coquille as the water level has continued to drop.

Elk and Sixes river remain too low and clear to fish well. Rain is needed to re-fire the winter steelhead fishery here.

Catches of winter steelhead have been good on the middle and lower Rogue over the past week. With no major fluctuation in water levels, it should remain productive in the weeks to come. Winter steelhead have started entering the upper river but fishing conditions are tough. The hatchery reported several entering the facility last week. Precipitation would improve fishing conditions river wide.

Rockfish limits are being taken nearshore out of Brookings Harbor and ling cod catches are improving. Herring should be entering any time. Steelheaders skilled in low-water techniques have continued to take a few fish from the clear waters of the Chetco but overall it is slow. The river flow is forecast to drop to less than 1,000 cfs this week.

Eastern – Now that the water level has dropped somewhat, prospects for trout on the lower Deschutes have improved.

Walleye prospects improve dramatically this month with some of the largest fish of the season taken this time of year. Water temperatures will dictate technique but trophy fish are likely to fall in the coming weeks.

Kokanee anglers are anxious to fish Wallowa Reservoir which is forecast to produce the largest fish in the state and possibly yet another world record.

Steelheaders working the Umatilla have seen an improvement in steelhead catches. Pending weather changes, fishing should remain good, especially in the afternoons, when temperatures are on the rise.

Oregon fishing report

2011-02-05T06:26:00.001-08:00

Willamette Valley/Metro- The Bonneville Pool remains the best prospect for winter keeper sturgeon. East winds may hamper effort but as the water temperature warms, so will the bite.

Several spring chinook were taken in last weeks commercial opener. Motivated anglers may luck into one of these quality fish if you focus your efforts downstream of St. Helens or in the Multnomah Channel itself.

With the flow moderates at Willamette Falls, winter steelhead counts are picking up. The sturgeon retention season originally scheduled for January 1st, will be announced this week. Expect a short season.

Plunkers at Meldrum Bar are scoring some steelhead in the clearing Willamette. No sign of early spring chinook yet but they are likely present. It’s likely a few spring chinook will fall at Sellwood Bridge before the Sportsman Show gets underway. Use green label herring trolled near the bottom.

McKenzie River level and flow have returned to normal for this time of year. Trout fishing here would be an option this week.

Fishing has been fair but pressure by bank and boat steelheaders is high on the Clackamas. A good portion of the steelhead being caught right now are wild but quality broodstock catches are expected anytime now.

Steelheading has been fair to good as conditions improve on the Sandy. Oxbow and the stretch below Cedar Creek have been productive. Sand has once again modified the lower reaches.

E. E. Wilson Pond, Junction City Pond, Walling Pond and Walter Wirth Lake are scheduled to be stocked with trout.

Northwest – Steelheaders working the north coast systems are finding fair success on the consistent flows of the larger rivers. The Wilson and Nestucca are the best prospects as they harbor fresh run hatchery fish well into April. The lower reaches of these rivers are producing the best catches and incoming tide can have a positive impact on a days success.

Most other north coast systems are filled with spawned-out early run steelhead with later running wild fish waiting for the next rain freshet.

The mainstem Nehalem should be a good option this weekend as high, colored water has kept this system from fishing following the January flood. It will primarily be a wild fish show on this system.

Sturgeon anglers have been putting in time on Tillamook Bay this week. Favorable tides and mild weather has produced fair catches for anglers using sand shrimp for bait. Bay City and the West Channel have been primary areas to target.

A calming ocean may offer up some good fishing and crabbing opportunities over the weekend. Recent east winds have dropped the westerly swell. Bottomfishing should be excellent with ling cod and rockfish readily available. Ocean crab should be in prime shape for weekend festivities but use extreme caution when venturing out.

Southwest – Following the announcement of a 12% increase in the halibut quota, anglers are anxious for officials to determine dates for fishing.

Charter boats targeting ling cod off the central Oregon coast have been returning to port with limits.

Crabbing has continued to improve in Winchester Bay. North Umpqua steelheaders have been hitting some nice fish as water level and condition improved with dry weather. Steelheading on the South Umpqua has been productive over the past week.

Coquille steelheaders took some decent steelhead from the Coquille on jigs over the past weekend.

Boaters launching out of Charleston have been making good catches of nearshore rockfish. Ling cod catches are improving. Crabbing has been good in Coos Bay.

Showers over the past weekend were insufficient to improve the low, clear water conditions on the Elk and Sixes rivers.

Rogue levels have remained high due to snowmelt over the past week although winter steelhead have been taken by plunkers, side drifters and anchor fishers. Water levels are now dropping on the lower Rogue and fishing is expected to improve. The middle river has been productive and should continue to do so along with water levels and conditions.

Brookings bottom fishers scored limits of rockfish and enjoyed fair results for ling cod. Ocean crabbing has been fair to good. Area beaches have been producing limits of surf perch. Low water conditions have created challenging fishing conditions on the Chetco but the sheer number of winter steelhead available have allowed anglers with good technique to take fish. Indicators point to the season winding down here.

Cooper Creek Reservoir is scheduled to be planted with trout.

Eastern – Lake Billy Chinook is putting out some bull trout and is providing fair to good fishing for kokanee averaging 10 inches.

Green Peter is low but is clearing and should fish in the next week or so.

Eastern Oregon streams such as the Umatilla, Imnaha and the Grande Ronde are forecasted to have favorable flows for steelheaders over the next several days. If temperatures remain stable, good afternoon fishing is likely.

Oregon fishing report

2011-01-15T07:34:00.001-08:00

Oregon Fisheries Update:

Willamette Valley/Metro - Bonneville Pool anglers are scoring good catches of keepers right now. Weekend anglers tallied an average of 3 keepers per boat in this under-the-radar fishery. Success should stay consistent as long as the season remains open.

Although only a few serious anglers will participate, early spring chinook catches on the mainstem Columbia below I-5 are not unprecedented. With a good Willamette run in the forecast, a January salmon is a possibility. Fish downstream of the Multnomah Channel at St. Helens for your best opportunity.

Steelhead passage over Willamette Falls has been in the single digits daily since the first of the year. Plunking is slow at Meldrum Bar.

Santiam River levels will be high this week. With just over 1,100 fish passing Willamette Falls, fishing will be fair at best.

Bobber and jigs have been effective for steelhead on the Clackamas. The lower reaches of the Clackamas are likely to produce the best results when flows are down. Eagle Creek has been producing winters but can be crowded when the fish are in.

The Sandy River is in good shape for winter steelheading although catches have been slow to fair recently. Natives and broodstock fish should begin to make a stronger showing later this month. Low, clear water conditions call for early morning starts and small baits and drift bobbers.

Huddelston Pond. Junction City Pond, Walling Pond and Walter Wirth Lake are scheduled to be planted with trout.

Northwest – A cease in precipitation has slowed steelheading on the north coast. Good catches were reported in the middle of last week but tapered by the weekend when most of the angler effort took place. Larger systems such as the Wilson and Nestucca bore the bulk of the effort and fishing was fair, even with some heavy pressure.

Smaller streams remained slow with low, clear water conditions putting fish down. Fair concentrations of fish are said to remain in the lower stretches of some of these rivers however, giving additional hope to those waiting the next rain freshet to hit.

Weather systems modeled through the week should improve fishing conditions on all north coast systems, beginning with the smaller systems when flows are predicted to subside by the weekend. A mix of a few fresh steelhead and numerous spawned out fish will likely be available.

A brief window of opportunity existed for anglers seeking bottomfish and crab offshore on the central and north coasts. Ling cod action was reported as good but crabbing was surprisingly poor. The lower Columbia River however continues to put out good catches of keeper dungeness.

Good tides will occur again over the weekend for Tillamook Bay sturgeon fishers. Coinciding with these tides is good clamming opportunities. Success for diggers largely depends on surf conditions and the combined sea forecast does not look conducive to high success rates.

Southwest – While there are few days during winter when ocean conditions allow recreational boats to fish, ling cod and rockfish catches are excellent at this time of year. Rockfishing is currently open at all depths and cabezon may once again be taken as part of the seven-fish limit.

Rockfishing has been good off the South Jetty at Winchester Bay when it hasn't been stormy. Umpqua steelheaders have been putting in long days with spotty results. The majority of winter steelhead in the
system are wild, which may not be retained here. Fishing has been best at the confluence and into the South Umpqua.

Coos Bay crabbers are taking good numbers of dungeness following the stretch of dry weather. Steelhead catches have been good in the river.

The Coquille River has been producing good catches of winter steelhead.

Elk and Sixes Rivers were low and clear on Tuesday this week but rain is in the forecast and steelheading will be good whenever the water is dropping and clearing following precipitation.

Steelheading has been very good on the lower Rogue. While most of the fish taken here are wild, one unclipped fish over 24 inches may be retained anywhere below the Hog Creek Boat Ramp, up to five per year as of January 1st. Winter steelhead are in the middle Rogue as well where catches have been fair to good. The upper Rogue has been slow with the water low and clear.

The Chetco was producing winter steelhead very well last week as it was dropping. There was a great deal of boat and bank pressure but plenty of hatchery fish were caught. Over the past weekend it fell below optimum level and as of January 11th, was too low and clear to fish at its best. Wild steelhead may be kept on the Chetco with the same restrictions as the Rogue.

Eastern – Trollers working the Columbia mainstem reservoirs have been doing fair for steelhead. The Dalles and John Day Pools will remain the top prospects.

Steelheaders on the Grande Ronde, Wallowa and Imnaha Rivers have poor river conditions to contend with. Ice formation limits angling days but action could pick up with a warming trend.

Crescent trollers made good catches of Mackinaw over the past weekend.

Oregon Fishing Report

2011-01-01T08:09:00.000-08:00

Willamette Valley/Metro - A new 2011 license and tag is required beginning Saturday. Don’t forget to get it before your next fishing or hunting excursion. Licenses and tags are now available from the ODF&W web site.

With a new year comes a renewed quota for sturgeon. One of the better bets will be the Bonneville Pool where anglers can often score good results targeting keepers just upstream of Bonneville Dam. A quota of 1,400 fish has been established for this fishery.

Anglers fishing from Bonneville Dam downstream to the Wauna Powerlines will also have a renewed but reduced quota beginning January 1st. Anglers are reminded however that the area near Rooster Rock Park that was so productive the last 2 years is not closed until the end of April. Check regulations for detailed information. Angling will remain poor in this stretch until spring however.

Flows over Willamette Falls have moderated and should be dropping in the coming days. Steelhead are once again on the move. The sturgeon quota for the lower Willamette appears destined for a reduction from 3,600 fish in 2010 to 2,550 in 2011 due to a decline in keeper-sized fish populations. A decision on the opener, scheduled originally for January 1, will be made in a meeting on February 5th.

Trees are a likely hazard in the North Santiam from recent heavy rain. For those trying it, use large baits or lures for catch-and-release wild winter steelheading.

The Clackamas and Sandy Rivers were on the rise earlier this week but should drop, clear and fish well with the dry, cold weather that's in the forecast.

Share ideas, comments and concerns about Oregon fisheries at the ODFW Open House on Jan. 4, 2011 from 6 PM to 9 PM at the ODFW Headquarters, 3406 Cherry Avenue NE in Salem.

Northwest – The North Coast continues to get pounded by rain storms but weather models indicate a moderating pattern which should give anglers good access to most systems over the weekend. Smaller systems will fish first and hatchery fish should be plentiful on streams receiving plants.

The North Fork Nehalem should produce well as should the Necanicum, Three Rivers, Big and Gnat Creek and the Klaskanine River near Astoria. Look for those to fish by this afternoon or tomorrow.

Larger systems such as the Wilson, Trask and Nestucca produced good results before the steady rise so fish are available on these systems. The upper reaches will fish best by the weekend and all stretches should be fishing good late in the week if weather models hold. The Vanderzanden launch on the upper Wilson has been repaired.

Chinook were caught prior to the last high water but will close on December 31st on the north coast.

Bait always works best in the higher flows when fish are moving. Eggs or shrimp will produce the best but use hot colors along with your favorite bait. Hardware and plugs will come on stronger when flows drop.

Anglers should find a mix of darker fish and this will likely be the last good push of fresh hatchery fish on the early producing streams. Rivers with broodstock programs like the Nestucca and Wilson should produce well into April.

Good sturgeon tides begin today for anglers interested in pursuing keepers on Tillamook Bay. A calming weather pattern may afford cold-blooded anglers some good opportunity through the weekend. Sand shrimp should produce some results in the west channel.

Strong morning incoming tides will limit productive crabbing on Netarts Bay and the lower Columbia River. East winds may make the lower Columbia hazardous to boaters.

Southwest – Rough seas have prevented recreational crabbers from making much of an effort recently but when it has been possible to drop posts and traps, ocean crabbing has been good.

The mainstem Umpqua was high but stable earlier this week and should fish if rainfall moderates as predicted. A few winter steelhead have been taken on the North Umpqua but many here are wild. Steelheading was worthwhile in the South Umpqua prior to the last storm.

Coos Bay has continued to produce good catches of Dungeness between storms.

Coquille anglers enjoyed good results with winter steelhead over the past weekend until rain pushed the river out of shape on Sunday.

Chinook as well as winter steelhead have been caught whenever the Elk and Sixes have come into shape. Conditions were deteriorating mid-week but can improve quickly on these small rivers.

Water level and flow was on the rise as of December 28th and will take some time to return to decent shape. Plunking with Spin 'N' Glos has been effective on the lower Rogue in lower flows. Summer steelhead are biting whenever the water has dropped on the upper river.

Flows on the Chetco River dropped over the past weekend to allow plunking. Steelheaders were successful but rain again pushed the level up early this week. With moderating precipitation forecast for this week, fishing should be good as the levels drop. Steelhead are well distributed throughout the system and this is historically one of the best times of year for winters.

Eastern – Deep trollers scored large Mackinaw at Crescent Lake over the past weekend in chilly weather.

Steelheaders willing to brave frigid weather should find success when flows drop on the Grand Ronde, Umatilla and John Day Rivers. Cooler weather will slow flows but river ice may form if the weather pattern persists.

Oregon fishing report

2010-12-25T11:04:00.001-08:00

Oregon Fisheries Update:

Willamette Valley/Metro - Although sturgeon fishing in the mainstem Columbia remains slow, there is some effort for sturgeon taking place below the mouth of the Willamette River. Fishery managers will suggest that a small slough section of the river near Rooster Rock remain closed to all fishing for much of the year. This highly productive section was responsible for a large portion of the harvested quota in 2010, crimping other options for consumptive users from Wauna to Bonneville Dam.

The lower Willamette is high and murky. In a decision this week, ODFW officials decided to delay sturgeon retention on the lower Willamette. Originally scheduled to open January 1st, a determination as to when sturgeon may be kept will be made in the first week of February.

Fly fishers have been scoring on the McKenzie whenever the water level is fishable.

Clackamas levels were on a steady drop through Tuesday this week. Pressure has been high with results poor on Eagle Creek.

Winter steelhead are being taken in the Sandy whenever water conditions allow. Expect fish to be scattered. Steelhead will make a much stronger showing by late February.

Huddleston Pond and Junction City Pond are scheduled to be planted with hatchery trout.

Northwest – North coast streams have been without significant rainfall lately, enabling driftboaters to work their favorite waterways such as the Wilson and Nestucca River. Despite the river being in ideal condition success rates were less than ideal for those working the water early in the week. The Wilson did produce a handful of early returning Alsea stock fish but not what most had anticipated, given the good returns on many smaller systems in the same district.

Those smaller streams did produce well in the higher flows. The Necanicum was good on Sunday with some boats reporting double digit opportunities, landing a mix of both semi-colored fish as well as fresh chrome ones. Drifters reported numerous wild coho digging nests in the tailouts of this system.

Despite limited bank access, the North Fork Nehalem produced good catches for anglers fishing near the hatchery over the weekend. With dropping and clearing conditions, success rates will once again fall until the next rain freshet.

Like the North Fork Nehalem, Three Rivers, a Nestucca River tributary will also produce fair to good results near the hatchery at Cedar Creek. As these smaller systems drop, the most productive time of the day will be at daybreak. Smaller baits will be necessary in the lower flows.

The Nestucca itself will be hit or miss as small pods of hatchery fish make their way upstream. The better fishing on the mainstem Nestucca will happen later into February and March, when wild and broodstock fish make their appearance.

High winds have kept anxious sturgeon anglers from testing the waters of Tillamook Bay. Keepers are likely present but the weather forecast will likely continue to discourage effort. Crabbing will remain challenging given the weather forecast as the ocean won’t be an option for recreation through the weekend.

Southwest – Rough seas have curtailed recreational crabbing effort although results have been good when conditions have allowed ocean access. Ocean forecasts for the coming week favor larger, commercial vessels.

Winchester Bay crabbing results have yet to decline due to freshets. The Umpqua system was very high and rising early this week.

Crabbing remains good in Coos Bay despite recent rainstorms. Coos River steelheaders have been doing well recently although, as usual with winters, there have been a far greater number of hookups than landings.
Coquille steelheaders have been experiencing fair to good results when the water level is dropping.

Elk River anglers have caught chinook and fresh winter steelhead recently with precipitation less than expected. The Sixes blew out early this week but will fish a couple of days after the Elk clears.

Rising river levels from weekend rainfall have kept anglers off the Rogue. Although levels were falling early this week, any precipitation will rapidly shut down fishing opportunities.

The Chetco came into shape for plunking late last week and delivered for steelheaders. Spin 'N' Glos were the lure of choice for fresh fish, half or better were of hatchery origin. Storms over this past weekend pushed the Chetco over 10,000 cfs this week but it will fish again for plunkers whenever it's 8,000 cfs and dropping. Look for the 4,000 cfs range to drift it.

Eastern – Summer steelheading is nearly done on the Deschutes with winters on their way.

Cold water angling enthusiasts should enjoy some good results on the Fall River at this time of year. Try fishing nymphs in deep slots.

Most eastern Oregon streams saw a surge in flow and turbidity last week. Prior to the muddy water, fishing was good on the John Day, Wallowa, Umatilla and Imnaha. Fishing should once again improve when snow levels drop and flows subside.

Oregon fishing report

2010-12-19T06:18:00.001-08:00

Willamette Valley/Metro - Sturgeon catches remained poor on the lower Columbia but the fishery above Bonneville should begin to heat up when weather patterns stabilize. Anglers are already looking forward to the 2011 spring chinook return. Columbia returns are expected to be down while another great year is in the works for Willamette anglers. A bigger component of the larger 5-year old fish is expected this season.

The lower Willamette is swollen and opaque. Fish passage has virtually stopped in the torrent. The January 1st sturgeon opener may not occur as scheduled and anglers can expect an additional 29% quota reduction in 2011 due to increased sea lion predation and reduced food resources.

Clackamas water levels were very high at mid-week. There are steelhead in the system but it will only fish on the drop. Eagle Creek will be the best bet for weekend foray’s and the run should be peaking about now.

Water levels on the Sandy are predicted to fall through the week and if accurate, the river should fish later this week. The bulk of the run isn’t due for several more weeks however.

Walling Pond and Walter Wirth Lake are scheduled to be planted with legal and larger trout.

Northwest – With north coast rivers reaching flood stage over the weekend, fishing effort was non-existent. Smaller streams will be the first to recover and should produce good results for steelhead.

The North Fork Nehalem was likely to come in by today and should fish well this weekend. Returns have been good for this system and it will likely produce the best results of all north coast streams.

The Necanicum and Three Rivers will also be top bets, along with Gnat Creek, Big Creek and the Klaskanine River. Bigger baits fished in softer water will be the rule this weekend and fish will likely be on the move until flows drop. Be prepared to cover a lot of water but plunking can also be a very effective tool when flows are up. Spin-n-glos tipped with bait or loaded with scent will produce the best.

The Kilchis River is also an option but steelhead returns are lower on this system than most in the district. The Trask River, especially at the Dam Hole, could produce fair catches of both wild and an occasional hatchery stray.

Chinook are still on the table for the Wilson and Kilchis Rivers but target bucks for best tablefare, leaving hens to seed future generations. Plugs should be effective in the higher flows, especially in the tailouts but bait will produce results as well.

Still not many anglers targeting sturgeon in Tillamook Bay but the estuary should have catchable numbers present. The west channel is the likely area of interception. Crab won’t be an issue.

Crabbers should focus their efforts on Netarts Bay or the lower Columbia River. The ocean won’t be an option in the foreseeable future.

Southwest – Rain has slowed crabbing in many smaller bays and estuaries although Winchester and Coos Bays have remained productive.

Recent heavy rains have put fresh winter steelhead in the Alsea River where anglers may expect success into March.

Siuslaw steelheaders will begin to find winters starting in January.

Steelhead were caught in the South Fork Coquille River late last week but it has since blown out with storm fronts passing through this week.

Umpqua steelheaders are taking a break this week with the river high, muddy and unfishable.

When there's even a brief break in the downpour, try the Elk or Sixes rivers. The small systems fall quickly with the Elk inevitably a day or two ahead for coming into shape. Start high on the system when this occurs. Both fresh winter steelhead and bright chinook are in these rivers.

The lower Rogue, reported as high over the past weekend, had risen another foot by mid-day Tuesday. High, muddy water has stalled fishing efforts on the middle and upper Rogue while plunkers on the lower river are catching steelhead whenever the river is on the drop. Wild steelhead must be released until January 1st.

While plunkers enjoyed some success on the Chetco River over the past weekend, with the flow over 15,000 cfs, a break in precipitation will be required for any fishing opportunity here. There are some large fish in the system with an estimated 60-pound chinook caught and released last week. Boats out of Brookings have been making good catches of rockfish but conditions in the coming weekend will disallow launches.

Eastern – The Deschutes is high from recent east-side rainfall. Trout fishing is closed from Pelton to the Northern Reservation Boundary and steelheading closes on this stretch December 31st.

High and muddy, the Metolius may not fish until Christmas week.

The Grande Ronde remains a good option for steelheaders willing to travel but dropping temperatures could make for treacherous travel. Fishing conditions however may be ideal with anglers scoring results every 4 to 7 hours of effort.

Oregon fishing report

2010-12-12T07:06:00.001-08:00

Willamette Valley/Metro- The only keeper sturgeon tallied in last weekends creel check occurred in the Portland to Longview stretch. The Bonneville stretch is effectively over for the next few months. Some good sturgeon fishing is likely to occur however above Bonneville, where in recent years, good adult populations have fueled a strong but short consumptive fishery.

Fishery managers are busy calculating 2011 predictions due out next week. Season shaping for salmon and sturgeon will occur over the next several months so stay tuned for public meetings. Now is a good time to purchase your 2011 licenses and tags.

With the river high, steelhead are crossing Willamette Falls in single digits daily. Plunkers at Meldrum Bar have been picking up a few winters.

McKenzie water levels have dropped but remain high for fishing.

The Santiam system is too high and the water too cold for the system to fish well.

Early hatchery winter steelhead are available in the Clackamas with drift fishing most productive. It's best to wait until the water level starts to drop. Higher river levels remain in the forecast, making Eagle Creek an attractive option through the weekend.

A few early Sandy winter steelhead have been caught but results will improve in the coming weeks.

Northwest - High water levels this week have kept most anglers focusing on smaller river systems. Charlie Wooldridge of Bay City landed a chrome chinook buck in the 20-pound range early last week fishing the lower Kilchis River using a Flatfish wrapped with sardine fillet. A few hatchery winter steelhead are also available but this system doesn't get the planted numbers other north coast systems do.

The Wilson has been high for much of the week but anglers did get out over the weekend. Chinook are still being caught on the Wilson but with all the early positive news for steelhead, anglers are switching over to target early fish.

The North Fork Nehalem hatchery has been a steelhead highlight on the north coast recently. In the lower flows, bobbers and jigs produced well. Fishing near the hatchery will likely remain productive for the next few weeks, especially as fish get recycled back downstream by hatchery personnel.

Necanicum anglers have been tangling with steelhead as this system closely mimics the North Fork Nehalem when returns are good. Three Rivers, a Nestucca River tributary near Hebo, is also peaking right now and anglers fishing near the hatchery should produce good weekend catches.

A brief window of offshore opportunity early this week produced magnificent crab catches in the ocean out of Garibaldi and Depoe Bay. A delay in the commercial crab opener contributed to sport success. Anglers sticking close to shore had good conditions for ling cod and rockfish. Anglers aren't likely to see ocean conditions like that again for a long time, certainly not this weekend.

Southwest - Ocean crabbing opened at the beginning of December and has been productive for quality Dungeness when ocean conditions have allowed the activity.

Boats launching out of Depoe Bay have been taking limits of ling cod, rockfish and crab for many boats, good catches for others.

Trollers targeting wild coho at Siltcoos Lake have had poor results over the past week.

Rockfishing has been good off the South Jetty at Winchester Bay when wave action has allowed safe access. High water has hampered fishing on the Umpqua system.

Crabbing has remained good in lower Coos Bay despite recent rains. Winter steelhead had been caught on the South Coos and East Millicoma prior to the water levels rising.

Drift gear allowed anglers to hook a good number of chinook on the Elk River over the past weekend. Rain this week should improve prospects with winter steelheading improving. Ocean trolling at the mouths of the Elk and Sixes is closed.

Winter steelhead are entering the Rogue but high water has prevented fishing around Agness. Anglers are taking some chinook on plugs in the Grants Pass stretch where a few steelhead have been caught. High flows have slowed fishing on the upper Rogue.

Rockfishing has been excellent out of the Port of Brookings when the ocean is calm enough to recreate on. Salmon and steelhead are available in the Chetco although chinook catches (and bright fish availability) are winding down as steelhead action is ramping up. Checking the river level and flow before you hit the river will determine whether anglers pack drift or plunking gear.

Eastern - Nymphing has been most effective for trout on the lower Deschutes. Summer steelhead remain available above Maupin but are pretty well colored up. There was snow on the ground at Maupin on Tuesday this week.

Crescent Lake has produced some large mackinaw to trollers launching in the snow.

The Grande Ronde remains a good option for cold weather steelheaders. A slight warming trend should produce better catches with current creel statistics indicating a fish for every 4 to 7 hours of effort.

Oregon fishing report

2010-12-03T04:50:00.000-08:00

Willamette Valley/Metro - Recent rumors of improved fishing for keepers is coming from the gorge. Given that there are very few keepers remaining on the quota, if those rumors are accurate, the fishery is likely to close very soon. The Willamette remains closed to catch and keep fishing but should provide good catch and release opportunities.

Anticipation is running high for metro area salmon anglers. Fishery managers are in the process of modeling 2011 returns and after a banner year on the Willamette last year, anglers are anxious. The Columbia run is likely to be down from last year.

Winter steelhead counts have stalled at Willamette Falls. Bright summer steelhead remain available on the Town Run in the upper Willamette when water conditions allow.

While the McKenzie is driftable, trout fishing has been poor to slow.

North Santiam water levels are high for boating. Watch for new hazards from Shelburn's to Green's Bridge.

Winter steelhead have been hooked and a few landed on the lower Clackamas. The Eagle Creek system may be a better bet this weekend however as high water will have fish on the move.

A few winter steelhead have been banked on the Sandy River but it's early for this system to fish well.

Northwest – Tillamook driftboaters have enjoyed good water conditions to fish in. Action picked up when the water and air temperatures began to rise. Anglers working the upper stretches of the Wilson remain frustrated however as fishers still pursuing chinook and steelhead below Sollie Smith Bridge seem to be intercepting the lion’s share of the fish. Fair numbers of steelhead have been caught on the Wilson already, indicating a good season ahead.

The Kilchis has a few fish available but isn’t fishing as good as most had anticipated. The Trask also has a few late run chinook and a rare steelhead but effort is low. The high water we’re currently experiencing typically bodes well for the Dam Hole on the Trask for early run steelhead.

Smaller streams like the North Fork Nehalem, Necanicum and Three Rivers should all be prime candidates for steelhead right now but North Fork hatchery reported surprisingly few adults in the trap this week. The current rain freshet should stimulate a good push into these systems however.

The Nestucca has been a sleeper lately and in the high water, steelhead are likely to move right into Three Rivers so mainstem fishing will likely remain challenging with the exception of the mouth of Three Rivers itself.

Tillamook Bay remains void of effort. Chinook trollers still have a viable chance in the Ghost Hole after the water clears from this rain event. Sturgeon fishing should be good but little effort exists. A nice tide series starts today but by the weekend, low slack will take place after dark.

Tides will be too strong for good crabbing this weekend. The lower Columbia and Netarts Bay will be the best bets and with a possible delay in the commercial opener, recreational crabbing should remain productive.

Southwest – Crabbing has slowed in bays and estuaries as heavy rains have lowered salinity which always slows Dungeness take. Ocean crabbing opened December 1st. Ironically, after a wild fall, the ocean looks like a possibility for crabbers and fishers this weekend.

The wild coho fishery slowed for trollers on Siltcoos Lake over the past weekend.

Winchester Bay anglers have been doing well for bottom fish off the south jetty when conditions allow safe access. Fishing on the Umpqua has been slow with high, muddy water shutting down the bite.

Winter steelhead have yet to show in the Coquille.

South Coos anglers are taking a few chinook but catches are slowing and most fish are dark.

The Elk and Sixes have been productive lately with some boats taking multiple chinook. High wind has been problematic at times. The ocean fishery off the mouths is closed as of December 1st. Bullard's Bridge should be open during the day but call ODOT to confirm.

Winter steelhead are showing in the lower Rogue with results expected to improve in coming weeks. High, muddy water has challenged steelheaders on the middle Rogue although fishing has been fair at times. The upper Rogue continues to offer the best chance of a hookup with a late-season summer steelhead despite slowing due to higher water.

Boats launching early out of the Port of Brookings have made good catches of rockfish nearshore but few ling cod. Cold water slowed the chinook bite over the past week on the Chetco River although persistent boaters dragging wrapped plugs continued to take a few fish. Low water temperatures didn't prevent early winter steelhead from biting however, as several were taken. December is shaping up to be a good month. The Chetco was 2,700 and dropping on Tuesday this week.

Eastern – A few good-sized trout are being hooked on the Metolius where bull trout are also available.

Steelheading has been good on the Grande Ronde but at last report, a cold snap had formed slushy ice in the river.

Oregon Fishing Report

2010-11-20T07:07:00.000-08:00

Willamette Valley/Metro- With the Willamette now closed to catch and keep sturgeon fishing, anglers have little choice for good action unless catch and release on the lower Willamette appeals to anglers. Success in the gorge continues to drop and with falling freezing levels, success will continue to plummet.

As of November 16th, water visibility at Willamette Falls was 3.4 feet. About 150 winter steelhead have been counted. Trout fishing is good on the Middle Fork Willamette and will remain so as long as water levels remain fishable. The coho run is over for the year.

Trout fishing has been fair on the McKenzie. Steelheading efforts continue below Leaburg Dam.

Coho are being hooked on the Santiam with results fair to good at times.

The Clackamas was on the rise earlier this week. Eagle Creek produced a few steelhead over the past weekend.

Thanksgiving traditionalists are expected to hit the Sandy next week despite later-running broodstock steelhead. Catches will likely be spotty.

Northwest - Salmon fishing in the Tillamook district continues to disappoint anglers and the effort defines success rates in recent days. Rivers are producing sub-par results despite excellent conditions. Tillamook Bay is effectively over although persistent anglers still have a fair chance at a late run fall chinook.

The Wilson River should be peaking right now but driftboaters are coming up with poor returns on their investment of time. Dark fish are beginning to show in the catches but it appears that the late run that typically graces the Wilson and Kilchis Rivers will fall short of preseason predictions. Another rain freshet is due today but it is clear by now that chinook destined for these systems are somewhat depressed this season.

The Trask has been a staple for much of the fall but success rates are falling on this system as well. Fish are beginning to turn dark here. A winter steelhead was recently caught however, indicating a decent return may be on the way. Steelhead returns often mimic coho returns and it's likely the wild coho return to the Tillamook basin was under-predicted this season.

The Nestucca has been a late season surprise this year as the pre-season forecast was for a poor return. A limited season is in place with driftboaters allowed from Farmer Creek to the tidewater stretch. Another freshet may put this system out of shape until the weekend but the Nestucca may be a fair option for late weekend boaters. This will likely be the last weekend for bright fish but winter steelhead are soon to follow.

Although still several weeks from peak, bright steelhead should be available on the North Fork Nehalem, Necanicum, Wilson, Kilchis, Nestucca and Three Rivers. The season's first hatchery steelhead has been taken on the North Fork Nehalem where anglers witnessed some of the best catches in years last season. Late run wild coho will also be present so be prepared to properly identify species as all wild coho must be released.

Tillamook Bay has few anglers targeting salmon but some effort still exists in the Ghost Hole and Bay City. Bay anglers may find sturgeon fishing more rewarding as the freshwater influx has pushed crab to the sea. The west channel should be bountiful for sturgeon anglers, especially with the upcoming tide series.

Crabbing remains best in the lower Columbia where limits were the rule over the weekend. Success rates should remain favorable until the commercial season opens in early December. All the other estuaries, with the exception of Netarts Bay will likely produce poorly in the coming weeks.

Southwest - Crabbing has been fair to good in bays and estuaries despite recent rain. Ocean crabbing resumes on December 1st.

Chinook have moved out of Winchester Bay upstream into the Umpqua. South Jetty fishers are catching rockfish and surf perch when ocean conditions allow safe access. Chinook fishing has been fair to good on the Umpqua mainstem.

Chinook catches have slowed on the Coos and Coquille. Crabbing has been good in Coos Bay with some taking limits.

Although boat traffic has been moderate, Chinook catches on the Elk and Sixes Rivers have been very slow. A few were taken on plugs late last week but recent rough seas prevented fishing at the mouth.

Rogue Bay is wrapped up for chinook and lower river fishing is slow while the middle river us producing fair steelhead and coho catches. The upper Rogue continues to offer the better action for late-season summer steelhead. Use caution running a driftboat through the old Gold Ray Dam site where a hazardous rapid has formed.

When ocean conditions have allowed offshore access out of Brookings, most anglers are catching rockfish limits although few lingcod have been taken recently with the 120-foot restriction. Chinook fishing has been good in the Chetco River when water conditions have cooperated.

Eastern - Steelheading is slow on the Deschutes but the occasional fish is being landed. Maupin to Warm Springs has been most productive.

The Grande Ronde is producing fair to good catches of steelhead ranging from chrome to colorful.

Although John Day Pool anglers should be coming into their peak season, catches were mediocre this week. Action may remain fair this week with the ensuing weather pattern in the forecast. Bobber and jig will work in the John Day itself but trollers work the pool above the dam.

Oregon fishing report

2010-11-14T08:44:00.001-08:00

Willamette Valley/Metro - With salmon fishing effectively over on the lower Columbia, effort will shift to sturgeon for the remainder of the year. Sturgeon catches continue to taper below Bonneville as fish seemingly move into the lower Willamette this time of year. Anglers are likely to target the mouth of the Willamette as the mainstem Columbia continues to cool.

Catches were good and pressure high at the re-opener of sturgeon retention on the lower Willamette last week. Anglers took 580 keepers which filled the quota, closing the lower Willamette and Multnomah Channel until January 1, 2011. Steelhead remain available on the Middle Fork of the Willamette.

Trout fishing has remained good on the McKenzie when water conditions are conducive where brilliant fall foliage graces the banks.

Steelheading has been fair on the North Santiam but the river is high this week and will remain so through the coming weekend.

Clackamas water levels are up following precipitation over the past weekend and while dropping, fishing remains slow with the coho season about done for the year.

Winter steelhead will be the next fishery on the Sandy but it will be a while as these are broodstock adults with returns delayed until late winter.

Henry Hagg Lake has been fishing well but anglers have only though November 20th, after which it's closed until spring.

Northwest - Wild weather has subdued effort on the north coast, even though fall chinook should be peaking on many river systems. The Wilson and Kilchis River chinook runs aren't materializing like they do most years, this fishery should be peaking now with ideal conditions for driftboaters underway. Some chum are still being caught but anglers can no longer target chum salmon after Monday. Trout fishing closed on October 31st.

The Nestucca River produced some good catches last week even though the run was forecast to be down this season. Plug pullers and backbouncers fared well during the North Coast Salmon Rendezvous last week.

Tillamook Bay continues to challenge anglers but a few bright fish are still being produced in the west channel, Ghost Hole and in the upper bay. Spinners or herring should continue to take fish into early December. Female fish, although bright, sometimes exhibit poor quality flesh this time of year. Bright bucks will provide the best tablefare for the remainder of the season.

Sturgeon should be available in Tillamook Bay as fish continue to exit the lower Columbia and seek better feeding conditions in other estuaries this time of year. With all the recent freshwater, juvenile crabs should not be the problem they typically are for shrimp plunkers. The west channel should be a prime place for interception.

If 2010 steelhead returns come in high, anglers should begin to see chrome returns to the North Fork Nehalem, Necanicum, Kilchis, Wilson, Three Rivers and the Nestucca Rivers within the next 10 days. None have been reported yet.

An excellent tide series over the weekend should produce easy limits for crabbers on the lower Columbia. Expect plenty of competition however.

Southwest - Tidal exchanges this weekend will be mild but offshore conditions may prevent ocean forays.

Trollers are catching fair to good numbers of wild coho at Siltcoos Lake with plugs being most effective this season.

Weekend rainfall relieved low water conditions on the Coos and Coquille. Chinook catches are expected to be
good this week. Crabbing has been good in Coos Bay but too much fresh water will reduce catches.

Chinook catches picked up following rainfall last Sunday on the Elk and Sixes but leaves in the water and high winds have been hampering efforts.

Chetco anglers are taking good numbers of bright chinook with several breaking the 40-pound mark. Bobber and bait fishers, back-bouncers and plug pullers are all taking fish. When ocean conditions have allowed crossing the bar out of Brookings, limits of rockfish were taken and ling cod fishing improved.

The Winchuck River opened for chinook retention over the past weekend. While there was no sign of an early return late last week, rainfall will get this fishery underway and an excellent return is forecast this season.

Eastern - Steelheading has improved on the lower Deschutes with fewer anglers on the river now. With the water cooling, the bite is soft. Most of the steelhead are wild but are running large.

A good late fall and winter fishery, the Crooked River is producing well for fly anglers targeting large rainbows.

The Grande Ronde, Wallowa, Imnaha and Umatilla Rivers are all strong possibilities for late run summer steelhead. Bobbers and bait or jigs should produce nicely for persistent anglers.

Oregon fishing report

2010-11-06T10:05:00.001-07:00

Oregon Fisheries Update:

Willamette Valley/Metro - Salmon fishing in the gorge has slowed dramatically as this fishery winds down for the year. Upstream anglers will continue to watch dam counts above Bonneville to target coho near tributary mouths.

Sturgeon anglers in the gorge are still pursuing keepers with boaters doing best. Fish are well distributed, putting bank anglers at an unusual disadvantage. Success rates will likely taper with a lowering snow level in the coming weeks.

The first retention sturgeon opportunity following the re-opening of the lower Willamette will be Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The Middle Fork will fish well for steelhead when the water drops and clears.

The McKenzie is dropping this week and should provide some late fall fishing for steelhead.

Steelheading has picked up on the Clackamas with the recent freshet.

A few coho have been taken on the Sandy but they're getting dark this late in the season.

Limits are being taken by trollers at Hagg Lake. Trout are scheduled to be planted at Walling Pond and Walter Wirth Lake.

Northwest - Brief flurries of success were witnessed late last week following the last rain freshet. Although the Wilson and Kilchis produced sub-par results, the west channel in Tillamook Bay produced good catches on Wednesday but slowed by the weekend. A new series of storms swelled rivers to a season high over the weekend, which should improve fishing once again for this weekend.

Despite low visibility, trollers working herring in the Bay City area as well as the west channel scored fair numbers of fish on Tuesday. With most rivers still out of shape, the few anglers fishing under sunny skies and 60 degree temperatures fared well on the first part of outgoing tide.

As rivers clear, driftboaters will come out in force with the Wilson and Kilchis primary targets. The Kilchis fished best by midweek but the Wilson and Trask will be primary targets over the weekend pending further bouts of torrential downpours.

Most driftable sections of the Nestucca and Nehalem are off limits to boaters this year but some fish may be available in downstream areas. An early winter steelhead may come from Three Rivers or the North Fork Nehalem or Necanicum Rivers but peak season will be later into December.

Heavy rains should clear out crab from most coastal estuaries, making them viable options for sturgeon seekers, especially on Tillamook Bay. Sport crabbing will remain best on Netarts Bay and the lower Columbia River out of Hammond.

Trout season has closed on north coast streams but some quality fish were taken during the consumptive opener.

Southwest - Offshore forecasts indicate difficult ocean conditions. Bottom fishers have successfully made early morning trips but use caution if doing so.

Trolled plugs are catching coho at Siltcoos Lake but the action is hot one day, cold the next.

Winchester Bay crabbing has continued to improve. Most of the Dungeness are hard now and even those trying from docks are getting them. Chinook and coho fishing has been good in the bay and lower Umpqua.

With the wild coho fishery over on the Coquille, chinook catches have remained good.

Concentrate chinook effort on the South Coos now with trolled herring.

A few chinook have been caught near the mouth of the Elk but more rain is needed to kick-start this fishery.

Rough seas out of Gold Beach coupled with high winds has kept boats off the ocean most of the week. Bottom fishing has yielded limits of rockfish when boats could get out. Chinook fishing is slow in the bay with the season nearly over here. Steelheading is fair in the middle river. Summer steelheading remains good on the upper Rogue. The flies-only restriction was lifted on November 1st.

Rain last week allowed the Chetco River to open a week early for chinook fishing. Catches have been slow to fair with best results at the mouth. Fronts passing through have caused Chetco levels to fluctuate, but the river has rarely been out of the optimal range to fish well. It will fish whenever the flow is 4,000 cfs or less providing the water isn't muddy. Winter steelhead will be available here in late November.

Snow was on the ground for the final weekend for Diamond Lake. Fishing was excellent as it will be in the spring next year.

Eastern - Steelheading improved over the past weekend on the lower Deschutes as the water cleared. Catches are mostly native fish, however.

Trollers working the John Day Pool reported good catches but the bulk of the catch were wild, which must be released. This fishery should become more consistent into the month.

Large Mackinaw are being taken by trollers using downriggers in chilly conditions at Crescent Lake.

Oregon fishing report

2010-10-31T08:48:00.001-07:00

Willamette Valley/Metro - Salmon fishing still an option for Bonneville area anglers, few quality fish remain however. Sturgeon anglers continue to produce only fair catches with bank anglers doing best closest to the deadline and boat anglers tallied a keeper for every other boat over the weekend. Success rates will likely begin to slow.

Sturgeon retention will resume on the lower Willamette Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays starting in November. Once the upper Willamette water level starts to drop, steelheading should remain reliable from Dexter Dam downstream to the Town Run.

McKenzie River level and flow is high but dropping this week. The last day to fish the upper McKenzie for trout is Sunday, October 31st.

The North Santiam will be closed from Niagara to Packsaddle Park starting in January 2011 due to the construction of a new fish collection facility.

The Clackamas and Sandy Rivers were high and muddy at this writing but are expected to be dropping this week. The Clackamas below River Mill Dam remains open for fin-clipped coho but will close upstream after October 31st. The Sandy River remains open for fin-clipped coho year around when historically, it has closed on October 31st.

Northwest – Tillamook Bay has been blustery most recently, keeping anglers at home and waiting for the next opportunity. Prior to the barrage of storm systems, chinook fishing had slowed with only an occasional fish being taken in the west channel and Ghost Hole areas. The Wilson and Kilchis fish are now overdue.

The storm system provided the optimum opportunity for river anglers with flows dropping into perfect shape by Tuesday on the Trask, Wilson and Kilchis Rivers. Traffic was light on all systems but bank anglers were scoring a combination of chum, wild coho and an occasional chinook at the logger bridge on the Kilchis River. The coho continue to run large, making them easy to misidentify, as they look similar to a fresh run chinook. Be cautious in your harvest.

The bay had calmed by Wednesday, providing good opportunity for anglers in the lower bay. If better numbers of Wilson and Kilchis fish don’t show on this freshet, it will signal a problem with the remainder of the season. Herring should take fair numbers of fish in the Ghost Hole and Bay City. Lower stretches of these rivers should also produce results today and tomorrow.

Most of the river accessible to driftboats is closed to chinook fishing on the Nehalem and Nestucca Rivers. Check the ODF&W web site for what limited opportunities exist in these watersheds.

The Necanicum River was also an option earlier in the week but windfall and shifting gravel bars can make this a hazard to navigate. The North Fork Nehalem did get a few more hatchery coho but most of the fish are dark. The first hatchery winter steelhead will likely come in around the first or second week of November.

Sturgeon fishing may improve on Tillamook Bay after the recent rains, sending crab to the ocean and away from anchored baits in the west channel, where most of the sturgeon effort takes place. Bay crabbing should slow on most north coast estuaries with the lower Columbia being the exception.

Southwest – Rain over the weekend raised water levels and muddied the rivers on the south coast. Fishing should improve as waters drop and clear.

Trollers took chinook on the lower Umpqua last week and more fish will be entering this week with the freshet.

Coos Bay anglers are taking good numbers of chinook although pressure is light. The South Coos was particularly productive.

Chinook catches have been good this season on the Coquille with the action yet to show signs of slowing down.

Offshore boaters out of Gold Beach caught a break at the middle of last week, at which time rockfish were taken but ling cod catches were slow. Chinook results are slow in the bay and rain has roiled much of the river. Steelheading remains good on the upper Rogue above the old Gold Ray Dam site.

The Chetco is experiencing a very good return of adult chinook as well as a high number of jacks as recent ODFW test netting revealed. The river is dropping this week after swelling to nearly 7,000 cfs on October 24th.

Rain doubled the volume of the Elk River earlier this week, causing muddy conditions and filling the river with leaves. It will bring in fish, however, and results should be good when water conditions improve.

Opening November 6th, catches of chinook are expected to be very good at the Winchuck River, located just north of the California border.

Eastern – Steelheading has been challenging on the lower Deschutes. Trout fishing has been decent but most anglers are more interested in steelhead.

The John Day Pool troll fishery is heating up and is likely to peak close to Thanksgiving.

Many east side locations will close to fishing at the end of October. Be sure to check the Oregon fishing regulations before hitting eastside destinations.

Crescent Lake is producing Mackinaw to trollers.

Fishing report for Oregon

2010-10-15T03:51:00.000-07:00

Willamette Valley/Metro - Although the sturgeon opener in the gorge started slow, success rates have jumped slightly in the recent week. Some keepers are available but oversize fish seem to make up a large portion of the catch. The fall fishery in the gorge can provide some of the best opportunity for bank anglers to tangle with keeper fish.

Salmon fishing from the gorge to Troutdale continues to wind down with fewer quality fish in the catches. Late run coho should offer some opportunity near tributary mouths in the coming weeks.

Steelheading remains good on the Willamette below Dexter. The upper Willamette and Middle Fork are fishing well for trout.

Trout fishing and steelheading will be holding up through October on the McKenzie, weather permitting. The water level will be dropping in the coming week.

Coho fishing has been slow on the Clackamas despite decent numbers of fish in the river. Eagle Creek is low and clear.

The Sandy River has been off-color but has good numbers of coho available. The bite has been slow to fair. Try various lures and baits for the best chance of a hookup.

Northwest - Tillamook district anglers fared well over the weekend. The predicted wind storms never materialized so what few anglers fishing over the weekend scored fair results. The upper bay produced the best catches but the fish that were present, shot upstream on the recent rain freshet. Chinook fishing has since slowed with only an occasional fish taken from the upper bay to the Ghost Hole.

Weekend rain afforded driftboaters their first real chance at chinook and coho on Monday. The Trask was laden with salmon but were very reluctant to bite. Wild coho were present in heavy numbers but good numbers of chinook were present as well. Flows quickly dropped back down to summer lows, making driftboating challenging once again.

Although it was still a bit early for the Wilson River to produce catches, a few chinook were present early in the week. Flows have subsided making fish wary to anglers offerings. Another rain freshet isn't due in the near future.

Recreational crabbers have not been able to take advantage of the ocean extension for well over a week now due to rough ocean and bar conditions. The season closes after Friday with so much potential lost. Bay crabbing is poor in Tillamook and fair in Netarts and Nehalem estuaries. Soft tides will favor crabbers over the weekend.

The Nehalem and Nestucca Rivers were predictably slow and the North Fork Nehalem hatchery received another shot of hatchery fish this week. Coho catches were only fair near the hatchery with many of the fish landed being wild, requiring release. The hatchery coho run on the north coast is all but over.

Southwest - Crabbing has been poor to slow in Winchester Bay recently. Boats fishing below the confluence of the North and South Umpqua are doing well using bobber and bait combos. The best results occur early and late in the day.

Trollers are taking coho at Siltcoos Lake which are bound for Maple Creek.

Coos Bay has been productive for chinook with Marshfield Channel a high traffic area. Crabbing has been fair to good in the bay.

The wild coho quota on the Coquille has been filled and this fishery is closed. Trolling plug-cut herring is taking chinook in tidewater.

Boats out of Port Orford took limits of black and blue rockfish over the past week. In addition, crabbing has been good for quality Dungeness.

Good returns are forecast for the chinook fishery off the mouth of the Elk River starting Friday, October 15th but fall rains will mark the real kickoff.

Trollers in the Rogue estuary continue to hook plenty of coho, most of which are wild requiring release. Only a few chinook are being taken from the bay. Chinook fishing has been worthwhile upriver below Indian Creek.

The Chetco Ocean Terminal Fishery the first 12 days of October produced mixed results and several chinook over 40 pounds. Rockfishing is good out of the Port of Brookings Harbor with ling cod catches improving.

Eastern - While steelhead numbers are good in the Deschutes now and pressure has been heavy, the bite has been only fair with fish hesitant to strike lure or fly. Persistence is required of these fish as action can occur at any time of day. Recent rains has clouded the river, slowing success rates. Trout catches have improved as cloudy days produce Blue-Winged Olive and Caddis hatches in the evenings.

Steelhead are hitting dark colored flies on the Grande Ronde. Fishing is picking up between freshets.

Mann Lake has been treated with rotenone to control undesirable species introduced by the public. It will be restocked.

Fishing report for Oregon

2010-10-03T12:41:00.001-07:00

Willamette Valley/Metro - Anglers continue to do best at Bonneville Dam. A surprising jump in adult chinook crossing at Bonneville last week spurred improved catches, especially for backtrollers. Some anglers continue to pursue chinook using wobblers downstream of the Columbia River Gorge. Success rates are falling but anglers pursuing coho near tributary mouths are intercepting fair numbers of fish.

Sturgeon fishing reopens upstream of the Wauna Powerlines beginning Friday, October 1st, with the 3-day per week openers on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The most recent check indicated a poor showing of keeper sized fish but increased effort will tell the real story. October is typically a good time to sturgeon fish in the gorge, especially for bank anglers fishing near the deadline.

Hundreds of coho are streaming over Willamette Falls daily. While the cumulative total is lagging behind several days, the total is undoubtedly well over 10,000 so far this season.

The McKenzie is fishing well for trout. The two-fly tournament over the past weekend was declared a success.

North Santiam level and flow will be stable through the coming weekend. Fishermen's Bend has been producing steelhead.

Clackamas flows are 750 to 950 cfs which is low for coho fishing. Coho fishing is slow.

Coho are being caught in the Sandy River with fish scattered. Mornings have been the most productive. Cedar Creek is producing fish and is getting very crowded as it does every year during coho season.

Northwest - Tillamook Bay continues to be the highlight on the North Coast. Although catches are far from consistent, fair numbers of chinook are being taken daily. The lower bay will produce the best on the current tide series. The Bubble fishery has not been an option due to rough seas but conditions are forecasted to change for the weekend.

Good numbers of coho are present in the west channel of Tillamook Bay but the vast majority are wild and must be released unharmed. Crabbing in Tillamook Bay is fair at best and good in Netarts Bay.

Large numbers of hatchery coho showed up at the Trask Hatchery last week. Although only a few fell to bank anglers, the next rain freshet should flood the Trask with quality chinook.

Prospects for safe ocean recreation for nearshore salmon, bottomfish and especially crab should improve this weekend with the low tide exchange and a taming swell. Ocean crabbing remains open through October 15th.

Some chinook are present in the Nehalem system and the bay below Nehalem Bay State Park opens on October 1st. Fishing should be decent but only a modest return is expected. Hatchery coho are present in the North Fork and some fair but inconsistent fishing has taken place at the hatchery.

Only a small section of the Nestucca tidewater remains open for chinook and the catch is light but so is effort.

Both bank and boat anglers continue to take chinook in the Salmon River Estuary. Boat anglers will have the advantage this weekend with the soft tide series but this fishery is past its peak.

Southwest - While the 20-fathom bottomfishing restriction has historically been lifted on October 1st in the past, due to concerns over endangered yelloweye catches, anglers must remain in less than 120 feet of water this year.

Most coastal rivers have sea run cutthroat in abundance now. These feisty fish can be found in tidewater and the lower portions of rivers and will respond well to colorful flies. Fishing for sea-run cuts will be good well into fall but the season closes on October 31st.

Chinook and coho are in Winchester Bay and upriver 20 miles with anglers scoring in the Glide stretch.

Coos Bay is giving up some nice-sized chinook to trollers along with smaller coho.

The bite in Rogue Bay turned on this past Sunday and has held up early into this week. Most chinook are in the 30 to 40-pound range although a 50-pounder was landed Sunday. Catches of coho are good in the estuary as well. Ocean crabbing closes October 16th but is expected to be very rewarding until that date. A calm ocean allowed boats to chase bottomfish where ling cod were found in good number. Chinook fishing has been fair in the Grants Pass stretch.

As Chinook numbers improve in Chetco Bay, anglers are looking forward to the ocean 'bubble' fishery opening October 1st. Boats launching out of the Port of Brookings have been taking limits of a colorful variety of rockfish. Calm seas lure anglers out in search of late-season albacore and they were not disappointed. Some boats returned to port with over 20 tuna.

Eastern - Summer steelhead counts have continued to climb at Sherars Falls on the Deschutes with about two-thirds of those fish of hatchery origin. Water fluctuation has created challenging conditions over the past week.

The Grande Ronde, Wallowa and Imnaha Rivers should produce fine steelhead catches in the coming weeks. With great numbers of adults passing Columbia River dams, it should be another good season until the cold weather hits.

The Umatilla is an option for both steelhead and coho salmon.

SW Washington - District streams such as the Cowlitz and Lewis Rivers should begin to see the second wave of coho in the coming weeks. Spinner casters will be the first to intercept quality sized adults, targeting them at the rivers mouth when tides improve.

Chinook regulations vary by watershed but fish are beginning to deteriorate, making them poor tablefare.

The Klickitat and White Salmon Rivers should continue to produce a mix of chinook, coho and steelhead in the weeks ahead but fish should begin to show color as the run begins to taper.

Oregon Fishing Report

2010-09-19T07:13:00.000-07:00

Willamette Valley/Metro- After a flurry of success by Bonneville anglers, the bite has slowed although fish are still being hooked with some regularity. Backtrollers are scoring the best results with bait-wrapped Flatfish the most common lure of choice. Action should pick back up again in early October.

The anchor wobbler fishery has also slowed in the Portland to Longview stretch but a few fish will still be taken throughout the rest of this month.

Coho are crossing Willamette Falls in good numbers. Steelheaders on the upper Willamette have been catching steelhead around Eugene.

Trout fishing has been fair on the McKenzie. Spring chinook can be observed spawning here.

Summer steelhead remain available on the North Santiam. Chinook appear to have finished spawning.

Rain showers caused a slight bump in flows at the Clackamas on September 9th but the water level quickly dropped back to summer level lows. Rain this week will put coho in Eagle Creek.

Coho are in the Sandy River in good number now although they can be challenging to hook. Spinners were taking some earlier this week.

Northwest - Lower Tillamook Bay tallied some good fall chinook fishing on Tuesday with some boats taking their 1-fish limits of chinook. Julie Chick of Nehalem boated a fresh buck, tipping the scales at nearly 32 pounds. The fish took a plug cut herring on the inside of the north jetty on the soft outgoing tide.

Hatchery coho have been plentiful in upper Tillamook Bay. The adults have fallen to spinners and herring close to high tide. Although only a slight rise in river levels is in the forecast, the rain freshet could send anxious hatchery fish up the Trask and North Fork Nehalem Rivers over the weekend. This should give bank anglers ample opportunity in the early morning hours.

Calm seas allowed anglers and crabbers to recreate on the ocean for much of this week, taking big numbers of dungeness crab in the nearshore and tuna offshore. A southerly influence may bring tuna even closer to shore where anglers should have a great shot at big numbers when seas calm once again.

The Nestucca River opened for chinook today but detailed restrictions remain in place. Check updated regulations for north coast systems by logging onto the ODF&W web site. Chinook are starting to penetrate the mainstem Nehalem in fair numbers. An occasional pink salmon is showing in some north coast basins and by regulation, are allowed to be retained as part of your daily bag limit.

More coho are due back to the lower Columbia but action was very slow over the weekend. A second run of coho typically runs through the area in mid-October, destined for Washington hatcheries. Crabbing remains good in the lower Columbia, especially on the current low tide exchanges.

The Alsea and Siletz are beginning to show signs of promise. Catches have been best near the estuary. The Salmon River near Lincoln City is also beginning to gain attention and should peak this week.

Southwest - Tuna are being caught 20 to 30 miles off the central Oregon coast but the opportunity will be over when the water cools.

Chinook fishing has picked up for trollers at Winchester Bay and the lower Umpqua. Crabbing continues to improve here as in most southwest bays and estuaries.

Salmon fishing has improved on the Coos with jacks supplementing catches.

The Coquille is now open for coho retention. Trollers are experiencing spotty results for chinook.

Rogue Bay has been spotty for fall chinook with evenings most productive. Half-pounder steelhead catches are good at Agness. The middle Rogue is roiled from the Gold Ray Dam removal site although chinook are being landed. Upper river fishing is worthwhile for steelhead in flies-only water. The Indian Creek Salmon Derby will take place on September 18th with $1,500 prize money to be awarded to the top finishers. Sign up at local merchants.

Ocean conditions are forecast to be friendly for offshore boaters out of Brookings this coming weekend. Bottom fishing and ocean crabbing should be good.

The first significant fall rain will kick of the fall fishery at Elk River.

The first Chetco Bay chinook of the season was landed recently by Brookings resident Wayne Sargent. The Chetco remains closed at River Mile 2.2 until November 6th.

There's $5,000 in prize money up for grabs at the Diamond Lake Trout Derby taking place September 25th. Call 541-973-4831 for information.

Eastern - Steelhead counts at Sherars Falls have picked up significantly over the past week and the majority of these are hatchery keepers. Steelheading is good from Maupin to Macs Canyon and fishing pressure is building commensurately. Trout fishing has improved with nymphing effective during the day and dry caddis patterns taking fish in the evening.

It's getting fairly late in the season to expect quality kokanee form Oregon lakes and reservoirs with spawning time approaching.

Fishing report for Oregon

2010-09-11T08:39:00.000-07:00

Willamette Valley/Metro - Chinook fishing on the lower Columbia from Longview to Portland is peaking right now. Although success rates vary day to day, success is good for anchor anglers working wobblers in 30 to 50 foot of water. Anglers will lose access to chinook in waters downstream of Warrior Rock beginning September 12th but fishing upstream of this deadline should remain productive into October. Nearly 20,000 adult chinook per day are crossing Bonneville Dam.

With water temperature in the mid-60s, coho continue to cross Willamette Falls. The best chance for a hookup is for steelhead on the Middle Fork or Town Run.

Trout fishing and steelheading is fair on the McKenzie. Parking will be closed at the Upper McKenzie River Trailhead until construction is completed in October.

The North Santiam is on the rise from water release at Detroit and rising water is not conducive to good fishing. South Santiam steelheading has been challenging despite decent numbers in the river.

Fishing has been slow for coho on the Clackamas although crowds are forming at the Bowling Alley. A few can be seen rolling but it will be a week or two before fishing is worthwhile. Water temperatures will play a role in angler success.

There are a few coho being taken at the Sandy now. Try spinners or drifted roe in the early morning for best results. Adipose fin-clipped chinook salmon may also be retained with the extreme lower portions of the river the most likely place of interception.

Estacada Lake, Faraday Lake, North Fork Reservoir and Small Fry Lake are scheduled for trout stocking.

Northwest – After a banner week of coho fishing downstream of Tongue Point and a short-lived chinook bite upstream, action in the Buoy 10 fishery has slowed dramatically. Although tens of thousands more coho are due back to the river, the run size is down from previous years so success should remain mediocre. Trolled bait will remain the best option, targeting coho on the Washington side of the river both upstream and downstream of the Astoria Bridge.

Ocean fishers will continue to struggle for hatchery coho although September can often bring good success for “B” run hatchery fish destined for Washington State hatcheries later in October. Crabbing should improve in the nearshore and is excellent in the lower Columbia during soft tide exchanges near Buoy’s 20 and 22 on the Oregon side.

Early September can be an excellent time to target albacore tuna 20 to 30 miles offshore and the ocean forecast looks favorable through the weekend. Tuna will respond best to live anchovies but will spook easily is not approached in a stealthy manner.

Chinook catches are improving in the Tillamook district. Quality fish have been taken in upper Tillamook Bay and in the bubble outside of the mouth. Strong afternoon tides favor upper bay fishers over the weekend but early mornings should be productive near the bay entrance as well.

A few chinook are nosing into Nehalem Bay but this fishery remains restrictive so check regulations before participating. The Nestucca River remains closed to salmon angling until after this week. It’s scheduled to open September 16th although catches are expected to be light.

The Salmon River near Lincoln City should be heating up with a fair return expected back to the hatchery this season. A stronger tide series should favor bobber and bait anglers in the upper tidewater and near Highway 101.

Alsea River anglers saw good catches near the mouth on Saturday but the fishery has remained sporadic since. Action will likely remain hit or miss into early October. Crabbing is good.

Southwest – Albacore are being caught 30 to 35 miles off the central Oregon coast.

Salmon fishing is slow to fair for trollers in Coos Bay although Marshfield Channel is getting a great deal of boat traffic.

Trollers are taking fair to good numbers of fall chinook on herring or anchovies in the lower Umpqua River. Dungeness limits are being taken offshore in 60 to 80 feet of water. Boats are making successful tuna runs out of Winchester Bay.

Chinook fishing is very slow on the lower Rogue and in the estuary. Anglers on the Grants Pass stretch are landing large, bright chinook. The upper Rogue is fair for steelhead, closed for chinook and only flies may be used.

Coquille trollers are taking chinook and coho. One wild coho may be retained per day here, up to five for the season.

When the ocean laid down over the past week, bottom fishers have caught limits of rockfish just outside the jaws at Brookings. Ling cod catches have been light but the fish are good quality.

Enter early for the salmon derby running October 1st through 12th during the Chetco bobble fishery opener. There are only 200 slots available and this one fills up in short order. Contact Mike Ramsay at Sporthaven Marina for information or to sign up.

Diamond Lake has continued to fish well for large, fat trout.

Eastern – Fish the lower Deschutes early or late in the day for the best shot at a steelhead hookup. Counts at Sherars Falls are improving. Although not as productive as it used to be, the troll fishery at the mouth should begin to produce better numbers of the larger “B” run steelhead. Destined for Idaho tributaries, fish over 15 pounds become more common.

Green Peter has continued to produce good-sized kokanee, most of which remain in decent condition.

Fishing report for Oregon

2010-08-28T09:31:00.001-07:00

Willamette Valley/Metro- Effort is ramping up for anchor anglers pursuing upriver bright chinook from Longview to Portland. Anglers typically target deep running salmon in 30 to 45 foot of water along the shipping channel edges. Fishing is most productive on outgoing tide but anglers need to be aware of ship traffic when anchoring in the channel. Catch rates will ramp up significantly this week with a peak likely in the next two weeks. Bonneville Dam counts are climbing rapidly but anglers typically don't produce good catches until October when more local stocks of Chinook are available.

Steelheading has been productive between Eugene and Springfield on the upper Willamette on days when there has been some cloud cover and temperatures have remained moderate.

Caddis patterns are productive on the upper McKenzie with dries effective in the afternoon.

Steelheading will be best higher up on the North Santiam where water temperatures remain cooler.

The Sandy mouth is getting some traffic but success rates for chinook remain low. Fishing remains poor in the river. Coho will be entering soon.

The occasional steelhead is being taken high on the Clackamas. Coho are a few weeks away.

Northwest - The Buoy 10 fishery is peaking right now. Both chinook and coho are being caught throughout the tide with the exception of the middle 3 hours of outgoing tide. Fresh herring and spinners are both taking fish with spinners working best close to high slack and after. Chinook fishing is slated to close on August 31st but will remain open above Tongue Point. Coho are beginning to make a stronger showing in the estuary and will be a primary focus by September 1st. Call Great White Bait in Hammond or Chinook for your fresh and frozen bait needs. They have some of the best bait in town! (503) 861-0299 and mention this ad on The Guide's Forecast!

The ocean out of the mouth of the Columbia is still producing salmon but native coho seem to make up the bulk of the catch. Effort is waning with the strong prospects in the lower Columbia but September can offer up some nice days with larger "B" run coho still available well into September.

Albacore tuna fishing is picking up for anglers willing to travel up to 40 miles west of the Columbia River mouth. This fishery should be peaking in the next several weeks. Live bait and jigging will begin to produce the best results. Friendly seas are in the forecast.

River crabbing should get good later next week with favorable tides beginning on the 31st. Ocean crabbing remains open and should improve as well.

Interest will be growing for north coast chinook in the coming weeks but with such a strong showing of chinook on the mainstem Columbia, anglers will focus their efforts there. Tillamook Bay is forecast to be above average this year with some quality fish likely due back early next month. Target lower bay salmon on the weak tides and fish the upper reaches on bigger tide exchanges.

The Nestucca and Nehalem Basins are open but a below average return is in the forecast. Fair numbers of hatchery coho will likely begin to show on the Nehalem system but anglers are reminded there is no wild coho retention this year on any north coast stream.

Tuna fishing is also an option out of Garibaldi with reports of good action about 40 miles to the west. Drop your crab pots when heading out as quality males are making their way closer to the shoreline.

Southwest - Coho catches picked up over the past weekend, which saved the day for many boats as warm water moved too far offshore for tuna fishing.

Trolling for chinook has been good in the lower Umpqua around Reedsport. Early mornings have been best. Catches will improve into September. Limits of Dungeness are being taken just outside of the north jetty.

Ocean crabbing is excellent out of Charleston and boaters have landed some large ling cod recently as pots soak. Tuna fishing has been good at times.

While there have been plenty of chinook in Rogue Bay, trollers and moochers have been unable to crack the code over the past week with only a handful landed. Rockfishing has been very good offshore, however. Gold Ray Dam is gone.

Boats launching out of Brookings took decent-sized ling cod and rockfish into the teens. In addition, ocean fishing has improved for coho and chinook. Tuna fishing has been slow, requiring a round trip of 100 miles or more.

Eastern - Due to strong runs, the upper Snake River will open for fall chinook harvest on September 1st for the first time in many years. Two hatchery fish will be allowed per day from the Oregon-Washington border to the deadline below Hells Canyon Dam through October 31st. Chinook must be a minimum of 24 inches and only barbless hooks are allowed.

Fires have been hampering angling efforts on the Deschutes. Steelhead are being caught with crowds thinning on weekdays.

Green Peter is still producing kokanee with better catches in the arms as spawning season approaches.

Event

2010-08-19T18:32:00.001-07:00

EVENT - NSIA proudly invites you to join us for the Buoy 10 Salmon Challenge 2010 August 26-27, 2010. Proceeds from this derby go to NSIA's non-stop commitment to preserve, restore and enhance sportfisheries.

For more information and a registration form go here: http://www.theguidesforecast.com/2010Buoy10Registration.pdf or contact NSIA at 503.631.8859.

Oregon fishing report

2010-08-13T07:03:00.001-07:00

Willamette Valley/Metro - Summer steelhead success is peaking with gorge anglers taking respectable numbers of keepers. An equal number of natives are being caught but must be released unharmed. Dam passage for steelhead at Bonneville is peaking right now and the fall chinook run is just getting underway although metro area catches have been light.

Willamette fish passage data through the end of July indicates steadily declining numbers of chinook and steelhead as the water temperature languishes in the low 70s. None-the-less, the run size for Willamette springers was underestimated, producing an above average catch this year. Jack counts to date are less than 2009 indicating a slight downturn is possible for next year’s adults.

Upper river slots continue to produce summer steelhead for persistent anglers.

Trout fishers on the lower McKenzie should do well for hatchery trout. There are still some springers available here but many are darkening.

North and South Santiam fishing has been tough although jigs have hooked a few fish.

Water on the Sandy is low and milky while the Clackamas is low and clear. Fishing is slow but stealthy summer steelhead anglers still stand a chance for early morning success.

Northwest – Buoy 10 anglers are still waiting for chinook catches to break loose. A few chinook are being taken on the incoming tide on both the Washington and Oregon sides. If the chinook prediction is to come to fruition, chinook catches will light up this week. Herring is producing the most strikes but an occasional fish is being taken on spinners.

With a $1000.00 big fish prize, anglers should register now for the Buoy 10 Challenge on August 27th. Go to: www.nsiafishing.org for details.

Ocean fishing out of the mouth of the Columbia has slowed since SW winds chilled the bite. Chinook are starting to show in better numbers and the coho are large but scattered. Some anglers are going unprecedented hours without a strike but fishing should improve dramatically this week.

Soft-shelled crabs are still present for ocean crabbers but action is picking up for those working the lower Columbia River downstream of Hammond. With recreational salmon trollers increasing in number, be mindful about where you place your gear. The current strong incoming tide may cause crabbing success to slow. Crabbing is also picking up in other north coast estuaries.

Salmon catches remain light out of other coastal ports.

A few chinook are starting to show on Nehalem Bay but catches are expected to remain light for much of the season. Nearshore catches indicate chinook are starting to stage near estuary entrances signaling the beginning of the run is near. Tillamook Bay should be a top producer this year.

Tuna schools have moved closer to shore with fair fishing reported inside of 40 miles. Trollers are still taking fair numbers of fish but albacore are beginning to respond well to live anchovies for bait. Peak weeks for this fishery will last through mid-September.

Southwest – Crabbing has continued to improve in coastal bays and estuaries. Ocean crabbing is slow to fair.

Although the Coos and Coquille systems have been slow for chinook recently, the action should pick up in the coming weeks with the peak happening later in September.

The Rogue estuary is getting heavy boat pressure although chinook results are only fair at best despite plenty of fish in the bay. On a brighter note, local sporting goods store have been able to obtain anchovies which is considered the most effective bait for chinook. The middle river is slow while springer and steelhead catches remain fair to good on the upper Rogue.

Half-pounder steelhead have entered the lower Rogue in fair numbers and action is picking up for anglers using flies or small spinners.

Offshore winds are forecast to moderate but swell and period are marginal for bar crossings out of Brookings. Outgoing morning tides will once again complicate launch efforts. Bottom fishing has been excellent for ling cod as well as rockfish. Anglers are reminded that the Chetco River is closed to all angling above River Mile 2.2 August 1st through November 5th.

Diamond Lake has been producing good catches and some limits of trout averaging over a foot in length in about 25 feet of water.

Eastern – Redside results have slowed on the lower Deschutes with caddis hatches fading and mid-summer dog days in full force. Nymphing is still effective although the time between strikes and the amount of water that must be covered have increased.

Steelheading on the lower Deschutes is best at first light until the sun is on the water. With moderate air temperatures, anglers have been scoring good numbers of steelhead on spinners despite the warmer than usual water temperatures.

Down riggers fishing 50 to 60 foot depths are accounting for good numbers of fat kokanee at Green Peter.

Kokanee fishing has been worthwhile for trollers at Odell.

SW Washington – Although brief periods of productive fishing have been experienced at the mouth of the Cowlitz, overall action remains fair at best. Anglers working the area should begin to shift focus to fall chinook although peak catches won’t happen for another 3 weeks.

The Lewis remains an option for summer steelhead seekers but catches remain light, even for persistent anglers.

Bonneville counts continue to inspire Drano Lake trollers and with “B” run steelhead soon to migrate, quality fish to 20 pounds are a possibility.

Oregon Fishing Report

2010-08-10T07:18:00.001-07:00

Willamette Valley/Metro - Steelhead fishing remains the best option for both boat and bank anglers downstream of Bonneville Dam. Spinners remain a top producer and will likely remain so with water temperatures on the increase.

Fall Chinook on the mainstem Columbia are now on deck but catches aren't likely to improve for a few more weeks. Anglers that do intercept chinook no longer have to look for an adipose fin-clip. With such a large run in the forecast, anglers should get their wobblers in advance as they will be hard to find when the fish start biting.

Water temperature at Willamette Falls and the lower river remains in the 70-degree range, which means warmwater gamefish is the only option.

Fishing is fair to good on the upper McKenzie for hatchery and native trout.

Level and flow on the North Santiam is stable. Steelheading is fair but steady.

Fish the upper Clackamas at first light for the best chance at a steelhead. There are large numbers of steelhead holding near River Mill Dam, both upstream and down where anglers can have good access to them depending on their migration patterns. Trout fishing is fair above Estacada.

Warm weather has the low waters of the Sandy periodically turning glacial gray. Fishing is slow although flashy spinners have gotten a few strikes. Observers were witnessing fresh spring chinook still making their way upstream from the lower river but rafters typically dominate the waterways this time of year.

Northwest - Offshore catches of salmon have typically frustrated anglers seeking coho this time of year. Out of Garibaldi, limits are attainable on some days with a rare keeper the next. Hatchery coho destined for the Columbia are typically available in good numbers out of mid-coast ports this time of year.

Anglers pursuing salmon out of the mouth of the Columbia are also finding sporadic results. Catches seem to be more consistent to the north of the mouth with more chinook beginning to show in the catches. Anglers are still finding a large percentage of wild coho and undersized chinook in the catch but higher ratios of keeper salmon are just a week or two away.

The catch and keep sturgeon fishery on the lower Columbia is now closed but ended with anglers finding some of the best fishing of the season taking place. Catch and release fishing remains open and the action can be great, especially for those using anchovies for bait.

Crabbing has picked up for those soaking pots in the ocean. Fresh salmon or tuna carcasses will produce the best result but cage your baits to keep seals and sealions from stealing your baits.

The Buoy 10 fishery opened with fair catches although any flurries of activity were short-lived. Quality chinook were taken at the mouth of Young's Bay at first light and a few chinook were taken on the red buoy line on the first part of outgoing tide. The commercial fleet will fish downstream of Tongue Point 2 more nights; tonight and Sunday night. Plan your trip accordingly. Don't forget to sign up for the Buoy 10 challenge this year. With a $1000.00 and $500.00 big fish prize at stake, it's really something to get busy with! Go here for details: http://www.theguidesforecast.com/2010Buoy10Registration.pdf

Although chinook season is now open in many coastal estuaries, the action isn't likely to pick up until early September. Early run coho may become available later in August on the Tillamook and Nehalem systems although all wild coho must be released this year.

Southwest - A series of early morning minus tides start this weekend. Clamming in estuaries should be worthwhile early Sunday morning.

Water deeper than 120 feet (20 fathoms) will remain closed to bottom fishing for the remainder of the year.

Albacore were boated offshore over the past weekend off the central Oregon coast but warm water is still a long trip to reach.

Winchester Bay has continued to produce limits of surf perch as have area beaches. South jetty anglers are doing well although pressure is light. Chinook are entering on the incoming tides. Salmon fishing has been fair around Reedsport while ocean fishing is slow.

Chinook have started nosing into the lower Coquille with anglers taking a few recently.

Cold ocean temperatures have hampered salmon fishing out of Charleston. Coos Bay anglers are making decent catches of rockfish and greenling along the jetties.

High winds and numerous baitfish in Rogue Bay combined over the past weekend to slow Chinook fishing slightly on the lower river but large fish are slamming hooks whenever conditions allow. Best results are occurring evenings on an outgoing tide. Run forecasts indicate good numbers this season.

The 20-fathom depth restriction hasn't prevented boats launching out of Brookings Harbor from taking limits of rockfish although wind has been problematic at times. The weekend prediction is more favorable however. Offshore coho catches have been fair but Chinook takes are slow. The Chetco closed August 1st upstream of the BPA powerlines at River Mile 2.2.

No fall Chinook fishing is allowed on the Sixes River through the end of 2010.

Eastern - Steelheading has been fair near the mouth of the Deschutes although high water temps endure. Cooler releases upstream should help to alleviate the problem soon. Steelhead are also being taken from Beavertail to Mack's Canyon and passage at Sherars Falls is good for this time of year. Redsides are responding to spent mayflies.

Fishing report for Oregon

2010-07-30T05:52:00.001-07:00

Willamette Valley/Metro - With steelhead continuing to pour over Bonneville Dam, action on the mainstem Columbia is predictably good. Boaters outscored bank anglers this week, mostly due to the fact fish were cruising in deeper water with temperatures on the rise and flows on the decrease. This early run of steelhead is likely to peak in the next 2 weeks, making it a great option when winds don't hamper angling success.

Sturgeon retention closes upstream of the Wauna Powerlines to Bonneville Dam for 2 months beginning Sunday, August 1st. Success rates have been poor anyway but will likely pick up again in the fall.

The 70 degree water of the lower Willamette is conducive only to bass and panfish. Steelhead are being caught on the upper river.

Caddis imitations are fooling cutthroat and rainbows on the McKenzie River. A few summer steelhead and the occasional dark springer is being hooked.

Spring chinook are in the North Santiam in good numbers. Try baiting them below Big Cliff Dam. A mix of bright and dark springers is available in the South Santiam.

The Clackamas is low and clear with fishing poor to slow. First light may be the only option.

Sandy fishing is at a standstill and it's a poor choice for swimming.

Northwest - Offshore salmon fishing out of Garibaldi took a downturn as early run coho begin to make their way north, staging near the Columbia River mouth where baitfish are plentiful. Anglers are consistently reporting catches of large coho for this early in the season. Most anglers are targeting water deeper than 200 foot.

Ocean crabbing is picking up with a better ratio of hard shelled crabs beginning to show.

Coho fishing is considerably better off the mouth of the Columbia River where anglers are beginning to report consistent catches fishing near the CR Buoy. A few quality chinook are beginning to show in the catch. Catches will only get better in the coming weeks with little danger of a closure in the near future as effort has been light.

The famed Buoy 10 fishery opens on August 1st with high expectations of a high chinook catch in the coming weeks. Professional fisherman Buzz Ramsey will detail proven techniques in the area's most popular fishery tonight beginning at 6:00 p.m. at Fishermen's Marine and Outdoor in Oregon City. Over 1 million chinook and coho are due back to the lower Columbia with peak fishing likely to happen the third week of August.

Albacore made a brief showing off the north coast early in the week but warm water pushed back offshore, putting tuna out of reach for most sport boats. August and September are often peak months.

Coastal fall chinook season opens on Sunday with some systems forecasted to be better than average this year. The Nestucca and Nehalem will have heavy restrictions while Tillamook Bay is predicted to produce a better than average catch this season. If the fall run mimics the success of this season's spring chinook, the action should be good.

Bay crabbing on the north coast continues to produce fair results and should improve in the coming weeks.

Southwest - Morning outgoing tides will once again hamper offshore launches this weekend. While the ocean is expected to lay down this coming weekend, afternoon winds may be problematic.

Offshore salmon fishing has picked up a little with a few limits reported but it's spotty.

Tuna remain far offshore but warmer water is gradually moving towards shore.

Pinkfin perch fishing remains good in Winchester Bay and on area beaches when the surf calms down. Fall chinook and coho have started entering the bay where crabbing is fair to good. Try below Elkton on the mainstem Umpqua where smallmouth bass are biting well.

Fall chinook fishing was good in Rogue Bay last week with several fish taken weighing over 30 pounds but action slowed over the weekend with fewer than a dozen fish taken on Saturday and Sunday.

Bottom fishing has been excellent out of Brookings Harbor despite the 20-fathom restriction as of July 23rd with some large ling cod boated. Expect the 120-foot limitation to remain in place for the rest of the year.

Eastern - The Deschutes River continues to disappoint anglers as warm water continues to flow from Pelton Dam. Mainstem Columbia steelhead are known to take up cold water refuge in the lower Deschutes but with this seasons warm water, interception rates are lower. Fortunately, that's expected to change in the coming weeks.

Pressure has increased at Wallowa Lake following four record kokanee landed over the past year but fishing remains good here.

Odell is producing good catches of fat kokanee averaging 10 inches to trollers. Lake trout are being taken on downriggers.

Green Peter Reservoir is producing limits of kokanee. Trolling early and late in the day is most productive.

Wickiup has been fair for good-sized kokanee.

Oregon fishing report

2010-07-23T05:46:00.000-07:00

Willamette Valley/Metro - Huge numbers of steelhead continue to pour over Bonneville Dam with over double the return rate this year than last. Peak passage last year took place in mid-August but now is the time to go as water temperatures will rise, putting catch rates on the drop. Small brass and red spinners should take fish along shore edges in the gorge while hot colored spin-n-glos will work for beach anglers in the current minus tide series.

Summer chinook numbers are dropping fast but an occasional fish is still being caught in the Bonneville fishery.

As flow continues to drop on the lower Willamette, water temperatures remain in the high 60s, down from the mid-70s a week ago. Over 60,000 adult spring chinook and 22,000 summer steelhead have crossed Willamette Falls and are now in the tributaries. Fishing is poor in the lower river although the Middle Fork is a great level and color, producing decent catches of rainbows and cutthroat.

Steelheaders continue to catch a few below Leaburg Dam on the McKenzie. Trout fishing is good with evening's best.

Fishing has been slow for steelhead on the Clackamas. In the warmer weather, river rafters have inundated the lower river making for challenging fishing conditions for most of the day. Target steelhead early in the day with the McIver Park area offering up the best prospects.

The Sandy is nearing the end of the summer steelhead season. Early mornings will produce the best possibilities but target steelhead from Dodge Park and upstream.

Trout have moved deeper at Diamond Lake with best catches coming in 30 to 40 feet of water. A toxic algae advisory is in effect here suggesting people remove internal organs and skin before cooking trout.

Northwest - Morning seas have allowed for coho effort to take place on the north coast with Garibaldi remaining a productive port for the south of Falcon fishery. Mixed reports are coming in however with some boats doing better than others but the most consistent fishing seems to be in water deeper than 200 foot. Wild fish are making up the significant portion of the landed catch but most anglers are impressed with the size of the coho this early in the season. Chinook catches are rare and will likely continue to be that way.

Anglers working the ocean out of the mouth of the Columbia are also reporting good catches but seas haven't been as friendly, especially after mid-morning. Anglers continue to focus their effort SW of the CR Buoy but risk a bumpy ride home if they don't get an early limit. Seas are forecasted to be rough for the next few days.

Ocean crabbing on the north coast is improving but a mix of hard and soft-shelled crab are in the catch. Estuaries from Nehalem to the Nestucca are also improving for sport crabbers.

Catch rates of sturgeon are showing a marked increase although effort remains low. Anchovies remain a top bait and as water temperatures continue to warm, they should become even more effective. The catch is best above the Astoria/Megler Bridge as sculpin are plaguing fishers in downstream areas.

Southwest - Offshore ocean forecasts are marginal for the coming weekend. Launches may be hampered by morning minus tides.

Ocean salmon fishing is slow despite showing slight improvement in catches. A few coho anglers have landed large chinook while trolling shallow water offshore.

Tuna fishing is expected to improve this week as warm water once again moves closer to shore.

Better than average catches of near-shore halibut filled the quota early this season, resulting in a closure of the fishery on Saturday, July 17th.

Sturgeon fishing has been worthwhile in the lower Umpqua although many of the fish hooked here are oversized. Smallmouth bass results have been good around Elkton. North Umpqua steelheading is slow.

Anglers out of Gold Beach have experienced fair but improving results for large fall chinook in the lower bay. Steelheading on the Rogue above Gold Ray Dam has been productive for smallish but feisty sea-run rainbows. These fish are willing to make a grab at a variety of offerings from bait to flies and plugs.

Area beaches are producing good catches of pinkfin perch.

Eastern - Water in the lower Deschutes has been pushing 70 degrees but according to PGE, should start cooling around the 1st of August which will improve summer steelhead prospects. The middle Deschutes has been producing brown trout in the evenings. Upper river anglers are taking small brook trout.

Large, dry stonefly imitations are taking fish on the Wallowa River all day long. Fish near the bank. Spring chinook fishing will close on the Wallowa and Imnaha Rivers beginning July 26th after an extension earlier in the month.

Prineville Reservoir anglers are reporting catching larger trout than usual. Pine Hollow is also producing good catches of rainbow trout.

Oregon Fishing Report

2010-07-09T06:02:00.000-07:00

Willamette Valley/Metro- Summer chinook numbers are beginning to fade at Bonneville with most anglers unimpressed with the results this season. High flows contributed to low catch rates and action is likely to continue to taper in the coming weeks. Fish over 40 pounds have been taken recently however. Warmer water usually means salmon will respond better to spinners and wobblers. Flows have moderated in recent days and are expected to stay that way throughout the week.

Steelhead anglers near Bonneville should begin to see improvements in catches. Downstream, beach anglers struggled with the low tide exchange last week but that should change this week as minus tides will get flows running again. This will likely be one of the peak weeks for steelhead fishing from beaches downstream of Portland.

Sockeye fishing is still open for recreational anglers although few intercepted them despite a record run passing Bonneville. Large returns may grace the Columbia again in the near future so anglers may want to learn to how produce results in this fishery. Trollers successfully take fish on Lake Washington near Seattle trolling metallic red hooks behind dodgers.

Water temperatures as of July 5th dropped three degrees to 63. Fish counts have not been updated but were strong through the third week of June but the water was nearly 10 degrees cooler. The shad run is winding down at Oregon City.

A few chinook are being taken at Leaburg Dam on the Mackenzie as well as the occasional steelhead to jig fishers.

A few chinook are being hooked at Waterloo on the South Santiam.

Steelheaders on the Clackamas are taking a few but this will be a first-light fishery this week. Spring chinook are concentrated in deeper pools upstream with few anglers finding success targeting them.

Steelhead are visible on the Sandy but have been reluctant to take bait or lure.

Northwest - Coho catches out of Garibaldi were fair last week and the action should continue through most of July. Anglers targeting fish in water over 200 foot deep found the best action. Garibaldi produced the best catches of any port on the Oregon coast in the south of Falcon ocean fishery. Ocean crabbing has only improved slightly with many crabs in a softshell state.

A few hatchery spring chinook are still trickling into Tillamook bay but effort is waning. The tidewater stretches and a few deep holes on the Wilson, Trask and Nestucca Rivers will continue to hold fish, but most will be reluctant to bite in the warmer, low flows that are characteristic for this time of year.

Adult chinook remain a rare catch on the north coast but fishery managers lifted the 1 chinook restriction, allowing anglers to retain any 2 salmon from the Canadian border to Cape Falcon near Manzanita. Coho still need to exhibit a healed over adipose fin clip to be lawfully taken. Size restrictions also remain in effect.

Coho fishing out of the mouth of the Columbia has also been productive for anglers willing to travel SW of the Columbia River Buoy. Captains are reporting a nice grade of fish for this time of year; a sign of good feeding conditions offshore this spring.

Sturgeon fishing in the lower Columbia still remains a slog. Most would agree fish seem to be present but unwilling to bite. Fishery managers are likely to meet again this week to discuss the possibility for another season extension.

Southwest - Offshore salmon fishing has been a disappointment for most boats whether trying for hatchery coho or chinook.

Boats launching out of Bandon have been finding warm water and decent albacore hookups between 40 and 50 miles from the beach. Charleston boats have also returned with tuna.

Chinook fishing is slow in the lower Rogue, slow to fair on the middle river with fish charging through without holding. The upper Rogue, however, is producing catches of both spring chinook and summer steelhead.

Offshore bottom fishing has been outstanding out of Brookings Harbor. Limits of rockfish and ling cod are being brought to dock any day the wind has allowed boats to fish. Forecasts for the coming weekend are marginal which combined with morning minus tides may make crossing into the ocean problematic. Albacore are being taken within 50 miles of port.

Surf perch fishing has been good whenever ocean conditions have allowed, providing limits of pinkfin to many long-rodders.

Diamond Lake is fishing well, producing a few trout every day that measure in pounds rather than inches.

Eastern - With the stonefly hatch a memory for 2010, think caddis patterns for redsides on the lower Deschutes.

Fishing is fair for fly anglers at Davis Lake for largemouth bass.

Green Peter has been fair for trollers looking for kokanee hookups.

Trout and kokanee fishing is good at Wallowa Lake and who knows, there may be another world record kokanee swimming around in there.

The Imnaha has dropped and cleared to great condition and is putting out fair numbers of spring chinook now that flows have finally subsided.

Oregon fishing report

2010-07-02T05:57:00.001-07:00

Willamette Valley/Metro - Summer chinook continue to spite anglers on the Columbia below Bonneville Dam. Dam counts remain favorable but fish seem unresponsive. Many anglers have gone to plugs in a fishery that traditionally produces well for those using spinners. Higher than normal flows and cooler water are likely the reason for the slow action. This should be peak week for passage at Bonneville but river conditions may postpone the peak for several more days.

Shad fishing has slowed in the gorge and with it, sturgeon catches are declining too. Oversize fishing should continue to decline as fish congregate closer to the dam for feeding and spawning opportunities.

Bank anglers fishing off beaches downstream of Portland produced only fair results despite the good tide series. Steelhead will be the main quarry and sockeye catches have slowed. Beach plunkers have ideal conditions for productive steelheading and should produce better in the month of July.

Daily counts over Willamette Falls have been strong but the water temperature has jumped from the upper 50s to the upper 60s so it remains to be seen what effect that has on fish movement. Shad catches have been good around Oregon City.

With Golden Stones hatching on the upper McKenzie, this is the best bet for larger trout on this river.

Steelhead numbers are very good in the North Santiam although hookups have been spotty. Steelhead and chinook are being caught on the crowded South Santiam.

Try the Sandy River around Cedar Creek where a few steelhead have been hooked. Chinook fishing remains spotty but anglers can find fish concentrated in deep holes and willing to bite egg and shrimp combinations drifted under a bobber. Early morning and dusk is the best time to produce.

Level and flow at the Clackamas is excellent for steelheading. It's summertime, so try at first light for best results. Chinook numbers are good in the system but lockjaw has set in. If you cover enough water, fish will fall to egg clusters. The highest concentrations of fish are in the McIver Park area.

Northwest - Effort and catch for the ocean coho opener south of Cape Falcon was greatest out of the port of Garibaldi. Coho made up the bulk of the catch with ODF&W reporting .63 kept fish per angler on average. Catch rates will fluctuate throughout the season but Astoria, Garibaldi, Depoe Bay and Newport will be the most productive ports for coho this year. Hatchery coho from this fishery are most likely destined for Columbia River facilities.

Spring chinook fishing in the Tillamook district is all but a memory except for bank anglers working the Trask, Wilson, Nestucca and Three Rivers. Adults are wary under the low water conditions but stealthy anglers can take fish at first light. ODF&W has extended the spring chinook season on Three Rivers through July 11th due to a large run returning.

Sturgeon anglers working the lower Columbia continue to struggle for success. Although fishing picked up slightly last Friday, weekend catches floundered. The season remains open 7 days per week through July 11th when fishery managers will once again look at additional opportunity based on retained catch. Catches should improve when water temperatures rise.

Few anglers took advantage of the offshore chinook fishery near the mouth of the Columbia River. Gordon Lintner from the Salem area reported good action near the CR Buoy trolling with downriggers at depths of 70 to 90 feet. Gordon reported chinook nearing the mid-20 pound mark. Unfortunately, this fishery closed yesterday for clipped chinook but anglers may retain fin-clipped coho or any chinook beginning today. The daily bag limit is 2 salmon per day, of which 1 may be a chinook.

Crabbing remains poor both in north coast estuaries and nearshore in the ocean. Keeper action has improved from previous weeks however. July can be a productive month offshore but crabs often are molting this time of year.

Southwest - According to commercial fishers, albacore are 70 to 80 miles offshore but some boats reported good success as far north as Newport. Success for tuna should dramatically increase in the coming weeks.

Mild tides with incoming in the early mornings combined with mild ocean conditions are forecast for the weekend. Bottomfishing, salmon and halibut fishing are all options with crabbing fair for those willing to go a bit deeper.

Ocean coho is open for a quota of 26,000 hatchery fish. Unlike chinook, coho will be within 20 feet of the surface.

All depth halibut anglers will get once more shot at these fish in the spring fishery on July 1st and 2nd with any remaining quota being added to the summer season starting August 5th.

Sturgeon fishing has finally picked up in Winchester Bay where crabbing has been fair to good. Shad catches are very good at Yellow Creek on the Umpqua.

The shad run has yet to get underway on the Coos and Coquille rivers.

As the run winds down, spring chinook fishing remains fair on the lower Rogue. With the summer steelhead count topping 1,000 at Gold Rat Dam, prospects on the upper river are good.

Diamond Lake has predictably been producing good catches of rainbow trout for anglers using Powerbait. The action is likely to continue through July given the late spring the district has observed.

Limits of ling cod and rockfish are being taken nearshore by boats launching out of the Port of Brookings.

The Klickitat River is another early season option but will produce better results later in the summer, depending on snow melt from higher elevations on the watershed.

Eastern - Fishing for redsides is fair to good on the lower Deschutes.

The Kokanee Power Fishing Derby is July 17th at Green Peter. Call 541-973-4831 to register for additional information.

Oregon fishing report

2010-06-21T15:42:00.001-07:00

Willamette Valley/Metro- Anticipation for a good summer chinook season has anglers preparing spinners for Bonneville area salmon. Although salmon fishing is open upstream of Tongue Point, the majority of effort will take place in the gorge. With counts on the upswing, action should be good for fin-clipped salmon into mid-July. The first of two mainstem gillnet seasons begins tonight.

Summer steelhead fishing above I-5 is also now open and better numbers are entering the Columbia each week. Although boaters in the gorge will score better results in July, bank anglers downstream of the mouth of the Willamette should continue to find fish when the tides improve next week.

Shad anglers in the gorge are doing well and run numbers should now be peaking. Fresh shad continue to take oversize sturgeon in the gorge below Marker 82. Only a rare keeper is in the catch.

With water temps in the upper 50's, springers and summer steelhead have resumed crossing the Falls, having stopped when the water was high. The lower river should be fishable by the weekend with the best action likely to come from the lower Portland Harbor. Hardware will become most effective for salmon when water temperatures exceed 60 degrees.

With the McKenzie at 41 degrees and down to 5,000 cfs at Vida, trout fishing is good.

The water has dropped and cleared on the Clackamas but has still been higher than most like to fish it. A few fish are being landed on cured eggs.

The Sandy River has been very slow with most leaving empty-handed. Summer steelhead will make up the bulk of the catch when flows drop.

The Santiam system will be dropping throughout the week with the North producing hatchery steelhead. Warmer water temperatures should drastically improve catch rates.

Northwest - Catches have slowed dramatically on Tillamook Bay as peak season has passed. Hatchery fish will remain available but wild fish may soon make up a larger portion of the catch. Softer tides will focus effort in the lower bay for anglers using herring for bait.

Although district rivers performed well after the last rain freshet, river levels have dropped and fish are concentrating in deeper holes awaiting the next rain. They will become increasingly more challenging to pursue but early risers and stealthy tactics will take salmon and steelhead on the Trask, Wilson, Nestucca and Three Rivers. The Wilson and Three Rivers offer the best access to bank anglers but the Trask is a top bet for salmon anglers near the hatchery. The Hatchery Hole deadline is now in effect.

The offshore chinook season has not performed well and anglers wishing to recreate in the ocean will not enjoy the forecasted wind chop this weekend. Commercial troll catches out of Astoria indicate good numbers of chinook are in the area.

High flows and relatively cold water continue to keep sturgeon action from breaking loose in the lower Columbia. Astoria area anglers didn't quite average a keeper for every other boat over the weekend. The best action remains in the deep water where anchovies are faring best. Fresh ocean fish, recognized by whiter skin coloration and even an iridescent sheen on their sides, are making up a larger portion of the catch now. The best fishing remains upstream of the Astoria Bridge but a few fish are beginning to fall out of Hammond.

Southwest - Another round of all-depth halibut opens June 17, 18 and 19 off the central Oregon coast between Cape Falcon and Humbug Mountain with 40% of the quota remaining. Mild early morning incoming tides are forecast.

Ocean launches provided good bottom fishing out of Bandon and Charleston. The Coast Guard was particularly cautious about opening the bar out of Reedsport, keeping boats inside.

There has been some improvement in catches of ocean chinook but it's still slow with salmon deep.

Impact of the last storm has springer fishing at a standstill with water muddy on the Umpqua. Shad and smallmouth fishing is also poor. It may be a week or longer before it will be fishable.

On the Rogue, spring chinook fishing was off and on over the past week but shut down on Sunday, June 13th, when the water temperature topped 60 degrees. Fish upstream for best results but stay clear of the river above and below Gold Ray Dam which is closed for the dam removal project.

Eastern - The latest giant kokanee, taken over the past weekend at Wallowa Lake by Ron Campbell of Pendleton, is on track for the new world record at 9.67 pounds. The state record has now been broken 4 times this spring.

The Umatilla River is an option for spring chinook as flows subside after snowmelt. The Wallowa and Imnaha Rivers should also provide some opportunities in the coming weeks.

Kokanee fishing is fair at Odell with few filling the generous 25-fish limit here.

SW Washington - District anglers continue to leave area rivers disappointed. The Cowlitz remains the best spot to intercept a spring chinook with the Barrier Dam producing the best.

Summer steelhead numbers should start to build in the Cowlitz, Lewis and Kalama Rivers and increasing water temperatures should stimulate the bite. The Washougal is another good bet that not many anglers pay attention to.

The Wind River remains a good bet for anglers targeting salmon at the coffer dam. The Klickitat should also produce a few salmon. Summer steelhead numbers at Bonneville will determine when the effort is worthwhile on this system.

Oregon fishing report

2010-06-11T06:45:00.001-07:00

Willamette Valley/Metro- Free Fishing Weekend is June 12th and 13th, during which time licenses and tags are not required for fishing, crabbing or clamming. Anglers may use a second rod where it's normally allowed in lakes and ponds. Take a non-fishing friend or better, a kid, fishing. Special events abound; for a list, visit http://tinyurl.com/26z9y9n.

Action for keeper sturgeon has slowed in the Columbia River Gorge but oversize seekers are still taking fair numbers of fish using fresh shad for bait. The shad run is beginning to peak with tens of thousands passing by Bonneville Dam daily.

Good steelhead action was witnessed at Jones Beach downstream of Longview on Monday. Migrating fish should reach Portland by the weekend or sooner. Heavy flows should concentrate fish near the shoreline where beach plunkers can harvest them using hot colored spin-n-glos for lures. Pink is a proven producer and use scent for the necessary edge.

Rain combined with snowmelt caused the Willamette to swell to winter levels, over the banks in some areas. It likely won't fish for several more days. There have been some decent chinook catches near the head of Multnomah Channel however as is often the case this time of year. Anglers typically switch to spinners to entice strikes in the warming water although temperatures remain lower than normal for this time of year.

The McKenzie will be fishable this week with the upper stretches producing early. Trout, steelhead and chinook are in the system but many of the salmon being hooked are native which require release.

North Santiam waters are stabilizing but high. With 15,000 summers over the Falls, there are hatchery steelhead in the river. The South was high and muddy at mid-week.

The Clackamas had good color mid week but was still high. There's supposed to be a good return this year and fishers should be able to tell if they are in by the weekend.

Try the Sandy for the weekend as it's a good prospect once it's back into shape. Steelhead may be the main focus but a few chinook should also be present.

Free Fishing Weekend means extensive trout planting state-wide. In the Willamette Valley, that includes Benson Lake, Estacada Lake, Faraday Lake, Hartman Pond, Harriet Lake, Henry Hagg Lake, Huddleston Pond, North Fork Reservoir, Sheridan Pond, Silver Creek Reservoir, Small Fry Lake, Timothy Meadows, West Salish Pond, South Fork Yamhill River, Alton Baker Canal, Big Cliff Reservoir, Blue River above the Reservoir, Blue River Reservoir, Breitenbush River, Carmen Reservoir, Detroit Reservoir, E. E. Wilson Pond, Fall Creek, Junction City Pond, Leaburg Lake, McKenzie River above Leaburg Lake, Roaring River Park Pond, Salmon Creek, North Fork Santiam River above Detroit Lake, Sunnyside Park Pond, and Walter Wirth Lake.

Northwest - Spring chinook fishing was nothing short of fantastic on lower Tillamook Bay early in the week. Limits or near limits of quality fish were taken by many anglers trolling herring along the jetty or in front of the Coast Guard Station in Garibaldi. The action isn't likely to persist as continued high water from local rivers will keep fish moving into the tributaries of upper Tillamook Bay.

Driftboaters working the Trask, Wilson and Nestucca are finding fair to good success and bank anglers working the Hatchery Hole on the Trask are catching fish daily. Quality drifting conditions should exist through the weekend with the lower stretches of these rivers producing the best results. The Trask receives the greatest hatchery plants and therefore the highest effort. Three Rivers is also an option for bank anglers. The Hatchery Hole on the Trask is slated to close on June 15th but further opportunities may exist if snagging and littering is not a problem.

Sturgeon anglers on the lower Columbia are struggling to find consistent success. Limits are rare but the fishing is showing signs of improvement as temperatures increase and tidal fluctuations grow. Don't expect great fishing this weekend but anglers fishing upstream of Tongue Point or in front of Astoria are faring the best.

Starting Saturday, the ocean opens up for fin-clipped chinook north of Cape Falcon to Leadbetter Point. Reports of commercially caught chinook were good on Monday, about 25 miles north of the mouth of the Columbia. Many of these fish are Columbia River bound summer chinook and they are averaging larger than 15 pounds.

Another minus tide series that started yesterday will improve into the weekend, making razor clam digging on the north coast productive. Diggers may want to call the shellfish hotline at 1-800-448-2474 to verify north coast beaches are still open to digging. Biotoxins have been detected along south coast beaches.

On the schedule to be planted with hatchery trout are Big Creek Reservoirs 1 and 2, Cape Mears Lake, Cleawox Lake, Coffenbury Lake, Hebo Lake, Olalla Creek Reservoir, Thissel Pond, and Town Lake

Southwest - Morning minus tides will make for good bay clamming this weekend, but beaches will be closed from Coos Bay south due to a naturally-occurring biotoxin.

Catch counts from the all-depth halibut opportunity June 3rd through 5th were not available but it's unlikely catches continued similar to those during the opening weekend as seas were rough. If quota remains, fishing will resume June 15 through 17th. Otherwise, the summer season starts August 6th.

Rock fishing has been good out of Charleston although lingcod catches have slowed. Surf perch fishing has been excellent when the ocean has laid down and these fish are running large. Joseph Yable took fist place in the derby at Bandon, winning a $120 prize with a three-pound pinkfin.

While the high, muddy waters of the lower Rogue were unfishable over the past weekend, upper river angling improved as chinook sought better water conditions. Clearing mid-week, it remains to be seen how the lower river will fish over Free Fishing Weekend but it should hold up well for another couple of weeks.

Boats launching out of Brookings are returning with fine catches of rockfish in addition to large lingcod to over 20 and occasionally over 30 pounds.

Howard Prairie Reservoir, Lost Creek Reservoir, Medco Pond, Lake Selmac, Expo Pond, Rogue above Lost Creek, Middle and Lower Empire Lake, Libby Pond, Millicoma Pond, Morth and South Tenmile Lake, Clearwater Forebay #2, Cooper Cr. Reservoir, Galesville Reservoir Hemlock Lake, Herbert's Pond, Lake in the Woods, Lemolo Reservoir Loon Lake, Marie Lake and Plat I Reservoir are scheduled to be planted with trout.

Eastern - White River spiked late last week and has continued to spew. Fishing is good on the upper Deschutes, the middle river fair with the lower river fishing by the weekend.

John Day boat launch at Wheeler opened this week. Following was a river crest at 19,000 cfs at McDonald Crossing on Sunday, it's gradually dropping.

Oregon fishing report

2010-06-05T05:55:00.001-07:00

Willamette Valley/Metro- Dam counts at Bonneville have experienced an unexpected jump in chinook counts. These are likely a mix of late spring chinook and early summer run fish. This bodes well for the summer chinook fishery set to start around mid-month.

Sturgeon anglers working the gorge are still catching fair numbers of keepers and oversize fish using fresh shad, either whole or in strips to entice strikes. Keeper success will likely fade from this fishery however as mature fish migrate towards more fertile grounds in the lower Columbia River.

Shad counts are improving but have clearly not peaked yet. Early indications point to a less than average return. Sockeye salmon are beginning to pass at Bonneville as well but incidentally caught sockeye, most often encountered in the steelhead bank fishery, must be released.

Spring chinook passage has picked up again at Willamette Falls. Over 43,000 springers and 13,000 summer steelhead have crossed. Lower Willamette trollers have continued to take chinook. Willamette passage coupled with Willamette kept catch has already surpassed the preseason prediction for returning adults. It's a much better return than originally predicted. Shad fishing is fair to good.

Steelheading is fair to good below Leaburg Dam on the McKenzie while trout fishing is good river-wide.

A few springers have been taken on the North Santiam while steelhead are being caught on the South Santiam on spinners and jigs.

Backtrollers are taking a combination of springers and steelhead on the Sandy from Oxbow to Dabney but steelhead remains the main focus for most avid anglers.

The Clackamas is producing a few springers and is expected to improve this month. Steelheading has been slow to fair although summer fish are beginning to show in better numbers.

Northwest - A good tide series rewarded upper Tillamook Bay salmon fishers with steady catches throughout the week. Effort was higher given the better returns but it still hasn't been a wide open bite by any means. A softer upcoming tide series will favor lower bay anglers but a forecasted significant rise in river levels may send opportunistic adults upriver in a hurry and out of reach of bay trollers.

North Coast rivers are scheduled to crest on the weekend and may not fish until early next week. The Trask will be the go-to river but the Wilson, Nestucca and Three Rivers will also receive a good shot of adults and should be well distributed throughout the systems. Bank anglers fishing at the hatchery on the Trask will certainly benefit from the healthy returns but are in jeopardy of losing the quality public access due to a high incidence of littering and poor angling practices.

A calm ocean last week allowed anglers to target salmon in the Tillamook Bay bubble with some success. Nearshore bottomfishers and halibut anglers fared well however and more success is likely when seas calm again. Crabbing for keeper males remains fair at best however with the best success by far, coming from the ocean.

Fair numbers of sea-run cutthroat trout are showing in the estuary and lower stretches of north coast streams. A consumptive fishery is now underway on many coastal streams and local area lakes will be stocked next week with catchable rainbows in preparation for Free Fishing Weekend June 12th and 13th. A complete list of Free Fishing events can be found on the ODF&W website.

Sturgeon fishing near Astoria picked up downstream of the Astoria Bridge late last week with sporadic catches coming from the green buoy line on the Oregon side. Anchovies are the best bait in the deeper water while anglers working shallower water find better results using sand shrimp for bait.

Southwest - Soft tides but marginal ocean conditions are predicted for the coming weekend.

Boats launching out of Winchester Bay caught very few ocean chinook as predicted. Caches will improve a few weeks into the season. Springers continue to be caught on the upper mainstem and North Umpqua. Shad fishing has been slow this week.

Lower Rogue spring chinook anglers are experiencing off-and-on action. Better results are coming to plug pullers on the middle river with wrapped Kwikfish. With over 7,000 springers counted at Gold Ray Dam, upper river anglers have seen some decent action although only hatchery salmon may be kept above the dam until July 1st.

Sea run cutthroat are being caught in fair to good number on the Chetco. Only artificial lures and flies may be used above tidewater. Out of Brookings, rockfish catches are excellent while ling cod and crab catches have been fair.

A free kids fishing derby will take place on June 12th from 6:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Diamond Lake.

The Rogue above Lost Creek and Fish Lake are scheduled to be planted with trout.

Eastern - Fly anglers made some memories over the past weekend on the Deschutes with the early stonefly and salmon fly hatches in full swing. Nymphing is effective in the morning with dries drawing redside grabs all afternoon. Fishing is best when the weather is warm.

Crane Prairie has been fishing well with an apparent resurgence in the trout population.

Oregon fishing report

2010-05-21T05:56:00.000-07:00

Willamette Valley/Metro- Although opportunity for mainstem Columbia steelhead was largely concentrated downstream of the I-5 Bridge, bank anglers fared relatively well with the favorable tide series along lower Columbia beaches. A strong forecast should continue to provide opportunity through early July with strong minus tides and current keeping fish close to shore where bank anglers have good access to them.

Water upstream of I-5 to Bonneville Dam will open for steelhead beginning June 16th and the fishing should be excellent this year. Shad fishing in this stretch is open and numbers are starting to reach fishable levels. This is an excellent fishery to introduce youth to.

Boaters targeting sturgeon did well below Marker 82 in the gorge, averaging a keeper for every 3rd rod. Anglers in the Portland to Longview stretch averaged a keeper for every 10 rods.

With the lower Willamette about 60 degrees, springer fishing has slowed although it has been fair in the Multnomah Channel. Shad fishing is fair to good and will continue to improve. About 30,000 springers and 10,000 summer steelhead are upstream, the best run in years.

Redsides have been cooperative with fly anglers on the McKenzie with a few cutthroat in the mix.

Clackamas steelheading has been fair with most catches coming above Barton. Springers will soon be making an appearance on Eagle Creek.

There's not much happening on the Sandy although there should be springers in the river at this time of year.

A few steelhead and springers are being taken on the Santiam system with fishing improving here as the water warms.

Northwest - Spring chinook are making one of the stronger showings on Tillamook Bay than seen in recent years. Upper Tillamook Bay produced consistent catches with a few fish per day coming from the Oyster House Hole during the morning outgoing tide. Shannon Hardie of Maywood Park landed his first spring Chinook at 21-pounds on a chrome Flatfish with red dots in 4 foot of water.

Soft tides will favor lower bay fishing with the jetty producing the best catches on the morning outgoing tide. There are only a few days left to register with the Tillamook Estuaries Partnership for the 7th annual Bounty on the Bay salmon tournament. Call (503) 322-2222 for details.

If the weather forecast comes to fruition, driftboat fishing should be productive by the weekend. Tillamook streams are forecasted to rise nearly 1-foot which should stimulate action on the Trask, Wilson and Nestucca systems. As an added bonus, summer steelhead should be available on the Nestucca and Wilson Rivers.

Razor clam digging was excellent last week but tides won't be conducive for more opportunity for another week.

Halibut anglers out of Garibaldi did well on the first two days of the May 13th opener. Persistent anglers still found success on Saturday too but halibut will continue to get culled from the fishery in the upcoming all-depth openers. Those targeting bottomfish species also did well.

Ocean crabbing produced the best catches but catches averaged about 2 keepers per pot in last weeks calm seas.

Southwest - Keep an eye on offshore conditions as long-range forecasts are varying. Mild morning incoming tides will occur this coming weekend.

The all-depth halibut opener was rewarding for angers once the ocean laid down. While numbers aren't yet available, count on fishing the next 3-day opener, May 20th through 22nd.

Anglers are scoring springers on the mainstem and lower North Umpqua. Plugs have been effective downstream from Elkton recently.

Boats launching out of Port Orford scored halibut limits during the opener. Good catches of rockfish and lingcod inside the 40-fathom line were made on Sunday this week when the ocean was friendly.

Spring chinook fishing has been worthwhile on the lower Rogue, best between tide changes. Water visibility is good which indicates the better opportunities will come early and late in the day, particularly when tides changes coincide. Beginning Saturday, anglers will be able to take wild spring chinook from the mouth to Gold Ray Dam. The limit remains 2 adult fish.

Bait and fly anglers had equally good results at Diamond Lake over the past weekend with the water free of ice and trout responding very well.

Eastern - Look for hatches of Golden Stones on the Deschutes above Maupin with salmon flies showing in good number and redsides responding in kind. Steer clear of spawning steelhead and trout.

With the water temperature of the John Day in the high 50s, smallmouth bass fishing has been worthwhile with a few larger specimens in the mix.

SW Washington - Although success rates for boat and bank anglers remains subdued for most district streams, early hatchery returns indicate predicted run sizes to most river systems remains accurate.

The Cowlitz looks to be the best option for spring chinook and steelhead catches have been favorable too. The Barrier Dam is producing some of the better catches.

Action at the Wind River and Drano Lake fisheries has slowed at the mouths but anglers fishing upstream in these respective watersheds are doing well from the bank.

Oregon fishing report

2010-05-14T15:08:00.000-07:00

Willamette Valley/Metro - Anglers are still eyeing counts at Bonneville but with consistent daily counts between 5,000 and 7,000 fish, biologists are still unsure if the peak passage date has come and gone. Additional sport openers are unlikely but select area fisheries near Astoria have reopened although success is low with a record commercial catch in these areas.

Shad are just starting to pass Bonneville Dam and are not present in fishable numbers although that should change in the coming week. Shad are great sport on light gear and make great crab and oversize sturgeon bait.

The water temperature at Willamette Falls in the mid-50s as of May 11th. Spring Chinook fishing remains good with the river jammed with boats from the Falls through Oregon City. Warmer water has trash fish hitting baits with some anglers beginning to find success using hardware. The Multnomah Channel and Portland Harbor are beginning to slow as fish begin to stage for Willamette Falls passage.

The shad run has started but few are trying with springers available.

Look for the eponymous Green Caddis to be hatching on the McKenzie River. Fishing should be quite good.

The Clackamas is running cold and while summer steelhead are available, they're slow to bite. Late winter run fish made a strong showing in April but are entering their spawning phase, making poor tablefare.

Steelheading is fair on the Sandy River with water conditions improving. It's peak spring chinook time on the Sandy but a poor return will likely cause anglers to focus their efforts on the steelhead return.

Blue River above the Reservoir, Blue River Reservoir, Detroit Reservoir, E. E. Wilson Pond, Foster Reservoir, Green Peter Reservoir, Hills Creek, Junction City Pond, Leaburg Lake, McKenzie River below Leaburg Lake, Roaring River Park Pond, Salt Creek, Sunnyside Park Pond, Timber Linn Lake, Trail Bridge Reservoir, Walling Pond, Walter Wirth Lake, Henry Hagg Lake, Huddleston Pond and West Salish Pond are scheduled for trout planting.

Northwest - Spring chinook are making a strong showing for this early in the season. Good catches have been reported along the jetty on the weak tide exchanges and in the upper bay on the stronger tides. Herring has been the bait of choice and some fish are tipping the scales in the high 20's. The peak is still a few weeks away but catches are likely to improve even more.

Spent steelhead made up the bulk of the catch for anglers fishing downstream of Mills Bridge late last week. No springers were reported. Spring chinook action has been fair for bank anglers working the hatchery hole on the Trask but low, clear water has slowed action.

The Nestucca and Three Rivers has very little traffic but should have both summer steelhead and a few early spring chinook available.

Catches have also slowed along the Highway 30 tributaries as commercial effort slowed the passage of spring chinook into Gnat and Big Creeks as well as the Klaskanine River. Low flows will also damper catches.

Another morning minus tide series started yesterday and with a calm swell forecasted, razor clam digging should be very productive right now. Harmful algae counts are on the rise but remain under threatening levels. Shellfish harvesters may want to check the ODA hotline before heading out however. Call (1-800-448-2474).

The first all-depth halibut opener began today and seas look friendly for anglers needing to make the 20+ mile trek west to productive fishing grounds. The fishing north of Cape Falcon has flatfish seekers disappointed with high incidental catches of dogfish sharks plaguing baits. Anglers fishing north of the Columbia River are finding better catch rates.

Bottomfishing should also be productive but anglers are not allowed to have both bottomfish and halibut on board on the same trip. This rule is strictly enforced.

Ocean crabbing appears to also be challenging but typically improves later into the month.

Scheduled for trout stocking are Cape Mears Lake, Eckman Lake, South Lake, Thissel Pond and Town Lake.

Southwest - Offshore conditions look favorable for boaters this coming weekend but morning minus tides will hamper launches while creating clamming opportunities.

The first all-depth halibut opportunity will take place this week on May 13th through 15th. Additional openings occur May 20th through 22nd and June 3, 4 and 5. Additional days will be available until the quota is caught.

Umpqua springer fishing turned on over the past weekend and, unlike the steelhead fishery here, most of the chinook are of hatchery origin. The Umpqua traditionally produces the largest springers on the south coast. Reports indicate the shad run has started here.

A few sturgeon have been caught on sand shrimp in the lower Coos River.

It's only $5 to enter the Bandon Surf Perch Derby being held through May 31st in the Bandon area. First place is a cash prize with tackle packages going to second and third. Call 541-347-2875 for information.

Spring chinook fishing has been worthwhile on the lower Rogue with the river returning to decent shape. Any day the water temperature is between 52 and 55 degrees and the clarity is decent, fishing has been very good. About 75% of the salmon landed here have been hatchery keepers.

Diamond Lake is nearly clear of ice and should fish well by the coming weekend.

Hyatt Lake, Fish Lake, Clearwater Forebay #2 Lemolo Reservoir and Red Top Lake are scheduled to be planted with trout.

Eastern - Redsides are responding to caddis hatches on the Deschutes from Warm Springs to Trout Creek. Spring chinook anglers are starting to record fair catches with action likely to pick up in the coming 2 weeks. Drifted roe will produce the best results.

Water conditions at the Crooked River are improving with mid-day mayfly hatches. The better trout action has occurred in the after noon and if trout are not looking up, they'll respond to nymphs.

Oregon fishing report

2010-05-07T06:25:00.001-07:00

Willamette Valley/Metro- Fishery managers met on Tuesday for a Columbia River run size update. Unsure as to whether peak passage has happened or not, number crunchers are leaning towards a smaller than predicted run size. Select area fisheries such as Young's Bay near Astoria will reopen to commercial netters only and are likely laden with spring chinook.

Sturgeon anglers in the gorge are beginning to pick up a few legal sized sturgeon. The Marker 82 to Bonneville sanctuary went into effect on May 1st.

The Willamette is dropping and clearing and water temperatures are reaching ideal levels. With only a temporary slow-down in fishing success, anglers in the Oregon City area are faring best using eggs, shrimp and prawns for bait. Fish passage reflects the higher water temperature as about 13,000 springers had crossed the Falls as of April 26th. Trollers working the Portland Harbor and Multnomah Channel are still taking fish, even in the colored water. General observations point to a larger than predicted return.

The water level is high on the McKenzie but has started to drop. Water temperatures are in the upper 40's, trout fishing is fair to good and the occasional steelhead is being hooked.

Summer steelhead numbers are decent in the Clackamas and results have been good at times. A few winters remain as well. Spring chinook are present although only a handful have been caught.

Steelheading in the Sandy is slow to fair. Few spring chinook have been hooked.

Fishing on the North Santiam is slow. South Santiam steelheaders are taking a few summers.

Scheduled for trout planting are Henry Hagg Lake, Huddleston Pond, Sheridan Pond, St Louis Ponds, Dexter Reservoir, E. E. Wilson Pond and Junction City Pond.

A free youth fishing event will be held at Commonwealth Pond on Saturday, May 8th from 9:30 AM to 2 PM. Tackle and volunteer assistance will be available.

Northwest - River levels remained high for hopeful steelheaders on the north coast. Forecast models indicate ideal levels may be achievable by the weekend. A few summer steelhead should be available on the Wilson and Nestucca Rivers. Dark winter run fish may also account for some of the action.

Early spring chinook are also a possibility on the Trask, Wilson and Nestucca Rivers but most anglers will focus their efforts in Tillamook Bay where tides this weekend will be conducive to lower bay herring trollers.

The first all-depth halibut season opens one week from today. Ocean weather has not been friendly to boaters but that may change in the coming days. Bottomfishing, crabbing and halibut fishing should be productive when conditions allow.

Estuary crabbing on the north coast is fair at best.

Carter Lake, Cleawox Lake, Munsel Lake and Sutton Lake are scheduled to be planted with trout.

Southwest - Mild incoming tides and comparable ocean conditions will greet boaters launching for an ocean foray this weekend according to mid-week forecasts.

Crabbing is slow to fair in the ocean out of Winchester Bay when boats can get out. It is poor inside the bay, however.

While the Umpqua has suffered from high water recently, it is dropping and should fish by late this weekend or early next week. Smallmouth bass fishing should be starting here around Elkton if the water is warm enough. Summer steelhead are in the system but are slow to bite. Springers are being hooked around Scottsburg.

Boats of sufficient size launched out of Charleston over the past weekend to enjoy fair to good fishing for ling cod and rockfish.

High water, which shut sown fishing on the Rogue last week, has passed and with the level dropping, results are expected to be good over the coming weekend. The freshet will have good numbers of springers in the middle Rogue and improved catches on the upper river.

Icy patches remain on the surface of the water at Diamond Lake and it is unlikely to be ice-free until mid month. Trout fishing has been slow to fair.

Expo Pond, Reinhart Pond, Emigrant Reservoir, Medco Pond, Spaulding Pond, Burma Pond, Dutch Herman Pond, Bluebill Lake, Bradley Lake, Eel Lake, Middle and Lower Empire Lake, Millicoma Pond, Powers Pond, Saunders Lake, Sru Lake, North and South Tenmile Lake are scheduled for trout stocking.

Eastern - A few caddis and March Browns are hatching on the lower Deschutes but nymph fishing remains the ticket for redsides. The water is a little high but quite fishable.

Anglers are learning how to catch spring chinook in the John Day Pool. Bank anglers are faring well with boat anglers a close second.

The Umatilla River may provide some good salmon fishing this spring. It's a new fishery and has yet to reach its potential.

Many district lakes will remain cold and snowed in until warmer temperatures break roads and lakes free of ice. It may be late May before they reach a comfortable temperature.

Oregon fishing report

2010-05-01T10:58:00.001-07:00

Willamette Valley/Metro - Bonneville salmon passage continues ahead but numbers need to continue to climb in order to realize additional opportunity. Peak passage has been in the first week of May in recent years. Fisheries upstream of Bonneville are beginning to produce good results.

Red-hot catches of sturgeon near Rooster Rock prompted an abrupt closure from April 29 through July 31 between the upper and lower ends of Sand Island and corresponding markers on the Oregon shoreline.

Spring chinook are starting to pass in earnest at Willamette Falls. This should stimulate upriver fisheries in the very near future. Meanwhile, action at Oregon City remains excellent for backbouncers and backtrollers working shrimp and egg combinations or prawns reports pro guide Joe Salvey (503-349-1411). Hogliners are doing well between the West Linn Bridge and I-205 as well. As temperatures warm, hardware will become more effective.

Pro guide Bill Kremers (541 754 6411) reports that springer fishing around the Portland Harbor area on the Willamette has not been red hot compared to the Oregon City area but fishing pressure is only moderate.

The Town Run on the upper river is producing steelhead and counts indicate a good season ahead.

A few steelhead were taken on opening day on the McKenzie. Weekend trout fishing was fair. Look for McKenzie Green Caddis hatching now.

South Santiam summer steelhead numbers continue to improve, recycling efforts picking up and pressure is building with both boat and bank participation increasing.

Jesse Zalonis (503-392-5808) reports the Santiam has some nice summer steelhead in it. With the counts over Willamette Falls improving.

Fishing has been slow on the Clackamas for steelhead with many spawned out and only a few springers showing near the mouth.

Fair to good catches of mostly native steelhead are being caught (and released) on the Sandy River. Springers have yet to arrive in any fishable numbers.

Henry Hagg Lake, Huddleston Pond, Silver Creek Reservoir, Timothy Meadows and Waverly Lake are scheduled to be planted with hatchery trout.

Northwest - Spring chinook are starting to show in the Tillamook district. Quality fish have been taken in the Trask River and the upper Tillamook Bay. Although the action begins to peak later in May, if the run is sizable, anglers could experience good catches in the coming weeks. Sturgeon are hard to come by but a few are present.

A recent rise in river levels could send fresh steelhead and salmon into north coast systems. Although past peak season, late winter steelhead and a few summer fish may fall to the few boaters working the Nestucca, Trask and Wilson Rivers reports pro guide Jesse Zalonis (503-392-5808).

The bulk of the catch will likely be spent winter steelhead but fresh fish should be present in the faster flow and likely to fall to small drifted baits or plugs backtrolled through shallow runs. Early spring chinook should be present in the deeper runs and will likely fall to plugs or backbounced eggs.

Bay crabbers are picking up a few keepers in Tillamook and Netarts bay. Most serious crabbers are awaiting more calm ocean conditions as better success is likely. Long term ocean forecasts are not looking promising however.

May 1st marks the north of Falcon halibut opener for the all-depth fishery. The 3-day per week season runs from Thursdays through Saturdays until the quota is met or July 17th. South of Cape Falcon, the nearshore fishery (inside of 40 fathoms) also opens on May 1st. The limit is 1 fish per day, 6 per year.

Good razor clam tides are now underway. Clatsop Beaches should produce the best digs.

Scheduled for trout stocking are Coffenbury Lake, Lost Lake (Clatsop County), Sunset Lake and Vernonia Lake.

Southwest - Morning tides greater than minus one foot through Saturday will mean late day launches for boaters. Clamming will be good in estuaries, however.

The ocean salmon season from Cape Falcon to the California border was finalized for May 29th through September 6th for chinook with hatchery coho retention allowed from June 25th through the closure or a quota of 26,000 fin-clipped fish, whichever comes first.

Shad fishing will heat up on the Umpqua in May and will continue through June. Spring chinook remain a good option here.

Rogue River levels will be on the increase through the weekend which will slow down spring chinook fishing. This is the second time in less than a week that the freshets have slowed the action, just when it's getting really good. As it starts to drop and more importantly, the water temperature improves, good results will resume.

Fishing was poor to slow at Diamond Lake for the opener with soft ice evident on the lake's surface in many locations. A little warm weather will have Diamond fishing at its true potential.

Incoming tides have been good to beach anglers for surf perch averaging two pounds when ocean conditions have allowed the activity.

Floras Lake and Powers Pond are scheduled to be stocked with trout.

Eastern - The Mecca opener on the Deschutes over the past weekend (Pelton to the Northern reservation boundary) had anglers trying at Maupin with mixed results although the middle river fished quite well.

Cold water is resulting in slow fishing at Odell.

Lake Billy Chinook offered fair fishing in frigid conditions for the opener.

Oregon fishing report

2010-04-24T05:38:00.001-07:00

Willamette Valley/Metro- Although Portland area spring chinook success ended poorly on the Columbia, anglers downstream reported some early limits working plugs on the outgoing tide. Although passage numbers at Bonneville are still likely 2 weeks away from peaking, numbers look good. A re-opener is unlikely until the peak passage date has been realized.

Bank anglers are scoring the lion's share of sturgeon near Rooster Rock, where hordes of people are in pursuit. Action will likely slow as river flows increase and keepers continue to get culled from the concentrated population.

With Willamette flows moderating and water temperature hitting the magic mid-50s, springers are on the move. Monday's fishing at Oregon City was nothing short of white hot with numerous boats taking limits of springers. By Tuesday, action had slowed but should remain consistent into early May or later.

Steelhead and redsides are being caught upriver near Eugene.

Fish the opener on the McKenzie River between Greenwood Drive boat ramp and Hendricks Wayside for best results.

A few summer steelhead are in the mix on the Clackamas but broodstock steelhead has made for very good action over recent weeks. A couple of springers have been caught at the mouth but fish should begin to distribute by late April.

There appear to be greater numbers of summers than springers in the Sandy River as this system is not forecast to receive a large adult return this season. This will likely focus effort in the Willamette and Clackamas Rivers.

Fishing events for youngsters will be held at Hebo Lake and Trojan Pond on Saturday, April 24th.

Northwest - What would have likely been a productive fishery, all select area fisheries (Young's Bay, Blind Slough and Deep River) near Astoria will close after tomorrow due to the high interception of upriver bound spring chinook.

Good sturgeon fishing in the estuary is still over a month away.

With much the focus on Portland area springers, effort on the north coast has dwindled for steelhead. A few fresh fish remain available but the bulk of the catch will likely be dark winter run fish. Summer steelhead will be available in small numbers on the Wilson, Nestucca and Three Rivers.

Although it's not too early for spring chinook in Tillamook County, the peak has occurred after mid-May in recent years. The predicted rise in river levels this week doesn't appear to be materializing which is likely to keep chinook concentrated in the estuary. The lower reaches of the Wilson and Nestucca may fish fair for steelhead this weekend.

Offshore forecasts for the north coast will likely keep anxious bottomfishing vessels from targeting bass and lingcod. When the boats can get out, fishing should be excellent.

Crabbing remains slow in most north coast estuaries.

Southwest - Early incoming tides won't be of much help to boaters as offshore conditions are forecast to be rough this coming weekend.

South coast beaches are yielding good catches of surf perch when the ocean lies down.

Mainstem Umpqua anglers continue to enjoy decent spring chinook results while the river remains too cool to trigger a smallmouth bite.

When boats have been able to launch out of Charleston, fishing for rockfish and lingcod has been predictably excellent. Ocean crabbing is fair.

While action has slowed on the lower Rogue, daily spring chinook catches remain good. Anchovies, with or without a spinners, remain the bait of choice. Steelheading is fair to good on the upper Rogue with decent numbers over the dam.

Ocean Chinook fishing will begin May 29th and run through Sept 6th (Memorial Day through Labor Day) with a two 24 inch or better fish per day bag limit.

Eastern - Oregon's high lakes open Saturday, April 24th, with many anglers springing for the two-rod permit for an extra $17, hoping for additional hookups. Many lakes remain ice-bound, but may fish by the weekend.

John Day bass anglers should begin to realize catches of some of the larger fish of the season. Numbers come later when temperatures warm.

Fly fishing is fair on the middle Deschutes with redsides rising to take offerings on the surface.

Oregon fishing report

2010-04-11T07:13:00.001-07:00

Willamette Valley/Metro - Spring chinook fishing on the lower Columbia will be entering peak season in the next 2 weeks. Catches are expected to be good and one of the most consistent bites of the year took place on Tuesday from the I-5 Bridge to Davis Bar, across from the mouth of the Willamette. A brown Willamette kept most of the boat effort above Portland but improving water conditions may better distribute effort in the coming week. Catches will likely be good.

Sturgeon catch and effort is on the rise in the gorge. There should be some decent fishing here if water temperatures continue to rise in the coming weeks. This section of river will only be open for retention for a bit longer but will reopen in October, considered the peak month.

The lower Willamette is clearing which will improve spring chinook prospects this coming weekend. Springer counts stalled at the Falls the first week of April while steelhead numbers are picking up again. Sturgeon may not be kept in the lower Willamette until the re-opener in October.

McKenzie water levels have returned to seasonal normal and the river is in good shape.

The Clackamas level is coming down and the river had decent green color mid-week. Steelheading has been worthwhile and springers will be taken here soon.

Sandy water levels have dropped over four feet in the first few days of April. It will be worth a try this weekend with most of the winter steelhead in the higher reaches.

Canby Pond, Henry Hagg Lake, Sheridan Pond, St. Louis Ponds, Roaring River Park Pond, Timber Linn Lake, Walling Pond and Waverly Lake are scheduled for trout planting.

Anglers 17 and younger are invited to take part in two youth events on Saturday, April 10th. Volunteers will be on hand to assist at St. Louis Ponds from 9 AM to 2 PM and at Cottage Grove Pond from 9:30 AM until 1 PM. Both events are free.

Northwest - Steelheaders remained challenged on north coast streams as river levels have been too high to produce good results on some of the larger streams like the Wilson or lower Nestucca. Improving conditions should have steelheading back to normal by the weekend.

Some smaller systems like the Kilchis remained open and productive in these higher flows but many streams closed to fishing for steelhead unless there is some form of hatchery fish available to anglers.

Spring Chinook fishing opened in Tillamook County on April 1st but even early fish aren't likely to be caught until at least the following week. Coastal spring Chinook average larger in size than their Columbia and Willamette cousins but adult returns are a fraction of what we see for the Willamette and Columbia drainages.

Good numbers of left-over trout still reside in area lakes and bass should begin to stir in the warming waters of coastal lakes and ponds.

Long range ocean forecasts indicate the possibility of an offshore opportunity late in the weekend and bottomfishing should be great. Crabbing however is likely to remain mediocre for a while.

Scheduled for trout stocking are Cape Mears Lake, Carter Lake, Cleawox Lake, Hebo Lake, Lorens Pond, Lytle Lake, Nedonna Pond, Smith Lake, South Lake, Tahoe Lake and Town Lake.

Southwest - Boaters will be greeted with a mild incoming tide but long-range swell and wind forecasts are marginal.

Ocean crabbing has been slow, even for commercial efforts and market prices are reflecting that in stores

Bottom fishing may take place only within the 40 fathom line as of April 1st. That's 240 feet for novice mariners. The decision regarding ocean salmon fishing openings and bag limits is scheduled to take place this week.

Jetty fishers are making good catches of rockfish and perch at Winchester Bay when wind and wave action has allowed. Anglers on the mainstem Umpqua have been doing well for spring chinook over the past week. Rains warmed the water and improved catch-and-release fishing for the mostly wild steelhead in the river now.

Long rodders throwing baits from area beaches are making decent catches of surf perch when the ocean cooperates.

Spring chinook fishing was fair to good on the lower Rogue until storm fronts dropped rain on the area and blew out the river. Water levels will be dropping through the coming weekend and springer prospects are good.

The Chetco closed for fishing at the end of March but will re-open when trout season begins on May 22nd.

Cooper Cr. Reservoir, Galesville Reservoir Loon Lake are scheduled to be planted with hatchery trout.

There will be an estimated 200,000 trout available to anglers when Diamond Lake opens April 24th and some of those are sure to be big ones.

Eastern - Fly anglers did well for redsides on the Deschutes over Easter weekend. Fishing pressure has been light. The Warm Springs stretch opener is April 24th.

For those who have cracked the tricky Metolius code, this river has fished well on nymphs.