Oregon Fishing Report

Oregon Fishing Report

Updated for for the week of June 10th - June 16th, 2005

The sturgeon are beginning to show! Do you know how to fish them? The best advice we can give you is head to our technical reports page and check out report #3. This detailed report will give you the best clues on how to maximize your efforts while in pursuit of Columbia River estuary sturgeon. These reports and several more are available at: http://www.theguidesforecast.com/techrpt.shtml.

The salmon opener was not all that impressive. Expectations were low and most were greeted with the results they anticipated. Peak weeks for the summer Chinook fishery are still 3 and 4 weeks away so it will get better. Steelhead counts are still too low to justify a trip to the lower Columbia River beaches although the tide series is favorable for such an option.

Sturgeon fishing below Bonneville remains good for keepers and oversized fish. Rather surprising that the gorge fishery can produce better results this time of year than the estuary fishery. Fishing does seem to be improving slightly each week but most guides agree it is a much different year in the lower river. The best action seems to be coming from the deep water instead of our traditional “4 ounce” water. Anchovies are producing the best results.

Pro guide Jack LaFond (1-800-270-7962) reports, “Sturgeon fishing has lit up! Oversize fish are biting well on fresh shad and keepers are coming to the boat in fair numbers, although the retention of fish closes on Saturday June 11th in the Bonneville Pool.

The Bonneville Pool closes to the retention of sturgeon starting Saturday, June 11.

Halibut fishing remains productive for the few anglers in the know in the North of Falcon fishery. Bottom fishing out of Astoria remains great! Crabbing in the lower Columbia is poor.

We are at the tail end of another great tide series for spinner trollers on Tillamook Bay. The spring Chinook results have been fair although sporadic. Weekend tides may prove good for upper bay fishers and bobber anglers may have some luck as well. Some reports of good herring fishing came from the lower bay on the big exchange this weekend.

Reports for good sturgeon fishing came from Tillamook this week as well and the crabbing is some of the best on the North Coast right now.

All-depth halibut fishing was good again during the last round of fishing on June 2nd through 4th. The ocean is open again outside the 40-fathom line for halibut on June 9th, 10th and 11th.

The Umpqua is coming into shape, providing some good shad fishing. Ocean salmon fishing has been good out of Winchester Bay. Spring chinook prospects on the Rogue are expected to improve over the next couple of weeks.

The Sandy River is in good shape with decent color although fishing is slow. Similar conditions may be found on the Clackamas River but it's even slower.

Spring chinook fishing has been mostly unrewarding on the South Santiam although summer steelheading is picking up on the North.

Free Fishing Weekend will see most lakes and ponds stocked around Oregon including Big Creek Reservoir, Cape Meares Lake, Cleawox Lake, Coffenbury Lake, Hebo Lake, Nedonna Pond, Olalla Creek Reservoir, Thissell Pond, Town Lake, Benson Lake, Estacada Lake, Faraday Lake, Harriet Lake, Hartman Pond, Henry Hagg Lake, Huddleston Pond, North Fork Reservoir, Roslyn Lake, Sheridan Pond, Silver Creek Reservoir, Small Fry Lake, Timothy Meadows, West Salish Pond, Alton Baker Canal, Big Cliff Reservoir, Blue River, Blue River Reservoir, Breitenbush River, Carmen Reservoir, Detroit Reservoir, E. E. Wilson Pond, Fall Creek, Foster Reservoir, Hills Creek, Junction City Pond, Leaburg Lake, Upper and Lower McKenzie River, Middle Fork Willamette, Roaring River Park Pond, Salmon Creek, North Fork Santiam River Trail Bridge Reservoir, Walter Wirth Lake, Hosmer Lake, Lake of the Woods, Big Cultus Lake, North and South Twin Lakes, Century Gravel Pit, Deschutes River, Sprague Gravel Pit, Spring Creek, Burns Pond, Devils Lake (Deschutes watershed), Fall River, Lake of the Woods, Ochoco Creek, Shevlin Pond and Simtustus Lake.

Free Fishing Weekend is June 11th and 12th. No licenses or tags are required this Saturday and Sunday but all anglers, licensed or otherwise, must adhere to regulations and bag limits.