Oregon Fishing Report

Oregon Fishing Report
Updated for for the week of June 24th – June 30th, 2005

Salmon and steelhead seasons continue, often overlapping with each other and other runs in Oregon. So it is with late-season spring chinook, summer steelhead and most recently, coho, which have been added to offshore salmon fishing opportunities. The shad run remains worthwhile in the Willamette and Columbia while sturgeon fishing is heating up in the estuary.
A citadel of opportunity exists on the Columbia this time of year. Sturgeon fishing in the gorge is still good (better on non-retention days) for keeper and oversized fish. The shad run is about mid-way through and fresh shad is surprisingly hard to come by in the morning- better in the afternoons.

Sturgeon fishing in the estuary continues to improve but only a little bit at a time. The action below the Astoria/Megler Bridge is picking up but crabs remain an issue. Bring lots of bait. There is a good number of large fish showing up and some of them have sea-lice on them. Tongue Point fishing remains consistent most days.

Lower Columbia River crabbing remains poor.

Salmon fishing in the lower Columbia above Tongue Point is primed for the weekend. The first part and the last part of outgoing tide is the best. Green spin-n-glos for salmon and hot colors for steelhead. The weekend tide series will be the first significant producer of steelhead for the summer season. Salmon fishing in the gorge remains consistent as we near the peak of the run. The next two weeks will offer the best fishing.

Wilmette chinook and steelhead numbers at the Falls have held steady for the first two weeks of June. Springer fishing is slow in the lower river. Shad are cooperating well.

Clackamas anglers are taking very few fish with pressure on the river light all week long. Sandy River steelheaders are finding fish this week.

The Tillamook season is winding down but this weekends tide series will offer the last opportunity of a good spring Chinook season. The upper bay will likely produce the best results as Chinook get trapped in the deeper holes in the heavy tidally influenced sections.

Trollers launching out of central and Southern Oregon ports are catching a few coho, but it's spotty for salmon averaging 10 pounds. Bottom fishing remains excellent.

An additional all-depth spring halibut fishery will take place July 30, June 1st and 2nd according to an announcement earlier this week.

The first tuna of the year was taken (plus 49 more) out of Brookings earlier this week. Expect more tuna reports as the offshore waters warm.

The entire Oregon coast remains closed to the harvest of razor clams.

Bass fishing is good in several temperate coastal lakes. Smallmouth are being taken by the score on the Umpqua and John Day (East side) Rivers.

Locations stocked with trout this week include Cape Mears Lake, Coffenbury Lake, Hebo Lake, Lost Lake (Clatsop County), Town Lake, Estacada Lake, Faraday Lake, North Fork Reservoir, Silver Creek Reservoir, Breitenbush River, Clear Lake, Leaburg Lake, Upper and Lower McKenzie River, and Salt Creek.