Oregon Fishing Report

Oregon Fishing Update

It seems incongruous to speak of catching Fall chinook in the first week of August, but one of the joys of living in the Pacific Northwest is that we can choose to fish for summer steelhead along with any of three different salmon runs.

The Buoy 10 fishery opened August 1st without much action for early hopefuls. The Columbia is open for chinook, steelhead and jacks as well. Due to some confusion regarding the regulations, here is the word from the ODFW regarding the stretch from Tongue Point to Bonneville:
"This section of the Columbia River is open seven days per week ... The fall salmon season [opened] Monday, Aug. 1, 2005 with a daily limit of two adult salmon or adipose fin-clipped steelhead in combination, plus five jack salmon. No more than one chinook may be retained and all coho must be adipose fin-clipped."

Sturgeon fishing is spotty in the estuary but keepers are readily available to those applying the right tactics. Retention is closed in the gorge.

Steelheading is sporadic on the lower Deschutes. The river is now open to chinook fishing. Plug pullers are working the mouth as Dam counts increase. Fly fishing is good upriver.

North coastal streams are low and clear. A few steelhead are available to stealthy anglers. The Umpqua remains productive for smallmouth and the steelhead fishing is improving. The Rogue River is closed to chinook fishing above Gold Ray Dam. Bay fish is very slow. Steelheading is fair to good on the upper river.

The lower Willamette and Clackamas Rivers have little to offer anglers currently. Early birds have a chance at a summer run on the Sandy. The North Santiam is a good bet for steelhead.
Odell has been kicking out limits of kokanee 12 to 14 inches in length. Trolling is most effective
The ODFW planted trout this week at Breitenbush River, Clear Lake, North Fork Santiam River and Trail Bridge Reservoir. Trout stocking will resume in the Northwest (coastal) Zone in the third week of August.