Oregon Fishing Report

Oregon Fishing Update

Although the Buoy 10 fishery is underway, action is not what one would expect for this time of year. We may still be surprised however as the tides are ripe for high success rates over the weekend. The Oregon and Washington sides are producing equally well- depending on what time of the tide anglers wish to target their salmon.

The tributary mouths like the Cowlitz and Kalama should begin to produce good results by the weekend. Wobblers rule this fishery and the edges of the shipping channel often produce as well as the mouths of these tributaries. The Troutdale fishery may also kick in but anglers will have to compete with gillnetters for a August 25th, 11 hour opener.

The Columbia River Gorge may be best left to the steelheaders. The larger B run steelhead should begin to show in greater numbers but avid anglers likely know that the bulk of the run has passed Bonneville Dam by now.

Sturgeon effort is non-existent in the estuary and the gorge. Crabbing in the estuary remains fair at best.

The North Oregon Coast is nearing the start of its fall Chinook run. The Nestucca and Nehalem estuaries typically start about this time. The weaker tide series may produce some results for dedicated anglers trolling herring near the mouths of these systems.
Crabbing is great in many Northern Oregon Coastal Estuaries like the Tillamook, Netarts and Nestucca.

The summer all-depth halibut season is open every Friday. Saturday and Sunday until the quota fills. Catches are great and some of the fish are quite large. A Salem man took one too large for the scale at South Beach which was estimated at 134 pounds. Offshore bottom fishing is excellent with regular, albeit reduced limits common.

Offshore salmon fishing out of Winchester Bay has been good whenever the wind permits.
Look for additional release on the Rogue River scheduled for September 1st to encourage Fall chinook upstream. The low waters have kept the fish kegged in the bay although the fish are mostly uncooperative with the numerous anglers trying for them.

Anglers launching out of Brookings, disappointed at the opening week, were rewarded with catches last weekend. Over 400 chinook were caught with some going 30 and 40 pounds.
The Clackamas and Sandy are low and slow. The lower Willamette is low and warm, and with sturgeon retention closed, offers little to anglers. North Santiam steelheaders may expect to find good water conditions and fish on the upper stretches.

Lake Billy Chinook is putting out scores of kokanee to trollers. Jigs are scoring kokes at Odell Lake.

Deschutes fly fishermen are finding decent action early and late in the day on caddis dries. Nymphing is only fair throughout the hot days.

Trout were stocked this week at Big Creek Reservoir numbers 1 and 2, Cleawox Lake, Estacada Lake, Faraday Lake, North Fork Reservoir, Small Fry Lake, Clear Lake, Badger Lake, Spring Creek, Fall River and Shevlin Pond.