Oregon Fishing Report

Oregon Fishing Update

Coastal streams are fishing so prepare yourself by getting all the professional knowledge you can from The Guide's Forecast complete series of Technical reports. You can simply log onto: http://www.theguidesforecast.com/techrpt.shtml and order the reports that have the most application for you. Tech reports 8, 9, 11, 12 and 18 all serve the North Coast angler that likes to bank fish or driftboat fish for salmon and steelhead.

Willamette Valley/Metro - The gorge sturgeon fishery remains good to excellent for boat and bank anglers. Some quality keepers are coming from this fishery as pressure drops due to hunting seasons and poor weather. Sand shrimp for bait is producing consistent results but the bait seems hard to get. Smelt is a good back-up however but that is also in short supply. Checks indicate a fish for every 11 boats in the Portland to Longview stretch while gorge anglers checked The river from Beacon Rock upstream is closed to angling from a floating device leaving ample opportunity for bank anglers to take advantage of salmon above the deadline. Bank anglers tallied near limits of Chinook near Tanner Creek but these fish are of poor quality and most anglers are practicing catch and release.

The Willamette River typically begins to pick up for sturgeon fishing this time of year. Pressure remains light for this fishery although some boats are beginning to target sturgeon in the industrial area upstream to Milwaukie. The difference in water temperatures is only 3 to 5 degrees but that is significant enough to make a difference in success.

The Sandy remained high and opaque at this writing but with the weather moderating may provide some possibilities by this weekend.

There's little pressure on the Clackamas with nothing going on to attract anglers.
Mid Columbia/Deschutes River - The John Day fishery is beginning to gain momentum for both catch and effort. Almost a fish per boat was tallied with a close 50/50 ratio of wild to hatchery fish. Bank anglers were doing fair as well near the mouth of the John Day.

The Deschutes is winding down for the year although steelhead are still available. Unpredictable weather and uncertain clarity due to the White River will put only the most avid anglers in pursuit of the remaining run.

North Coast - The conditions anglers have been waiting for hit the north coast at mid-week when the major tributaries cleared and dropped enough for the river fishing. The smaller streams like the Kilchis and Necanicum fished well on Sunday and Monday but the Wilson was white hot on Tuesday with numerous anglers taking limits of bright chinook from Mills Bridge to the mouth. Backbounced eggs seemed to be the preferred method but as flows drop, fish will be more responsive to plugs. Chum salmon have entered the Kilchis, Miami and Wilson Rivers but the target fishery ends on November 15th. It is only open to catch and release fishing for chum.
As a result of ripening fish, bay fishing slowed down with the exception of an early morning bite at the Ghost Hole and Bay City. Fish will continue to pour into the river systems while flows are favorable making river fishing a better option than the estuary.

With the fresh water intrusion, recreational crabbing is likely to slow despite the favorable time of the year.

Mid-Coast - A few chinook may be found in upper tidewater on the Siletz, but other locations are cranking up as this one winds down.

Fall Chinook are traveling upstream occasionally providing fair fishing periodically on the Yaquina River downstream from Elk City. Trollers seem to be intercepting the greatest share of them.

With the rain last week, there should be a few winter steelhead available in the Alsea below Fall Creek. It's closed to metalheads upstream of that tributary.

South Coast - Recent rains brought good numbers of wild coho into Siltcoos Lake and trollers dragging spinners are seeing catch rates improve as a result. Wild coho are also being taken from Tahkenitch Lake to a lesser degree. The quotas are still a long way from filling at either of these locations where this opportunity to take unclipped silvers is allowed.

Fall chinook fishery is fair in the tide water stretches of the Siuslaw River. A few are being taken by bank fishermen above tidewater. Chinook fishing should hold up here for another week or two.

The flies only section of the North Umpqua continues to produce summer steelhead this week.
Recent precipitation should have stimulated the salmon run on the Elk and Sixes Rivers. The Elk in particular needs a significant rain freshet to breach the river mouth and get the migration underway. Small streams like the Elk fish better in high water while it takes the Sixes a bit longer to clear. Fresh Chinook will run in these rivers through mid-December.

Summer steelhead fishing was decent on the upper Rogue prior to the last rainfall which occurred Monday, November 7th. It should have recovered by now and will fish well barring another storm passing through. Bait is allowed above Shady Cove but it's artificials only below that point. The coho present are not cooperating with anglers.

Eastern Oregon - The Grande Ronde River is coming into its prime for steelhead. Flows remained stable even after the weather systems that came through. Reports indicate an average to good year for steelhead on the Grande Ronde and Imnaha River systems.

Angling for panfish is also reported good to excellent for perch, bluegill and crappie in Snake River reservoirs. Fish become more active as air temperatures meet water temperatures in Brownlee and Hells Canyon Reservoirs.

Trout fishing - Green Peter is producing good catches of trout along with a few kokanee.
No trout planting will take place this week in the Willamette Valley.


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Bob Rees - Oregon fishing guide and Editor of The Guide's Forecast