Oregon fishing report

Oregon Fishing Update

Willamette Valley/Metro - Oversize sturgeon fishing remains steady in the Columbia River Gorge with fresh shad readily available for sport and sturgeon bait. The keeper bite in the gorge continues to slow as fish migrate downstream to take advantage of better feeding conditions.

Salmon fishing in the gorge has also drawn the attention of experienced anglers. Multiple hook-ups are possible for anglers using spinners along the shallow gravel bars upstream of Beacon Rock reports pro guide Joe Salvey (503-349-1411). Summer Chinook passage is exploding at Bonneville Dam. Plugs are also a viable option but action remains best during the week when stable river flows bring a consistent bite.

Beach plunkers should be taking advantage of a predicted strong run of summer steelhead and an occasional fin-clipped summer Chinook on Sauvies Island and the lower Columbia Beaches. Favorable tides will run through the weekend.

Willamette Falls spring Chinook counts have picked up from fewer than 100 to over 300 a day, pushing the YTD total as of June 2nd to 25,739. This figure is still far short of the 46,500 projection. Steelhead counts are strong with over 9,000 having crossed.

Water temperature at the Falls was 61 degrees on June 12th with flows moderating. The lower river and Multnomah Channel have improved for those dragging spinners. Shad fishing remains good from the Falls to Oregon City. Sturgeon fishing is slow.

Clackamas springers are providing some entertainment now. Summer steelhead action is also picking up.

The Sandy River was fair for spring Chinook prior to the weekend but has slowed dramatically since. The fish are scattered but the upper river has been most productive recently.
North, South and mainstem Santiam anglers, whether targeting springers or steelhead, should see catches improves as the water levels moderate here.

Detroit Reservoir is producing limits of foot-long kokanee. Sheridan Pond will be planted with 2,500 trout for a youth fishing event on Saturday, June 17th from 9:30 AM to 2 PM.
Scheduled for stocking this week are Timothy Meadows, Big Cliff Reservoir, Blue River Above Reservoir, Blue River Reservoir, Breitenbush River, Detroit Reservoir, E. E. Wilson Pond, Fall Creek, Foster Reservoir, Hills Creek, Junction City Pond, Leaburg Lake, Upper McKenzie River, Middle Fork Willamette River, Salt Creek, North Santiam River, Sunnyside Park Pond, and Trail Bridge Reservoir.

Northwest – Sturgeon anglers did well on estuary sturgeon over the weekend. The best bite took place out of Hammond on the green buoy line. There are numerous oversized sturgeon in the area as well. Anchovies are fishing well in the deeper water and crab and sculpin are not the problem they have been in years past.

Anglers fishing near Tongue Point are also getting good results but larger fish seem to be available downriver. Shrimp are producing but the anchovy bite picked up here as well. Extreme tides open up more opportunity in the shallow water areas.

Extreme tides brought salmon success to upper Tillamook Bay spinner trollers this week. More success is likely through the weekend when anglers can take advantage of extended outgoing tides in the morning.

Limits of rockfish, cabezon and ling cod are being taken out of Depoe and Yaquina Bays. Offshore crabbing is fair but poor at Yaquina.

Scheduled for trout planting this week are Big Creek Reservoir # 1 & #2, Cape Mears Lake, Coffenbury Lake, Eckman Lake, Hebo Lake, Loren's Pond, Lost Lake (Clatsop County), Olalla Creek Reservoir, South Lake, Thissel Pond, Town Lake.

Southwest - Many coho have been hooked by offshore trollers targeting Chinook. The ocean coho fishery off the central and South coast opens Saturday, June 17th. Surf perch fishing remains excellent off Southern beaches.

With the waters of the North Umpqua dropping and warming, smallmouth bass and shad fishing is heating up. Spring Chinook fishing has shown slight improvement but remains only fair.

Rogue Chinook anglers are advised to ply the upper river for the limited number of fish available. Bottomfishing is good out of Brookings with limits of large rockfish the rule. Offshore salmon trollers have seen catches improve when ocean conditions allow safe passage.

Clearwater, Hemlock Lake, Lake of the Woods, Lemolo Reservoir and Section 5 of the Rogue River will be planted with hatchery trout this week.

Eastern - Fish dry Salmonfly and Golden Stone imitations near the banks from Warm Springs to Maupin on the lower Deschutes this week. Fishing is excellent with lots of insects in the air and trout keyed on them.

Fly fishers are doing very well on the Owyhee River now that levels have fallen to normal.
Crane Prairie is fair to good for largemouth. Davis Lake, a fly-fishing only resource, is producing jumbo largemouth bass to eight pounds.
Ana Reservoir, Lake of the Woods, Miller Lake, Olallie Lake and Spring Creek in the Deschutes Reservoir will be planted with rainbows this week.

Oregon fishing report