Oregon Fishing Update

Oregon Fishing Update

Willamette Valley/Metro - Portland area activity has come to an abrupt halt with the closing of the Columbia last week. Dam passage remains stable for Chinook but not the bump most were hoping for to enable sportanglers back into the river. Upriver fisheries closed well before peak opportunities existed.

Steelhead numbers are also starting to slow at Bonneville but The Dalles Dam is still reflecting good numbers where Deschutes River trollers are taking fish at the mouth in good numbers. The Columbia remains open to fin-clipped steelhead and coho.

Early catch and release statistics for Columbia River gorge sturgeon anglers indicate good numbers of keepers available for the October opener. This fishery will re-open on October 1st but anglers have to wait until the first Thursday to fish. Bank anglers will excel here.

Coho have started to move up the Willamette with recent rain showers lowering the temperature, increasing the flow and pushing counts into double digits for a total of 130 at the Falls as of September 14th.

Precipitation is putting salmon on the move but the bite remains sporadic. Good numbers of coho are in the Clackamas but the mouth has produced best with spinners or bobber and eggs catching most of the fish.

Sandy River anglers are taking a few coho in the lower river with fish entering after the rain. It's still low but the water has cleared. Upriver, only steelheaders are having any luck.

Steelheading on the North Santiam has improved with many of the fish being caught in the 10-pound class. The river level and flow has come up again.

Mt. Hood Pond, North Fork Reservoir, Small Fry Lake and Foster Reservoir are scheduled to be planted with trout.

Northwest – Effort is non-existent in the Buoy 10 fishery. Those that targeted coho did poorly over the weekend.

Tillamook anglers scored great results just prior to the weekend but fishing has slowed since. A few fish are being taken from the ocean to the upper bay. Tillamook and Trask River tidewater anglers are also picking up some nice Chinook. For the first time in 3 years, a noticeable component of the run is comprised of the larger 5-year old fish. Several fish over 30 pounds and some over 40 have been taken. Seaweed is still a problem for trollers. Coho are present in better numbers in the bay but are reluctant to bite.

The Nestucca and Salmon Rivers should be coming into their prime this week. Good incoming tides should stimulate action beginning this weekend.

Chinook fishing is still slow on the Siletz with trolled, plug-cut herring most effective over the weekend. About one in four boats are hooking up.

The Nehalem is producing sporadic results at best but seaweed is not as much an issue here as it is in Tillamook.

The Alsea has good numbers of fish but they are not responding well to bobber and bait. Trollers at the mouth are taking some fish on herring and spinners. Returns are expected to be large this year.

Crabbing is great in many north coast estuaries. There is still a mix of soft and hard shelled crabs but condition should improve as we move into the fall months.

Southwest – Fisheries managers have closed the all-depth Pacific halibut sport fishery off the Oregon central coast from Humbug Mountain to Cape Falcon after anglers met their quota. Anglers may continue to fish for Pacific halibut south of Humbug Mountain, but the nearshore waters inside 40 fathoms on the central coast are closed as of Thursday, Sept. 21.
Siuslaw Chinook anglers are pulling out a few in this spotty fishery.

Chinook are entering tidewater at the Coos and Coquille rivers and catch rates are improving.
Winchester Bay continues to dominate for offshore Chinook catches. A few coho have been taken in Umpqua tidewater. Smallmouth bass fishing remains worthwhile in the mainstem and South Umpqua.

On hot days last week, all the trollers in the Rogue estuary were hooking fish. Coho averaging 13 pounds are entering now and hatchery fish may be kept up to Hog Creek. Catches of Chinook and jacks were very good over the weekend at Gold Beach. The lower water levels have provided conditions for improved steelhead catches for fly-rodders in the upper river.

While a few Chinook have been taken in the Chetco estuary, this fishery will start to shine in October and November. Anglers have started bobber fishing for jacks here.

Good numbers of large rockfish are being reported from anglers launching out of Brookings.
Scheduled stocking of catchable-sized trout has wrapped up for the year.

Eastern - The best steelheading on the Deschutes remains below Shearers Falls. A mix of dries are taking fish on the middle Deschutes in the evenings but nymphs will take trout all day. The upper Deschutes will close for the season on October 1st.