Willamette Valley/Metro- Chinook fishing near the mouth of the Sandy River is fair at best. This is peak season for this section but most salmon are motivated to head upriver. The gorge is also poor for salmon but continues to pick up for sturgeon anglers.
North Santiam steelheaders saw some decent action over the past week. Fishing is good and with the river at a favorable level and flow, it's expected to hold up.
The lower Clackamas is yielding a few coho to anglers throwing spinners and drifting corkies in the morning hours. Plugs trolled in the Willamette just outside the mouth of the river have also accounted for a few.
Anglers hitting the Sandy at first light and again in the evening have taken a few coho in the lower river. This fishery will improve in coming weeks as water levels and temperature improve.
Faraday Lake, North Fork Reservoir and Small Fry Lake are scheduled to be stocked with trout.
Northwest – The Buoy 10 fishery is still going strong with anglers taking advantage of a strong return of hatchery coho. The best fishing is close to high slack with incoming tide producing on the Washington side. The first part of outgoing is producing good results on the Oregon side above the Astoria Bridge but the bite is coming late in the day. Coho are starting to respond to spinners with pink and white a top choice. Chinook jack counts at Bonneville indicate better returns in coming years and high numbers are still being encountered in the estuary.
Although most of the effort near Astoria remains in the river, some anglers are still venturing out to the ocean in search of easy limits. The coho are large but many anglers are traveling south to Gearhart to catch the fish. They are down deep with 40 to 50 feet producing the best results using fresh anchovies and herring for bait. Check your bait options before going out as many bait shops are not stocking fresh bait due to a drop in angler effort but anchovies are available near the Hammond Harbor entrance to those that wish to jig their own.
Ocean halibut off of the Columbia opens for one day, Saturday. The fishing on the last opener was challenging. Tuna may be another option but plan on traveling nearly 50 miles offshore to get into consistent schools. The ocean forecast for the weekend looks favorable.
Crabbing on the lower Columbia is picking up and so is the effort.
Tillamook Bay is off to a productive start with good catches reported in the middle of last week. The early run fish are destined for the Trask and Tillamook Rivers so upper bay catches should begin to improve. Some sturgeon are also available near Memaloose.
Nehalem Bay fishing remains poor and crabbing has also dropped off.
In the last scheduled planting for 2007, Cape Mears Lake, Coffenbury Lake, Lost Lake in Clatsop County, Sunset Lake and Town Lake will receive hatchery trout.
Herring jiggers managed to score several dozen over the past weekend on Yaquina Bay.
Herring trollers scored good numbers of chinook at the Alsea Bay entrance on Tuesday. The season is just getting underway.
Southwest – Ocean fishing appears to be an option this weekend for recreational boaters according to offshore forecasts but crossing early and returning to port before the afternoon wind kicks up is suggested.With over 32,000 pounds remaining in the quota, the all-depth halibut fishery bag limit has been increased to two fish per day starting Friday, September 14th. The halibut limit inside the 40-fathom line remains one per day Mondays through Thursdays but two per day will be allowed during the all depth openers Fridays through Sundays. With the increase in limits, the quota is expected to fill by the end of September.Ocean crabbing closed mid-August but bay crabbing will continue to improve into the fall months as crab grow, harden and enter coastal estuaries in greater number.
Wind hampered fishing efforts in Winchester Bay over the past weekend. A few coho and fewer chinook were landed. Crabbing was fair. North Umpqua steelheaders have experienced an improvement in action with the water temperature hovering in the mid-50s and exhibiting a little color. Smallmouth bass are still on the bite on the south and mainstem Umpqua.
Chinook fishing is fair and improving in the Coos River. The Eighth Annual Coos Basin Amateur Salmon Derby will be held this weekend, September 15th and 16th. Entry is only $20 per angler for two days with tickets available at local merchants.
Periodic flurries of activity have occurred in the Rogue estuary where the chinook bite has turned on - and off just as quickly - often at the turn of the tide. Catches of coho have been fair to good as well. Fishing in the Grants Pass stretch has been poor.
Offshore coho angling will remain open from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain through September 16th, or fulfillment of the quota allowing for the possibility of some halibut/salmon combo trips.
Ocean salmon fishing has closed south of Humbug Mountain for both chinook and coho although bottom fishing is a rewarding option. The Chetco River Terminal Area Fall Chinook Salmon Fishery opens for two weeks starting October 1st when large fall fish are traditionally taken in the upper 30 feet of the water column.
No trout stocking is scheduled this week in the Southwest Zone.
Eastern – Sporadic passage numbers at The Dalles Dam has trollers at the mouth of the Deschutes excited. They saw an improvement in action over the past weekend. Spinner casters have been doing well upriver.
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