Oregon fishing

Willamette Valley/Metro- Salmon counts at Bonneville Dam continue to dwindle and effort has switched to mainly sturgeon. Although catches took a bit of a hit last week, likely due to inclement weather, catches should continue to be good into early November. Keepers will likely begin to migrate downriver and into the Willamette as temperatures cool.

Water flow has tripled at Willamette Falls over the past week with the visibility and temperature dropping. Daily coho counts have been in the single digits. Sturgeon fishing is expected to pick up in the lower river.

Water levels in the North Santiam rose late last week but the water clarity is good above Mehema where some steelhead are being caught.

The Clackamas rose to 14 feet at Estacada last Friday and was over 27 feet Sunday, October 21st at Oregon City and slowly recovering.

Water at the Sandy River is off-color, as expected following recent rain. It should be clearing this week. In nearly 30 minutes, the coffer dam near the former Marmot site was notched Friday, October 19th to help it wash away the silt build-up more gradually. Sandy water levels rose to 10.5 feet overnight October 20th but have since returned to pre-storm levels. It is still muddy at this time.

Northwest – A larger than predicted deluge jump started the fall chinook run on most north coast streams. The Wilson River was likely the best producer with numerous fish falling to driftboaters on Sunday and Monday. Bright fish continue to be taken in tidewater.

The Trask River also produced fair results but earlier arriving fish meant that many fish were past their prime. The Nestucca also produced some chinook on Sunday and Monday but overall, disappointed many anglers that reported fish were more motivated to migrate than bite.

The Necanicum River near Seaside also receives hatchery plants and a wild run of chinook. It was the first to fish when the precipitation began late last week. River levels are dropping rapidly on all north coast streams with no new precipitation in the forecast.

The North Fork Nehalem continues to lag in coho returns this fall. The recent rain freshet did not produce the fish most had hoped for.

Pro guide Jim Nicol (503-550-3166) reports the Nestucca fishing well Monday and Tuesday this week for Chinook on sardine-wrapped Kwikfish.

Coastal systems close to trout fishing on October 31st. Check regulations on your favorite streams as many in the northwest section are catch and release only.

Tillamook Bay is producing consistent catches of chinook with the Ghost Hole producing and surprisingly, the west channel still holding up. A weak tide series challenged upper bay anglers but that will change as weekend tides are likely to wash fresh fish into the upper reaches of the estuary and tidewater sections of the Wilson, Kilchis and Trask Rivers.

Crabbing on the lower Columbia will be challenging on the weekends strong tides but clammers should take advantage of great razor clam digging on Clatsop County beaches. It’s best to check toxicity levels in all shellfish before harvesting however by calling 1-800-448-2474.

Yaquina has been producing limits of large, hard Dungeness while salmon fishing has been slow. Crabbing out of Waldport has been fair to good with trollers doing well for chinook over the past weekend.

Pro guide Jeff Jackson (541-268-6944) reports that the wild coho fishing has started improving in both Siltcoos and Tahkenitch.

Trollers were catching fish on the lower Siuslaw last week prior to the weather front hitting and chinook should be available as water levels recede.

Southwest – About 2.5 inches of rain fell on the Central coast and nearly four inches to the southwest.

Enough precipitation fell to kick off the chinook fishery on the Elk and Sixes rivers. Several salmon were taken on the Elk Saturday as the water level drops quickly here.

With the Rogue reaching flows of 25,000 cfs on October 19th, the salmon holding in the estuary have entered the river which will shut down bay fishing. Fly anglers should do well on the upper Rogue for steelhead.

Brookings Harbor was producing chinook on the troll prior to the deluge. The Chetco River level went over 16 feet and the flow to nearly 30,000 cfs near Brookings on October 19th. This volume of water should bring fresh chinook into the system and fishing is expected to be good as the water drops this week.

In an unscheduled stocking, Upper Empire, Lower Empire, Bradley Lake, and Powers Pond will be planted this week with trout averaging one pound. Each location will receive about 200 trout.

Fishing continues to reward at Diamond Lake anglers with pressure reported as light. The lake will close November 1st.

Eastern – Steelheading was good on the lower Deschutes late last week and into the past weekend.

Fishing on the Grande Ronde started picking up late last week with precipitation drawing in fresh steelhead.