Oregon fishing report

Oregon Fisheries Update:

Willamette Valley/Metro- Sturgeon fishing improved over the last Thursday through Sunday retention period. While some anglers caught only shakers, others took several keeper-sized fish. Smelt and sand shrimp were top baits. Fishery managers this week will determine the fate of the Willamette spring chinook fishery. It is likely to be a 7-day per week fishery despite a poor run forecast for returning hatchery fish.

Steelhead were taken on the lower Clackamas over the weekend. Drift boaters should be aware of a downed tree below the boat ramp at Barton Park.

Fishing has been slow to fair on the Sandy River. Bank fishers have taken a few at Oxbow Park. Cedar Creek is in good shape but fishing poorly.

The McKenzie is fishable this week and while there hasn't been much dry fly action yet, nymphing has been effective.

On the trout planting schedule this week are E. E. Wilson, Mt Hood College Pond, West Salish Pond and Alton Baker Canal.

Henry Hagg Lake will open on March 1st.

Northwest – Most coastal rivers were too high for productive fishing last week. Smaller streams were in ideal shape at mid-week with the Nehalem, Necanicum and Kilchis in prime shape on Tuesday. The North Fork Nehalem hatchery reported a significant slow-down in hatchery returns although some keepers will be coming back into early March.

The reprieve in precipitation, coupled with a warming trend will have very positive impacts for steelheaders this weekend. Larger rivers like the Wilson, Trask and Nestucca should be fishing very well into the weekend with motivated broodstock and wild fish available on all systems. The Wilson and Nestucca however offer the best chances for hatchery keepers with bait producing the best in higher flows and jigs or plugs producing best in lower, clearer water.

It will be a good weekend to collect broodstock steelhead on the Wilson and Nestucca Rivers. Collection is critical to sustain the program so please sign up by calling the ODF&W office at (503) 842-2741.

Fair sturgeon tides over the weekend will give anglers some decent opportunities in the early afternoon. Unfortunately, crabbing is poor making the effort a single strategy. A high swell will likely keep boats from targeting bottomfish on the ocean over the weekend.

Clam diggers may want to take advantage of good tides targeting bay clams on Tillamook and razor clams along Clatsop Beaches. Call the shellfish hotline at 1-800-448-2474 for updated information.

Crabbing out of Newport and Waldport has been poor, but prospects may turn around with dry weather. Steelheading has been slow to fair up on the North Fork Alsea.

Siuslaw steelheaders took fish over the past weekend. The best bet for this weekend will be the drift from Whittaker to Wildcat or Wildcat to Linslaw. Some quality broodstock steelhead are showing up at the fish trap on Whittaker Creek.

Pro guide Jeff Jackson (541-268-6944) reports the Siuslaw at Whittaker is dropping and clearing and should be in good shape this weekend.

Alder Lake, Buck Lake, Carter Lake, Cleawox Lake, Dune Lake, Elbow Lake, Georgia Lake, Lost Lake (Lane County), Munsel Lake, North Georgia Lake, Perkins Lake, Siltcoos Lagoon and Thissel Pond are scheduled to be stocked with trout this week.

Southwest – A break in precipitation this week will have most of the south coast river fishing well. Rain last week brought good numbers of fresh steelhead into coastal tributaries but catches this week will be a combination of hatchery, wild and spawned-out fish returning to the ocean.

Surf perch fishing has been decent off southwest coastal beaches.

Umpqua anglers had a good weekend with about half the steelhead landed of hatchery origin. The South Umpqua has been a top producer.

Coquille steelheaders had a good weekend, particularly on the South, with catches yielding about 30% native fish with the remainder destined for the barbecue.

The Millicoma River continued to put out good numbers of steelhead over the past weekend, providing several anglers with bag limits.

Elk River steelheaders are taking fish this week but with no rain in the forecast, it is likely to be low by the coming weekend.

The lower Rogue came into shape late last week and has been delivering steelhead since then. Plug pullers have had the advantage recently.

The Chetco has been fairly stable at roughly 3,400 cfs at Brookings for several days. There are good numbers of steelhead in this river and the fishing has reflected it.

Dave Pitts, Field Editor for Salmon Trout and Steelhead reports from the Chetco River that drift boaters are finally seeing lower flows to connect on steelhead.

Lake Selmac is scheduled to receive hatchery trout this week.

Eastern – Trout fishing is fair but improving on the Deschutes near Maupin. Water levels and clarity are good but with hatches sparse, nymphing has been most effective.

The Dalles Pool is still producing good catches of steelhead for boat anglers. This fishery should produce even better as temperatures warm this week.

Pro guide Steve Fleming (1-888-624-9424) reports that while the John Day River was frozen up in lots of places last week with the warmer days and nights it is breaking up much faster than anticipated.