Oregon Fishing

Willamette Valley/Metro- Effective today, fishery managers adopted a 2-fish bag limit for chinook on the mainstem Columbia River from Warrior Rock to Bonneville Dam. Anglers fishing near Bonneville Dam have averaged a chinook per boat and success rates will likely continue to climb as temperatures begin to drop and more resident fish begin to congregate below the dam.

Sturgeon fishing is also picking up in the area with boat and bank anglers tallying good results. Quality keepers begin to also congregate near the dam with October a peak month for sportanglers.

The fish ladder at Willamette Falls remains closed for construction. Trollers have managed a few coho hookups around Meldrum Bar. Sturgeon fishing remains slow although a few keepers have been boated.

While the McKenzie River has risen a little, it continues to fish very well with caddis patterns.

The North Santiam is high but it is producing some steelhead. There's a chance for a hookup anywhere between Mehema and Packsaddle Park.

Clackamas anglers are catching a few coho but it has been slow.

Hundreds of coho can be seen on the main river but they're rarely hitting anything. Coho have entered Cedar Creek and are being caught below the hatchery. Fishing at the rivers mouth is also slow, despite high numbers of visible jumpers.

Henry Hagg Lake is scheduled to be planted with 8,000 legal-sized trout this week.

Northwest – Most anglers will begin focusing on the north coast, particularly Tillamook Bay as it offers the best chance at large fall chinook well into November. Action has recently slowed with a poor tide series but flurries of activity can be had near the estuary entrance and in the bubble fishery just outside of the jaws. Coho are still making up a good portion of the catch but many of those fish are wild and must be released. Improving tides should produce better results for upper bay spinner trollers by the weekend.

A mid-week weather system is predicted to rise river levels only slightly. Coho and a few chinook may take advantage of the rain freshet but much more precipitation is needed to justify the launching of driftboats.

Only a few chinook are being taken amongst the coho in Nehalem Bay. Action has been best around Wheeler but most anglers are frustrated with their results.

The Nestucca and Salmon Rivers do have fish present but numbers are down so persistence is necessary. Crabbing is a good alternative.

The Siletz and Alsea estuaries have not been productive so far. It’s still too early to call these systems a bust but it’s pretty clear that these runs have suffered for a second year in a row.

Tuna chasers are still in pursuit but last week, action was best out of Astoria where live bait produced good results for many ocean fishers. The weekend may offer another chance at offshore schools but the weather is likely to be more inconsistent into October.

Southwest – The weekend offshore forecast predicts improving conditions and moderating winds.

Trolling for chinook in the Umpqua estuary has been rewarding with some larger fish being hooked recently. Crabbing is good in Winchester Bay. Albacore have been taken this week at 60 to 70 miles offshore.

Boats launching out of Coos Bay did well for offshore rockfish with most getting limits but ling cod were hard to come by. The salmon derby will be held on Saturday, September 27th. Fishing in the river has been slow.

Bandon halibut fishers did well for large fish during the (perhaps) last all-depth opener over the past weekend.

Trollers in Rogue estuary have seen steady action for chinook with the occasional large coho showing in catches. Fishing upriver slowed dramatically over the weekend for steelhead and half-pounders while the Grants Pass stretch heated up for chinook. Sea-run cutthroat trout and half pounder fishing has been good in the Wild and Scenic section.

Most of the boats launching out of Brookings have been returning with six-fish limits of bottom fish and catches of ling cod are improving.

The Seventh Annual Salmon Derby at the Chetco terminal fishery will take place on October 1st through 4th.

Diamond Lake continues to fish well for rainbows to 16 inches with the occasional 18-incher being landed.

'Trophy-sized' rainbows are scheduled to be planted at Lost Creek Reservoir, Oak Springs, Willow Lake, Applegate Reservoir, Cole Rivers and Fish Lake. 'Trophy' trout measure 16 inches or better.

Eastern – Over 100 Chinook and more than 300 hatchery steelhead were counted at Sherars Falls last week although fishing was slow over the weekend for both steelhead and trout anglers. Anglers are taking some nice brown trout on the middle river. The upper Deschutes which is fishing well for large brook trout now, will close between Little Lava Lake and Crane Prairie at the end of September.