Oregon Fishing Report

Forecasting for the fishing week of October 16th – October 22nd, 2009



Willamette Valley/Metro - Trollers are beginning to master coho fishing near tributary mouths like the Sandy and Washougal on the Washington side and action should continue steady through the middle of November. Chinook catches have tapered in the Bonneville area and sturgeon anglers are only finding an occasional keeper. Bank anglers will likely fare best as fish congregate in the faster flows upstream of the boating deadline.



Coho counts, not updated since October 5th, indicate about 700 per day crossing at Willamette Falls as the temperature and water level drop. Water conditions will change this week with precipitation. Sturgeon fishing should improve in the lower river as the water cools.



The North Santiam has continued to frustrate anglers despite the fact the many coho over the Falls should be destined for Santiam tributaries.



The McKenzie Two-Fly Tournament on October 10th netted $4,000 for lower river improvements. Fishing for redsides is good on the upper river.



Anglers may retain limits of three hatchery coho on the Clackamas, Eagle Creek, Sandy River, the upper Willamette and its tributaries through the end of the year. Several limits were taken on the Sandy over the past weekend. The last day to retain chinook on the Sandy is October 31st.



Scheduled for trout planting are Mt Hood Pond, Detroit Reservoir, Walling Pond and Walter Wirth Lake.


Northwest – Effort has dropped off at Buoy 10 but persistent anglers found easy limits upstream of the Astoria/Megler Bridge on Saturday. By Sunday however, the bite had already slowed. The Buoy 10 fishery should dramatically slow after this weekend but a strong incoming tide should provide one last opportunity for those seeking quality coho this late in the season.



Crabbing is excellent in the lower Columbia but with an evening minus tide over the weekend, crabbers must be adamant about pulling pots shortly after high slack or lose them to the strong ebb tide.



Tillamook anglers will find challenging conditions as foul weather hits the north coast. Most anglers are coming up empty but herring trollers in the Ghost Hole are finding occasional success. Frank Ness of Lake Oswego landed a 24-pound buck on Friday but a good portion of the fish being landed are smaller 3-year old fish, weighing in around 15 pounds or less. Stronger tides over the weekend and the likelihood of a closed bar that will prevent an ocean harvest should improve bay fishing over the weekend. Tillamook Bay should be peaking this week although a low return will still limit success rates.



Ocean crabbing closes today but this fishery provided awesome opportunity for those with ocean going craft. Limits of commercial-sized legals were the norm; all a product of a regulation change instigated by a vested sportsman and a willing fish and wildlife agency.



The Nestucca remains only fair for chinook with effort dropping off from previous weeks.



Rain in the forecast is expected to raise north coast rivers only about a foot in height. It shouldn’t take much rain to stimulate a run of fish upstream but rivers will remain almost too low to boat. The lower stretches of the Trask and Nestucca Rivers should produce the best but a more significant rain is needed to really jumpstart the driftboat season.



Southwest – Razor clam harvest has re-opened on the coast from Yaquina Bay to the California border. The best clamming takes place north of Tillamook Head near Cannon Beach but toxicity levels remain too high for safe consumption in that area.


Coho and chinook catches have been improving in Winchester Bay and salmon are starting to move upriver.



Coquille anglers are seeing a brief flurry of action for coho and chinook just prior to high tide. Less than half of the wild coho quota has been taken. Chinook and the occasional coho are being boated by Coos trollers with the bite near high tide here as well, although wild coho may not be retained.



Chinook catches remain good in Rogue Bay and upriver to Agness. Coho numbers are increasing. The Rogue estuary fishes best inside the jaws on the outgoing tide. The long awaited removal of Savage Rapids Dam will provide new water for anglers to master as well as bolster fish populations.



The chinook run in the Chetco which is a late-starter historically, is fair and will improve in weeks to come. The river will remain closed below Highway 101 until the first week in November unless rain raises the water level. The ocean laid down over the past weekend allowing boats to take advantage of excellent rockfishing and make good catches of large ling cod.



The Elk and Sixes should start fishing for chinook with rain this week.



Scheduled trout stocking has concluded for the year in coastal zones.

Eastern – Catches were slow in eastside streams and river over the past weekend with the weather changing but should improve with rain this week.



Chinook are being hooked in addition to steelhead in the lower Deschutes now.



It's been chilly on the Grande Ronde with about 25% of anglers taking home steelhead. The department has increased the daily bag limit of steelhead to 5 per day as dam passage indicates a near-record run is likely to many district rivers. Check the ODF&W website before heading to your favorite destination as complex regulations are always changing to maximize conservation benefit.