Willamette Valley/Metro - Sturgeon effort continues to decrease in the Columbia River gorge despite a slight up tick in success rates with the increased flow. Bank anglers are faring best. Fair shaker action remains but anglers are reluctant to use up quality bait in a catch and release fishery.
Water level on the lower Willamette has been fluctuating with the visibility 2.5 to 3 feet and temperature in the high 40's. Sturgeon fishing has been improving.
The McKenzie water level has been dropping over the past week along with the water temperature. Fishing has slowed with temps in the low 40's.
Detroit Reservoir is predicted to be at winter level November 20th, after which the North Santiam level should moderate. Steelheading is slow to fair.
Clackamas anglers have been banking a few summer steelhead around McIver.
Coho is about wrapped up on the Sandy although a few bright fish remain in the Oxbow to Cedar Creek stretch. Pro guide Trevor Storlie (503-307-5601) reports the Sandy is high but in good shape with a few bright fish here but the majority are spawners There are a few summers around but most are anticipating the winter steelhead run but Thanksgiving is way too early since steelhead production has switched to a later returning broodstock.
Northwest - The first significant rain event hit the coast on Monday, blowing out every river in the district at least until mid-week. Another system may keep larger rivers out of play through the weekend.
Prior to the high water, action for chinook remained fair at best with a few fish coming from the Wilson late last week. Despite good water conditions, most anglers came up empty handed. A small handful of steelhead were reported downstream of Mills Bridge.
Chum salmon made a fair showing on the Kilchis River but the target fishery is now closed. The Kilchis will remain one of the better bets this week as its smaller watershed clears more rapidly than the other larger basins.
The Trask produced fair late last week and a few winter chinook will be available through the month.
Tillamook Bay is still capable of producing chinook into December with the Ghost Hole being a primary target location for herring trollers. Sturgeon have been present in the west channel for some time but the rain freshet may stimulate them to bite more consistently. Fresh sand shrimp will be a likely producer.
The Nestucca had small pockets of fresh chinook last week but like other larger rivers in the area, will be out of shape through the weekend if predicted rainfalls hit reports pro guide Jesse Zalonis (503-392-5808).
Crabbing will turn off in most coastal estuaries with the rain freshet. The exception will be the lower Columbia River where the softer tide series next week should produce easy limits for persistent crabbers. Netarts Bay is also a fair option.
Ocean crabbing will reopen on December 1st although offshore weather conditions are likely to be too treacherous for recreational craft. Combined seas are forecasted to be 17 feet on Saturday.
Southwest - Southwest rivers have been dropping over the past week but this situation can change with storm fronts. Rain will have a greater effect on rivers once the ground is thoroughly saturated. Rain was falling on Tuesday this week and is expected to increase as the weekend approaches.
The summer all-depth halibut season off the central Oregon coast will be on Fridays and Saturdays only in 2010. The good news is that fishers may keep ling cod outside the 30-fathom line prior to limiting on halibut.
The wild coho fishery at Tahkenitch has been slow bit Siltcoos is producing fair to good catches. Trolling small, brightly-colored plugs has been most effective.
Plugs are taking good numbers of coho on the Umpqua. This is a catch-and-release fishery with virtually no hatchery keepers available.
Chinook fishing has further slowed on the lower Rogue while steelheading on the middle and upper river is worthwhile.
While the Chetco came up enough for chinook to migrate upstream, there is insufficient flow for these fish to enter spawning tributaries. It remains closed above the Highway 101 Bridge. If the offshore forecast holds true, launching for bottom fish won't be a possibility this coming weekend.
A few chinook are being taken from the Elk and Sixes rivers. The Elk is clearer and has been productive on corky and egg rigs.
Eastern - Cold weather and snow has had no adverse effect on steelheading at the Grande Ronde where catches remain very good around Troy.
Crescent Lake is producing large mackinaws to trollers willing to negotiate a few inches of snow and endure frigid temperatures.
The John Day has been kicking out some steelhead to trollers and bobber & egg fishers. Fish are well distributed throughout the system and move an average of 7 miles per day when water levels rise. Steelhead are in the system, and with each rising of the river flow another pod comes in. So, watch the river gauge and when it goes up sharply figure it will send in another pod. All steelhead techniques seem to be working, with none working a lot better than another reports Mah-hah Outfitters, pro-guide, Steve Fleming, (toll free) 1-888-624-9424. Last week, hatchery fish made up a large percentage of the catch in the mainstem Columbia, just above the John Day Dam.
Steelheading on the Deschutes has been spotty.
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