Oregon fishing report

Willamette Valley/Metro- Although opportunity for mainstem Columbia steelhead was largely concentrated downstream of the I-5 Bridge, bank anglers fared relatively well with the favorable tide series along lower Columbia beaches. A strong forecast should continue to provide opportunity through early July with strong minus tides and current keeping fish close to shore where bank anglers have good access to them.

Water upstream of I-5 to Bonneville Dam will open for steelhead beginning June 16th and the fishing should be excellent this year. Shad fishing in this stretch is open and numbers are starting to reach fishable levels. This is an excellent fishery to introduce youth to.

Boaters targeting sturgeon did well below Marker 82 in the gorge, averaging a keeper for every 3rd rod. Anglers in the Portland to Longview stretch averaged a keeper for every 10 rods.

With the lower Willamette about 60 degrees, springer fishing has slowed although it has been fair in the Multnomah Channel. Shad fishing is fair to good and will continue to improve. About 30,000 springers and 10,000 summer steelhead are upstream, the best run in years.

Redsides have been cooperative with fly anglers on the McKenzie with a few cutthroat in the mix.

Clackamas steelheading has been fair with most catches coming above Barton. Springers will soon be making an appearance on Eagle Creek.

There's not much happening on the Sandy although there should be springers in the river at this time of year.

A few steelhead and springers are being taken on the Santiam system with fishing improving here as the water warms.

Northwest - Spring chinook are making one of the stronger showings on Tillamook Bay than seen in recent years. Upper Tillamook Bay produced consistent catches with a few fish per day coming from the Oyster House Hole during the morning outgoing tide. Shannon Hardie of Maywood Park landed his first spring Chinook at 21-pounds on a chrome Flatfish with red dots in 4 foot of water.

Soft tides will favor lower bay fishing with the jetty producing the best catches on the morning outgoing tide. There are only a few days left to register with the Tillamook Estuaries Partnership for the 7th annual Bounty on the Bay salmon tournament. Call (503) 322-2222 for details.

If the weather forecast comes to fruition, driftboat fishing should be productive by the weekend. Tillamook streams are forecasted to rise nearly 1-foot which should stimulate action on the Trask, Wilson and Nestucca systems. As an added bonus, summer steelhead should be available on the Nestucca and Wilson Rivers.

Razor clam digging was excellent last week but tides won't be conducive for more opportunity for another week.

Halibut anglers out of Garibaldi did well on the first two days of the May 13th opener. Persistent anglers still found success on Saturday too but halibut will continue to get culled from the fishery in the upcoming all-depth openers. Those targeting bottomfish species also did well.

Ocean crabbing produced the best catches but catches averaged about 2 keepers per pot in last weeks calm seas.

Southwest - Keep an eye on offshore conditions as long-range forecasts are varying. Mild morning incoming tides will occur this coming weekend.

The all-depth halibut opener was rewarding for angers once the ocean laid down. While numbers aren't yet available, count on fishing the next 3-day opener, May 20th through 22nd.

Anglers are scoring springers on the mainstem and lower North Umpqua. Plugs have been effective downstream from Elkton recently.

Boats launching out of Port Orford scored halibut limits during the opener. Good catches of rockfish and lingcod inside the 40-fathom line were made on Sunday this week when the ocean was friendly.

Spring chinook fishing has been worthwhile on the lower Rogue, best between tide changes. Water visibility is good which indicates the better opportunities will come early and late in the day, particularly when tides changes coincide. Beginning Saturday, anglers will be able to take wild spring chinook from the mouth to Gold Ray Dam. The limit remains 2 adult fish.

Bait and fly anglers had equally good results at Diamond Lake over the past weekend with the water free of ice and trout responding very well.

Eastern - Look for hatches of Golden Stones on the Deschutes above Maupin with salmon flies showing in good number and redsides responding in kind. Steer clear of spawning steelhead and trout.

With the water temperature of the John Day in the high 50s, smallmouth bass fishing has been worthwhile with a few larger specimens in the mix.

SW Washington - Although success rates for boat and bank anglers remains subdued for most district streams, early hatchery returns indicate predicted run sizes to most river systems remains accurate.

The Cowlitz looks to be the best option for spring chinook and steelhead catches have been favorable too. The Barrier Dam is producing some of the better catches.

Action at the Wind River and Drano Lake fisheries has slowed at the mouths but anglers fishing upstream in these respective watersheds are doing well from the bank.