Oregon Fishing Report

Willamette Valley/Metro- With the Willamette now closed to catch and keep sturgeon fishing, anglers have little choice for good action unless catch and release on the lower Willamette appeals to anglers. Success in the gorge continues to drop and with falling freezing levels, success will continue to plummet.

As of November 16th, water visibility at Willamette Falls was 3.4 feet. About 150 winter steelhead have been counted. Trout fishing is good on the Middle Fork Willamette and will remain so as long as water levels remain fishable. The coho run is over for the year.

Trout fishing has been fair on the McKenzie. Steelheading efforts continue below Leaburg Dam.

Coho are being hooked on the Santiam with results fair to good at times.

The Clackamas was on the rise earlier this week. Eagle Creek produced a few steelhead over the past weekend.

Thanksgiving traditionalists are expected to hit the Sandy next week despite later-running broodstock steelhead. Catches will likely be spotty.

Northwest - Salmon fishing in the Tillamook district continues to disappoint anglers and the effort defines success rates in recent days. Rivers are producing sub-par results despite excellent conditions. Tillamook Bay is effectively over although persistent anglers still have a fair chance at a late run fall chinook.

The Wilson River should be peaking right now but driftboaters are coming up with poor returns on their investment of time. Dark fish are beginning to show in the catches but it appears that the late run that typically graces the Wilson and Kilchis Rivers will fall short of preseason predictions. Another rain freshet is due today but it is clear by now that chinook destined for these systems are somewhat depressed this season.

The Trask has been a staple for much of the fall but success rates are falling on this system as well. Fish are beginning to turn dark here. A winter steelhead was recently caught however, indicating a decent return may be on the way. Steelhead returns often mimic coho returns and it's likely the wild coho return to the Tillamook basin was under-predicted this season.

The Nestucca has been a late season surprise this year as the pre-season forecast was for a poor return. A limited season is in place with driftboaters allowed from Farmer Creek to the tidewater stretch. Another freshet may put this system out of shape until the weekend but the Nestucca may be a fair option for late weekend boaters. This will likely be the last weekend for bright fish but winter steelhead are soon to follow.

Although still several weeks from peak, bright steelhead should be available on the North Fork Nehalem, Necanicum, Wilson, Kilchis, Nestucca and Three Rivers. The season's first hatchery steelhead has been taken on the North Fork Nehalem where anglers witnessed some of the best catches in years last season. Late run wild coho will also be present so be prepared to properly identify species as all wild coho must be released.

Tillamook Bay has few anglers targeting salmon but some effort still exists in the Ghost Hole and Bay City. Bay anglers may find sturgeon fishing more rewarding as the freshwater influx has pushed crab to the sea. The west channel should be bountiful for sturgeon anglers, especially with the upcoming tide series.

Crabbing remains best in the lower Columbia where limits were the rule over the weekend. Success rates should remain favorable until the commercial season opens in early December. All the other estuaries, with the exception of Netarts Bay will likely produce poorly in the coming weeks.

Southwest - Crabbing has been fair to good in bays and estuaries despite recent rain. Ocean crabbing resumes on December 1st.

Chinook have moved out of Winchester Bay upstream into the Umpqua. South Jetty fishers are catching rockfish and surf perch when ocean conditions allow safe access. Chinook fishing has been fair to good on the Umpqua mainstem.

Chinook catches have slowed on the Coos and Coquille. Crabbing has been good in Coos Bay with some taking limits.

Although boat traffic has been moderate, Chinook catches on the Elk and Sixes Rivers have been very slow. A few were taken on plugs late last week but recent rough seas prevented fishing at the mouth.

Rogue Bay is wrapped up for chinook and lower river fishing is slow while the middle river us producing fair steelhead and coho catches. The upper Rogue continues to offer the better action for late-season summer steelhead. Use caution running a driftboat through the old Gold Ray Dam site where a hazardous rapid has formed.

When ocean conditions have allowed offshore access out of Brookings, most anglers are catching rockfish limits although few lingcod have been taken recently with the 120-foot restriction. Chinook fishing has been good in the Chetco River when water conditions have cooperated.

Eastern - Steelheading is slow on the Deschutes but the occasional fish is being landed. Maupin to Warm Springs has been most productive.

The Grande Ronde is producing fair to good catches of steelhead ranging from chrome to colorful.

Although John Day Pool anglers should be coming into their peak season, catches were mediocre this week. Action may remain fair this week with the ensuing weather pattern in the forecast. Bobber and jig will work in the John Day itself but trollers work the pool above the dam.