Willamette Valley/Metro - After last week’s performance, anglers aren’t too excited about prospects on the mainstem Columbia. Effort has been waning, especially with the Willamette River coming into shape. The Columbia is scheduled to close tomorrow but fishery managers will access sport catches today and determine if more time should be allowed for sportanglers. Passage at Bonneville is picking up with peak passage likely in early May. If flows drop, fishing should improve.
The water level in the lower Willamette has been stable for several days with flow decreasing. Pressure has been lighter than normal on the lower Willamette and Multnomah Channel with springer fishing only fair. The water temperature is in the high 40s and broke 50 degrees on Tuesday. Chinook results are improving as it warms a few degrees. Fish passage is picking up following a lull during the recent high water.
With the McKenzie on steady drop over the past several days, March Browns and Blue-Winged-Olives are hatching.
Flow on the Santiam system has dropped and is fishable. Summer steelhead have been taken recently at the mouth.
The water level on the Clackamas has dropped and is fairly stable. There are broodstock in the river and soon, springers.
Sandy fishers have seen little action recently but spring chinook will be in the river soon. The Sandy run doesn’t compare in numbers to the Clackamas but fishing can still be good.
Boaters should keep an eye out for floating debris at Detroit Reservoir as it fills.
Northwest – Steelheaders finally saw quality conditions grace north coast streams early in the week. Good catches were reported on the Wilson and fair on the Nestucca and district streams remain busy as Willamette Valley fishing is slow. Despite high flows, some of the best fishing took place downstream of Sollie Smith Bridge on the Wilson. Side-drifters did best in the higher flows.
The Kilchis produced some fish over the weekend but flows are dropping and clearing making fishing challenging. The Trask is an option too with April being one of the better months on this mostly native river.
Rivers are forecast to rise slightly on the weekend but then begin a steady drop next week. The Nestucca and Wilson will remain the best bets but action should wind down after next week. Anglers may begin seeing a few dark fish in the mix as we near spawning time.
Spring chinook should begin entering Tillamook Bay but the peak period is still a month away. Tillamook springers average larger than their inland cousins but aren’t as plentiful. The Trask and Wilson Rivers are primary destinations for hatchery bound fish.
Another minus tide will greet sturgeon anglers on Tillamook Bay over the weekend but low slack is just after daylight. It’s best to wait to have at least 4 hours of fishing near the bottom of the outgoing tide. Bar crossings will be sketchy in these conditions. Persistent wind across the ocean is in the forecast.
Southwest – A family fun day with activities for young and old will take place in honor of Earth Day on Saturday, April 16th from 8 AM to 3 PM at Olalla Reservoir. Although the reservoir will be planted, activities will be available for those who don’t fish as well. Parking will be limited.
Boats launching out of central Oregon ports have been taking limits of lingcod averaging 10 pounds which are perfect for the table. Ocean Chinook fishing will remain open through the end of the month.
Pressure is building and hog lines are forming on the Umpqua mainstem as spring chinook season gets underway here. The water level is forecast to rise into the coming weekend, however.
The April 23rd Diamond Lake opener is just over a week away although if current conditions persist, it may be necessary to access by snowmobile to fish through the ice. On a brighter note, there are half a million trout awaiting anxious anglers.
Trollers and bank fishers on the lower Rogue have been doing well for springers to 20 pounds and occasionally larger. Some anglers have taken limits although there are wild fish around which must be released. Fishing has been fair on the middle Rogue and good for winter steelhead on the upper river.
When ocean conditions have allowed offshore launches out of Brookings recently, bottom fishers have boated limits of rockfish just outside the harbor. Catches of lingcod have been slow to fair but are expected to improve. If offshore forecasts hold true, there will be opportunities to fish the ocean this coming weekend and into next week. Area beaches are producing surf perch as is the mouth of the Winchuck River.
Eastern – Trollers at Green Peter are spotting good numbers of fish on depth finders but are catching very few kokanee.
Lake Billy Chinook is producing bull trout to herring trollers.
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