Oregon fishing report 11/24/11

Willamette Valley/Metro- Anglers fishing the mainstem Columbia have been put off by dropping catch rates and inclement weather. Neither is expected to improve although anglers may find varying degrees of success pursuing catch and release sturgeon opportunities in the Bonneville Pool. Keepers should remain available in the Portland to Longview stretch but will be challenging to come by. Waters adjacent to the mouth of the Willamette are also a fair option. As water temperatures on the Willamette drop to the mid-40s, level and flow will be increasing over the coming week and beyond as it will be slower to react and recover from the storm. The McKenzie River has been fishing well, providing some dry fly action afternoons but as with other valley rivers, it is rapidly rising. Sandy and Clackamas rivers will be unfishable and won't be recovering until sometime next week. There isn’t much to pursue here anyway, until broodstock steelhead begin to make a showing early next year. Travelers are reminded to dial 511 for Oregon travel and road information. Northwest – Prior to the winter storm, district rivers were fishing good for fresh chinook. The lower Wilson was a top producer with the Kilchis also putting out fair numbers of chinook and incidental chum salmon. Tidewater of the Wilson produced the most consistent results for backtrollers and backbouncers with fresh fish into the high 20-pound class reported. Tillamook Bay itself produced fair results for a dwindling fleet. Action remained on the east side of the bay where the Ghost Hole and Bay City were producing half way through the incoming tide. Although there will likely continue to be effort in the bay into December, it will be several days before conditions are favorable for salmon catches. Tillamook Bay often sees its first significant catches of sturgeon in November and with fresh water inundating the estuary, juvenile crab, which often compete for anglers bait while sturgeon fishing, will likely be washed to the ocean making for good opportunity for anglers targeting the west channel and middle bay. Sand shrimp is the top bait when pursuing sturgeon. The North Fork Nehalem will be one of the earliest rivers to recover after the storm series and should provide good opportunity for steelheaders working the reach nearest the hatchery. Steelhead have already been taken near the hatchery and workers have caught a handful in the trap already. The Necanicum River will offer up similar opportunity when systems pass through. Anglers will have to use extreme caution when floating rivers after the high water events. Dynamic channel carving and high water will recruit large wood debris into the watersheds, causing navigational hazards that are life-threatening. Boat safely and always wear a lifejacket when on board. The Nestucca River had traffic prior to the high water and may provide a rare bright chinook and early winter steelhead when it clears again. Target steelhead downstream of Three Rivers or in Three Rivers itself as the early run is likely destined for this small tributary. Crabbing is out for most north coast bays but the lower Columbia and Netarts Bay remain options. More severe weather however will make them treacherous to recreate in. Use extreme caution and only crab on an incoming tide. Southwest – Rock and jetty fishing is both productive and hazardous at this time of year. While there are plenty of rockfish, sea-going perch and even lingcod just a short cast away, winter wave action can be dangerous. Check conditions ahead of time and keep a constant eye on the water. Ocean conditions are expected to be very rough this week with combined seas over 20 feet. Winter storms and high water will put coastal rivers out of shape this week but this surge of fresh water will pass, waters will recede, and, when this occurs, many ocean tributaries will contain fresh winter steelhead. Umpqua levels increased sharply over the past weekend and as with other southwest streams, will be highest on Thanksgiving Day. Even prior to the blowout, fishing was slow. Chinook fishing, which has slowed over the past couple of weeks at Coos Bay and in the lower Coquille, is out of the question this week. Winter storms will undoubtedly dump enough fresh water into bays and estuaries to drive Dungeness out to sea. With the Rogue level and flow predicted to more than double into Thursday this week, it will be a while before this larger river recovers from the storm sufficiently to fish again. The first to find success after the freshet will be plunkers. Currently, the Chetco River is rising even more rapidly than forecasted. At this rate, expect flows over 20,000 cfs at Brookings on Thanksgiving Day. While the level is predicted to moderate into the weekend, it remains to be seen if it actually drops to fishable level. When it does, chinook fishing should be good. Wayne Smith of Yreka, California landed his salmon of a lifetime on November 19th. The 47-inch chinook was estimated to weigh near 65-pounds, landed on a T-55 Hog Nose Flatfish on the lower Chetco River fishing with pro guide Andy Martin (206-388-8988). The Elk and Sixes rivers will be the first to recover from the storm. Eastern – Deschutes anglers scored redsides and the occasional brightly-colored steelhead over the past weekend. Weather this week will not be conducive to fishing the east side. The Crooked River fished well for fly anglers over the past weekend, producing decent numbers of large trout along with a few whitefish. Grande Ronde steelheaders should also see some fair opportunity when flows subside after the storm pushes through. The Imnaha and Umatilla may also be good late season options.