Willamette Valley/Metro - The Columbia River below Bonneville Dam continues to produce the odd productive day for chinook salmon, but more and more days are slow. The majority of the run has passed, but 2,000 to 5,000 kings a day are still ascending the ladders. Many of the fish staging below the dam are destined to spawn there and a high percentage are already donning their spawning colors, so anglers should take consideration and let them do their thing, unmolested.
Silver salmon are still climbing the ladder at Willamette falls at a rate of 200 - 400 per day and fishermen continue to take a few at the mouths of the Tualatin, Molalla and Yamhill Rivers. Silvers above the falls can be harvested regardless of having a fin-clip or not. Below the falls, little is happening except for the odd silver caught at the mouth of the Clackamas or at Meldrum Bar. A one day sturgeon retention opener is slated for Saturday, October 19th. Late season bass and walleye fishing is likely good, but few anglers are participating.
The McKenzie River is fishing well as brightly-colored foliage gives evidence of fall arriving. Rivaling the brilliance of the leaves are the large, colorful redsides coming to hand for fly fishers. Drifted nymphs are effective early in the day with Caddis imitations and Adams effective as the day warms.
Bright coho can be seen rolling and jumping at various locations on the North Santiam but getting them to bite or strike is always a challenge.
Good water conditions prevail on the Clackamas River but few fish are there to catch. Very slow fishing for silvers has been the norm this season. Eagle Creek is the destination for most Clack silvers, but the water is getting low and the few fish that are there are scattered.
The Sandy offers better opportunity for silver salmon and the odd chinook. The river is still holding at a good level since last week's rain and fish are scattered from the lower river up to Cedar Creek. The fish seem to be more concentrated in the upper stretch. Both coho and chinook salmon must be fin-clipped to retain on the Sandy.
The family fishing event scheduled for October 19 at Canby Pond has been cancelled. Blame it on the weeds which are too thick to allow for a pleasant fishing experience.
Northwest – Although far from the blistering hot beginning anglers witnessed on Tillamook Bay, action for chinook remains consistent with the ocean and the Ghost Hole still producing some of the best catches. Calm ocean weather has drawn a renewed interest in the nearshore for chinook and the outlook seems favorable through the weekend. Too bad ocean crabbing is now closed as Lee Richey of Tualatin and his crew of 4 took their 60-Dungeness crab limits along with 4 chinook on Tuesday, just south of the jetty out of Tillamook Bay. Crabbing in Tillamook Bay itself is just fair but should improve pending any other storm fronts. The upper bay may turn on again with the strong tide series over the weekend.
Tidewater reaches of the Tillamook streams has slowed recently but may improve again following the strong upcoming tide series. The Wilson River should hold the greatest promise after mid-October.
The Nehalem system has jump started again, following the prolonged period of turbid water following the last rain event. Trollers working the mouth continue to do very well with some coho in the mix. Pressure has let up but the good fishing continues. No north coast estuary is close to achieving their coho quota and is slated to go through November.
The lower Columbia is vacant of anglers but one guide boat reported 2 chinook and 4 hatchery coho last week with fairly consistent catches of coho still coming. The strong tide series this weekend could bring about another small shot of coho for those wanting a serene experience. Crabbing is excellent downstream of Hammond.
Southwest- Offshore conditions are supposed to moderate into the coming weekend according to long-range forecasts. Nearshore and deep water lingcod fishing has been good with rock fishers taking mostly limits. Ocean crabbing has slowed but is still worthwhile.
Now that fresh water has been replaced with that of a salty nature, bay crabbers should expect some improvement in catches.
Winchester Bay trollers have continued to hook up with chinook on herring with most catches coming from the jaws and below the Highway 101 Bridge.
Florence boaters have taken a few large chinook trolling herring in tidewater over the past week. Pressure has been moderate.
Rogue Bay has provided some productive periods over the past week with scores of fish landed on some days. Catches are a mix of chinook and coho. Indian Creek chinook have finally started showing in catchable numbers and are hitting spinners. Steelhead and coho are being taken at Agness. Steelheading has been decent on the middle river with flies, lures and bait all effective at times. Upper Rogue fishing continues to yield consistent results for steelhead.
The Chetco Ocean Terminal Area Fishery closed October 13th with at least one 50-pounder and several 40-pound chinook landed. Trollers attention will now focus on Brookings Harbor from the jaws to the mouth of the Chetco River. Trolled anchovies are most effective. Halibut may be taken out of Brookings through the last day of October.
No chinook have been reported from the low, clear waters of the Elk or Sixes Rivers. Look for these to turn on later in the year.
Eastern – steelheading is fair to good on the lower Deschutes. Counts ramped up at Sherars Falls over the past week. Expect lower flows as the Bureau of Reclamation has the outflow from Wickiup down to a trickle to allow the reservoir to fill.
Steelheading has improved on the Grande Ronde River with some anglers reporting multiple fish. Flies and spinners have been effective.
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