Willamette Valley/Metro - Bonneville anglers are still catching a few chinook below the dam, but most fish are dark and getting ready to spawn. Angling for salmon from a floating device is prohibited from Beacon Rock upstream to Bonneville Dam Nov. 1 - Dec. 31.
Little effort leaves little to report on the Willamette River. Sturgeon fishing is catch and release only but there are plenty of nice size fish around to bend rods. Late season bass fishing is still a good option in the Lake Oswego/ Milwaukie area and walleye are still on tap in the Multnomah Channel.
Water levels have continued to fall on the McKenzie in relatively dry seasonal conditions. October Caddis patterns have been effective over the past week.
While coho passage at Willamette Falls is tapering off, there are still fish entering the Santiams. Until rain hits and changes everything, water level and flow will be good with the North Santiam River offering as good a chance as any at a coho hookup.
Other than a few straggler late summer steelhead in the upper stretch and the odd coho, little is available on the Clackamas River. The first winter steelhead will show up around Christmas.
On the Sandy, there are some dark chinook in the river as well as a few coho, but the run has been far less than impressive this season. For a chance at a bright coho look to the lower river below Oxbow Park.
Northwest – Chinook seekers on Tillamook Bay continue to struggle for strong results. All week, the jaws have been the most popular but only a handful of chinook have been taken following the peak of the soft outgoing tide. The ocean produced fair results on Tuesday, south of the jetty, but will close after October 31st. The Ghost Hole and Bay City will become primary targets in the incoming tides over the weekend and anglers should get a good idea how the late season will perform, based on weekend results. Wilson and Kilchis fish make up the bulk of the late season catch and tidewater of the Wilson should again perform if the bay sees another shot of fish.
Chum salmon are starting to show in Tillamook Bay and the long range weather forecast indicates they may make a run up the Miami and Kilchis Rivers following the predicted rain. If the weather is significant enough, driftboaters will have ample opportunity for chinook on the Trask, Wilson and Nestucca Rivers well into next week. Retention deadlines exist on some north coast systems so check regulations before heading out.
The Nehalem has finally slowed after a great season and likely won't light up again as the chinook run is done over there. Coho remain available but will also be hard to target.
Most north coast coho quotas are half-met and will remain open through November. Be sure to check the specific basin your fishing however as regulations vary by watershed.
Bay crabbing is fair at best on Tillamook Bay and only slightly better on Nehalem. The lower Columbia will continue to produce great results, particularly on the weaker tide series, which won't be the case this weekend. A good set of clam tides should produce good digging early next week along Clatsop Beaches, pending the height of the surf.
Southwest- As fall rains start this weekend, offshore conditions are forecast to become seasonally challenging as well. Expect higher swells and winds for the week to come.
The ocean is closed to crabbing but will likely reopen December 1. Prior to that date, crab can still be taken in lower bays and estuaries as long as crabbers don't venture into the ocean.
Bay crabbing historically improves in fall and winter in Oregon. The first to produce are generally the larger water bodies such as Winchester and Coos Bays.
Chinook and coho catches are fair to good in Rogue Bay for trollers. Chinook returning to Indian Creek are hitting spinners. Catches of steelhead and coho have slowed at Agness. Steelheading has remained fair but steady for anglers using a variety of baits, lures and flies on the middle river. Fly anglers are continuing to score on the upper Rogue with egg patterns and streamers.
Calm seas and mild winds out of the Port of Brookings encouraged boats to hit the salt over the past week. Bottom fishing results were good with lingcod catches excellent. Halibut fishing is closed as of November 1st. Trolling for chinook in the harbor has been fair. The Chetco River is scheduled to open above the 2.2 mile mark on Saturday, November 2. This is mostly a bobber and bait show but the fishery is dependent on sufficient rain to raise water levels. Otherwise, it could shut down again almost immediately.
Rain is needed to rejuvenate the chinook fishery on the Elk River.
Eastern – Steelheaders on the Deschutes below Warm Springs have had to settle for landing mostly redsides and the occasional whitefish as steelheading has been only fair at best.
Bull trout are falling for large streamers on the Metolius. Fish deeper water on the upper river for these fish which commonly run over 10 pounds.
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