Oregon fishing report

Willamette Valley/Metro - Effort for sturgeon downstream of Bonneville Dam is nearly non-existent. Sturgeon fishing opens up above the dam on Jan 1 for a small winter quota, likely to be filled fast.

The Willamette River at Oregon City is in great shape for catching a Christmas steelhead. Plunkers at Meldrum bar are getting an occasional fish, but they aren't setting the river on fire. Catch and release sturgeon fishing in the Portland harbor is lighting up however and more anglers should participate in this urban winter fishery.

McKenzie River levels were still rising on Tuesday this week from earlier precipitation but without rain in the forecast, it will be dropping all week. Prospects are fair for fly fishers targeting winter trout.

Winter steelhead counts are picking up at Willamette Falls which will soon create a catch-and-release fishery on the North Santiam for those who favor it. Some feel these wild fish should be left alone.

The Clackamas River is running a bit it on the high side, but the color is very fishable. A few early steelhead are spread out in the upper stretch between Carver and McIver Parks, but better numbers aren't due until mid-January. Expect the river to drop into prime shape by the weekend.

Sandy River anglers are also experiencing higher than optimum, murky water mostly due to the ascending freezing level. A slow fall is predicted through the weekend. Steelhead have been dispersed throughout the system, but better numbers are on the way.

Northwest – Winter steelhead fishing on the north coast remains fair at best. The most reliable resources, the North Fork Nehalem hatchery and Big Creek hatchery hotlines, report slow action with just a few fish moving into hatchery traps following the last rain freshet and peak season timing. It's clear the early returns are not going to be large, hopefully, the later returning broodstock and wild run hasn't suffered the same fate.

Driftboaters working the Necanicum River over the weekend report poor success. Some fish were taken off the bank but success rates were low. A few fish were reported in the tail-outs but low, clear water kept fish skittish and off the bite.

Regardless of the sub-par returns, the Wilson and Nestucca systems as well as the North Fork Nehalem remain the best chance for the early season. This will be peak week for quality steelhead, just don't expect great results with the upcoming weather pattern and poor returns.

There is a good set of weekend tides to entice a last chance at a keeper sturgeon on coastal estuaries. Action is likely to be fair at best with juvenile crab likely to intercept offerings before sturgeon have a chance.

Razor clam diggers will see good tides over the weekend but the surf conditions will likely keep clams from coming close to the surface for diggers to harvest.

Crabbing has slowed in most coastal estuaries. Even the consistent lower Columbia River is a fair-at-best option this time of year, even poorer, considering the extreme tide series this weekend.

Southwest- Rough ocean conditions have prevented offshore boats from launching recently but when they can get out, good results for rockfish and lingcod can be expected.

Lingcod are moving into shallow water in anticipation of spawning in January and February, to the delight of rock and jetty anglers.

Crabbing is fair at Winchester Bay. Winter steelhead are being taken below Sawyers Rapids on the Umpqua mainstem but treat these wild fish with respect. Hatchery fish are on the way.

Boaters at Coos Bay and in tidewater on the Coquille are reporting fair but steady crabbing. A few winter steelhead have been caught but anglers are advised to hit the lower stretches of any coastal stream in low water conditions.

With the bay fishery done for the year at Gold Beach, anglers are hitting various stretches of the Rogue with mixed results. Brief rainfall early this week sparked a little winter steelhead action on the lower river but catches have stalled due to low, clear and cold water. Anglers on the middle Rogue are taking a few, mostly wild steelhead and inadvertently the occasional coho on a variety of lures but it has been spotty. Steelheaders on the upper river continue to take summers but these fish are well past their prime and winter steelheading won't be a viable option until February next year.

Commercial crabbers report slow fishing out of Brookings. Rainfall made little change in Chetco levels with the river continuing to drop with the flow predicted to be less that 400 cfs by the coming weekend. Catching a steelhead in these conditions will be extremely challenging.

Crabbing out of Port Orford is reported as good. A little rain fell on the area earlier this week but it had very little impact on the low, clear water on the Elk River.

Eastern – The cold waters of the Grande Ronde River are reported to be providing fair fishing for steelhead to anglers dressed for frigid weather. The Imnaha is another option but not as likely to produce as the Grand Ronde.

The John Day is largely frozen over with boat travel not possible. Action won't resume until warmer weather persists.