Willamette Valley/Metro - Fish and wildlife statistics show a dramatic decrease in angler effort and success in the gorge fishery. Foraging stellar sea lions have changed the behavior of fish in the gorge but the shift to the Willamette has paid dividends for anglers working that water.
Anglers are catching a steelhead or two every other day at Meldrum Bar on the lower Willamette River. After the next big rain and the river gets a bump and warms, look for the catch to improve. Catch and release sturgeon fishing might be a better option as water conditions improve for this fishery. Boaters fishing the water above and below the St. Johns Bridge are getting fair numbers of fish daily as this winter fishery becomes more and more popular. A whole or half anchovy has been the best bait.
McKenzie River flows are a decent level for fishing but with the water temperature only in the high 30s, there are better options for anglers.
Very few Santiam-bound steelhead are moving up the Willamette while coastal rivers are just turning on. In addition, there is no hatchery winter steelhead fishery here and trout fishing is closed.
With good water conditions prevailing, the Clackamas River is putting out the occasional winter steelhead, although the bulk of the run is still over a month away. The river between Barton and Riverside Park would be the best stretch to work for any opportunity.
The Sandy River also has a few dispersed winter steelhead, but a good rain is needed to bring the river up and pull fresh fish in. The Oxbow to Dabney Park stretch will put out the most fish. Bobber and jig will get fish for bank fishers while pulling plugs will score for the boaters.
Northwest – Steelheaders are still struggling to find reason to pursue early run steelhead on the north coast. The signature system, the North Fork Nehalem has yet to produce any measureable catches at the hatchery although water conditions certainly haven't helped. None-the-less, a significant rain freshet is nowhere in sight but any rise in river levels will stimulate a bite.
Big and Gnat Creek, the Klaskanine, Necanicum, Kilchis and Three Rivers are all options but none are producing banner early returns of steelhead. We're entering peak season for this run of fish.
Larger systems such as the Wilson and Nestucca Rivers are best options in low water conditions and those systems are only producing a rare fish. Boaters are working the extreme lower reaches and the tidewater stretches of north coast streams and small concentrations of fish should be pocketed up where bobber and jig fishers could score results. These streams also remain open for chinook but action is dismal.
Despite good tides, effort for sturgeon on Tillamook Bay has been low. It's likely that sturgeon will continue to stage on the Columbia in hopes for another probable productive smelt run, likely to hit next month.
Ocean conditions are likely to remain too rough to recreate through the weekend. Bottomfishing can be excellent this time of year, weather permitting.
Southwest- Bottom fishing off the central Oregon coast was good over the past weekend when boats were able to get out. Near-limits of rockfish, lingcod and Dungeness were taken.
With commercial crabbers agreeing on a price of $2.65 per pound, offshore efforts got underway on Monday this week and is expected to have an effect on recreational ocean and bay crab catches.
Keep an eye on offshore predictions to sneak out for action with bottom-dwellers. The forecast looks friendly on Friday, Dec. 29, but that forecast may change.
Winchester Bay has been producing a few decent crab but it has been slow to fair at best. Look for winter steelheading on the Umpqua to pick up in January.
Crabbing has remained fair but steady at Coos Bay and in tidewater on the lower Coquille.
Low water has winter steelheading off to a slow start on the lower Rogue although a few have been landed. Boats on the middle river are taking the occasional coho but anglers targeting steelhead have been mostly disappointed. Pressure is light in low flows and frigid temperatures on the upper Rogue although catches of summer steelhead and coho have made it worthwhile for a few well-insulated anglers.
Nearshore reefs produced good catches of lingcod and rockfish to boats fishing out of the Port of Brookings. Fishing for chinook is slow in the low, clear waters of the Chetco although winter steelhead have been entering the system despite river conditions. A slight increase in flows is predicted for the coming weekend and with it, an overall improvement in action.
The subtle rainfall at Port Orford early this week had little effect on river levels. A few chinook were taken over the past weekend so perhaps there's hope for a late-season fishing flurry.
Sub-zero temperatures overnight at Diamond Lake have formed ice thick enough to tempt a few out on the surface near the bank, but it will be a week or more until it's considered safe for ice fishing.
Eastern – While Deschutes flows are acceptable for fishing, expect bitter cold temperatures at times on the east side. Trout fishing has been slow to fair, steelheading remains slow with fish scattered.
Flows at Crooked River are down to 70 cfs and fishing is fair to good.
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