Willamette Valley/Metro - The reopening of the Columbia didn't prove overly productive in the high flows but some anglers produced fair catches of hatchery salmon from Westport near Wauna to the I-5 area. As numbers taper, so will catches but shad season is just getting underway. Steelhead numbers are climbing too.
Fish passage has picked up again at Willamette Falls with nearly 2,300 counted on Thursday, May 15th and almost 2,000 on the 16th. It's a positive sign when springers are on the move. Trollers are still using herring in Multnomah Channel with modest results. The stretch from Sellwood to the harbor has been slow for herring and prawn trollers. Hardware is an option as the water temperature climbs into the 60s. Backtrolling eggs or an egg and sand shrimp combo has been taking a few in Oregon City. Once a hookup occurs, allow the springer to take it and the trolling motor to set the hook. Trash fish and sea lions continue to be a problem here. Shad fishing has started at Oregon City and has been worthwhile at times.
McKenzie flows have been a bit unstable over the past week, varying between 4,100 and 5,000 cfs at Vida. Prospects will improve as it stabilizes. Summer steelhead are being caught as well as a few dandy spring chinook which have been responding to baits of scented roe. As summer steelhead numbers increase on the North Santiam, so have catches. Fish have been landed recently on drifted prawns, plugs and scented versions of the ubiquitous pink plastic worm.
Clackamas anglers have been scoring spring chinook on the lower river and upstream as more salmon enter the system. On a recent launch from Feldheimers, fly anglers scored a couple by drifting brightly-colored streamers. Most springers are hooked on bobber and eggs or spinners. Sea Lions have become a problem here as well, even above Carver.
With spring chinook numbers good on the Columbia, it follows that populations will also increase on the Sandy River where catches have improved recently. Catches also picked up for summer steelhead over the past week with spoons or spinners doing the job for many anglers. Others have connected with summers by drifting corkies with a bit of yarn or on bobber and jig. Algae has started to clog lines early this year.
While many lakes and some river and streams in Oregon already are open to fishing, the May 24 kickoff opens dozens of additional rivers, streams and even some lakes in central and northeast Oregon west to the Cascade mountain range and the Oregon coast.
The ODFW will host a free fishing event on Saturday, May 24 at Sheridan Pond. There is no charge to participate in the event and everything a person needs to be successful will be provided – rods, reels, lures, bait and instruction from experienced anglers. People who have their own gear are welcome to bring it along. Plenty of fish will be stocked for this event.
Northwest – Last weekend produced nothing but frustration for upper Tillamook Bay anglers as moss has once again inundated the area. No doubt the nutrient rich waters of the Tillamook River is the problem child, severely compromising a once-productive spring chinook fishery. Fortunately, the ocean remained an option for some of the weekend but wasn't overly productive either.
The Trask River is once again a highlight of the area with both the upper reaches below the hatchery and tidewater producing good results. Success should taper however as tides wane and flow drop. By the weekend, the lower bay and adjacent ocean waters should be the best bet on the weaker tide series. The Wilson and Nestucca also have fish present.
Bottomfishing remains good out of Garibaldi and the upcoming halibut opener should produce fair catches as well. The ocean will be the best bet for crabbing.
Southwest- At the first all-depth halibut opener, sport boats did well and most charter boats out of central ports limited for clients. The next opportunity will be May 22nd through 24th.
Surf perch fishing has remained good on the beaches of the south coast. Best results are on incoming tide through slack.
Spring chinook catches picked up a little on the Umpqua over the past week. With the water dropping, clearing and warming, shad have started hitting again at Yellow Creek and Sawyer's Rapids.
Boats launching out of Charleston are returning with fine catches of assorted bottomfish although chinook fishing has been slow as salmon remain scattered. Rockfish are being taken from the jetties inside the bay. Clamming was excellent in Coos Bay during the last series of minus tides but crabbing is still poor to slow.
Lingcod fishing has been excellent out of Gold Beach with anglers culling limits of large, healthy fish. Most are finishing up the day with rockfish limits as well. Waters of the lower Rogue are once again low and clear, a situation all too common this season, which has most anglers ranking the run as just fair. Guide boats have been getting one or two fish a day with most fish responding to anchovy/spinner combos. Catches are slow on the middle Rogue as anglers are fishing over springers anxious to reach the upper river as they have been doing in good number recently. The spring chinook bite has been pretty good on the upper Rogue but most of these early fish are wild, requiring release. Backbounced roe has been most effective.
As ocean salmon fishing opened out of Brookings on May 10th, offshore trollers found chinook ranging from the mid-teens to the high 20-pound-range ready to take on anglers' offerings. Catches started out slow on opening day but improved daily. Halibut is another option but the south coast quota of just over 3,700 pounds is expected to fill quickly. As of early this week, 79% of the quota was still available.
Diamond Lake trout fishing has been fair to good with some anglers taking eight-fish limits. Be prepared to deal with midges (gnats) at this time of year. They're out by the thousands.
Eastern – Despite the salmonflies hatching early and in abundance on the lower Deschutes, catches early this week were slow to fair. Springers are being taken at Sherars Falls.
Wallowa Lake has been fishing well with trout feeding heavily on black ants. The Wallowa River will be open for trout season on May 24th and is expected to fish well barring a high water event prior to that date.
If casting jigs to jumpers is unproductive at Green Peter, look for deep schools and troll through them to take kokanee.
Kokanee fishing has been fair to good at Wickiup recently for trollers using spinner and hoochie combinations.
Normally the domain of jig fishers at this time of year, both jig fishing and trolling have been producing kokanee at Odell.
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