Oregon fishing report

Willamette Valley/Metro - Anchor anglers remain anxious for the upriver brights to show in better numbers. The greatest amount of effort will take place between Longview and Portland with anglers fishing wobblers in the deep shipping channel where temperatures remain coolest. Estuary catch rates jumped on Sunday and Monday, indicating the run may finally be underway. Counts at Bonneville look like they're about to take off.

Chinook counts at Willamette Falls switched from spring to fall in mid-August although there have been fewer than 100 counted. There are still 20 or 30 summer steelhead making their way over the Falls every day despite the 73-degree water. Smallmouth bass fishing remains good on the lower river.

Water flows at the McKenzie have stabilized at 2,400 cfs at Vida. Fly anglers will do well to use Caddis and midge imitations in low water conditions.

The Santiam system is low and clear, offering little of interest to anglers. Fishing prospects are expected to improve into September and October.

Sandy continues to run glacial gray-green in color and offers little in angling prospects. Steelhead are in the Clackamas but have not been biting. Coho will trickle in even in current extreme low water conditions but the fishery will get underway in both rivers with fall rains.

Northwest – Larger numbers of chinook finally started to show in the Astoria area on Sunday. Those sticking it out through high slack found great chinook action above the bridge on the Oregon side both Sunday and Monday. Tides are strong enough to take cold, saline water well above the Astoria/Megler Bridge, stimulating the bite through the first part of outgoing tide. Both coho and chinook are now present in good numbers. Complicated regulation changes are likely to take effect beginning August 30th so check the ODF&W web site for the area you plan to fish.

Unless the north coast chinook run was also compromised, fall-run chinook should start to show in good numbers in the Tillamook, Nehalem and Nestucca systems in the coming weeks. The ocean will be the best option and offshore regulations relax to where anglers are allowed any salmon; coho or chinook, fin-clipped or not beginning August 30th. It's a season anglers haven't seen in decades. Fish close to the bay entrances to target fall returning chinook, especially at Tillamook. Ocean and bay crabbing should also produce good catches of quality Dungeness.

Offshore tuna fishing looks to be a viable option from now through Friday. Live bait should produce the best results but hardware proves effective this time of year as well.

Southwest- Long-range offshore forecasts from the NOAA indicate the long holiday weekend should allow for ocean launches.

While the ocean holds abundant herring and anchovy this year, tiny, baby crabs are the primary food source for coho in some locations. With coho growing rapidly , offshore anglers need to know how to distinguish them from Chinook until the next fishery opens August 30th. On that date through September 30th of fulfillment of quota, all coho may be kept in addition to Chinook.

Tuna fishing has been good out of Newport and Depoe Bay for boats which have been able to find schools of active, biting albacore.

Excellent results for deep water halibut resulted in catches the remaining quota, closing all-depth halibut from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain. The Central Oregon nearshore fishery remains open seven days a week through Oct.31 or the quota is attained.

Winchester Bay has been producing large Chinook with several reported over 30 pounds and a few over 40. Crabbing has been good in the bay, excellent offshore.

When boats have been able to get out of Coos Bay and offshore conditions have allowed for the 30 mile trip, fishing for tuna has been worthwhile producing an average of seven albacore per angler. Tuna have been running 25 to 35 pounds. Crabbing inside Coos Bay has been good.

Ocean Chinook fishing out of Gold Beach has been good one day, poor the next. Reports from bay trollers indicate similarly spotty catches. Some guides have speculated that cool water could improve catches but it's just as likely to send the salmon upriver. Trollers dragging anchovies around the area of the Highway 101 Bridge are taking fish daily. Half pounder fishing is good fun spinners or flies in the Agness stretch. While middle Rogue results have been slow, the Grants Pass stretch could light up any day for Chinook fishers. Summer steelheading is fair but steady on the upper Rogue.

Ocean Chinook catches have been good out of the Port of Brookings for trollers using anchovies near the bottom in 100 to 120 feet of water. Mostly limits of rockfish and ling cod are being taken. As an additional bonus, despite the south coast halibut quota filling, the season remains open due to plentiful numbers. An ODFW meeting on Sept. 4 will determine whether this fishery will remain open or close for the season.

With water temperatures dropping into the low 60s at Diamond Lake, trout fishing has started to pick up.

Eastern – Wildfires remain a problem in eastern Oregon. Be certain to check conditions before making a trip.

Lake Billy Chinook has been fair for bull trout and is producing good numbers of smallmouth bass although must have been small.

Kokanee are showing spawning colors at Wickiup Reservoir. Trout are being spotted but have been off the bite.

Now that flows and water temperatures have dropped, the Wallowa River is fishing well and producing some good-sized trout. It's early, but a couple of steelhead catches have been confirmed.

The Grande Ronde River has started producing a few summer steelhead which bodes well for this fishery which should be worthwhile in September.

Oregon fishing report

Willamette Valley/Metro - Although early, chinook counts at Bonneville are far behind last year's total to date. It's too early to call the run under-predicted but anchor anglers in the Portland to Longview stretch haven't begun to show positive results just yet. Summer steelhead are still pouring through but not very responsive to angler's offerings.

Catch-and release sturgeon fishing is poor in the lower Willamette at this time of year and Multnomah Channel walleye catches are slow in warm water. That leaves smallmouth bass fishing as the activity of choice for anglers, and it has been good.

Boaters are urged to exercise caution in drifting the North Santiam. Most channels are clear on the upper river but there are the occasional obstacles to avoid. Fishing has been slow. Water level and flow has settled down a little but is still exhibiting minor irregularities every day.

Sandy anglers are used to glacial conditions but over the past week, the water color has turned opaque. It's difficult to imagine a fish finding a lure in the murky water until there's some improvement.

Steelheaders on the Clackamas are spotting fish but they seem to be lock-jawed with in the low, clear water. NOAA forecasts indicate only a gradual decline in level and flow over the next 10 days. This time of year, most anglers are waiting for rain and coho.

Northwest – Although chinook are starting to show with more regularity, anglers fishing the Buoy 10 region are largely disappointed with early season results. Some large upriver brights are beginning to show however and coho are being caught with more regularity. Fatal Flash spinners in size 5 and 6, with white/red on cloudy days and brass/red on sunny days are going down with regularity.

The ocean fishery just outside of Astoria continues to be productive for trollers working Long Beach. Bobby Keerins of Portland hoisted a 41-pounder on Friday, fishing a trolled anchovy in about 34 feet of water. Former Oregonian outdoors writer Tom McAllister came in shy one fish from the ocean on Saturday but instantly hooked up a 24-pounder on the last trickle of outgoing tide on a whole herring by Buoy 20 to finish out the boat limit of 12 salmon. The ocean will once again be an excellent option on Thursday and Friday if the weather prediction holds. Salmon should be plentiful and the lower Columbia should be producing very well too.

All is quiet south of Cape Falcon as ocean coho season is closed. Bottomfish and tuna remain a strong option this week however.

Nehalem summer chinook trollers are taking fair numbers of fish along the jetty but the crowds are intense. The weak tide series should continue to produce good catches and some coho are showing as well. Check the ODF&W web site for what's legal to take as there will be a wild coho fishery here this fall.

Albacore chasers should do well this week and weekend as we near peak season for those looking for canning opportunities.

Ocean crabbing is productive but gear in the lower Columbia only frustrates Buoy 10 trollers. The better crabbing will start mid-September anyway.

Southwest- Warmer water and with it, albacore tuna finally moved closer to shore over the past week. Sport and charter vessels were quick to respond. Charters report each client taking four or five large fish. Wind early this week shut down efforts, unfortunately.

Bottom fishing out of Newport and Depoe Bay is still a good bet for limits of rockfish and lingcod as well as good catches of large ocean Dungeness.

Since the closure of ocean coho on August 10th, chinook fishing has taken a hit. It has been challenging for offshore anglers to keep coho off the hook. This problem will solve itself come August 30th when all coho, fin-clipped or not, may be kept. An additional 15,000 coho will be added for a total quota of 35,000 fish according to the ODFW. In the interim, silvers are gaining about a pound of body weight each week.

Ocean chinook fishing has been spotty for boats out of Winchester Bay. Salmon trollers around Reedsport are experiencing marginal results but fishing will improve in coming weeks.

Offshore fishers found tuna out of Florence over the past weekend. Fishing was a little spotty but numbers ended up being good.

Boats launching out of Charleston found spotty results with tuna but returned with limits or near-limits of lingcod and rockfish. Crabbing has been good offshore as well as inside Coos Bay.

Fishing around Gold Beach has been remarkable over the past week. Offshore bottom fishing on a calm ocean has rewarded boats with good catches of bottomfish, lingcod, the occasional halibut and pots loaded with ocean crab, Inside the bay, trollers have continued to score chinook, which have be awaiting cool water and more of it. Fishing for steelhead and half-pounders has been good on the lower Rogue. Release of water from Lost Creek Lake began Tuesday this week which will cause chinook to high-tail it upstream. While this is bad news for bay trollers, chinook fishers in Grants Pass will get the salmon they have been hoping for. Passage of summer steelhead into the upper Rogue has slowed and results for steelheaders have similarly declined.

Offshore boaters saw an improvement in chinook catches occur the past week out of the Port of Brookings. Trolling anchovies near the whistler buoy has been producing well. In addition, about one-fourth of the southern Oregon halibut quota remains to be taken.

Trout fishing has been best early in the day at Diamond Lake. Bait is the best bet although catches are only fair at best.

Eastern – Steelhead are being caught as pods of fish move through various sections of the lower Deschutes. August fishing can be a challenge here but at least the water is not too warm as it has been the past few years. Chinook and steelhead are represented in counts daily at Sherars Falls. This data is considered indicative of fish movement rather than an accurate count.

Access to eastside fisheries is being periodically limited by wildfires. Be sure to check with local ranger stations before making the trip.

Light-colored hoochies trolled behind a flasher have been taking good numbers of kokanee at Odell. Anglers are reminded of the tournament taking place on Saturday, August 23rd.

Oregon fishing report

Willamette Valley/Metro - Metro anglers are still waiting for what should be ample opportunity for chinook later this month. Fish that were in the estuary from the opener on August 1st should be present in the Portland to Longview stretch but a lull exists just behind the initial push. Steelheaders continue to struggle in the warming waters.

Fish passage remains at a near-standstill at Willamette Falls in mid-70 degree water. Fishing has been decent on the lower Willamette for bass anglers taking advantage of early mornings prior to the appearance of go-fast craft. The middle Willamette has offered fair to good fishing for trout and, occasionally, summer steelhead.

Water levels on the McKenzie have been a roller coaster, literally up one day, down the next. While this is generally considered a less-than-optimal condition, trout fishing has been reliable although steelheading is slow.

North Santiam bank fishers have had nothing to show for their time recently except smiles and sunburns. A few summer steelhead were located and landed by boaters over the past week.

With the often-milky waters of the Sandy River running low, pontoons and rafts are appropriate craft for those willing to drag their boats in spots. Steelhead and chinook are laying low.

Steelheading is slow to fair on the Clackamas with hardware occasionally effective. Beat the splash 'n' giggle crowd and fish high up on the system for the best chance of taking one home.

Generally, when stalking steelhead in the summertime, make an earnest effort to be stealthy. Stay low, use light line and small offerings. If the fish sees you, all bets are off. You might as well move on.

Northwest – Traditionally, chinook make a strong showing by this time in the Astoria area. They are however, largely absent but an explosive fishery is likely just days away. Thankfully, coho have become abundant in recent days, with the best action right at the Buoy 10 deadline. Fresh herring and anchovies are taking the bulk of the fish but small #5 silver Fatal Flash blades are also taking good numbers of coho. This fishery should really take off by the weekend.

Ocean fishing out of the mouth of the Columbia remains excellent for the larger boat fleet that can comfortably fish outside. A weather change mid-week is offering up better opportunity into the weekend. Coho will continue to dominate the catch although more chinook are being taken off the Long Beach Peninsula.

Ocean crabbing remains good but the strong tide series we're currently on, keeps river and estuary crabs buried for a larger portion of the day.

The ocean south of Cape Falcon closed August 10th for coho but remains open for chinook, which are hard to find. An “any salmon” season opens later this month and should be productive.

Nehalem Bay is producing fair at best for summer chinook. The strong tides should have Nehalem and Wheeler the more productive reaches but that could change by the middle of next week.

Southwest- The selective or hatchery coho season came to a close at the end of day on Sunday, August 10th. The next opportunity starting Saturday, Aug. 30 will be a great one as all coho are fair game, fin-clipped or not. This non-selective fishery is scheduled to continue through September or fulfillment of quota.

Bottom fishing has been good out of central ports but it has been an either/or fishery with rockfish on the bite one day, lingcod the next. Either way, there's nothing to complain about.

Tuna fishing has been good out of Newport when boats have been able to find pods of fish. Warm water has yet to move close enough to guarantee an offshore trip of less than 40 miles.

With 35,063 pounds remaining of the all-depth halibut quota after the last scheduled fishery, offshore anglers will be allowed to fish Friday and Saturday, Aug. 15 and 16. Any additional dates after that will be announced by noon on Friday, August 22.

Sport craft crossing the bar at Winchester Bay, the top port for Chinook on the coast by a wide margin, have been taking salmon to 30 pounds. A few Chinook are being caught by trollers inside the bay with this fishery due to turn on at any time.

Trollers on Rogue Bay hit the jackpot on several days over the past week as scores of salmon were landed on several days. The spike in flows that historically occurs on August 10th as cold water is released to draw Chinook upstream, has been delayed a week. Estuary trollers are thankful. Steelheading has been slow to fair in the warm waters of the middle Rogue. If weather or the hand of man serves to lower water temperatures however, sending chinook upstream, the outlook for Grants Pass will be much more optimistic. Summer steelhead catches are fair to good bit steady on the upper Rogue with a good early showing this season.

Persistence seems to be the key to salmon limits out of Brookings. Bottom fish limits have filled the void created by a spotty salmon bite for many anglers.

Trout fishing has been slow to fair at Diamond Lake with best catches coming to bait fishers working 30 to 35 feet of water.

Eastern – Summer steelhead numbers continue to improve on the lower Deschutes although catches have been only fair. Trout fishing has slowed a little on the Warm Springs to Trout Creek drift. The same tactics that have been recommended have endured; caddis dries early and late in the day with nymphs getting grabs during daytime hours.

The fire closure on the Metolius was lifted late last week. Dries have been ineffective of late although nymphs are fooling some fish.

Crane Prairie was slow over the past weekend although it did give up a few of those large rainbows for which it is so well-known.

A drop in water temperature on the Wallowa River has triggered the bite. Trout from 10 to 18 inches are being caught now.

Oregon fishing report

Willamette Valley/Metro - With the onset of fall chinook season, interest and success for summer steelhead continues to decline, despite peaking numbers at Bonneville Dam. Water temperatures have simply warmed to put fish off the bite. The banner fall chinook season will draw interest for anchor fishers sooner as the estuary fishery is already taking off. The lower Columbia from Portland to Longview will draw the most interest, especially near the mouth of the Cowlitz.

There's very little angler-related boat traffic on the lower Willamette now with the Buoy 10 fishery in progress. Take advantage of early morning hours to enjoy a decent top-water bite from smallmouth bass. As daylight comes on, switch to soft plastics until the ski boats and jet skiers show up. Fish passage has started to decline again at the Falls with this trend likely to continue.

Caddis remains the go-to pattern for McKenzie trout anglers through August. The upper river has been fishing well lately.

Steelheading has been slow on the North Santiam this season despite a decent number of fish in the system. Start early in the morning, high on the river and downsize offerings for the best chance of a hookup.

It's the height of the summer doldrums on the Clackamas River as low water keeps getting lower. Despite this challenge, early morning steelheaders throwing diminutive spoons and spinners have continued to hook up. McIver has produced a few over the past week.

Despite the milky, glacial appearance of the water in the Sandy River, fish are being caught. A few spring chinook have fallen for spinners this week in the early morning hours.

Northwest – Although not consistent since the opener, the Buoy 10 fishery is off to a fast start. Chinook catches were great for the first 2 days of the season and tapered slightly by Sunday. Typically, Rogue strain fish make up the bulk of the catch in the first week of fishing but upriver brights and tules are in the mix already, indicating the predicted run is likely to come to fruition. Fresh and frozen herring seems to be the most productive but the spinner bite should take off soon. Anchovies are also responsible for fair action. Few coho are being seen in the river but the ocean adjacent to the Columbia is putting out easy limits. Chinook are likely to show in greater numbers off of Long Beach in the coming week. Interest is running at an all-time high in the estuary already.

Garibaldi anglers saw a rebound in ocean catches but you still have to work hard for limits. Ocean crabbing remains excellent but only about half of the catch is of high quality.

The all-depth halibut season was productive for many, especially out of Newport. An announcement comes on Thursday, indicating if there is enough remaining quota for another short opener. Over half of the nearshore quota remains south of Cape Falcon.

The Nehalem hasn't taken been off the hook but it's consistently producing fair catches of chinook from Wheeler to the jaws near Brighton. The current weak tide series should play out well for those working herring near the mouth although afternoon NW winds can often hamper success.

Estuary crabbing on the Nehalem, Tillamook and Netarts should be fair over the weekend.

Southwest- Catches of offshore coho out of Newport and Depoe Bay have been reliable and steady, providing mostly limits for ocean anglers. Hatchery coho may be taken through August 10th with the non-select (hatchery or wild) coho season opening on August 30th.

The non-selective coho season quota of 20,000 fish may be supplemented by any additional, uncaught numbers from the current selective fishery.

Salmon fishing is getting most of the attention from those plying offshore waters although catches of rockfish and lingcod have been excellent out of central Oregon ports. Some charters are doing combo trips and returning with limits of everything.

Boats launching out of Newport and Depoe bay with sights set on albacore have gotten into good numbers 30 or 40 miles from port.

Recreational boats out of Newport have targeted halibut inside the 40 fathom line to return with limits.

Despite reports elsewhere to the contrary, the entire Oregon coast remains open to the harvest of mussels.

Bobber and bait fishers have been taking some chinook on the Siuslaw around Cushman and Mapleton.

Salmon are being caught offshore out of Reedsport in 90 foot depths over 200 feet of water. Chinook fishing has been slow to fair in Winchester Bay with the season just getting started. A few are being taken around the Highway 101 Bridge at Reedsport.

While Charleston has been a popular launch point for albacore, as of August 5th, tuna have moved far offshore along with warmer water. Bottom fishing has been excellent and ocean crabbing is fair. The fifth Annual Sunset Bay Angler of the Day is a kayak-only fishing tournament scheduled to take place August 23rd at Sunset Bay State Park in Coos Bay. Points per inch are awarded for each of nine species.

When boats have been able to get out of Gold Beach, bottom fishing has been excellent for lingcod and rockfish. Limits of ocean crab have added to the bounty. Ocean salmon fishing has been fair to good with mostly chinook being taken. Coho catches are fair with a number of wild fish having to be released. Trollers dragging anchovy/spinner combos are taking two to three dozen Chinook out of Rogue Bay every day. Summer steelhead catches have started to pick up on the Grants Pass stretch of the Rogue River. With outflow from Lost Creek stable at 1,500 cfs, catches on the upper river have been steady and reliable.

Ocean chinook fishing has slowed out of Brookings but catches of rockfish, lingcod and halibut are filling the gap. Deep trollers report taking some of each specie on occasion. About half of the southern Oregon halibut quota remains to be taken.

Eastern – Summer steelhead catches on the lower Deschutes are slow to fair but steady with fish being landed daily. Shaded water is producing best.

Trout fishing is fair at best on the Wallowa River with fish off the bite over the past week. Hot weather may be contributive. Fishing remains worthwhile at Wallowa Lake although action has slowed a bit.

Crane Prairie has been producing for the bobber 'n' bait crowd but the trout have been running small.

Trollers are taking kokanee at Odell Reservoir in the mornings with the bite shutting down around 9 a.m.

And here's the latest update on the halibut extension starting the 15th of August:

Central Oregon Coast Summer All-Depth Sport Halibut Open August 15 & 16  

 The Central Coast Summer All-depth halibut fishery will be OPEN August 15 & 16.  During the first opening, 17,788 pounds were landed, this leaves approximately 30,000 pounds remaining.  Any additional dates after that will be announced by noon on Friday, August 22.  

 The Central Coast nearshore fishery, through August 3, has landed 9,508 pounds, leaving 12,766 pounds (57%) of the quota remaining.  

The Columbia River summer all-depth fishery is open Thursday-Sunday, and the nearshore open Monday-Wednesday.  Both fisheries have the majority of their quota remaining.  

The Southern Oregon Subarea (Humbug Mt to the OR/CA Border) through August 3 has landed 2,646 pounds, leaving 1,066 pounds (29%) of the quota remaining.  

Reminder:  the last of the August public meetings on the 2015 sport halibut season is Monday August 11 at 7 pm at the ODFW Marine Resources Program office in Newport.  For those that cannot attend in person, the meeting is available via GoTo meeting (https://www4.gotomeeting.com/join/433276823) or can provide input via phone (541-867-4741) or e-mail (patrick.p.mirick@state.or.us  or lynn.mattes@state.or.us ).  Thank you to those who attended the Brookings and North Bend meetings this week and who have already contacted us.