Willamette Valley/Metro - The Bonneville chinook fishery is coming to a close but given the magnitude of the coho run, trollers working the gorge flats should find bright and willing coho to take spinners and plugs into mid-November. Chinook anglers in the Bonneville reach were slightly disappointed by this season's results, largely due to the over-prediction of the run and the subsequent expectations that came with it. Witnessing the jack returns at Bonneville, maybe we'll make up for the under-prediction for chinook next year and it certainly looks like the coho run will be strong again.
Willamette level and flow reacted little to recent rainfall but there's more wet weather to come shortly. Summer steelhead daily passage at Willamette Falls is dwindling. Coho, on the other hand, are passing by the hundreds every day and seem to be in a hurry. And that's just fine by us. The cumulative total topped 16,000 as of October 19th, the latest data available.
McKenzie level and flow has yet to show much effect from the rainfall this week. On the contrary, it has been on a slow, steady drop over the past seven days.
The Santiams were not heavily impacted by rains this week but we'll see how this weekend's storm effects them.
Fishing effort on the Clackamas has been low except down by the mouth in Gladstone. That will change now that rain has finally started falling. Coho hopefuls can expect some decent coho fishing from Bonnie Lure up to the hatchery now that the water has started to rise.
Rain this past week did little to improve water conditions but a few hundred more coho managed to swim into the Sandy Hatchery holding ponds. The hatchery has already processed over 4,000 coho with most going to the Food Bank and now the river is fishing well.
Northwest – Significant rain storms continue to pound the north coast, allowing driftboaters to shake the cobwebs and get their gear backtrolling. The Trask will be a favorite in what is still early in the boating season but the Wilson and Kilchis as well as the Nestucca should prove to be equally opportunistic.
Tillamook Bay itself is still giving up chinook for herring trollers but the upper and middle bay continue to be the most consistent producing areas. The Ghost Hole has been a disappointment for a good portion of the season but with fresh rains coming down the watersheds now, maybe Kilchis and Wilson River bound fish may once again utilize the extreme east side of the estuary (Ghost Hole/Bay City).
Now with water in the rivers, chinook should be shooting up all coastal systems with the Alsea and Siletz as well as the Yaquina likely to be good options for both boaters and bank anglers. The lower river reaches will likely produce the higher quality fish as fresh, sea-running chinook and coho should be entering, especially with the round of high tide exchanges we're now on.
The lower Columbia will finally begin to peter out for coho. After a strong showing, much of the run should be entering Columbia River tributaries. The estuary will largely be transformed into crabbing grounds now and the wicked tide exchange going on now won't do great things for crabbing this weekend.
Southwest- Opportunities to venture offshore for bottom-dwellers are fewer at this time of year and that situation is unlikely to improve. Take any opportunity to launch whenever water and weather conditions allow.
Offshore boaters are reminded that ocean crabbing closed on October 15th. Fortunately, most bays and estuaries have been putting out good numbers of quality Dungeness.
Tuna fishers are an enthusiastic lot and they are considering the next trip. We wish them well on this optimistic endeavor.
The latest report from the Siletz was early this week which indicated continued heavy pressure and a bobber bite that was best at first light.
Amidst coho rolling and jumping, trollers on the Yaquina River scored Chinook this week on baits of cut-plug herring.
Crabbing has remained good when it's not too stormy to take a boat out on Winchester Bay. With storms and rain, no reports have been forthcoming. Over the past weekend however, salmon fishing was good but the vast majority were wild coho which have to be released.
Trolling in Rogue Bay has been good for mostly coho. Summer steelheading had improved on the middle Rogue prior to the latest rainfall. Steelheading on the upper flies-only section slowed with the water too cool for best results.
Plenty of adult and jack Chinook in Chetco tidewater have been taken by bobber and bait fishers over the past week.
Enough rain has fallen in the Port Orford area to raise the levels of the Elk and Sixes rivers. Some Chinook should be nosing in but it's too early for the best fishing here.
Eastern – Water levels on the lower Deschutes started rising on October 15th and continued through the 18th at which time the current level was achieved, adding extra feet in depth and additional flow. This change also seemed to have shut down fishing for the time being.
Odell Lake has continued pumping out kokanee to trollers.
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