Oregon fishing reports

Willamette Valley/Metro - Only about another 10 days of productive backtrolling for Bonneville anglers. Fish are beginning to turn and action remains sporadic. The wobbler fishery downstream of Portland is effectively over.

Hundreds of coho are crossing Willamette Falls every day now although numbers are a little lower, perhaps the run a little later, than at this time last year. The lower river is fishing well for bass while the Middle Fork is producing steelhead.

Trout fishing is fair on the McKenzie with Caddis patterns. Water conditions are good and the flows are stable.

Fishing remains slow on the Santiams with upper stretches the best bet. Coho should be nosing in but there are better angling destinations.

Coho fishing is decent on the Clackamas which is not only receiving good numbers of fish but they're actually biting this year.

The Sandy River is getting plenty of coho as they can be seen heading upriver at most any time of day. These fish are scattered from the mouth to Cedar Creek.

Northwest – Chinook fishing remains sub-par out of Tillamook but that isn't deterring anglers. The ocean has produced some of the better catches lately but one can fish longer periods of “grass-free” territory out there. The jaws have produced poorly lately. Ocean crabbing out of Tillamook has been productive but closes after October 15th. Bay crabbing has been fair at best with the strong tide series.

A significant rain system is pouring towards the Oregon Coast and some models indicate a good enough rise in river levels to float a boat down in. You won't be alone however. The Trask will be the primary target. The West Channel continues to produce coho but chinook are largely absent.

The Nestucca and Salmon Rivers are slow.

Columbia River Fishing Report – The lower Columbia coho run was recently upgraded and action should remain good for another 10 days. Fresh anchovies will work best but green label herring is also a strong option. Crabbing in the area should improve as tides weaken.

The Cowlitz is producing primarily coho but some chinook are present. Coho, chinook and summer steelhead are all allowed here but this system also receives a lot of the local pressure. Here is a breakdown of the other systems:

Kalama River – Bank anglers on the lower river did well on coho though nearly half the fish were released.

Lewis River – North Fork Lewis bank anglers are primarily catching coho and a few fall Chinook.

Washougal River – Light effort and catch on the lower river.

Drano Lake – No report on angling success. Drano Lake is closed to all fishing from 6 p.m. Tuesdays to 6 p.m. Wednesdays in October.

Southwest- Ocean swells will start to build Saturday and will get big during the coming weekend. Those who are able to launch on Friday this week will be the lucky ones.

Charters out of Depoe Bay and Newport are returning with limits of rockfish, near-limits of ling cod and scores of large ocean crab.

Crabbing has been producing near-limits for boats in Yaquina Bay. Be aware of the change in the weather forecast that's due this weekend if you try it.

Winchester Bay salmon fishers are hooking plenty of salmon but have to release moist as they are wild coho, the quota for which closed here shortly after the fishery opened.

Trollers on the lower Coquille and in Coos Bay are boating good numbers of salmon the majority of which are coho. Crabbing is good.

Boats launching out of Gold Beach are catching good numbers of bottom fish. Rogue Bay trollers are catching Chinook while the lower river is productive for steelhead. The middle Rogue is now closed to targeting Chinook while the flies only section of the upper river is fair to good for steelhead.

The Chetco Bobble has been fishing well some days. Not so much others but large fish are being caught when they're on the bite.

Eastern – Despite strong steelhead numbers on the Columbia, they have been slow to move into the Deschutes. Trout fishing has been fair to good on the lower river.

Fly anglers throwing large streamers have been connecting with big bull trout on the Metolius.

Wickiup still has a blue-green algae alert and it appears to be a fairly negative situation.