Oregon Fishing Reports for Nov 16

Willamette Valley/Metro – Passage of coho at Willamette Falls has slowed dramatically. The number remains around 7,300 adults for 2019 and likely won’t bump much for the remainder of the season. Effort for coho above the falls has slowed.

Similarly, coho counts at Eagle Creek on the Clackamas River has slowed, with a near final count of around 3,018, nearly 700 shy of last year’s count. Around 350,000 smolt are released into the Eagle Creek system, with less than 1% making it back as adults.

The Sandy fishery is in between runs right now, anglers are anxiously awaiting the winter run steelhead. Pro guide Jeff Stoeger (503-704-7920) of O2BFISHN reports on the Sandy River, “This week’s Sandy River report is that fishing has slowed down and the river is running again at summer time lows. The current condition is the river is running at 8.1 ft. and should stay that way until we get the next big rain fall that will last for over a week or so. The wind is blowing out east at 17mph over the next couple of days and will slowly drop with some rain coming in over the weekend and chance of rain thru next Tuesday.”

See the full version of Jeff’s, Tim’s and Bob’ reports by becoming a paid subscriber here. It’s just $0.50 cents per week!

Interest for lower Willamette sturgeon fishing remains low, but fish are present and can be accounted for if you go after them.

More TROUT STOCKING of both legals and trophy trout in the Willamette Valley and throughout the state. Fall is a great time to take advantage of these fish that are wanting to put on some winter pounds before the weather hits.

Northwest Oregon – Most have folded it up for the season, but opportunity still exists. On the lower Columbia, some-what calm seas and abundant numbers of fish and crab are making for some good combination action. Large sea bass are coming from the sunken jetty and crabbing isn’t slam dunk, but it’s still productive enough to expect limits if you have good bait.

Here’s a couple of LARGE sea bass taken on KastKing’s Hot Shot 8’2” strike tip rod during a Veteran’s Day fishing excursion on the sunken jetty out of Astoria, we had our 20-fish limit in about 45 minutes of fishing:

Get this rod and other dependable KastKing products just in time for drifting our north coast rivers for Chinook and steelhead in the coming weeks. Go HERE for some of the finest products available to Pacific Northwest anglers!

Another KastKing testament as to the versatility and resilience of the KastKing Krome series rod developed by Al Noraker for our favorite sportfish of the Pacific Northwest. Bob Rees reports, “Year 2, and I have yet to break a rod! KastKing’s Krome series is THE BEST fishing rod I’ve ever had in my hands. Two years of sturgeon after sturgeon, Chinook after Chinook and lingcod, steelhead and seabass too. The versatility and durability of KastKing rods is undeniable!”

Want Thanksgiving or Christmas crab? With the delay in the commercial crabbing season, awesome crabbing in the lower Columbia and possibly the ocean (starting December 1st and weather dependent) should remain EXCELLENT!

Call Bob Rees now (503-812-9036) or email (brees@pacifier.com) to reserve your seats! ($85/person for 1-5 people, $75/person for a group of 6)

Limits (12 crab per person) are common during fall crabbing excursions!

Chinook fishing in Tillamook Bay remains an option, but interest is waning for an already challenging November. North coast rivers may bump in water levels over the next week, but precipitation levels aren’t expected to be significant, so temper your expectations. Regardless, it’s been so long since the last rain freshet that ample numbers of fish should be on the move.

Ocean weather looks bumpy for the foreseeable future, making offshore forays unlikely and unsafe. Now that’s the November I remember…

Other north coast rivers will be options when levels bump, but few will have fresh fall Chinook available. The Kilchis and Wilson Rivers are late season favorites.

Targeted chum salmon fishing closed beginning November 15th on the north coast.

Bay crabbing remains productive on most north coast estuaries and razor clamming has been good when tides are favorable.

Winter steelhead are still weeks away from making a strong showing on most north coast systems.

Central and Eastern Oregon Fishing Reports – From ODF&W

Steelhead anglers on the lower Deschutes should concentrate on the Maupin to Warm Springs section.

Anglers report fair fishing for brown trout in East Lake.

Trout anglers on the Fall River have been catching some good size fish.

Umatilla River Coho made a strong push this past week with over 750 adults returning to Three Mile Dam.

Steelhead are starting to move into the John Day River.

The Wallowa River is a good bet for fall/winter trout and whitefish fishing.

As water temperatures cool in Willow Creek Reservoir, trout move into the shallows and get more active – anglers can do well fishing PowerBait from shore.

As of 11/14

Umatilla and Walla Walla bag limits reduced
Steelhead, fall Chinook and coho bag limits reduced to one per day.

Bag limit reduces on the Snake River
Effective October 19, the daily bag limit reduces for adult hatchery Chinook

Snake River – Wild Chinook Bag Limit Changes
Retention of wild adult fall Chinook salmon is prohibited effective October 5, 2019.

Southwest – From ODF&W

Bottomfishing is now open to fish at all depths. Fishing for lingcod and rockfish was very good this past weekend. Many anglers caught big lingcod while fishing out past 40 fathoms. The daily bag limit for marine fish is 5 plus 2 lingcod.

The harvest of cabezon along with copper, quillback, and China rockfish are now all closed to boat anglers. Shore anglers will still be able to harvest these rockfish species (but are encouraged to release them) and 1 cabezon a day.

Anglers may also choose to fish the offshore longleader fishery outside of the 40-fathom regulatory line, which is open year round.

Trout fishing on Diamond Lake has been hit and miss, but fall can be a great time to land some nice trout in the lake.

Trout anglers have been pulling some big fish out of Fish Lake and Howard Prairie Reservoir.

Trout and summer steelhead are both open on the upper Rogue, and fly-anglers have been having good luck with summer steelhead.

Several rivers and streams closed to trout fishing after Oct. 31 – be sure to check the regulations before heading out this weekend.

Alerts from ODF&W on 11/14 includes – The recreational harvest of razor clams is CLOSED from the south jetty of the Siuslaw River to the California border for elevated domoic acid levels.

Subscriber Tom S let us know about the Lost Creek Reservoir – The lake is very low about 12ft off the dock at the marina. Stay close to the dock when launching.

He took a crew from work out today Sunday the 10th. They put limits for four on the boat in 3 hrs.

Thanks a bunch Tom! If you have a report you want to share send us a note using our contact form HERE

2019 Stocking schedule and Stocking Maps

SW Washington –  From the WDF&W web site, November 4th.

For regulation updates, go HERE.

Fishery Updates

Columbia River Tributaries

Salmon/Steelhead:

Grays River – 6 bank anglers released six coho.

Cowlitz River – I-5 Br downstream – 35 bank rods kept one coho and released one coho. 7 boats/20

rods kept 24 coho and released one Chinook and four coho.

Above the I-5 Br – 17 bank rods kept two coho and released 18 Chinook and 1 coho. 1 boat/1 rod had

no catch.

Kalama River – 18 bank anglers had no catch. 2 boats/5 rods had no catch.

Lewis River – 19 bank anglers kept two coho and one coho jack. 13 boats/44 rods kept five Chinook, 2

Chinook jacks, 5 coho, 3 coho jacks and released one Chinook and four coho.

Wind River – 1 boat/1 rod had no catch.

Klickitat below Fisher Hill Bridge – 16 bank anglers kept seven coho and released two Chinook.

Tributaries not listed: Creel checks not conducted.

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