Last Chance at Mainstem Chinook; Sturgeon Retention Opens Above Wauna
Willamette Valley/Metro – With the last of the 3-day openers for Chinook starting Friday, anglers will be perplexed as to what their next moves are. The fishing should be good however, with wobbler plunkers taking fish, but trollers working flashers and spinners the likely winners from Bonneville Dam to Warrior Rock. The reservoirs above Bonneville Dam will remain open through September 8th.
Although not historically productive, the above Wauna Powerlines catch and keep sturgeon fishery opens up on Saturday. Fishery managers set two days of retention fishing for white sturgeon on Saturday, Sept. 12 and Saturday, Sept. 19 in the Columbia River upstream of the Wauna Powerlines (river mile 40 near the west end of Puget Island).
It’s still early on the Clackamas for catchable numbers of coho, but numbers should be increasing soon. Spinner casters should start to appear at the mouth and just upstream of the Highway 99 Bridge.
Pro guide Jeff Stoeger (503-704-7920) of O2BFISHN reports, I hope that everyone is doing well. I would like to give you some helpful info on a great reel repair guy. Mike Wardin used to work Ollie Damon, Shimono and Daiwa. I’ve had Mike work on a few reels and the work was fast and great. So, if you need any reels repaired Mike will work on all brands of reels and he does fantastic work. His contact info is 360-606-4335 which is a Washington number, but he does repairs in Portland. Call to make appointment to drop off reels and you won’t be disappointed. Tell Mike that you got his info from the guides forecast.
This weeks report is short and sweet. There has been reports that a few coho have been caught in the lower sandy and that there are still some very nice late springers still being caught. The upper river has both chinook and summer steelhead available from Cedar creek to Oxbow. There will be lots of rafters and swimmers on the river over the next few days with temp hitting the upper 90’s. The river was running glacial green and will turn glacial brown with the temps taking a high jump over the next few days. The best time to fish is early morning and casting spinner and spinners with hoochies.
North Coast Fishing Report – Chinook are starting to show in better numbers in the Tillamook district. Although seaweed has been hampering opportunity in the bay, the ocean has been a strong option in recent days. There has been some good catches just off of the tips of the jetty out of Barview. The upper bay is producing some early returning Trask and Tillamook River fish too.
The Nehalem has produced a few hatchery coho and fall Chinook as well, but anglers here are also being hampered by seaweed, which is usually not the case. Certainly the stronger tide series has something to do with it.
The Nestucca, Salmon, Siletz and Alsea all have early Chinook showing, but the persistent NW winds, cooler ocean water and rough seas have stirred seaweed up, making for challenging fishing conditions. Even though these systems are still above 3 weeks away from peak season fishing, catchable numbers are present for the motivated.
Ocean and bay crabbing has only been fair, when September is typically a productive month.
Lower Columbia River anglers got some additional opportunity for Chinook this weekend, check HERE for all the details in the ODF&W press release. The coho bag limit expands to two also although the hatchery coho have yet to make a strong showing in the lower Columbia. That’s likely change in the next 10 days however. Crabbing is good on the lower Columbia.
Albacore tuna remain far offshore and halibut effort has been minimal with the ocean weather so rough here lately. Some nearshore halibut have been taken by salmon trollers in recent days out of Garibaldi however.
SW Washington – Terry Otto has put together another smashing report for SW Washington. What you will read below is an abbreviated version of what Terry’s “FULL VERSION” report will look like in the months ahead. Sign Up for Terry’s PAID version that started last week. With this level of detail, you won’t want to miss a single week! It’s JUST $0.32 cents per week! Here’s Terry’s summary for this week. SUBSCRIBE to the full SW Washington version HERE!
Anglers are still being asked to follow state guidelines and health advice for the COVID-19 pandemic by fishing in their local communities, traveling only with family or other members of their immediate household, and practicing physical distancing by keeping six feet apart.
For updates on the pandemic, check the WDFW Covid-19 webpage HERE.
Vancouver Metro Area
Chinook catches in the Columbia are picking up, and a few coho are beginning to show as well, according to John Thompson of the Sportsmen’s Warehouse in Vancouver, (360) 604-8000. The fish have been moving upriver, improving the fishing in the Vancouver area and up by Bonneville Dam. Columbia River tributaries are seeing their first fall salmon, too, although catches in some have been dominated by early-showing jacks.
High country lakes continue to shine for trout, and with cooler night temps some of the lowland lakes are picking up. Warm water fishing is very good right now, and will remain so for at least the next month. Many warm water species will begin to feed hard to prepare for winter, and anglers that take advantage of that may be greatly rewarded for their efforts.
Lewis and Washougal Rivers Fishing Report
Thompson of has been hearing reports of a few early fall salmon showing up in the Lewis River. Anglers have been taking the fish on bobber and bait, but the catch has been skewed toward jacks, which is typical of the early runs in the river. For instance, the latest WDFW creel survey found 17 bank anglers had released seven Chinook jacks. Five boats/seven rods kept six coho jacks.
The Washougal River is still fishing slow, with Thompson reporting that one gentleman took only one fish during a long day of fishing.
Merwin, Yale, and swift Reservoir Fishing Report
Both Merwin and Yale continue to fish well for kokanee, with the schools still concentrating at the 40 to 60-foot depth. Trolling with downriggers has been the best way to reach the fish. Anglers are getting the fish to take a variety of offerings. Good options include Brad’s Super Baits, Wedding Rings, and Wiggle Hootchies.
Fishers are also finding plenty of good-sized rainbows in Merwin, especially down near the dam and the park. Trolling has also been the ticket to take these big trout. Lake trolls and cowbells will pull the fish closer for a look.
Swift Reservoir is giving up good numbers of nice rainbows to anglers that are trolling the main lake channel.
Local Lakes fishing report
Lacamas Lake has been giving up some very nice sized yellow perch from the bank and a few largemouth bass are falling to anglers fishing the lily pads along the east end of the lake.
Longview Area
Cowlitz and Kalama Rivers Fishing report
The summer steelhead run has peaked and the numbers are beginning to drop, while a few early salmon have entered the lower river. The fishing pressure has diminished as well, as anglers shift to fishing for fall Chinook in the mainstem Columbia. Steelhead action is still best up in the Blue Creek reach, and with the river being at summer-time flows the schools have concentrated into a few holes.
Cutthroats and early fall salmon are beginning to show up in the catch. The latest creels found 17 bank rods above the I-5 Bridge kept one steelhead, one cutthroat and released one cutthroat. Ten boats/29 anglers kept 16 steelhead, seven cutthroats, and released one Chinook. Fishing is improving in the lower river, where five boats/15 rods kept one coho jack and released one coho jack, two steelhead, and two cuts.
Fishing is improving in the Kalama, with Thompson reporting that anglers in the lower river, below the WDFW weir, are beginning to pick up a few early salmon. The best bites have come on bobber and eggs, or spinners.
Local Lakes Fishing Report
Mayfield Lake has been stocked well recently, and is fishing very good for rainbow trout. Mineral Lake is giving up good numbers of brown trout. Kress Lake and Swofford Pond are fishing well for catfish. Riffe Lake is still producing good numbers of coho, while the smallmouth bass are running a little larger than usual.
Columbia River Gorge
Drano Lake and Wind River Fishing Report
Chinook counts at Bonneville Dam are improving, and more fall Chinook are showing up in the catches. However, the cool weather of this last week dropped temperatures in the Columbia to about 68.5 degrees. Those cooler temps allow more salmon to keep on moving up the river, and fewer fish pull into these cold-water fisheries. Also, anglers continue to catch more steelhead that can’t be kept than the Chinook, which can be retained. The last creel had 40 anglers at Drano keeping 7 Chinook while releasing 34 steelhead.
The Wind River has fished a little slower, although a few Chinook are being taken by anglers that are trolling for them. Many are using Pro-trolls with Super Baits
Klickitat River Fishing Report
Anglers were getting a few fall Chinook in the lower river this last week, as cooler temps allowed the river to clear out a little bit. Both the WDFW and Carl Coolidge of the of the Klickitat Canyon Market, 509-369-4400, report that the fish bit decently during the recent spell of fishable water and weather.
Local lakes Fishing report
Goose Lake has been stocked well with larger than normal cutthroat recently and is fishing very well. The lake gets crowded on weekends, but even then the early bite has been strong. As the night temps cool down the fishing should improve even more. Anglers are taking largemouth bass, bluegill, and pumpkinseed at Rowland Lake and South Rowland Lake.
If you like what you see, send it to your friends in SW Washington! You can email us at bob@theguidesforecast.com or Terry at orotto@wavecable.com. Your SW Washington fishermen can sign up for our FREE reports HERE or become a paid member to get even more quality fishing information HERE.
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