Portland/Metro Fishing Report
With mainstem Chinook on the wane, and Willamette River coho starting to slow above the falls, metro anglers will struggle to find waterborne recreational opportunities in the coming weeks. Tributary coho will remain a fair option for the next few weeks, but anglers will remain focused on coastal opportunities until winter steelhead show (hopefully) around January of next year. That seems a long way away.
Clackamas River Fishing Report
Eagle Creek fish hatchery manager Caroline Peterschmidt reported good numbers of adult coho back to the facility with the current rain system likely to boost numbers. They’ve already almost matched last year’s return with another high jack count spelling good news for 2022 as well.
Meanwhile, sport anglers are still finding fish, close to the mouth of Eagle Creek and in Eagle Creek itself, but until the water level rises, they’ll likely remain challenging to catch.
Sandy River Fishing Report
Avid angler Jeff Stoeger reports, “We saw a verity of fish being caught over the last week including some fresh and dark coho. Some dark springers were still being caught in all stretches of the river as well.
The weather for the next ten days is forecasting three to four inches of rain which will finally bring the river to near winter levels. The current height is 7.8 ft and the forecast is for the river to reach 9.5 ft by Tuesday of next week.
There have been good numbers of fish being caught in deep holes and frog water all along the entire river and in regular spots.
Find the full report and forecast for Members on the Sandy and the Clackamas from this page here.
Bill Monroe shares this information this week:
Significant seminars: An extended series of free seminars begins Nov. 2 online.
“Journey Down the Clackamas” is a year-long project sponsored by the Clackamas River Basin Council to explore the Clackamas watershed from stem to stern, mountain springs to its mouth at the Willamette River.
Topics already presented and available online include forestry, agriculture, hydraulics, geology, meteorology, and many others.
But the remainder of the bi-weekly presentations – every other Tuesday through next June – will focus largely on critters in the river, including salmon, trout, lamprey and other fish and denizens.
Among the topics will be significant discussion of hatcheries and interactions with wild fish.
While the seminars are free, registration is required. No email lists are being accumulated, nor will they be used for mass communications.
It’s an unusual opportunity to participate in a significant issue of our time.
Check the schedule of upcoming topics.
Willamette Valley Fishing
by Glenn Zinkus (last week’s report)
Willamette Falls coho counts will surpass a whopping 20,000 fish soon, it’s been a productive fishery if you happened to land at the mouth of the Tualatin or Molalla Rivers on the right day the last several weeks. Numbers are now tapering, but upper Willamette anglers still stand a reasonable chance for another week or so.
Alton Baker Canal: Was stocked in September 3500 legal trout, as well as 1400 legal trout and 200 trophy trout this past week. Alton Baker Canal is scheduled to receive more than 1400 trout again next week. This is a good option for bait fishing with the kids.
Detroit Lake received 4000 trophy trout this September and 3700 trophy trout earlier this month. Trout fishing is great trolling lures, and with crankbaits, spinners, and spoons.
Green Peter Reservoir: Green Peter Reservoir is getting low and fishing reports are becoming fewer. The Thistle Creek boat ramp is accessible in the near term, and soon the reservoir will be less accessible.
From Harrisburg, to Corvallis, to Albany:
Trout fishing is improving. Floats near the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette Rivers will place anglers in “fishy” areas all the way down to Harrisburg. The usual impressionistic nymphs, like PTs will take trout.
Still good warmwater fishing opportunities. This, along with some private farm ponds, remains one of the viable fishing alternatives in the upper portions of the Willamette system. Evening fishing for smallmouths, especially in the slow water sloughs.
Steelhead returns into the Willamette remain low. Last year was a fair to poor year, and the returns are 30% of last year’s numbers at this same time. We can hope for better years to come.
McKenzie River: The mainstem McKenzie water levels are steady at about 2200 CFS at Vida. Fishing is good all day long.
Glenn provides updates bi-weekly. Members can find last week’s report and more from this page here.
North Coast Fishing Report
Chinook remain elusive for north coast anglers, but this weekend’s rain event, and into next week could offer up some fresh fall Chinook opportunities for both bank and boat anglers. It’s clear that the run remains strained, but fishable numbers are sure to show in most north coast tributaries by next week.
The wild coho season is now closed but good numbers of fish are still being caught and will be well into November. Chum salmon should start to show in the coming weeks, destined mostly for the Kilchis, Miami and Wilson Rivers.
The Nestucca, Nehalem, Wilson, Trask, Kilchis, Necanicum, Siletz and Alsea Rivers are all options for driftboaters and bank anglers. Tillamook Bay should also see another shot of fresh Chinook.
See our river-by-river forecast in the full report for paid members HERE. See what other anglers are saying about our newsletter!
Bay crabbing remains productive on most north coast estuaries and especially in the lower Columbia River.
Night-time razor clam tides will offer up some opportunities over the weekend, but given the high surf and rough weather, we don’t advise diggers take advantage of it, there will be better opportunities in the future.
See the full report and forecast for Members right here.
Columbia River Fishing Report
Fishing is winding down rapidly on the mainstem Columbia River. Estuary coho are starting to fade and upriver Chinook, at least bright ones, are becoming scarce.
The late season Buoy 10 coho program wasn’t what most of us had anticipated with a 1.6 million adult return forecast. Nonetheless, action was good enough to keep people intrigued and certainly good enough to justify not guiding in Tillamook this year. For much of the late season, 12 to 25 opportunities a day was not uncommon. Most recently, 12 to 15 opportunities for four or five anglers was more realistic.
The last day I guided down there, Sunday October 17th, we had close to 20 opportunities, yielding 6 hatchery coho and one chum salmon if you can believe that. We released that brute, but that was a first for me. We also had a hold of a Chinook at high tide near the bridge on the Washington side, but it slipped away. The bites were more staggered throughout the day, but for a brief period by the bridge at high tide, action was fast. In the morning, good opportunity was coming after the current started rushing in pretty good, about an hour after the first good rip came through, about 3 hours after low-slack. Prior to Sunday, we had back to back days where we only landed three hatchery fish.
One guide friend of mine put in a full day effort, with an east wind hampering that effort, and landed 4 hatchery fish, missing numerous others that day. There’s been some weather in the estuary this month, I’m kinda glad to be wrapped up there for the season.
Crabbing in the estuary is excellent right now.
Upriver, creel statistics are telling the story. The fishery is fading. Traditionally, bright fish are hard to come by after mid-October and most anglers have simply had enough.
Here are the catch statistics based on the ODF&W’s weekly Creel census:
SALMON, STEELHEAD AND SHAD
Buoy 10:
Weekly checking showed two Chinook and 273 coho kept, and three Chinook and 149 coho released for 120 boats (363 anglers); and no catch for 71 bank anglers.
Tongue Point/Rocky Point to Longview:
Weekly checking showed no catch for one boat (two anglers).
Rainier to St. Helens:
Weekly checking showed 18 adult Chinook, one jack Chinook, 39 adult coho, and one jack coho kept, and 9 adult coho released for 74 boats (165 anglers).
Sauvie Island to Portland:
Weekly checking showed three adult Chinook, one jack Chinook, 6 adult coho, and one jack coho kept, and three adult coho released for 23 boats (48 anglers).
Troutdale:
Weekly checking showed 9 adult Chinook, one jack Chinook, and 16 adult coho kept, and two adult Chinook and three adult coho released for 82 boats (143 anglers).
Gorge:
Weekly checking showed 28 adult Chinook, 5 jack Chinook, 20 adult coho, and two jack coho kept, and four adult Chinook, one jack Chinook, 9 adult coho, and two jack coho released for 42 boats (113 anglers).
Bonneville Pool (Bonneville Dam upstream to The Dalles Dam):
Weekly checking showed 80 adult Chinook, 20 jack Chinook, 202 adult coho, and 30 jack coho kept, and 11 adult Chinook and one adult coho released for 95 boats (272 anglers).
The Dalles Pool (The Dalles Dam upstream to John Day Dam):
Weekly checking showed no catch for one boats (one angler).
John Day Pool (Columbia River above John Day Dam and John Day Arm):
Weekly checking showed 7 adult Chinook and 14 adult coho kept, and 5 adult Chinook and three adult coho released for 14 boats (34 anglers).
As you can see, the Bonneville Dam reach remains the most productive downstream of the facility, while the mouth of the Klickitat River is producing good catches of coho and some Chinook. This will continue to be the pattern for the foreseeable future although below Bonneville catches will start to fade fast. With the impressive number of coho past Bonneville this year, the Klickitat fishery should remain strong well into November.
Dam passage is fading faster than the fishery.
Central Oregon Fishing Reports
– Contributor Glenn Zinkus reports:
Lower Deschutes River: No unusual water temperatures. Nymphing is great right now. The Lower Deschutes in the Warm Springs to Trout Creek area has been good; Copper Johns, Perdigons, 2 Bit Hookers, Zebra Midges have been good this past week.
Crooked River: Crooked River flows are down, and currently at 160 CFS at the dam, although there is some variability. Expect to see BWO hatches from this point on, and these are at time quite prolific.
Fall River: Fall River was stocked several times in September with trophy trout, and earlier in October with 500 trophy trout. There have been some BWO and caddis hatches, midges, as well as some action on terrestrials (ants, beetles, hoppers). Mahogany duns are hatching. I’d expect this to be more towards BWOs from this point forward.
North and South Twin Lakes: North Twin and South Twin were both stocked with 500 trophy trout during mid-September.
Devils Lake, Cascade Lakes Highway: Leech patterns for fly anglers; spinners and spoons for conventional gear should all produce trout. Devils Lake has been popular with the kayak and SUP crowd on weekends.
Three Creek Lake: Brook trout are in the shallows.
Paulina Lake: It’s been snowing at Paulina, but the fishing has been good. Terrestrials (beetles, ants, hoppers) are still great on the surface.
Odell Lake: Odell Mackinaw fishing remains good.
Check out Glenn’s detailed report with much more information and forecast in this week’s Member’s version.
Eastern Oregon Fishing Report – Contributor Glenn Zinkus reports bi-weekly, here is this week’s report.
Ana Reservoir: There are reports of good fishing on Ana Reservoir for legal and trophy size trout.
Upper Klamath Lake: Starting to fish well with cooler temperatures. This is now a great Octoberoption.
Wallowa Lake was stocked in August with 5400 legal size trout and 180 trophy trout. Rob at the The Joseph Fly Shoppe thinks Wallowa Lake is one of the best in Oregon right now for stocked trout.
Jubilee Lake: Jubilee Lake, in the Umatilla National Forest was stocked with 2000 legal size trout.
Wallowa River: The Joseph Fly Shoppe reports Wallowa trout fishing is still very good for large trout and fish numbers.
Grande Ronde River: The Joseph Fly Shoppe reports that ODFW Creel Checkers” reported 19 anglers checked and 19 steelhead landed OR/WA for an average of 3.9 hrs/fish. Very encouraging, especially this year!
Check out Glenn’s detailed report and forecast in this week’s paid version for Chinook and Steelhead Members both!
SW Oregon Fishing Report
– Contributor Jeff Rome reports
Chetco and Smith Rivers ready for Chinook action
Well, the Chetco Estuary which has been the place to go for Chinook salmon fishermen has still been producing some nice fish along with some “nice” (combat fishing) numbers of boats working the area. The storm that everybody has been waiting for is here and is expecting high wind and lots of rain at the coast. This will also improve the fishing conditions in the rivers by flushing out the falling leaves and weeds that have made fishing difficult in some spots. Fish lurking around tidal estuary’s will be moving upriver and should provide some decent catches for those ready and willing to fish a wet day Friday and Saturday or until the rivers are blown out. The Chetco, Elk, Sixes, Floras, Pistol and Smith river (CA) will get the much needed rain they need to get action going and should have some decent fish catching opportunity.
Summer steelhead are all throughout the Rogue River and catches have been good. Some Coho should be coming into the mid Rogue following the rain but as reports and counts have it, it will most likely be catch and release the predominate wild fish. It will allow for some awesome action though…. I’m hoping!
The marine forecast is well…… stormy. Time to catch up on those boat fixes you needed to do for weeks.The Chetco estuary is where the salmon action has been and has seen 50 fish days lately but has dramatically slowed down today as the storm is approaching. Andy said a mix of about 50/50 wild /hatchery fish in the catches is still happening and he considers a good outlook. The expected rain will bring more fish in and raise the river level up to be able to fish the whole river (by drift boat) and drop the bobber rule above the power lines (hopefully). Friday and Saturday might be a great opportunity before the river gets blown out as well as early next week depending on how long the rain lasts.
Chinook fishing is slow in the Coos River basin. When a fish has been caught in the river, it’s been a bit dark. Most of the salmon anglers are fishing above the Chandler Bridge in the Coos River. Salmon anglers are allowed 2 wild Chinook per day and 10 for the season in the Coos Basin this year.
LOST CREEK RESERVOIR: Fall time fishing can be great if you can get on the lake with a boat. Only the Takilma boat ramp is open and usable (although there is no dock) for those wanting to get some nice Fall fishing action in. A recent stocking of 5,000 legal trout and 2,300 larger trout near a pound each are scheduled to be stocked this week.
Upper Rogue- Anglers can only retain hatchery trout (5 per day) and hatchery steelhead. Summer steelhead catches have been steady with both bank and boat anglers catching some nice fish. Anglers are encouraged to be mindful of spawning Chinook salmon and avoid disturbing these fish as they spawn over the next month
South Umpqua– Anglers have been continuing to do well catching bass on the South. Anglers looking for trout should look to the upper sections of the river.
Check out Jeff’s detailed report, multiple lake updates, and forecast in this week’s version for Members!
SW Washington Fishing Report by Terry Otto
Vancouver Metro Area
Chinook angling slowing down, but tributary late coho are kicking in. Heavy rains will finally lift the rivers, bringing the prospect of better bites.
Chinook angling is slowing down in the mainstem Columbia and the tributaries, with most of the fish left out there turning dark. In the tributaries the first of the late run coho are showing up, just as real rains are arriving. With higher water the salmon will surely start to bite better, and the higher flows are better for those anglers that like twitching jigs.
Holdover trout in local lakes are beginning to bite with the cooler weather, while warm water fisheries are winding down. Fresh stockings of trout in the lakes will start with plants ahead of the Black Friday fishery.
Lewis and Washougal Rivers Fishing Report—The first late run coho have started to show in the Lewis as the early run fish are turning dark and unresponsive to angler’s baits. John Thompson of Sportsman’s Warehouse in Vancouver, (360) 604-8000), reports that anglers there have taken some very nice sized, bright, late run coho, mostly on salmon eggs, but a few have taken drifted baits or jigs.
The river has remained low for this time of year, and that has continued to keep the fish concentrated between Johnson Creek and Colvin Creek. The meat hole is full of mostly dark coho, but the bright, fresh fish have been more likely to take anglers offerings. The pressure had dropped off some, but the river has reportedly gotten crowded again with the news of the first late run fish coming in.
Bright, late run coho are showing in the lower Washougal River, with anglers getting their fish on salmon eggs and spinners. What Chinook are left are turning dark, but a few are still around and biting. The best fishing has been in the lower river, where most of the public access is to be had. Anglers are also beginning to take salmon in the Camas Slough, with trolled Wiggle Warts being the go-to.
Merwin and Yale Lakes Fishing Report—fishing pressure has dropped off at both lakes as the schools of kokanee are gathering for the spawn near the entrance of the creeks. Jigging has been effective for these fish but the quality is already dropping, and the fish are coloring up. Trolling will be less effective on these fish, and the fishing will be a bit slow for a while until the spawn is over, and the next year class start to grow large enough to attract attention. The tiger muskies in Merwin, and the trout, are also slowing.
Longview Area
Cowlitz and Kalama Rivers Fishing Report—The upper Cowlitz is fishing better, and the mark rate has improved a little bit as the first late run hatchery coho arrive. There have been plenty of coho in the river, but many have been of wild origin from adult plantings in the upper watershed over the last few years. Those un-marked fish can’t be kept. Bobber and eggs have been the best offering so far, but some anglers have been twitching jigs, too. Plugs and spinners have also taken a few fish, and bank anglers are also drifting at times. The closer to the Barrier Dam you get, the more concentrated the fish are, and the people.
Angling in the lower river has slowed, but the fish headed to the upper river are passing through the lower river, and there will be fresh fish moving through for the next month at least. River conditions have been good, but that is about to change. Stationay methods can work, but when the schools hold up anglers can get them to take jigs and salmon eggs. Plugs are also effective.
The fish collection weir in the Kalama River was removed this week, and now the schools of fish can access the upper river. The lower sections, below the Modrow Bridge, have been where the best action has been so far, with anglers getting coho and Chinook on a wide variety of offerings, including plugs, spinners, salmon eggs, and jigs. In the latest creel, nine bank rods kept two coho, one coho jack and released two coho jacks.
Columbia River Gorge
Drano Lake, Wind River Fishing Report—Coho have been biting at the mouth of the Wind River, where the latest creel survey found one bank rod releasing one coho, while eight boats/14 rods kept six coho and released two Chinook. Spinners trolled behind 360 flashers is what most anglers are using. At Drano Lake anglers are still getting mostly dark Chinook, with a few stray coho in the mix. No coho are stocked into Drano Lake now.
Check out Terry’s detailed report (he crushes it every week!) and forecast in this week’s SW Washington Member’s version!
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