The Guide's Forecast

Northwest Oregon's most complete and
accurate fishing report

Written and maintained by Bob Rees http://www.theguidesforecast.com

Fisheries update - - Salmon fishing on the Columbia at the Wind River and Drano Lake on the Washington side looks really promising. The Willamette closed again after a great Saturday of fishing. It will re-open on May 1st for fin-clipped fish only. The Sandy and Clackamas Rivers are improving for salmon and there are a few more spawned out winter fish in the catches this week. The upper Willamette was a bit slow on their last opener but with dropping water conditions and favorable falls passage, these fisheries will likely heat up this week. North coast steelheading is still good. There are very few people fishing for steelhead down here. There have been a few salmon caught in Trask tidewater. Eastern Oregon is great for warmwater species but the trout bite was nothing special on the opener.

Lakes stocked this week (4/24 - 4/28): Willamette Valley: Bethany Lake, Commonwealth Lake, Timothy Lake, Willamina Pond, Silver Creek Reservoir, Henry Hagg Lake, Blue Lake and Wakeena Pond. South Willamette: Detroit Reservoir, Foster Reservoir, Walter Wirth Lake, Green Peter Reservoir, E E Wilson Pond, Leaburg Pool, Junction City Pond, McKenzie River (lower), Smith Reservoir, Dexter Reservoir, Dorena Reservoir. Mid-coast: Big Creek Reservoir 1 & 2, Olalla Creek Reservoir and the Old Willamette Industries Mill Pond.

Lakes stocked next week (5/1 - 5/5): North Willamette: Bethany Pond, Commonwealth Lake, Dorman Pond, Haldeman Pond, Timothy Lake, Willamina Pond, Blue Lake, Canby Pond, Henry Hagg Lake, Roslyn Lake, Salmonberry Lake. South Willamette: Detroit Reservoir, Freeway Lake, Walling Pond, Timber Linn Lake, Waverly Lake, Carmen Reservoir, Leaburg Pool, McKenzie River (upper). Tillamook Area: Hebo Lake, South Lake, Battle Lake. North Coast: Cullaby Lake, Vernonia Pond. Rogue Area: Expo Pond, Spaulding Pond, Burma Pond, Dutch Herman, All Sports Pond.

Columbia River Report - - The bright spot continues to be the salmon fishing on Drano Lake and the Wind River. Passage at Bonneville for the past 3 days ranged from 3,399 to 5,877 fish/day with a total of 102,344 spring chinook passing the dam to date! Pro guide Dan Ponciano put 10 springers in 3 days in his boat last week on the Wind River. The crowds have been thick! Dan landed most of his fish on herring with a spinner in front of the bait or just flat-lining Kwikfish. Dan also stated that most people were using magnum wiggle warts with similar success. This fishery is still in its early stages so hold on for continued action! As far as sturgeon fishing goes, there has been good action around Sauvies Island downstream of the mouth of the Willamette. ODF&W checked 15 legals landed and 153 shakers released for 52 boats in the Portland to Longview stretch. The boats in the gorge checked 5 legal fish, 1 oversized sturgeon and 189 shakers for 31 boats. The bank anglers in the gorge landed 2 oversize fish and 3 shakers for 27 rods. The Bonneville Pool is closed to catch and keep fishing. The Dalles Pool checked in 1 legal fish, 1 oversize fish, and 36 shakers for 4 boats. The bank anglers here kept 2 legals and released 46 shakers for 98 rods. Walleye boats in this area released 3 walleyes for 3 boats. Pro guide Andy Betnar had a decent day of salmon fishing in the new terminal fishery at Blind Slough near Tongue Point. He was holding and backtrolling plugs near the lower deadline when he caught 2 springers on the outgoing tide. Angler success in Young's Bay was worth looking at also. Commercial fishermen in that area had the best opener in its short history with some boats landing over 100 fish each! There are some fish here! Pro guide Jack Young reports that Walleye below the John Day Dam and sturgeon fishing below the Dalles Dam remain spotty but it's still worth trying. Walleye will come into the spawn in May and fishing should significantly improve by June.

The Guide's Forecast - - Anglers should continue to take advantage of high numbers of spring chinook passing at Bonneville Dam by targeting these fish in the Drano Lake and Wind River fisheries. It is crowded here but if you can put up with it, you stand a good chance at decent numbers of fish in the area. Troll plugs or herring for best results. Anglers wanting to give sturgeon a try should target them in the Sauvies Island area. The lower river re-opens to catch and keep sturgeon fishing on May 1st but early indications are that the fish are not present in any great numbers. Tagging studies will reveal good information after the May 1st opener. There is also some opportunity for salmon anglers in the lower river as terminal fisheries in that area have shown very favorable results for this early in the season. Sport anglers in Young's Bay and Blind Slough near Tongue Point have scored on spring chinook. Troll herring on the incoming tide or backtroll kwikfish plugs on the outgoing tide for best results.

Willamette River and Santiam Rivers Fishing Report - - Well, that is a wrap on the wide-open catch and keep fishing on the lower Willamette River. The river closed to fishing below Willamette Falls on Sunday after anglers nearly filled the quota with close to 1,000 fish caught on the bonus Saturday opener. That brought the total number of fish landed to 7,664 fish leaving 186 fish left on the quota which will not be targeted. Fishing remains open 3 days a week on the upper Willamette River and the conditions are favorable with the exception of a rising river on Wednesday. This seemed to put the fish off of the bite as pro guide Roger Goodwin observed. He fished for 5 hours on Wednesday stating pressure was heavy and catches were poor despite good falls passage. There has been over 7,700 springers pass the falls as well as 3,000 summer steelhead and 4,400 winter steelhead. The river will re-open to fin-clipped salmon and steelhead on the 1st of May. It is projected that only 30% of the springers will be clipped so expect to weed through a few fish before you start finding those clipped salmon. These clipped salmon will likely be the smaller 4 year-old fish in the 8 to 15 pound range.

The Guides Forecast - - Fishing should pick up in the upper Willamette for springers after the water begins to drop from the Thursday freshet we experienced. Seek spring chinook in the Salem area plunking spinners and plugs in strategic locations. Fishing for salmon on the May 1st opener on the lower Willamette should be dynamite but remember it is only open to fin-clipped fish only and they may comprise only about 30% of the catch. Anglers releasing salmon and steelhead with all fins intact should do so with great care. Anglers are encouraged to not net these non-fin-clipped fish to prevent any harm that may be done. Similarly to the upper Willamette, fishing should pick up for salmon and steelhead in the Santiam Rivers. Target the salmon in the deeper holes using diver and eggs/shrimp or run plugs through these slots to entice salmon.

Clackamas and Sandy River Fishing Report - - Pro guide Chris Vertopoulos is coming up a winner fishing over on the Sandy River. He fished to lower Sandy near the mouth the other day hooking 3 springers and landing 2 of them. He also fished over there on Monday (4/24) landing a springer at the mouth and a summer steelhead upriver on the Sandy. The Clackamas has seen some better catches of chinook recently. Most guides are catching 1 fish for a half days effort on the river. On May 1st, the Clackamas goes to a Monday, Wednesday and Saturday opener with a 1 fish/day bag. Anglers that have landed their 5 fish limit on the Willamette are not allowed to fish for salmon on the Clackamas River. Steelhead fishing is still holding up for pro guide Chuck Thomas. He continues to do the Carver to Riverside float with great success. He landed 8 steelhead on Monday with 4 of them being native winter run fish, 1 nice summer steelhead, and 3 spawned out winter fish. He continues to do best on the weekdays when traffic is a bit lighter.

The Guides Forecast - - The Clackamas and Sandy Rivers should improve this week. There should be better catches of salmon from boats fishing the mouth to Stark Street Bridge on the Sandy and the mouth to Barton Park on the Clackamas. There has been at least 1 chinook taken as high as McIver Park on the Clackamas. Steelhead action should continue steady on both systems but anglers will likely find a few more spawned out winter fish along with some more summer steelhead in their catches. Backtrolled eggs and shrimp will work well for fish on both systems. Anglers fishing the lower Sandy River should exercise other options as well such as trolled herring, spinner/shrimp combo's and trolled plugs. With as many fish passing over Bonneville Dam, action should continue good at the mouth of the Sandy with some interception on upriver chinook taking place. Don't stray out into the Columbia. Fines are steep and you could jeopardize this fishery!

North Coast District Report - - Marty has come forward with more good news from the Nestucca. Pressure continues to be light and action is great! Marty fished the lower section on Saturday landing 4 nice natives but had a total of 10 chances for fish! On Tuesday his hook to land ratio went up landing 5 fish for 8 chances. Marty continues to employ summer time tactics for these fish using small plugs and fishing the deeper water with a broken surface for the holding fish. Marty thought a few more spawned out fish would start showing in the catches so handle these fish with care! Tim Buchanan reported fast action for wild steelhead at the mouth of the Salmonberry River on the Nehalem. He stated the river remains open for fishing with artificial lures or flies only. He and his brother fished around the 20th of April hooking 12 steelhead landing 5 of them! They were tossing Blue Fox spinners in blues and greens. Well, I tried sturgeon fishing today but I happen to pick the day when the weather was going to be at its worst! In 3 hours of fishing, we never hooked a sturgeon. There were no other boats on the bay and the wind and rain drove us home early. Marie Will from Tillamook Bait stated that she knew of 2 nice keepers taken from the bay last Saturday (4/22). They were taken on fresh sand shrimp and mud shrimp combinations. There have been spring chinook taken in the Trask but there is very little effort for these fish. I am sure the fish are not in any great numbers here but anglers willing to put in some time can come up a winner. Jim Coon landed a 23 pounder in tidewater of the Trask about a week ago. He lost another one yesterday (4/26) on a bobber and shrimp. With the exception of the last few days, the surf has been very comfortable to fish for perch in. Success has been fair.

The Guides Forecast - - This may be the last good week for a chance at a wild steelhead. Summer fish should start to make a stronger appearance in the lower sections of these rivers. With the low water conditions, water should be easier to read making salmon and steelhead fishing a strong option this week on the north coast. The rivers experienced a slight rise to bring in a few fresh fish but the rivers are still rather low. Sturgeon and salmon tides get pretty good towards the latter part of the reporting week on Tillamook Bay. Crabbing remains good on Tillamook Bay.

Eastern Oregon Fisheries - - Pro guide Phil Simonski reports that fishing for warm water species is in high gear. All lakes with a few exceptions are now producing. The best are the Snake River impoundments. Bass continue to be the most popular species, but crappies will displace that in a week or so depending on the weather. SE Oregon trout opener was ok, but no barn burner. Cold, wet weather and high off color water will keep the best trout fishing on hold for a week or so. Brownlee is the best for crappies and oxbow the best for bass.

South Coast Rivers and Bays - - Sorry, no report this week!

GOOD LUCK!

Here are the Oregon Fishing Guide's that helped gather the information for this report.  You can find out more about them or book a trip with them by calling 503.377.9696 or e-mail The Guide's Forecast for more information.

Bob Rees - Tillamook Spring Chinook
Marty Peterson- Tillamook Spring Chinook
Jack Glass- Sandy River spring chinook & steelhead
Brad Vanderzanden- Willamette/Clackamas salmon & steelhead
Chris Vertopoulos- Willamette/Sandy River springers & steelhead
Andy Betnar- Columbia River sturgeon
Dave Johnson- Willamette/Clackamas River springers & steelhead
Dan Ponciano- Columbia River salmon and sturgeon
Blake Payne- Siuslaw, Elk and Sixes salmon and steelhead
Chuck Thomas- Clackamas River steelhead
Phil Simonski- Eastern Oregon Warmwater fishing
Shane Groshong- Mid Willamette/Santiam River salmon & steelhead
Grant Scheele- Santiam River salmon and steelhead