Portland/Metro Fishing Report – Mainstem Columbia closed to all salmon above West Puget Island near Westport, Oregon. Coho fishing will resume on October 1st.
With coho starting to run in peak migration for Willamette and Columbia River anglers, many are disappointed that better numbers aren’t showing. It was a great year last year, but it’s still shaping up to be a good year for those versed in the relatively new fishery above Willamette Falls. Early mornings will always produce the best catches but rainy weather may improve the fishery for longer than just a morning bite early next week.
There are catchable numbers of coho available to anglers upstream of Willamette Falls, with the peak likely to happen in early October.
Find all our fishing reports and forecasts for Members on this page.
Clackamas and Sandy remain low but coho are showing.
Clackamas River Fishing Report – The fish are in, and so are the crowds. Sadly, the crowds may not know just yet that the run is under-performing compared to last year, it’s going to be a bit more challenging this season. That’s not keeping interest down much however, there’s great early morning participation, at least at the 24-Hour Fitness Hole.
Fisherman’s Marine and Outdoor expert Mike Roberson had this to add, “Well, it’s been a frustrating start to the season for the Clackamas. We’re seeing a lot of fish on the river the past few days but as usual, most have lock-jaw.
From an upriver standpoint, counts at the NF Facility are less than 1/2 of what they were last year at this same time, and the same goes for summer steelhead, but we already knew that. It stands to reason, as steelhead and coho returning adult numbers often parallel each other since they migrate to the ocean as juveniles at the same time. We’re certainly going to take a hit this year.
Sandy River Fishing Report – Provided by avid angler, Jeff Stoeger – The river currently holds scattered fish throughout its system. Water conditions are off-color, with the gauge reading 7.62 feet and a temperature of 60 degrees. In comparison, the Columbia is running in the upper 60s, drawing fish into the lower river in search of cooler water.
Anglers fortunate enough to connect are finding some mint-bright fish, though any kept must be fin-clipped. Coho are beginning to show in fair numbers, and spring Chinook season is tapering off. Summer steelhead are largely working their way downstream, though a few quality fish remain.
Fishing pressure is relatively light, with a mix of bank anglers and boaters reporting success.
Find the full report and forecast for Members on this page here for the Clackamas and Sandy Rivers.
North & Central Coast Fishing Report – Ocean coho still open, but rough ocean limits access.
It’s full blown fall salmon fishing on the north and central Oregon coast, and with few exceptions, anglers are not impressed.
Starting with the once-blistering ocean non-mark select coho fishery, anglers in recent years have torn through the robust quotas awarded to them for this perfect fishery. This year, through September 21st, only 56% of the nearly 34,000 fish quota has been consumed by the sport fleet. A far cry from previous year’s success rates.
Bar restrictions on Thursday (9/25) and likely in the upcoming weekend/next week, won’t help anglers gain access to the fishery offshore. It seems likely at this point, that the fishery is not going to meet its nearly 34,000 coho quota AND that the run size prediction, is indeed way off.
Chinook fishing in most estuaries is off to a slow start. The Siletz is the exception.
Catches of Chinook are taking place, but have been light on the Nehalem, Tillamook, Nestucca and Salmon River estuaries, despite a good tide series this week. The best catches were recorded on Tillamook Bay, with sheer effort likely contributing to the catch, especially since ocean weather has been volatile in recent days.
Speaking with pro guide Herman Fleishman (503) 936-2757, he reports that fishing for coho and Chinook is picking up. He’s been fishing more herring in the colder water, likely due to ocean water that is hovering around 54°, which makes the use of bait a good option, particularly herring. Herman has been spending the bulk of his time in the bay itself, as the ocean weather has been less than desirable. Herman commented that yesterday (Wednesday, September 24), he saw more coho caught than he’s seen all season. The day before, he saw a good bunch of Chinook fall to the fleet.
Anglers from the Siletz River tidewater had a fairly good run this week, encountering some nice sized Chinook trolling spinners behind flashers with a few also taking fish on anchor using plugs. A few coho are also starting to show in the catch.
The Alsea was the other coastal bright spot last season and theoretically, the action should be fair again this year. Anecdotal reports from the Alsea aren’t overwhelming just yet on the Alsea, but it should remain a good mid-coast bet.
For freshwater coho fishing, in my years pursuing coho on Tillamook Bay, there was a dramatic switch from hatchery coho catches to wild coho catches starting on October 1st. Despite not guiding Tillamook for the last 5 years, there’s only one thing that’s likely to have changed. With the incorporation of wild broodstock into the hatchery genetics, hatchery fish are returning more like their wild parents, at a later date and across a broader spectrum of time.
The Buoy 10 fishery is heating back up again, with a good showing of B-run coho now in the estuary. Guides and anglers scored good results in recent days, the lower Columbia should continue to see good numbers of late arriving coho, staging before more substantial rainfall hits by Sunday and Monday.Crabbing in the estuaries and in the ocean is improving weekly. The tides are perfect for bay crabbing, clamming won’t be a good option.
Find the complete report and forecast for Members in the Northwest Oregon section.
Much more on the site for Chinook
- This week, Buzz Ramsey wrote – Coho Mostly Love Spinners. Coho are flooding into rivers, and if you know how to work your spinner just right, you could trigger a bite that turns a quiet cast into a full-blown frenzy. Chinook Members can see his post HERE.
- Last week, Bill Monroe wrote A Big Fish. The article is a heartfelt tribute to Bobby Keerins, celebrating his lifelong generosity, tireless advocacy for fish, wildlife, and underprivileged communities, and the profound impact he’s had on countless lives across Oregon. All TGF readers can read it HERE.
Central-Eastern Oregon Fishing Report by Terry Otto
Columbia salmon closed, but tribs offer fishing. River trout good, Central Oregon lakes kicking into good fall patterns.
Cooler weather brings early fall bites in trout lakes, while kokanee are now turning dark and beginning their spawn. Steelhead fishing is good to fair in the Deschutes and John Day Rivers, and the tribs still offer some fall Chinook.
ODFW’s Best bets for weekend fishing
Good steelhead fishing reports from the lower Deschutes
Following recent stockings anglers report good fishing on the Fall River.
There are only a few days left to enjoy the popular Upper Deschutes fisheries below Wickiup and Crane Prairie dams and the headwaters. The Upper Deschutes River between Benham Falls and the headwaters at Little Lava Lake closes to angling September 30th.
September is a great month for the Metolius River. Bull Trout have entered the river to spawn and anglers report aggressive takes on streamers.
Trout stocking
Stocked Sept. 8-12:
Walton Lake.
Scheduled to be stocked the week of Sept 15-19:
Pine Nursery Pond.
You can check the ODFW trout stocking schedule here.
Columbia River
According to the good folks at the Gorge Outfitters Supply in Rufus, since salmon season closed on the Columbia as of September 21, few anglers are fishing the main stem. The Columbia will reopen for coho salmon on October 1. A few anglers are looking for walleye, but very few.
Lower Deschutes River
The Lower Deschutes River is fishing well from Warm Springs to Trout Creek and down to Harpham Flats. Caddis right now is the predominate hatch, with a few Pale Evening Duns and PMD’s holding on with summer weather.
Swinging small steelhead flies like Green Butt Skunks, Freight Train, Muddlers and Euphoria’s are picking up steelhead well.
Steelhead action in the lower river is good, and Chinook salmon are also present in good numbers. Blue Fox spinners are a good choice for both species, but the ‘nooks will soon begin to darken. Anglers are fishing below Sherar’s Falls for Chinook, but once the fish reach that area, they are definitely turning dark.
You can Check the Maupin river gauge here
The Middle Deschutes
This reach is going to start coming up with the end of irrigation season soon. It will be most fishable until about 10/12. Don’t miss this late season good fishing. Purple Haze, PMD Parachutes, X Caddis, Fin Fetcher Caddis are some of my Middle D favorites.
Euro Nymphing and Micro Streamers are excellent choices.
The Fall River is getting good afternoon hatches of PMD’s and BWO’s, and some Midges, Amber and Tan Caddis and a few Olive Stones. Add in Ants, Beetles, Yellow Jackets and Hoppers and you can do a lot of dry fly fishing here for the next several weeks.
Crooked River
With great afternoon mayfly hatches of PMD’s and BWO’s and some Mahogany Duns there is a good amount of dry fly options right now. Soft Hackles are a fun way to fish, with a tight line swung nymph the take is magical. And of course Euro Nymphing and Indicator action with small Midge and Mayfly nymphs are fabulous.
Davis Lake
Anglers report good bass fishing near the lava flow and good trout fishing near the Odell Creek channel. Recent sampling by ODFW found an abundance of largemouth bass in the 2-3 lb range, but few fish larger than 3.5 lbs.
Fly-fishing only, barbless hooks required. Catch-and-release for trout. No limit on size or number of warmwater fish.
Eastern Oregon
Best bets for weekend fishing
Flyfishing the NF Sprague River with large stonefly patterns should be excellent
Yellow perch fishing remains excellent in Crystal Creek, Recreation Creek, Sevenmile Canal Mouth, Gerber Reservoir, Fourmile Canal and especially Williamson River.
Fishing for Brook Trout in the Upper Sycan, Upper NF Sprague, Upper SF Sprague, Long Creek, Sevenmile and Upper Williamson will be exceptional.
Lake of the Woods was stocked this week with 12-14 inch rainbow trout
Fishing for holdover trout at Yellowjacket Reservoir has been good.
There are some nice holdover trout in the Malheur River below Warm Springs right now. Crappie are abundant in Wolf Creek Reservoir with some nicer fish around 8 inches available.
Crappie fishing in Owhyee Reservoir has been good this summer.
Corral Creek
Bait is allowed. Worms on small hooks will have great success. No limit on brook and brown trout. Best fishing near the confluence with SF Sprague River at the beaver pond complex. Fly fishing is also excellent. Grasshoppers are around therefore using dry flies mimicking grasshoppers can be productive.
Members can always see so much more in the complete report, as well as the forecast for central Oregon, by starting right here.
SW Oregon Fishing Report – Contributor Jeff Rome reports
Coho catches out of Winchester Bay have been good lately, with many limits of fat, football-sized silvers. Ocean outlook for the weekend is a bit iffy, depending on which port you go out of. The Coos Bay estuary has also seen a pick-up in Chinook and coho catches lately. Ocean crabbing has been good to excellent.
Boaters trolling from the 101 bridge to the mouth of the Chetco are seeing some action of the soon-to-be Chetco Fall Chinook run. Some fish well into the upper 20’s have been caught.
Rogue Bay Chinook catches remain slow, but coho catches have increased. Some guides are targeting them specifically, further upriver. Some rain during the weekend can surely help bring in some late Chinook and more silvers.
The mid-section of the Rogue has increased angler pressure for Fall Chinook. A few nice ones have been caught. Summer steelhead on the mid and upper sections of the Rogue River continue to be slow. A few half-pounders are being taken, however. There are fish all throughout the river. Plugs are the best choice and doubles your chance for either.
The main Umpqua is now closed for Chinook. However, there are lots of bass to catch on the main and both forks of the Ump.
Lost Creek, Diamond, Hyatt, Howard Prairie, and Fish lakes are good bets for good Fall lake fishing while they still have good water levels. Bass fishing at Selmac has been good with some nice ones caught lately.
Be safe, be nice, and enjoy!
Tight Lines 🎣 – Romer
Jeff’s expanded reports, multiple lake updates, and forecasts, including his past reports, can be found here for Members! There is SO much more.