Portland, Oregon Metro Fishing Report – The first spring Chinook of the season passed over Willamette Falls already. It certainly didn’t go into the net of any of the Willamette’s finest fishers in February. To quote my report from the paid version: “It’s almost as if the Portland Trailblazers and the Willamette River spring Chinook collaborated on a no-win February! Not what I expected from either team.”
And speaking of Willamette Falls passage, who turned on the faucet for winter steelhead? Over 4,000 adults have passed over so far, the best return in a long, long time! There’s even some hatchery fish over the falls, albeit just 144. Hey, that’s the same number of bottle rockets I used to get off of the black market as a kid! Surely an omen!
Plunkers working Meldrum Bar are still finding steelhead to catch, but most of them are wild. There was a unsubstantiated rumor of a spring Chinook from Meldrum, but no pics, didn’t happen. (Let’s see if that inspires someone to fess up!)
The Columbia is producing an occasional wild winter steelhead with not much hope for improvement for another few weeks. Can you believe we’re already in March? It won’t be long before more rods start lining the banks of the Columbia in hopes of spring chrome!
Clackamas River Fishing Report – With the Clackamas fairly well seeded with hatchery steelhead, it was a pretty good option for sport anglers this week. Catches seem to be concentrated where the fish are (duh…), at the mouth of Dog Creek in McIver Park, the entrance to the hatchery for most of these fish.
Anglers fishing in downstream areas of the Clackamas are coming across more wild fish than hatchery, a product of how these systems produce their products. The majority of them return in February, with a few stragglers into March. It won’t be long before we’re looking to summer steelhead to provide good table fare for our efforts.
Eagle Creek anglers are having a harder time finding fresh fish and wild fish aren’t all that robust on this system. It’s a great option when the Clackamas is running high, especially in the early season, but we’re entering the late season now, where wild fish tend to dominate the catch.
Reliable reporter Mike Roberson from Fishermen’s Marine and Outdoors in Oregon City verified my reporting. Mike says, “The bite started to slow down a few days ago with the river on the rise. I took a look this morning (Thursday, 2/29), the river is blown out BIG TIME. Surprisingly, the turbidity on the Willamette is not bad at all. The Clack won’t fish for a few more days so look at Eagle Creek, it should fish in the next day or so. March can be very fishy on the Clack so be sure to get out once the river drops.”
Sandy River Fishing Report – Avid angler Jeff Stoeger reports – “I hope that you had a chance to get out and fish this week. There were good numbers of fish caught this week. Most of the fish being caught were natives.
This week we saw the river take a bump to almost 12 ft and is currently running at 10.9 ft and is forecasted to climb to 14ft over the next five days before it starts to drop.
The freezing level is dropping between 500 and 800ft over the next few days and with rain forecasted for the next 10 days we will find snow in most of the best area’s to fish. So please be safe driving and hiking with care.
So get out and try your luck for there is fish to be had and tight lines.Find the full report and forecast for Members on this page here for the Clackamas and Sandy Rivers.
North & Central Coast Fishing Report – With stable water conditions comes mediocre fishing. How many times have I said that this season?
Coastal systems produced more sporadic catches this week, but rivers have risen and will give new life to brand new fish on most of the larger systems of the north coast.
The Wilson, Nestucca, Siletz and Alsea will be primed for late season broodstock fish, and the NF Nehalem is supposed to have some too, but just a small plant of late season fish come in. We’ll be spending a lot of time talking about weekend opportunities for our paid subscribers, it’s a good week to consider finding out ALL the details if you’re a steelheader. We are in peak season after all.
Members, see the full North Coast Report and Forecast for Members right here.
The Trask, Wilson, Nestucca and Siletz all produced sporadic catches prior to the high water event, but this rain freshet will be the best event since early February.
Most small systems such as the Necanicum and Klaskanine Rivers as well as Big and Gnat Creek are done for the year. The Necanicum and NF Nehalem will have some wild fish to wrestle in the coming weeks however.
Offshore weather has gone to heck in a handbasket, but anglers were still sweeping up lingcod and some bottmfish last week. It’ll be a while before that opportunity comes around again.
Trout plants will start happening in the coming weeks, in preparation for spring break. Be sure to check the ODF&W web site for details of your favorite lake or reservior.
Upper Willamette River System Report – Contributor Glenn Zinkus
Many Rivers Are High And Forecasted To Go Higher, Willamette Valley Ponds And Reservoirs.
Alton Baker Canal: Alton Baker Canal was stocked with 700 legal size trout last December before Christmas, for the end of year. Alton Baker will be stocked again next week – with 1,250 legal size trout.
Detroit Reservoir: As of right now, Detroit Lake surface elevation is currently at 1510.1 feet and on the rise. Levels have been increasing. The lake is accessible at Mongold.
Check the water levels here: https://waterdata.usgs.gov/or/nwis/uv?site_no=14180500
Koke fishing reports have been good, bite is happening.
Quartzville Creek: Quartzville Creek flows over the past day and pretty high flows for this small creek at 2920 CFS.
Junction City Pond: JC Pond will reopen on March 4. No reports yet as it’s been closed. It is scheduled to be stocked next week with 1,300 legal size trout.
Dexter Reservoir: Dexter was stocked with 2,500 legal size rainbows this week.
South Santiam Trout: Closed.
North Santiam Trout and Steelhead: The North Santiam will close to trout angling after October 31. The North Santiam received 2,200 legal size trout late July.
The North Santiam below Detroit, like other Willamette system rivers, is starting to receive good numbers of steelhead, wild steelhead, higher than recent years.
Foster Reservoir: Foster received 6,000 legal trout earlier in the fall.
The level went up this week, now at 617 feet. The water levels are reported here: https://waterdata.usgs.gov/or/nwis/uv?site_no=14186600
Willamette River – Middle Fork:
Climbing now and 4550 CFS at the time of this writing at Jasper. Likewise, blown out in Oakridge at 10 feet.
However – there are some good opportunities for walleye just below the Dexter dam.
Willamette River – From Harrisburg, to Corvallis, to Albany:
The Willamette River is currently is climbing fast at the time of this writing, and not fishable at 14,900 CFS at Harrisburg – current river level forecast shows the Willamette peaking on Friday, and dropping beginning next week.
Trout are still in their winter mode, remaining down near the bottom and not moving very far for a fly or lure. Go to the deeper pools and gentler flow areas. Afternoons may prove to be the best time to fish. But this is changing now that we will be entering March – of course once the Willamette is fishable again.
Dexter Reservoir: Dexter Reservoir was stocked with 2,500 legal size rainbows this week.
Hills Creek Reservoir: Hills Creek Reservoir, near Oakridge, received 3,563 legal size trout last week. Hill Creek Reservoir will be stocked again with 3,563 legal size trout during the week of March 11th.
Leaburg Lake: Closed. Leaburg opens on April 22.
McKenzie River – Trout: The mainstem McKenzie water levels are rising sharply today. Flow at Vida is 6920 CFS and climbing.
The prediction center river level forecast shows the McKenzie dropping soon and perhaps at fishable levels by mid next week.
Members – find the latest complete report and forecast as well as past reports for Members on the Willamette Valley/Metro start on this page here.
Central Oregon Fishing Report – Contributor Glenn Zinkus reports
Deschutes and Crooked River Are High. Walleye Starting Up On The Columbia. Steady Fishing And Hatches On The Increase For Metolius And Fall Rivers – Watch The Snow. Brood Trout In Haystack Reservoir
Weather Outlook Across Central and Eastern Oregon:
There’s been some on and off snowfall in today and earlier in the week. That said, most Central Oregon roads are clear at the time of this writing, but the higher elevation areas such as Fall River is getting some snow.
High temperatures around the Met and Fall River stay in the 30s from now through the weekend and into Monday. There will be areas of snow on Friday, and chances of precipitation on Monday and into next week.
Lower Deschutes River: The Lower D came up in the warm weather during the previous week, and has been unfishable starting around the February 22/23 timeframe. It’s at 7400 CFS at Moody. It’s continuing to drop, but many anglers will find it too high as the river has been above many of the bank areas.
Middle Deschutes River: Little black stones are effective at taking some fish now on the Middle D – nymphing with some weights. Fishing and access into the water still is best around Steelhead Falls. We will still be in high winter water for a little while longer.
Upper Deschutes River: Closed as of now.
Haystack Reservoir: ODFW started stocking fish, including some rainbow broodstock to begin rebuilding after the drawdown last year. There are anglers catching fish there now. You won’t see this broodstock stocking on the ODFW website, but they are there!
Lake Billy Chinook: Metolius Arm is closed.
Levels are low and access is tricky. Oregon State Parks statement includes “Lake Billy Chinook will experience temporary lower reservoir levels as PGE and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs complete planned maintenance and repairs to Round Butte Dam.
Crooked River: Crooked River flows dropped slightly, but are still high. About 1,000 CFS in the fishing areas and too high to fish.
Fall River: Snow is falling at Fall River – further limiting some access. I don’t yet have reports on the parking situation.
Metolius River: The Met has been on and off accessible in the lower reaches below Bridge 99, but that may change for a couple of days with the drop in temps and snow forecasted for the Camp Sherman area.
Wickiup Reservoir: Closed.
Hosmer: Remains open but is no longer accessible. North section of Cascade Lakes Highway has officially been closed for the season.
North and South Twin Lakes: No reports.
Crescent Lake: Crescent Lake at 7 % full – no reports. The levels are starting to slowly decline.
Prineville Reservoir: The reservoir is at 58 % full as of today. No new reports, but trout fishing will be good.
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:
Last weekend did provide good conditions for steelhead anglers pretty much everywhere. Some of the hot spots were the Chetco, Elk, the whole Rogue River and North and South Umpqua. The ocean also saw some nice ling cod and bottom fishing during some sunny skies! That was the good news, the bad and ugly is that “another” big winter storm approaches as I write and is expected to crush steelhead catching into at least next week if not longer for most systems 😥 Now don’t get all angsty because Mother Nature hasn’t been very kind to us anglers so far this year. There is nothing we can do about it but be prepared for when you do get another good opportunity like last weekend. So, take a breather, get your tax stuff done, straighten out the boat and tackle box and maybe do something cool with your partner this weekend. 😉
So, with all that being said, few “fair” options exist for weekend anglers. Here’s the options, but keep in mind, I’m only going by river flow and weather forecasts, so you be the local judge of actual conditions.
Most likely, the upper Rogue from the dam to Shady Cove won’t get too out of shape, but it will be higher and fishable. Decent numbers of winter steelhead are in and boaters will have the best success covering water bobber dogging soft beads and pulling darker plugs. The mid Rogue section “could” be fishable Sunday with high water flows around 4000 cfs. Catches have recently been good lately from Rogue River to Hog Creek, but a reminder that there’s lots of creeks and the Applegate dump into if the further down from GP you go.
The Applegate might fish Sunday with fair to good catches reported last weekend.
Recently stocked trout in Reinhart pond and Lake Selmac could also be an option, but don’t expect dry t-shirt fishing.
That’s about it, the ocean, Elk, Sixes, Chetco, Coos, Coquille, and Umpqua systems are looking dim until at least early next week as a possible depending on how much rain and snow melt there is after this storm.
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.
Read this week’s SW Washington fishing report.