Lewis Report – Flows are up to nearly 12,000 cfs this week with no sign of slowing with the amount of rain coming into this weekend. Steelhead has been nothing short of phenomenal with some of the boats I talked with landing twelve plus fish in just a few hours. I went out on Saturday 3/22/25 going mostly after spring chinook but we started in the morning on steelhead going one for two in the hour or so we tried. We talked with Bob’s guide service who had landed “a little over a dozen” as well as Jason Hamsted who had a similar day.
Kalama Report – The Kalama, like most rivers, is high but the color has stayed green and it has not blown out, there is a massive storm going over as I am writing Wednesday night which could change that. The river has fished well for steelhead but is starting to slow pretty well. I have yet to hear about a spring chinook being caught but if they’re in all the other rivers they should be around in good numbers here as well.
During the past week, Tacoma Power employees released 15 winter-run steelhead into Lake Scanewa near Randle and they released 17 winter-run steelhead and one cutthroat into the Tilton River at Bremer Bridge.
Columbia River
Ridgefield area- The Ridgefield area has been fishing alright this week but the common problem is that the water color is brown with several people reporting not even being able to see their kickers prop. I know of one angler who had a takedown Tuesday 3/25/25 on the Oregon side but it did not stick and that was the only action he saw all day between him and several other boats.
Vancouver area- In the Vancouver area above I5 the water color is drastically better than the Ridgefield area and I know of several boats who went out on Sunday 3/23/25 but not one of them had so much as a bite and didn’t see a singular net fly.
Merwin and Yale Lake – Merwin and Yale have both been fishing fantastic this week with limits being had left and right. Merwin seems to be providing a bit bigger fish while Yale is providing a faster limit.
Local lakes and ponds – Didn’t have any time to stop by any local lakes this week but I drove by Lacamas on Tuesday 3/25/25 and the entire lake was deserted and there was not a soul around even during the nice afternoon.
Bottomfish – Finally, a few reports off the jetties this year, and the fishing has been pretty good, especially for the bass. The ling cod fishing has been slow but they’re still moving in getting ready to spawn so now’s the time to go!
Stay fishy,
Seth Kolshinski
Read this week’s Oregon fishing report.