Portland/Metro Oregon Fishing Report – Anglers looking for mainstem Columbia River action for fall Chinook are starting to find it although we’re still a few weeks away from peak opportunity. The fish are coming however, Bonneville Dam counts are tracking ahead of last year. Coho are starting to ascend the facility as well.
The Willamette will start to see coho coming in the weeks ahead. Anglers often try their luck at the mouth of the Clackamas River at first, and then above Willamette Falls by early October. A fair return is expected.
Clackamas River Fishing Report – When fishing is so slow on the Clackamas, that the spring Chinook counts (mostly wild) are the exciting thing to report on the Clackamas, you might imagine there isn’t much traffic out there.
There are still a few motivated anglers pursuing summer steelhead in the upper reaches of the Clackamas, as in McIver Park. There aren’t many summer steelhead that go upstream of River Mill Dam. Spring Chinook counts are still impressing fish lovers here, I’m not sure what the record is, but the counts are darn exciting, especially given the new broodstock program that should invigorate the hatchery return on this system in the coming years.
Sandy River Fishing Report – Jeff Stoeger reports – “Hello All. I hope that everyone has been able to withstand this excessive heat we have had over the last couple of days. This week we saw the river jump in water temp and will only increase as the heat continues over the next week. The river went from silty green to light chocolate brown with about a foot of visibility. The current level is 7.75 ft and will stay that way until we get our first good rain event.
There are guys that are out trying their luck still for late springers and late summer steelhead. The fish are now starting to show their colors and some fish are still on the bright side.
Check out the lake stocking schedule. Go HERE to see if your favorite is on the list this week.Find the full report and forecast for Members on this page here for the Clackamas and Sandy Rivers.
North Coast Fishing Report – Coho should still be a mainstay for central and north coast anglers, but catch rates dropped in all of these ports last week. It’s a sure sign that the Columbia River coho forecast is likely over-estimated as we’ve seen for the spring and summer Chinook so far this season.
There is a few weeks remaining in the mark-select fishery before it switches over to non-mark select but anglers are losing hope for a productive outing as theoretically, hatchery coho found off the central and north coast start to migrate up to their natal basin, the Columbia River.
With a rough ocean for much of this week, most anglers were side-lined in recent days.
As far as other north coast systems, we’re in the throes of the Nehalem Bay summer Chinook fishery and it has performed fairly well this season. Although this week was a bit tougher, it was a productive week last week, when anglers were able to take advantage of the softer tides near the bay entrance.
Other freshwater options still remain limited. It’s likely there are some fall Chinook present in other systems, such as Tillamook Bay and certainly the Siletz system but the better fishing is still several weeks away.
Summer steelhead numbers, let alone action, hasn’t improved much in recent days. The Wilson, Nestucca and upper Siletz remain the only hatchery options, albeit poor ones.
TGF wants you to STAY SAFE OUT THERE! Have you seen our FREE webinar on ocean and bar safety? Check it out HERE!
See the full North Coast Report and Forecast for Members right here.
Upper Willamette River System Report – Contributor Glenn Zinkus reports
Detroit Reservoir/North Santiam Trout Action. Willamette River Slow Water Bass. Lookout and Bedrock Fires Limiting Access to Upper McKenzie and Willamette Areas.
Alton Baker Canal: Alton Baker was stocked with 900 legal size rainbows this week and will be stocked with the same next week.
Detroit Reservoir:
Good fishing report on the inlet into Detroit near Hoover Campground with angling from the bank opportunities.
Green Peter Reservoir: There is some conflicting information on the Linn County Website. There is an announcement that Green Peter reopened on August 15th during the late afternoon. There is a second statement that the reservoir is closed by the Oregon State Marine Board through August 25. It may be poor editing, when the closure statement should have been deleted. If you plan to go to Green Peter, call Linn County to confirm. Air tankers are scooping water for fighting the nearby Wiley Fire. Whitcombe is closed. Water level can be found here: https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?site_no=14186100
Quartzville Creek: Caution – the nearby Wiley Fire may effect access. Quartzville Creek is open all year, and just stocked last week with 2200 legal size trout . Stocking is complete for the season.
Flows are at summertime levels, and still dropping, currently at 22.6 CFS. Okay for trout fishing, but start fishing the pools a bit more and this is into summertime levels.
South Santiam Steelhead/Salmon: Reports of good springer fishing continue.
Small numbers of steelhead are present in the South Santiam now, with 346 at the dam on August 16th. Running at less than last year – at about 1/3rd of last year’s numbers.
North Santiam Trout: The North Santiam received 2,200 legal size trout two weeks ago.
Foster Reservoir: Foster was stocked during April. Foster was stocked late May with 3,800 legal size trout. Foster will be stocked again in September. Foster is steady at 635.4 feet. The water levels are reported here: https://waterdata.usgs.gov/or/nwis/uv?site_no=14186600
Willamette River – Middle Fork:
The Middle Fork flow is currently 2,060 CFS – at a good fishing level and same flow as last week. Upper portions of the Middle Fork, including parts of the North Fork of the Middle Fork are effected by the Bedrock Fire. Look carefully at conditions, expect smoke in the area, and heed fire closure signs and stay away from these areas. Fire closure information in the Willamette National Forest can be found here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/willamette/fire/?cid=fseprd552029
Willamette River – From Harrisburg, to Corvallis, to Albany:
The Willamette River is at 4,070 CFS at Harrisburg – flow has been steady since a quick spike late weekend. Lower water now, but fishable levels. Anglers have been catching a few steelhead here and there, as some incidental catches. Anglers in the Eugene area are also getting some walleye below the dams in the Willamette system. Steelhead numbers are down from last year.
Dexter Reservoir: Dexter received 3,000 trophy trout during May. Stocking is complete for the spring. Dexter received in total about 12,000 trophy trout this spring, and remains a good option this week.
Leaburg Lake: Leaburg Lake was stocked in April, and then stocked with 1,000 legal size trout last week.
McKenzie River:
The upper portions of the McKenzie have been fishing well. However, some access may be restricted by the Lookout Fire and the area is likely going to remain smokey. Fire closure information in the Willamette National Forest can be found here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/willamette/fire/?cid=fseprd552029
The upper river, where it is open and accessible, is great – and one of the standout trout fisheries right now except for possible smokey conditions.
Members – find the latest full 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
Cold Water Fisheries – Metolius and Fall Rivers. Deschutes Will Stay Open For Steelhead. Still Some Columbia River Action.
Weather Outlook Across Central and Eastern Oregon:
Heat is waning, but smoke will linger through much of the region. At a minimum, there will be periods of unhealthy levels of smoke. The air quality watch for Deschutes County ends tonight at 11 PM, but that may change.
Temperatures will hit 90 on Friday, but continue cooling into the 80s into the weekend and next week. Temperatures in higher elevation areas, and western parts of Deschutes County. Temperatures have been high enough this week, that all anglers should watch and consider water temperatures in many of this region’s popular waters. Stillwaters have been heating up all week, so it will be best for trout to leave them alone in waters along the Cascade Lakes Highway until cool weather takes hold long enough for the water to begin cooling. High elevation lakes will likely remain fishable.
The Deschutes River canyon area is one area with better air quality, maxxing out in the moderate ranges. Temperatures will remain around 90 into the weekend, and cooling into the 80s next week.
Lower Deschutes River:
The Lower Deschutes continues with good fishing levels – at typical summertime levels. Flows bumped up and are currently at 3770 CFS at Madras. Flow is currently at 4,060 at Moody. Water is clear.
Water temperatures near Madras remain in the range from 56 to 58 F, with the range staying consistent through the week. The flow regime continues with a blend of bottom water and top water from the dam. Waters warm in the lowest stretches near Moody to a range of 66 to 71 F. Late afternoon temperatures are too high for safe angling for trout.
Steelhead reports are unsurprisingly slow fishing, as the steelhead are seeking cold water refuges.
Middle Deschutes River: Jeff Perin reports some good fishing on the Middle D all the way to Lake Billy Chinook. Steelhead Falls area can be good this time of year. I do recommend mornings.
Upper Deschutes River: Upper Deschutes is providing some good nymphing right now, and euronymphing is producing.
Lake Billy Chinook: The smallmouth bass fishing in the Crooked River Arm has been good. Trout and kokes are good in the Deschutes Arm. ODFW is reporting some algal blooms.
Crooked River: Crooked River flow are around 250ish CFS – at 265 CFS currently – up a bit. Anglers were catching good numbers of fish prior to the heat wave.
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:
The best fishing action continues to be in the Rogue Bay. Last weekend saw a 200+ fish day and many were out for the salmon derby and trying to beat the valley heat. The ocean was also good for decreasing the halibut quota with some limits taken out of Brookings. Summer steelhead action is fair on the mid Rogue with better action in the upper stretches whet the water is cooler. Ocean conditions for the weekend look sketchy to to a tropical storm coming from Baha. Lakes are producing bass and panfish with some trout still biting on some of the higher and deeper lakes.
The Rogue Bay had it’s ( another) best day of the season on Saturday with over 200 Chinook caught! A increase in flow helped the bite there as well as everywhere on the Rogue lately. As for the middle and upper Rogue, river floaters make up the majority of action, but those anglers targeting summer steelhead are having fair to good success on the upper from Dodge Park up to Shady cove.
Most lakes are starting to drop about 5% a week now. Lakes such as Lost Creek, Galesville, Fish and Willow have been decent and popular for trout. Selmac, Emigrant and Applegate are giving up some decent bass and bluegill.
The ocean as mentioned is probable a no go due to wind.
Bass fishing on the Coquille and S. Umpqua have been good to excellent. Pink fin perch are still biting well at Winchester Bay.
The North Umpqua is closed to all fishing!
Oh, and BTW, I’ll be on a 3-week sabbatical and will return with the latest update the week of September 14th. I predict pretty much of the same will be going on with increased summer steelhead catches on the Rogue as well as some Chinook in the mid-section below Hog Creek. The ocean when you can get on should also provide good opportunity for tuna, fat coho and bottom fish. See ya later 😎
Be safe, be nice and enjoy!
Tight Lines 🎣 – Romer
Read this week’s SW Washington fishing report.