Portland/Metro Oregon Fishing Report – With the Willamette soon due to come down into fishable shape, anglers can’t help but wonder who is going to catch the season’s first spring Chinook. Sometimes it happens in January, it certainly happens in February if we have workable water conditions. It may happen next week as there certainly will be spring Chinook seekers out when the Willamette clears.
In the meantime, there remains a few steelhead available for Meldrum Bar plunkers. Conditions are quite conducive for success here this week, fish close to the bank in turbid flows, farther out as the water clears.
Sturgeon may start stirring as flows drop and anticipation grows for smelt to make their showing. The Portland Harbor will be your best bet.
Clackamas River Fishing Report – Although there remain sporadic reports of success for Clackamas River steelheaders, there seems to be a consistent lull in action this time of year for this watershed. February is typically a strong month and folks are holding onto hope that the run does materialize but fish aren’t making a strong showing just yet, but it’s still early.
Reliable reports indicated that there was some fair action on Thursday and Friday of last week, but it’s slowed down ever since.
Sandy River Fishing Report – Avid angler Jeff Stoeger reported, “Hello All. I hope that you all had the opportunity and time to get out and fish over the last week. The current river conditions have the river running at 10.3 ft and is 41 degrees with 3 to 4ft clarity.
One more thing that you want to make sure of is not to have anything of value in your rig, for there were multiple rigs broken into over the last few weeks from the mouth up to Dodge Park and including Oxbow Park.
Find the full report and forecast for Members on the Sandy and the Clackamas from this page here.
North Coast Fishing Report – Anglers reported fairly slow action this week at the coast. There have been some brute steelhead in the catches to keep imaginations running wild however.
Most consumptive folks are focusing on the Wilson, but the Nestucca should start to stir this week. Other systems such as the Trask and even the mainstem Nehalem will be options too. The Nehalem will likely clear by next week.
Smaller stream fishing for early run steelhead is effectively over. The NF Nehalem recycled about 140 adults downstream on Tuesday, it won’t take long before those fish are back up at the hatchery.
The NF Nehalem, Necanicum, Big and Gnat Creeks and the Klaskanine River should all start producing run-back steelhead in the coming weeks. They bite like crazy, just don’t make for great table fare.
Despite improving weather, it doesn’t look like the swell will be coming down all that much in the coming week. Bottomfishers are anxious and commercial crabbers are too. Their pots south of Cape Falcon are laden with large Dungeness.
Bay crabbing is tougher with the king tides this weekend, but the morning incoming is about perfect for keepers in most estuaries. Netarts has been productive, other freshwater inundated systems are only fair.
Don’t overlook winter opportunities on the coast, the north coast stocking schedule can be found HERE.
See the full North Coast Report and Forecast for Members right here.
Willamette River System Report – The lower Willamette is shaping up for the season’s first spring Chinook as early as next week. None have been reported to date, but water conditions have not been friendly.
Meldrum Bar plunkers haven’t been reporting outstanding results, but action should pick up in the coming weeks as Clackamas River hatchery steelhead start to enter peak season. The upper Willamette run is slow to trigger, but there are certainly some wild fish around for catch and release opportunities.
Willamette River sturgeon should start to stir as this species begins to remember it’s time for smelt to start to enter the Columbia River system. The Portland Harbor will remain your best bet.
Contributor Glenn Zinkus reports:
Reservoir Levels at Detroit and Green Peter Low – South Willamette Valley Ponds Hold Trout, McKenzie Just Coming into Shape
Alton Baker Canal: Alton Baker Canal was stocked with 700 legal size trout last month before Christmas, for the end of year. Alton Baker will be stocked again the week of February 6th.
Detroit Reservoir: As of right now, Detroit Lake surface elevation is currently at 1445.7 feet. Levels have been decreasing. This is below the level of any of the boat ramps, let alone the winter time ramp, Mongold which is a t 1450 feet.
Check the water levels here: https://waterdata.usgs.gov/or/nwis/uv?site_no=14180500
That said, no recent reports and you just can’t get a boat into Detroit right now. Kokanee reports dwindled except for an angler catching a limit within 3 hours, about a week ago. Otherwise, I’d say koke fishing will be back in the early spring.
Green Peter Reservoir: Thistle Creek boat ramp is closed due to low water. Water level is dropping and level is at 917 feet right now. Water level can be found here: https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?site_no=14186100
Early January reports some fish around, and modest koke catches.
Willamette River – From Harrisburg, to Corvallis, to Albany:
The Willamette River is currently at 10,400 CFS at Harrisburg – the river had been receding and levels are too high for good fishing. Hills Creek Reservoir: Hills Creek Reservoir, near Oakridge, received 2,840 legal size trout earlier this month.
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:
Metolius Action. Sturgeon on the Columbia. Lake Billy Chinook Kokes and Bulls.
Weather Outlook Across Central and Eastern Oregon:
We are coming into a dry period.
Friday will top out in the high 30s and 40s in places like Sisters and the Metolius River area, and at Fall River. This trend continues into next week with some warming temperatures later next week.
Lower Deschutes River: The Lower Deschutes has been dropping slightly at Moody, with current flows of around 4110 CFS at Madras and 5330 CFS at Moody.
Trout fishing is now closed in the Warm Springs to Trout Creek area until April 22, but there is activity around Maupin. The slight warming trend that’s coming in right now will help both the fishing and access to fishing.
Middle Deschutes River: The Middle Deschutes is running high now, try areas below Benham Falls.
Upper Deschutes River: Closed as of Oct 1 for the season.
Haystack Reservoir: Drained for maintenance – should be complete and starting a refill. At 11 %.
Lake Billy Chinook: Some more reports are coming in. Bulls up to 26 inches. Kokes, with some in the 12-14 inch range are starting to be caught.
Crooked River: Steady flows, that are nice, with some thawing. Some fair reports, and Jeff Perin says in his most recent report that you’ll likely catch trout in the 6 to 10 inch range.
Fall River: There’s snow on the ground at Fall River. Jeff Perin reports that fishing is good from the hatchery up to the Camp Ground and headwaters.
The BWO hatches will happen through the afternoon, but will typically be a shorter event now.
Metolius River:
I fished the Metolius this past Tuesday, staying on the upper river areas below Allingham. I did not have a lot of company in the way of other anglers, only seeing two others through the day between Allingham Bridge and the Gorge CG.
Members can always see the latest complete report as well as the forecast for this section by starting right here.
SW Oregon Fishing Report – Contributor Jeff Rome reports:
So far 2023 has been bittersweet for winter steelhead anglers. Much needed rain came but it kept coming to hinder vary many decent opportunities as conditions sucked. 😕 Alas, forecasted weather looks like it’s gonna start drying up beginning now as I write, should make good to excellent fishing opportunities for the weekend!👏😎🎣
The ocean is finally looking good enough to get out and go for some winter crabbing and ling cod/ bottom fish. Ports from Brooking on up to Winchester Bay look promising this weekend.
The Chetco is towards the top of my list of best bets as it’s dropping rapidly into great shape for boaters this weekend. Bank anglers will also be able to find their rock to plunk from. There should be good numbers of winter steelhead throughout the river and expect it to be crowded!
The mid Rogue river is in prime fishing shape with flow around 2000 cfs at Grants Pass and in good color. Winter steelhead are just starting to show and this weekend should be a good indication of just how good it is. Remember the further down from GP you go, there are lots of small creeks and the Applegate flowing into it bringing up the flow. Speaking of the Applegate, one shouldn’t miss trying it out as winter steelhead from the Rogue will be showing up too.
The upper Rogue which stays in decent shape during big rain events will also be a good option. Reports this week say there’s still “decent” action. A nice weekend will dictate more angler pressure and we’ll see if there are winter fish present.
The Elk and Sixes rivers should drop into decent fishable shape Saturday or Sunday into next week.The Elk should be first and then the Sixes to be in shape. There should be steelhead in.
The north and south forks of the Coquille as well as the west and east forks of the Millicoma should get back into shape this weekend. It’s prime steelhead season for these systems.
Be safe, be nice and enjoy!
Jeff’s expanded report, multiple lake updates, and forecast in this week’s version for Members!
Read our weekly SW Washington fishing report