Portland, Oregon Metro Fishing Report – With summer time air and water temperatures in the Portland area, our fish are responding predictably under these conditions. The bite both on the Willamette and Columbia Rivers has tapered off, with little chance of explosive catches in the coming week. That said, there’s still plenty of opportunity for anglers this week. Fortunately, temperatures will moderate over the weekend and into next week.
The lower Multnomah Channel, the Head of the Channel near Fred’s Marina and the mainstem Willamette at Kelly Point Park are the go-to for anglers still motivated to fish under these more challenging conditions. Early mornings will be best, but Oregon City anglers will see some opportunities in the late afternoon and early evening as fish back off passing over Willamette Falls.
The shad are in THICK at Oregon City, sunny days ahead will bolster catches. You’ll want to anchor in the swift water or you can even consider trolling for them if you want to buck the crowd.
Fatal Flash size 3.5 spinners – Green is Good
The secret is out, size 3.0 Fatal Flash spinners are fish catching machines! Green is an all-around consistent color for spring and fall Chinook. Solid colors for early mornings and overcast days, metallic colors when the sun is out.
Columbia River fishers are still in the game, but catches have tapered here as well. The Bonneville reach remains the best option, but Washington plunkers are still heading the pack with fair success rates of a keeper for every 10 rods.
There are a few boats targeting oversized sturgeon below the gorge deadline using shad, and they are doing well.
Shad action at Bonneville is also starting to turn on.
Wondering about summer and fall fisheries on the Columbia? Click over to our posted information, courtesy of ODF&W and WDF&W HERE.
Clackamas River Fishing Report – It hasn’t been a robust month for fish counts on the Clackamas River. That’s indicative of how the sportfishery has gone on this system.
Only 50 summer steelhead have been recycled at the North Fork facility, while just 129 wilds and 74 hatchery fish have been tallied. That number would have been much different 20 years ago.
Reports are sparse for this fishery, as we mentioned last week, with other, better options on the table, sport anglers are not having any of it for low returns and poor prospects here.
With the depressed return of summer steelhead, which is technically your best chance at hatchery fish success, it’s been a tough start for the few anglers working the Clackamas River.
Sandy River fishing, avid angler Jeff Stoeger reports – Avid angler Jeff Stoeger reports, Good afternoon all. I hope that you all had a chance to get out and try your luck. The river has produced some nice catches over the last couple of weeks. Rob caught a nice springer on diver and fresh sandshrimp in the lower river. The lower river still has lots of algae, so if you are running plugs or divers, you will want to check them regularly.
There have also been a couple of nice summer steelhead caught in both the lower and upper river. One angler reported catching two summer steelhead on 3.5 Maglips in the lower river. The upper river near Cedar Creek is still producing summer steelhead on beads and spinners during the early morning hours. The river is slowly dropping as the temperature begins to climb. The current river level is 8.8 ft and shows a slow downward trend. Last Friday, a float trip from Oxbow to Dabney saw only four boats on the water, and a few others floated from Dabney to Lewis and Clark.
North & Central Coast Fishing Report – Spring Chinook fishing in the Tillamook area continues to be challenging for most. Anglers took advantage of an extreme tide series by fishing the upper reaches of Tillamook Bay only finding occasional success for trollers on the second-half of outgoing tide.
The ocean adjacent to Tillamook Bay also offers up some spring Chinook opportunity when weather allows but it’s clear the bulk of the run has yet to come in. In recent years, the better fishing on Tillamook Bay has been taking place in late June and early July; that will likely be the scenario this year.
District rivers remain very low and clear. This is making freshwater fishing for spring Chinook, summer steelhead and cutthroat trout is very challenging. With no new precipitation in sight, it will only get more challenging.
Anglers are once again focused on saltwater opportunity with halibut and bottom fishing still producing well out of most ports. Halibut fishing remains best out of Newport and Depoe Bay however.
Ocean crabbing is improving and should stay that way for the next month. Some crab have already entered the molt, but July will be a big month for poor conditioned crab.
Tides are excellent for razor clam digging as well as estuary clamming along the coast. We’ve already hit the peak minus tide but weekend digging should still remain fair.
Upper Willamette Fishing Report by Terry Otto
Springers picking up, steelhead slow in the rivers. Detroit Lake hot for nice sized trout. Kokanee slowing.
Best bets for weekend action include both forks of the Santiam, the upper Willamette systems, and McKenzie River for salmon and steelhead. Detroit Lake has been stocked with 15-inch trout, and they are taking anything that moves.
12,900 plus spring Chinook have crossed over the Willamette Falls as of today. 2,400 steelhead have also crossed the falls.
Recently Stocked:
Alton Baker Canal, Blue River, Fall Creek- Willamette River, Foster Res, Leaburg Lake, McKenzie River-1 and 2 above and below Leaburg Dam, Quartzville Creek, Lake, Blue River Res, Detroit Res, Green Peter Res.
Stocked May 19-23:
McKenzie River 1 (Below Leaburg Dam), Timber Linn Lake, Willamette River- Coast Fork, Detroit Res, Foster Res, Quartzville Creek, Santiam River- North Fork-2, Alton Baker Canal, Blue River, Fall Creek- Willamette River, Leaburg Lake.
The Willamette River Falls fish counts can be found here.
Santiam Rivers
River levels are best for fishing are at or below 3,000 cfs, and the river is currently running around 2,500 cfs at the gage at Mahama. Both the summer steelhead and spring Chinook runs are in full swing. Some of these fish have already arrived in the North Santiam basin, with more arriving every day.
You can check the Mahama Gauge here.
Matt Halseth of Matt Halseth Guide Service reports that spring Chinook are moving into the Santiam River and are moving up into the upper reaches. “Fishing is pretty decent, for the numbers we have,” reported Halseth. “There are fish (springers) in the N Santiam, and in the S Santiam. It’s mostly springers with a few summer steelhead. There are about 2 steelhead caught for every 10 springers.”
The upper North Fork was planted with trout the week of May 23. Warm weather should push some hatches, and small spinners will also work.
There are several large, downed trees in the North Santiam River, creating some dangerous hazards for boaters in the lower river. For more information, check out the Oregon State Marine Board website.
In the South Santiam, fish can be found throughout the river, including at Lebanon, Waterloo and below the deadline at Wiley Creek Park.
McKenzie River below Leaburg Lake (R1):
The river was stocked the week of May 19th, with 5,000 hatchery rainbow trout. Twenty summer steelhead have already passed Leaburg Dam, and the first spring Chinook passed on April 25th.
All non-adipose fin-clipped trout must be released unharmed. Check the 2024 Sport Fishing Regulations for bait restrictions in the segment you plan to fish.
The lower McKenzie River is open to retention of adipose fin-clipped salmon and steelhead and non-adipose fin-clipped steelhead greater than 24 inches long. A Columbia River Basin Endorsement is required for anglers targeting salmon and steelhead in the McKenzie.
Fern Ridge Reservoir
The reservoir is completely filled and should be in good shape for most of the summer. Orchard Park boat ramp opened April 1, while the boat ramps at Richardson Park and Perkins Peninsula opened on May 13. Information regarding the lake and available boat ramps, contact the Lane County Parks Department at 541-682-2000.
Bass and crappie fishing is getting going strong. Look for crappie along the weedy edges on the south side of the reservoir. The south shore around Perkins Peninsula as well as along the face of the dam are good spots.
Blue River
The river will be stocked the week of May 19th, with 600 hatchery rainbow trout. Blue River is located east of Eugene near the town of Blue River, north of Hwy. 126 and is open to year-round fishing.
Blue River Reservoir
The river was stocked the week of May 5th, with 1,200 hatchery rainbow trout.
The USFS has hired a concessionaire company to maintain the boat ramps and parking areas and they are charging $9 to park at the Saddle Dam or Lookout Campground/boat launch parking area. For details people can call the USFS McKenzie Ranger District 541-822-3381.
Read this week’s SW Washington fishing report.