On this Memorial Day, we honor the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country, those who continue to serve, and the families who bear their loss with strength and resilience. We are forever grateful.
Portland, Oregon Metro Fishing Report – Columbia River anglers were awarded another 3 weeks of opportunity due to mediocre catches and a run size upgrade. Another 30k spring Chinook adults are due back to the mainstem, providing a nice bump in numbers to the basin and anglers in general. Go HERE for the official ODF&W press release.
Catches have been fair, with the bulk of the run already upstream. Tens of thousands more adults are due back over the next 3 weeks, however. The St. Helens reach is best for trollers, the gorge for anchor anglers. Bank anglers on the Washington side at Hamilton Island are doing well too.
The Willamette is producing fair-at-best catches, mostly in the lower Multnomah Channel. The head of the channel and Kelly Point Park are coming on as well, it’s just that time of year.
It’s hardware season, with water temperatures exceeding 57°, it’s time to break out the spinners!
The upper Willamette at Oregon City is also producing fair catches in the afternoon and early evening hours.
Shad are in the Willamette in good numbers now. It’s best to target these invasive species on sunny days, but they’ll still bite on cloudy days, too.
Catch and release sturgeon fishing remains good in the Portland Harbor.
Clackamas River Fishing Report – It’s like a biological desert on the Clackamas River. Despite good water conditions, the river isn’t producing good catches at all. Last year, when there were fair numbers of summer steelhead around, an angler stood a better chance. This year, summer steelhead numbers are dramatically down, and most anglers have written off spring Chinook a long while ago.
The spring Chinook numbers (and catch) should be improving with the integration of wild broodstock into the Clackamas program. Jacks may show up this year, adults next. So far however, spring Chinook catches have been very sparse on the Clackamas.
About 100 spring Chinook have bypassed the fish counting facilities on the upper Clackamas, with about 36% of those being of hatchery origin. The winter run has eclipsed 2,000 wild adults, and only about 34 summer steelhead have been counted here. These aren’t uncommon numbers for this time of year, but adult counts should start increasing soon for springers and summer steelhead.
As for reports, with better options in the district, few are fishing here, and fewer are reporting their catch, which I am sure is light at best.
Sandy River fishing, avid angler Jeff Stoeger reports – Avid angler Jeff Stoeger reports, “I floated the lower river this past Friday and saw some nice fish taken on eggs under a float tipped with sand shrimp or herring. The river was a little off color, which made it ideal to use fresh bait and dark colored spinners to get the fish’s attention.
The major problem is that you will have to check your gear constantly for the algae is a problem. If you’re using plugs, make sure to use a golf tee bead in front of your leader to help keep your line clear of all the algae and grass. If you plan on wading the river, please use a walking stick and wear felt studded boots for the moss and algae is very slippery.
The steelhead are blasting quickly through the lower river, with most holding up in the Oxbow to Cedar Creek reach.
North & Central Coast Fishing Report – Spring Chinook in the Tillamook and Nestucca system is improving, but consistent catches are far from the norm. It’s been a tough start to the season, most would agree.
Tides are improving for upper bay trollers. By Memorial weekend, the upper bay should have catchable numbers of spring Chinook in Tillamook Bay. While trollers often work herring and spinners, back trollers or anchor boats will successfully fish plugs to find a few quality biters in that reach.
Coastal river systems are very low and clear, making successful summer steelheading challenging. Adult returns are low anyway, but anglers may be getting excited about the coastal trout opener, which started today (5/22). Streams are now open for cutthroat trout, and there should be some nice fish available for those in the know.
Clam tides are excellent through the weekend for both bay diggers and beach diggers (Razor clams). If the ocean swell forecast holds, it should be productive.
With halibut seekers nailing down their productive locations, catches are improving, with some deep water fishers scoring 2-fish limits of the flatfish. Newport remains a top port but Depoe Bay has been quite productive too.
Bottomfishing is good for sea bass, but has slowed for lingcod. Following the winter spawn, many of the larger fish have moved offshore.
Crabbing is challenging in the ocean and the estuaries.
Razor clam tides are starting to wane and won’t improve much until the 23rd of May.
SW Oregon Fishing Report – Contributor Jeff Rome reports:
First and foremost, thanks to all our men and women who have served and are serving in our nation’s military. And let us not forget those who are not with us that have served, sacrificed, and given their all to defend our country. 🫶 THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE! Enjoy a wonderful Memorial Weekend!
Trout season opened Thursday the 22nd and should provide additional fishing opportunity on the previously closed rivers. Keep in mind it will be a long weekend that weather wise, should be nice and should bring out recreational river floaters (especially on the mid and upper Rogue River) in mass.
The lower and upper Rogue is still providing a few late-season spring Chinook, and anglers are anxiously waiting for the summer steelhead to get going. Don’t count on fishing much around Grants Pass this weekend due to Boatnik activities.
The ocean is looking calm to get out for some halibut, lingcod, and bottom fish action that has been great this week. Also, the pinkfin perch are biting good up at Winchester Bay along with some hefty striped bass.
The lakes are all open, stocked, and ready for a long fishing weekend. Shad and stripers on the lower Ump and Coquille are getting more attention now.
Read this week’s SW Washington fishing report.