Portland Oregon metro fishing report – With Meldrum Bar winter steelhead the only game on the metro bigs, anglers are spending more time plunking just downstream of the mouth of the Clackamas River, in hopes of intercepting a Clackamas bound hatchery fish, which should be returning in fair numbers through February. Action has been steady but dropping flows scatters the fish a bit more, compromising good catch rates.
Sturgeon are available as well in the Willamette system, but with no consumptive opportunities available for them, anglers are opting for other fisheries.
Fishery managers provided a fall Chinook “Outlook” for 2025 returns, expected to be as good if not better than 2024 returns. Those seasons are crafted in March, officially adopted in April by a federal body.
Clackamas River Fishing Report – The Clackamas is finally landing in a consistently fishable range, right at the start of peak season. February is a consistent month for Clackamas River winter steelhead catches and anglers are happy with what they’re seeing right now.
Mike Roberson of Fisherman’s Marine in Oregon City had this to report from this morning (1/6). Mike states, “It’s time to hit the Clackamas, conditions are perfect and fish are spread out from Dog Creek to the mouth of the river. We had a few guides pulling plugs around the Coffee Hole and were able to take a few fish home. We weighed in a 16.8 pound gutted fish that came from the Clackamas. We’re currently running our derby so be sure to bring in your fish for us to weigh and enter the into the contest.” Mike continued, “I fished before work this morning and was able to find this beautiful wild buck. The fish hit a 1/8 oz. Nightmare Jig.”
Other reports from the area are indicating that the run is indeed underway. Although fishing isn’t explosive, those putting in a fair effort in all of their favorite haunts are coming up fairly successful with some quality fish in the mix. As flows settle in, the Barton to Carver stretch will become a standard reach to target slowing fish in, but fresh fish will be entering daily from the dropping Willamette as well, as a steady stream of both wild and broodstock fish should be entering the Clackamas for the next several weeks. It’s alwasy best to be on the frontside of the peak (right now) than the back side, there’s some good weeks of steelheading ahead for Clackamas River anglers, especially with favorable water conditions in the forecast.
Sandy River Fishing Report from Jeff Stoeger – I hope that you have a chance to get out this week. The forecast has the weather setup as ideal with light winds through the weekend before picking up next week. There is no rain forecasted for the next week with cold temps in the mornings and slowly warming up.
The river is on a slow fall with the river dropping into the upper 8 ft range by next weekend. There have been good days over this last week with most fish being caught on beads.
The hatchery has recycled 26 bright fish last Thursday at Lewis and Clark boat ramp with a hole punch to the cheek. When walking the banks or floating the river please be respectful to other bank anglers, rafters and drift-boaters.
Most of the fish so far have been cookie-cutter broodstock fish around 11lbs and 31 to 33 inches long. The latest report is that the Stark Street Bridge is forecasted to open one lane in mid-February depending upon the weather.
North & Central Coast Fishing Report – Overall, it’s been a slow week for steelheaders on most north and central coast systems. It’s a shoulder kinda season right now, with early season steelhead starting to fade on the smaller systems, while the coasts larger systems such as the Trask, Wilson and Nestucca have yet to see good numbers of later returning wild and broodstock fish.
The mainstem Nehalem is in rare form, at an ideal height following the copious amounts of rainfall we’ve witnessed for much of the season. There are fish being caught here.
Until the coast range sees more precipitation, action will be hit or miss, mostly in the lower reaches of these rivers for winter steelhead. February will be more consistent, but pulses of fresh fish can enter at any time, without reason.
Seas are forecasted to calm down, but maybe still too volatile for a safe bar crossing. Bottomfishing should be good if the oppportunity presents itself, but commercial crabbing is no open coast wide so quality keepers will be harder to come by, both in the ocean and along the estuaries.
SW Oregon Fishing Report – Contributor Jeff Rome reports:
As I write this report, the popular coastal steelhead rivers such as the Chetco, Elk, and Sixes are now on the low and clear side of good fishing conditions until the next rain. The Rogue River system (lower, middle, and upper sections) is my best bet for some winter chrome as the river continues to drop from high fishing conditions into optimum fishing conditions for the weekend.
The Ump’s (main, north, and south forks) are my second choice as they too will be fishing well for the weekend. If steelheading is too much work, then the ocean will also be a good choice to get out for some excellent rockfish, ling cod and crabbage action.
The Rogue River’s best bets would be on the mid-section of the river from Gold Hill down to Galice. The river color is good, and the flow is dropping. Boaters covering lots of water and bank plunkers at the popular gravel bars will have a good weekend for fresh winter steelhead. Also, the Applegate is in good shape and would be another option for hatchery fish. The lower is fishing well and is improving too. Boaters working plugs and bank anglers plunking and side drifting are catching fish.
Oceangoers should be able to get out for some good winter bottom fishing and ling cod action this weekend. Crabbing has improved greatly in the ocean and bays.
The Umpqua systems are also a good weekend option. The north Ump has been producing some nice fish recently as well as the main. The south fork should hold fish and is in good shape for the weekend as well.
Be safe, be nice and enjoy!
Tight Lines 🎣 – Romer
Read this week’s SW Washington fishing report.