Fishing Report 02-03-2023
The weather has gotten cold! This means chilly river temps and ultra-clear water conditions. Now, the Steelhead are still in the river and new ones are still coming in as well. Clear water means is a change in presentation, a change in how you fish a certain spot, and even a change in jig color, spinner color or plug pattern. Often the more subdued colors work very well in clear water. The fish will tend to be a bit more skittish and Leary of boat pressure or lots of angling pressure. So bringing multiple bait options can make or break a trip. Another overlooked technique is to float fish bait. A well-presented natural bait is hard for a Steelhead to pass up. Fisherman’s Pro, Chris Vertopoulos, has been finding his success Bobberdoggin BNR Tackle Softbeads, while Fisherman’s Pro, Ted Teufel, has been catching his fish on eggs. As you can see having different bait options can be key.
Catch and release Sturgeon fishing on the Willamette is still a very viable option. These prehistoric dinosaurs will still be in the deepest sections of the river. They love to spend their time in the deepest sections of the river where the bait will get filtered down. Squid, herring, sand shrimp and strips of Shad will all make great baits.
Spring Chinook are incoming! There have been rumors of fish being caught in the lower Columbia and Multnomah Channel, but we have yet to have a confirmed hatchery Springer brought into any of our stores. These early fish are typically caught by folks trolling cutplug herring or prawn spinners in the Portland Harbor or Multnomah Channel. With trolling you are able to cover lots of water and get your bait into traveling fish.
Bottom fishing is often a great option as well. This bitterly cold weather can make for some cold driving conditions, but when there are no bar restrictions, the fishing can be great. Vertical jigs, large curly tail grubs and shrimp flies will all work well.
Reports are that this cold weather has slowed the Kokanee bite a little bit but anglers are still finding success. Again, high in the water column is the name of the game in the winter months. More often than not you just have to find one of the massive schools of Kokanee and you will be in the fish for quite a long time. Some folks have reported using 1 oz sinkers to get a little lower in the water column while others are flat lining dodgers and their favorite Kokanee lure just below the surface. Bring along some Shoepeg corn and a few of your favorite scents and you should be in business!
Crabbing remains an option. It is really helpful when you bring along a large propane heater and a helpful crew so you can spend a full morning pulling and baiting pots to find your limit, while staying relatively warm.
WDFW just released a few more days of Razor Clamming at Copalis beach in Northern Washington. They are closely monitoring toxin levels at all other beaches and will open them as soon as levels are at an acceptable level.
