Fishing Report 02-04-2022
Robert from our Oregon City store recently fished on the coast with Mike Kelly’s Guide Service and caught this bright hatchery steelhead while drift-fishing a Cheater and yarn with Shrimp Smelly Jelly. (Mike Kelly’s Guide Service: 541-729-7446.)
Fishing Report 02-04-2022
Around the Northwest, most rivers are currently low and clear, making for some tough conditions. Under these conditions, Steelhead will slow down their migration upriver and will hunker down, slowly slipping from hole to hole when they feel comfortable. Knowing that many fish will spend their time in deeper, more secluded spots will help anglers determine where they should spend their time. Bobber and jigs, beads, baits or yarnies will all be good options when probing these deeper areas. Giving the fish a subtle option is the best bet in many cases. On the flip side of that, some anglers will opt to go the complete other direction and go with casting hardware or back trolling plugs. At times, these "in your face" baits will prompt a fight or flight response from reluctant Steelhead.
Spring Chinook are on the minds of many die-hard northwest anglers. With the nice weather we've had and the Willamette River dropping every passing day, it’s only a matter of time before some early hatchery Spring Chinook are caught. Typically, these early fish are caught by anglers trolling the Portland Harbor or Sellwood Bridge. They are usually trolling cutplug herring or prawn spinners behind in-line flashers suspended in the water column. And if you happen to be the person that lands the first hatchery Spring Chinook, be sure to bring it into one of our stores and claim the Spring Chinook Bounty prize we have waiting for that lucky angler.
Catch and release Sturgeon fishing has continued to produce for folks that are looking for a fun way to spend the day. If you have young kids or new anglers that you'd like to get on the water, Willamette River Sturgeon fishing is one of the best options there is. You will typically get away with fishing less lead and heavy Salmon rods, making the gear more user friendly. Sand Shrimp, Squid, Herring and Smelt are all good bait choices.
Kokanee fishing is still going well with many anglers finding great success at Lake Merwin . These delicious landlocked Salmon are still high in the water column making this a viable fishery for almost anyone with a boat. Bright-colored hoochies, small spinner blades, wedding rings and even small Spin-N-Glos all make for good Kokanee lures. Troll them behind a dodger and tip them with a kernel or two of Shoepeg corn and you are in business.
Clamming remains excellent for many folks as we are just finishing up the most recent dig at Long Beach. While we wait for another round of digs to open up in Washington, the beaches from Seaside north to Fort Stevens are still open for Razor clamming. Now, you may not find 10-minute limits like you do in Long Beach, but Fisherman’s Pro, David Johnson, was just in Gearhart and reported that many folks found limits of large Razor Clams.
Another salty option that doesn’t get enough publicity is Surf Perch. These pan-sized fish live in the surf, along jetties and even around piers inside many of the coastal bays that line the Oregon and Washington Coasts. Sand shrimp and Berkley Gulp Sandworms are the two top baits for most Surf Perch anglers.
Bottom fishing is gaining in popularity and for good reason. Many anglers have found out just how plentiful these delicious bottomfish can be. You have the opportunity of catching multiple different species including Lingcod, Cabezon, Black Seabass and many others. Vertical jigs, shrimp flies, swimbaits and curly tail grubs all will work extremely well.
Trout fishing is still going on in the larger lakes that give Trout the ability to winter over until the warmer spring-time waters come back. Fishing bait on or near the bottom is usually a great bet as these fish are just trying to lay low and conserve energy to get through the winter.
Always be sure to check local regulations at ODFW and WDFW before heading out. Find reports and two most widely used baits, information on the Fisherman's Community page.
