Fishing Report 02-19-2021
Angler Mark Patterson fished yesterday with Fisherman’s Pro Guide, Ted Teufel, and caught this nice broodstock Winter Steelhead from an Oregon coastal river. As you can see from the photo, the river was in prime “Steelhead green” condition. (Pro Fish Guide, Ted Teufel: 503-803-2616.)
Fishing report 2-19
This past week, harsh winter weather had its grip on much of the Northwest, making fishing difficult or impossible for most. Some anglers along the coast that were not as affected by the weather found success utilizing a number of different techniques. Boat anglers were able to cover lots of water while bobberdoggin or sidedrifting eggs, beads, yarn or corkies. Bank anglers did well fishing traditional bobber and jig or pink worms as well as drift fishing eggs, shrimp, yarn and beads. As all this snow continues to melt, look for rivers to stay fishable and have good color.
Spring Chinook are becoming a greater possibility as we edge closer to March. As the Willamette starts to clear and the turbidity continues to improve, look for more reports of Spring Chinook success to surface. Trolling Herring or Prawn Spinners is typically the most popular technique this time of year for boat anglers. Bank anglers will find success plunking Spin-n-Glos with either prawns or sand shrimp attached.
Catch and release Sturgeon fishing has been pretty good throughout the Willamette. Anglers have found success from the Milwaukie area all the way down through the Portland Harbor. These prehistoric fish have no problem finding your bait in the dirty Willamette water with herring, sand shrimp, squid and smelt all being good bait choices.
Trout fishing will also continue to improve as we move towards March and warmer weather starts to become more common. These fish are currently in cold weather mode, so, still fishing bait under a bobber or fished off of the bottom is a good option. Casting spinners or Kastmasters is also a great choice to “wake up” some lethargic biters.
Kokanee fishing is always a great choice up at Merwin lake. These delicious and plentiful fish are typically great biters, and when you fish the large schools of kokanee that circulate around Merwin, you are in for some fast-paced fishing. Fishing near the surface is pretty typical this time of year, with many anglers fishing only a dodger and their bait of choice.
Walleye fishing in the Columbia River Gorge is one fishery that anglers can take advantage of during these cold winter months. Trolling along the long flats that make up sections of the middle Columbia can yield great results for these prized fish. Trolling a bottom walker with worm harness is one of the best options for anglers.
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.
