Fishing Report 02-26-2021
Angler David Fitzwater fished yesterday with Fisherman’s Marine and Outdoor Pro Guide, Terry Mulkey, and caught this impressive broodstock Steelhead from an Oregon Coast river, which he promptly entered into our Winter Steelhead Derby. This has been a challenging Winter Steelhead season, to say the least, but David and Terry show that quality fish are available for dedicated anglers. Fish on! (Mulkey’s Guide Service: 503-803-1896.)
Fishing report 2-25
Winter Steelhead fishing has been full of challenging water and weather conditions lately. It has been tough to find stable water conditions with all of the rain and snow we have had. With that said, it always pays to have a good game plan before heading out on your next trip. If possible, being flexible and willing to change up rivers or at least change up locations on a river you are fishing can be a real game changer when it comes to finding fish. Focusing on bright-colored offerings and targeting the soft edges of the river can really pay dividends. Large Corkies, worms, rags, yarn balls and eggs are all great choices when trying to target fish when the river is up and has quite a bit of color.
Spring Chinook season has been set and we have the Columbia River open until the 4th of April. Boat and bank angling will be eligible from Buoy 10 all the way to Beacon Rock, and bank angling from Beacon Rock to Bonneville Dam. There will be a fishing closure around the mouth of the Cowlitz as well. Anglers have been finding some success in the lower Columbia plunking Spin-n-Glos and anchoring with Kwikfish. The Willamette is still really dirty and taking its sweet time to clear up. With that said, there still have been some Spring Chinook caught by folks that are plunking. As soon as the water clears, even a little bit, look for the catch rate to start increasing.
Crabbing is a fun activity that the whole family can enjoy. Most of the coastal bays along the Oregon Coast can provide great crabbing through the winter.
Bottom fishing is another great opportunity for anglers, obviously weather and water dependent. These delicious fish are typically aggressive biters and can be plentiful. Vertical jigs, curly tail grubs and shrimp flies are great options when choosing terminal tackle.
ODFW has started stocking lakes and will continue to do so throughout the spring and early summer. Freshly stocked Trout are typically quite aggressive and willing to bite an array of techniques. Bait is always a fan favorite, with nightcrawlers, Powerbait, salmon eggs and shrimp rounding out the most popular choices. Casting spinners from the bank is a fun way to search for your limit. Roostertails, Panther Martins and Blue Fox are just a few of the many spinners that will work for Trout. Casting them slightly parallel to the bank will get you in front of Trout that are cruising the shoreline looking for an easy meal. Out of a boat, anglers can troll Wedding Rings, Flatfish and Maglips to search for Trout. Often the larger, holdover trout get caught by anglers trolling these plugs.
Catch and release Sturgeon fishing has been fair on the Willamette. As we get more rain and the Columbia gets higher, look for more Sturgeon to pull into the lower Willamette. Squid, shrimp, herring and smelt have all been working well.
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.
