Fishing Report 03-10-2023
Fisherman’s Pro Staff Guides Eric Baird and KC Talaro teamed up to catch this awesome Spring Chinook from the lower Willamette River this morning. Springer fishing has recently improved to the point that we are receiving reports of fish caught almost daily. Good luck! (Play N Hooky Guide Service: 503-504-1822. KC’s Guided Fishing: 360-713-1507.)
Fishing Report:
The Winter Steelhead fishing has stayed fairly consistent this past week .We have had enough snow melt and rain to keep most rivers in fishable condition. Some folks are starting to chase Spring Chinook so you may see a slight decrease in fishing pressure on certain rivers. Fisherman’s Pro, Tim Juarez, has been staying close to home and bouncing around the Tillamook area rivers and finding success. Bobberdogging yarn and eggs is one of his main go-to’s, however, Tim has been finding success lately backtrolling plugs. Many techniques are productive this time of year as we will start to see water temps warming up. Hardware, plugs, bait, jigs, pink worms, beads and soft beads all will take fish with regularity. River levels are forecasted to get a bump next week, which will surely bring in some new fish and it will also help redistribute the fish that are already in the system.
Spring Chinook are here! We are starting to get reports almost daily of Chinook being caught throughout the Willamette and lower Columbia. Many folks find that sitting on anchor fishing a wrapped Kwikfish, Maglip or Killerfish in a likely travel lane is a really effective option. On the Willamette, folks have caught fish backtrolling divers in Oregon City with either a sand shrimp or small plug behind it, as well as bouncing prawns on the ledges around Milwaukie. But, the bulk of the fish have been caught trolling herring down in the Portland Harbor and Multnomah Channel. Trolling flashers and herring, Superbaits and Spinfish have all put Spring Chinook on the decks of multiple boats. It will only get better as the run continues to build.
Catch and release Sturgeon fishing is a constant option in the lower Willamette. The Portland Harbor and Multnomah Channel are great places to spend an afternoon chasing "dinosaurs". Squid, sand shrimp and smelt are great Sturgeon baits. Salmon fishermen who have brined up several dozen herring for a morning of Salmon fishing often will dedicate a few hours in the afternoon to using those same brined herring to catch Sturgeon.
Trout fishing is starting to become a real possibility for many anglers. ODFW has really ramped up their planting efforts. Many lakes and ponds are getting stocked weekly, with St. Louis Pond, Blue Lake, Dorena Reservoir and Sheridan Pond being lakes close to the Portland-metro area that got stocked this week. Lakes and reservoirs are still quite cold so fishing bait may very well be your best bet. Trolling is another great way to stir up some biters. Small Maglips, Flatfish and wedding rings tipped with a nightcrawler are some great baits to choose from.
Kokanee fishing has been good for anglers fishing Lake Merwin. The Kokanee are still high in the water column, making light tackle a real possibility. Many folks have found success just flat-lining a dodger and small spinner blade, Spin-N-Glo, Wiggle Hoochie or Brad’s Kokanee Cutplug. Tip your offering with a kernel of Shoepeg corn and you are in business. Kokanee tend to like sweet scents, so bring a long a few different options as you never know when you might need to “kick start” the bite again.
Razor Clamming was really good the few days it was open at Copalis and Mocrocks. There are more tentative digs scheduled for later this month, depending on toxin levels.
