Fishing Report 07-14-2023

Fishing Report 07-14-2023

The Steelhead Kid reports that Coho fishing is picking up off the Oregon Coast, as shown by this chunky specimen he caught earlier in the week out of Newport. Judd says the Coho fishing was good offshore in 250-260 feet of water trolling divers and Pro Troll Flashers with SpinFish. He recommended to fish anywhere from 18-40 feet on the line counter as the fish were constantly on the move. Thanks, Judd!

Fishing Report: 

The Columbia is kicking out some quality Summer Steelhead for anglers looking to hook some nice fish. Coon stripe shrimp, prawns, sand shrimp, small spinners, FlatFish, Mag Lips, and Wee Wigglers are all killer bait choices. Fishing areas that have structure that the fish have to skirt around is a great way to get in the zone of some Summer Steelhead.

Catch and release Sturgeon fishing down in the Columbia River Estuary has been starting to really heat up. We have had several Pro Staff in the area finding great success. Fisherman's Pro, Jim Nicol, has been doing well fishing in water depths ranging from 6-18’.Many baits have been working with sand shrimp, herring, and anchovies being the top producers recently.

Ocean Coho fishing is improving with folks finding some solid catches as of late. Fisherman’s Pro, Ted Teufel, has been keeping his clients busy catching Coho while using Yakima Bait Spinfish stuffed with anchovy. All types of bait will work, but the artificial spinning baits have become some of the most widely used types. Yakima Bait SpinFish, Simon Spindawgs, Brad’s Cutplugs, and Superbaits have all accounted for many Coho take downs in the past few years.

Bottom fishing remains stellar all along the Oregon Coast. Fisherman’s Pro, Andy Martin, has been finding great success on Lingcod as well as many other species of bottom fish. Vertical jigs, swimbaits, large curly tail grubs, and shrimp flies have been some of the top producing baits.

Buoy 10 is right around the corner and this iconic fishery is known all around the U.S. for its fast-paced fishing and quality fish. Trolling is the name of the game with divers or lead being the two predominant ways to get your bait in the zone. Herring, anchovies, spinners, Spinfish, Spindawgs, Cutplugs and Superbaits are all effective baits to use. Be sure to get your leaders pre tied, baits ordered early, and gear in tip-top shape as the bites can come on fast and you need to have your whole system working like a well-oiled machine.

Kokanee fishing is going in many lakes across the Northwest. Close to Portland, Lake Merwin, Swift and Yale Reservoirs have been putting out plenty of fish. These fish have definitely started holding deep in the water column, so a downrigger is definitely beneficial. Dodgers and bright-colored hoochies have been working, as well as small spinner blades and Spin-N-Glo’s. Try different depths at the beginning of the day until you determine where they are running at on that specific day.

Trout fishing is still a solid option as many lakes in the central and southwestern part of the state have seen some nice plants of Trout. Locally, North Fork Reservoir received a plant of over 2,300 legal Trout just this week! Trolling is a great way to catch these fish .A wedding ring tipped with a nightcrawler, or small Mag Lip can be exactly what the doctor ordered when trying to entice these super fun fish. Bank fishermen will do well fishing bait off the bottom, especially as the sun starts to beat down on the lake. Bobber and bait or a bubble and fly can work very well, especially in the early morning or late evening.