Fishing Report 10-07-2022
What a fish! Mike Kostel of Spokane, Washington, recently caught and released this magnificent Deschutes River summer steelhead while fishing with Fisherman's Pro Guide, Pete Field.
Fishing Report:
Fall Chinook fishing has been going well on the Columbia and there seems to still be quite a few fish making their way upriver. But fisheries managers have decided to close the Columbia to Chinook fishing which is a tough pill to swallow for the mainstem Columbia. However, that also means that the tributaries of the Columbia are going to see a bigger push of fish that haven’t been fished on. This can be a perfect storm for big number days on the lower stretches of tributaries. Bobber fishing eggs, back-bouncing eggs, backtrolling plugs and casting twitching jigs are all great options when probing these rivers for fresh Chinook.
On the Coast the tributaries that are open for Fall Chinook this year are still slow as we are waiting on some rain to give the rivers a good bump in height. Once that happens, look for the fishing to be really good. Backtrolling plugs is always a great way to search for fresh fish moving upriver. Back-bouncing eggs is another killer way to “feel” the bite.
The non-select Coho fisheries that have been going on in several coastal bays has been great. Yes, it’s only a few days a week that you can keep these fish, but the fish have been huge so far this year! Fisherman’s Pro, David Johnson, found a set of over 17lb Coho on his last outing! Trolling has been the name of the game with 360 flashers and spinners doing just as well as triangle flashers with herring.
The Crabbing has continued to be phenomenal along the coast. Many crabbers have found success in Nehalem and Tillamook bays these past few weeks.
Razor Clamming in Long Beach was really good for the three days that it was open. WDFW has set an additional 7 days of Razor Clamming starting on Saturday evening, October 8th.
Tributary Coho fishermen have been doing well, considering the lack of precipitation has kept rivers unseasonably low. Twitching jigs, spinners, spoons, jigs, beads and eggs have all been producing. Be ready, once we get some rain and rivers jump up a little bit, the fish should flood in. All of the above techniques will be good options when determining how to rig up your rods.
Bottom fishing is another fishery that has been consistently good. These spiny and delicious fish are typically plentiful, and you may not know what you have hooked until you bring it on board. Vertical jigs, swimbaits and shrimp flies have all been working for folks.
Trout fishing has continued to be quite good with the cool evenings and warm days. The Trout are capitalizing on this situation and feeding as much as they can. Casting spinners or Kastmasters is always a great option as you will be targeting the most active fish. Fishing bait on the bottom or under a float is also always a go-to option. Many lakes and reservoirs are on the list to get stocked in the coming weeks including Trillium Lake, which is set to receive over 3,000 legal Trout!
