Fishing Report 10-08-2021
Trevor from our Oregon City store with a nice Coho Salmon caught earlier this week from a local river. Coho continue to arrive to local tributaries in good numbers and can be taken on a variety of techniques, including bait fished under a float or drifted, hardware like spoons and spinners, twitching jigs and even beads. Good luck!
Fishing Report - October 8th, 2021
Fall Chinook fishing has continued to improve in both Tillamook and Nehalem Bays, and with this next batch of rain it should continue to get even better. October is typically a very good month at the coast for both bays and rivers, with fish moving up into the rivers on heavy rains and new fish flooding into the bay. Trolling in the bay is fine with either triangle flashers and herring or spinners or with 360 flashers and spinners, Superbaits, Spinfish or Super Cutplugs. All of these choices are good and it’s smart to have multiple choices on board if the fish decide to change their mind. In the rivers, as soon as we get enough rain to really bring them up in height, you will find anglers using many different techniques to try and catch Chinook. Bobber fishing eggs and shrimp, backtrolling Kwikfish, backbouncing bait and even twitching jigs will all entice fresh Chinook into biting. Again, variety in your offerings can really make or break your day.
Coho fishing has still been going on in Astoria and sort of "under the radar". This time of year people start thinking about their coming deer hunt, clamming tides or Chinook in mid-coast bays. But on a year with a large Coho run, Astoria can be really good through the first few weeks of October, and the pressure is nearly non-existent. Fisherman’s Pro, Chris Nordling, can attest to this as he has been spending his time down there showing clients a great time catching larger B-Run Coho and tons of Crab with nobody around. His preferred technique has been to troll triangle shaped in-line flashers, like a Fish Flash, with a fresh anchovies behind it. The results have been impressive and Astoria Coho is a great option right now.
Crabbing has been really good from Astoria through Tillamook and Nehalem. The Crab are full and plentiful making for some delicious bounty. Make sure to properly mark your Crab Buoys as its obviously a legal requirement, but it also makes for a much easier day on the boat driver to properly identify your own pots out of the many in the popular crabbing locations.
Razor clamming has been good at Long Beach, and folks have definitely been enjoying the generous 20 Clam limit that was recently raised from 15 per person. Check the tides before you go and plan your trip accordingly.
Tributary Coho are being caught locally in the Sandy, Clackamas, Lewis and Kalama. These fisheries will stay good for several more weeks, and in Washington, several of the rivers get a good showing of later B-Run fish which gives anglers opportunities well into December. Casting spinners, spoons, plugs and twitching jigs are all killer options, as is fishing salmon eggs under a bobber or drift fishing them off of the bottom. All of these choices have been taking hatchery Coho lately so grab a couple of them and head down to the nearest river and give it a go.
Fall-time Trout fishing is going on and for the seasoned Northwest Trout fishermen, they know that fall can signal one of the best times of the year to catch big Trout. These fish know that mother nature’s time clock is ticking, and that means one thing: packing on the weight so that they can survive through the harsh winter months. Lots of local reservoirs also get stocked this time of year, and ODFW has a way of stocking more Trophy Trout now than nearly any other time of the year. Dorena Reservoir got stocked this week with over 5,000 trophy Trout, and Detroit Reservoir with over 3,700 trophy Trout. Those are just a few of the larger reservoirs that got hit with large numbers of trophy Trout, while smaller ponds like St. Louis Ponds and Canby Ponds also got a shot of trophy and legal Trout. All types of techniques work this time of year as fish are trying to eat all they can while the getting is good. Spinners along the shoreline early and late in the day can yield large Trout, as well as trolling small Maglips and Flatfish. Bait is always a consistent producer and gives anglers of all skill levels a shot at a really nice Fall-time Trout.
Catch and release Sturgeon fishing is a fishery that starts to get popular this time of year as its close to the major Portland areas and can be a fun half-day trip pulling on prehistoric creatures. Sand shrimp, squid, herring and anchovies are all really good baits to have on board.
Another fall-time outdoor activity that is getting ever more popular, and for good reason, is hiking along the many trails that the Northwest has to offer. Even though we are starting to get into more inclement weather, folks have learned to make sure they have the appropriate gear to have fun in the rain or sunshine. Around the state we have thousands of public trails that can range from 1 mile hikes in town along the west hills, to 15 mile long day hikes that involve quite a bit of elevation gain and loss. Whatever your experience level, there are trails for you.
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.
