Fishing report 3-26
Winter Steelhead Fishing
Winter Steelhead fishing had been going strong, and just before the last big rain event, when many rivers blew out, anglers had been reporting good success. Rivers are now on the drop, and many should be very fishable by this weekend. We still have several more weeks of good Steelhead fishing ahead of us. With many rivers opting for broodstock hatchery programs, we have been seeing chrome-bright hatchery Steelhead clear through the end of April! These fish will take just about any well-presented bait. And with Spring Chinook starting to trickle in, you never know what species may be ripping down your plug rod or grabbing a drift-fished cluster of eggs.
Spring Chinook
Spring Chinook are definitely here! The Willamette has been dirty for quite a while now, which has forced more anglers to head for the Columbia, where fish are definitely being caught. The smelt are finally starting to wind down, meaning that your herring will have a lot less competition as it twists its way downstream. Fish are getting caught at I-5 and below. We only have until April 6th before the next run update, so realistically, we have just over a week to capitalize on some of the best-eating fish in the world! Anchor fishermen have been finding success sitting in "the hook" with Mag Lips, Flatfish, Kwikfish, and Brad’s Killerfish. Pro angler Jim Nicol has been finding fish trolling herring with large flashers, while others have had success using Spin-n-Fish, Cutplugs, and Superbaits behind large flashers. As the Willamette begins to clear, look for the Portland Harbor and Multnomah Channel to start producing first. As conditions improve further, anglers all the way up to Oregon City will start to find fish on eggs, prawns, and herring.
Sturgeon Fishing
Catch-and-release Sturgeon fishing on the Willamette is a fishery that often isn’t affected too much by torrential rain and dirty water, as Sturgeon rely more on their sense of smell than sight to find their next meal. Pro angler Steve Leonard has been working hard to get his clients into piles of Sturgeon lately. While it’s a catch-and-release fishery, you’ll undoubtedly go home with sore arms and a camera roll full of memories.
Bottom Fishing
Bottom fishing continues to produce for those who can find windows in the weather to cross the bar. Pros like Andy Martin have been bouncing back and forth between tributary Winter Steelhead fishing from a drift boat and chasing limits of bottomfish in the big ocean-going boat. Shrimp flies, Farallon Feathers, and Scampi tails have all been working well for Andy.
Walleye Fishing
Spring is an excellent time to start chasing Walleye in the upper Columbia. Once again, Steve Leonard is putting in the effort to get his clients on fish, no matter how far the drive or how late he has to stay up switching out his gear. He has recently been having success trolling bottom walkers and worm harness rigs.
Kokanee Fishing
Kokanee fishing at Lake Merwin has remained strong and continues to produce well for anglers. As the weather warms, higher mountain lakes will also start to produce Kokanee, but until then, Merwin is the place to be! Trolling dodgers has been the ticket, with Spin-n-Glos, spinner blades, bright-colored hoochies, and Kokanee Cutplugs all producing well.
Trout Stocking
ODFW and WDFW are ramping up their trout stocking efforts. A ton of lakes have been getting stocked, with some, like Henry Hagg Lake, Dexter Reservoir, and Foster Reservoir, receiving over 2,000 trout each! PowerBait, nightcrawlers, salmon eggs, and various Berkley Gulp products are all great bait options when dialing in exactly what to use for your next limit.