Fishing report 6-5

Spring Chinook fishing has continued to be good all across the northwest. The Willamette fishery has slowed down quite a bit but since the Columbia reopened, the Salmon fishing picked right back up. Pro, Josiah Darr, has been doing really well sitting on anchor with Coon Stripe Shrimp and Small spin-n-glo’s. When utilizing this technique you are right in line to catch Chinook, Sockeye and Summer Steelhead. So you truly never know what may be on the end of your line until you scoop the net under it. Anglers are also doing well anchor fishing kwikfish, Mag Lips, Flatfish and Killer fish. These Chinook are on a major mission to head to the upper Columbia, so finding a travel lane and drowning some plugs to get in front of them is always a great idea. In the lower Columbia, where tides play a major roll in water flow, many anglers are finding success trolling 360 flashers and small 3.5 size spinners, Superbaits, Spindawgs and the new Hottails. Typically they find their most success during incoming or slack tides. 

Summer Steelhead are being caught all over. In Southwest Washington the Cowlitz and North Fork Lewis have had fresh Summer Steelhead entering them daily. In the Willamette valley the sandy and Clackamas have had Summers being caught as well as rivers above the Willamette! Bobberdoggin fishing jigs, pink worms, coon stripe shrimp or eggs has been working well. Back trolling plugs and or divers and bait has been real productive as well. 

Catch and release Sturgeon fishing in the the lower Columbia is just starting to get good and will get better by the day as we head into the middle of June. Down in Astoria the Sturgeon fishery truly is world class. You will find giant 6’, 7’ and 8’ long Sturgeon in shallow water feeding on any number of things from shrimp to anchovies to fresh water clams. Be mindful of the tide as the tide swings move the fish around as well as cause boats to go high and dry as the tide pushes out. Squid, sand shrimp, herring and anchovies are all great bait choices. 

Tillamook Bay has seen quite a few Spring Chinook in it lately. Pro’s like, Tim Juarez and Ted Teufel, have been finding great success both in the bay and in the ocean. Trolling herring has been working well as has small 3.5 size spinners and Superbaits behind 360 flashers. The fish definitely are effected by the tide so coming up with a game plan early in the day as to when you should be at what part of the bay will help you be successful. 

Bottom fishing has been stellar for many fishermen. Pro, Ted Teufel, has been chasing them on the North coast while Pro, Andy Martin, has been attacking the South coast. And they are both doing really well! Nice Ling Cody continue to be in the mix and then ocean Salmon fishing has been pretty decent as well. 

Kokanee fishing remains a great option up at Lake Merwin. Lakes like Odell and Crescent have just started to get good with our business manager, Paul Coppinger, giving us a super fresh report saying that the Kokanee fishing was awesome last week. They caught boats loads of Kokanee as well as some really nice Mackinaw Trout. 

Trout fishing is rockin and rollin, all around the state. Trout are getting stocked daily and some lakes are getting stocked with thousands of legal Trout! This past week Timothy Lake, Harriet Lake, North Fork Reservoir and Detroit Reservoir all received over 2,000 legal Trout each! Trolling Mag Lips, Flatfish fish, flies or wedding rings tipped with a worm can be absolutely devastating. These fish are typically really aggressive so a wiggling plug or a flashy spinner being trolled past them is hard for them to resist! 

Smallmouth bass fishing has been great and should continue to be great for several more weeks. These fish have definitely moved up shallow to spawn so you will find them near rocky outcroppings, downed trees and shallow water coves. Spinner baits, lipless or shallow diving crankbaits, senko worms, tube baits, jigs and even topwater baits will all entice a bite from these hard fighting fish. 

Shad fishing is going on both the Willamette and Columbia. These are starting to push over Bonneville and the numbers should start climbing, rapidly, any day now. Small

Bright colored jig heads, baby Simon’s, Dick Nite spoons, curly tail grubs and even beads will all work as great baits.