Fishing Report – 7/4

Chinook & Coho – Ocean & Tillamook 

Chinook fishing along the coast continues to improve, especially for anglers willing to put in the time. Tillamook Bay is still producing Spring Chinook, while many are turning to the salt for their Salmon fix. Pro guide Brandon Glass reports consistent action since Zone 1 opened, targeting both Chinook and Coho. Trolling Spin-N-Fish has been the hot ticket. Expect the ocean bite to continue heating up day by day. 

Hot techniques: Trolling Spin-N-Fish 

Bottomfish – Ocean & Jetties 

Bottom fishing has been on fire—when the ocean allows! Ocean conditions are everything, but when it’s safe to cross the bar, Lingcod, Rockfish, and Halibut have been abundant. Pro Ted Teufel has been hauling in limits of Lingcod and Halibut nearly every day. 

Jetty fishing is also an awesome summer option—pack a cooler and hit the rocks. 

Hot techniques: Swimbaits, curly tail jigs, spinners, bait rigs 

Summer Steelhead & Sockeye – Lower Columbia 

Anglers are finding success on Summer Steelhead and Sockeye while anchor fishing nearshore. Small plugs like Maglips, Flatfish, or Kwikfish are doing the trick. Another top technique has been Spin-N-Glos paired with prawns or coon stripe shrimp. 

Hot techniques: Maglips, Flatfish, Kwikfish, Spin-N-Glos with prawns or shrimp 

Sturgeon – Astoria (Catch & Release) 

The Astoria catch-and-release Sturgeon fishery is absolutely lit right now. Pro Jim Nicol reports a wild day this past Sunday—over 45 fish landed, including 4 triple hookups and 8 doubles! 

Hot baits: Squid, herring, anchovies, sand shrimp 

Walleye – Columbia River Gorge 

Walleye are chomping in the Gorge! Pro Steve Leonard has been running scenic trips that end in full coolers. Bottom walkers and worm harness rigs have been putting fish in the boat. 

Hot techniques: Bottom walkers with worm harnesses 

Kokanee – Varying Elevations 

Kokanee fishing success depends heavily on lake elevation right now. Colder, higher-elevation lakes are still best fished by trolling. In warmer lakes, Kokanee are diving deeper, and vertical jigging is becoming more productive. 

Hot techniques: Trolling dodgers & spinners, vertical jigging for deep fish 

Trout – Stocked Lakes 

Trout stocking is still going strong across the state. This week, North Fork Reservoir, Faraday Lake, and Estacada Lake all received fresh loads of legal Trout. Larger lakes like Wallowa Lake got massive drops—11,000+ fish this week alone. 

Hot techniques: PowerBait, worms, spinners, Kastmasters, spoons