Fishing Report 9-19

Columbia River 

The Columbia is reopening for a few days! Starting September 18th through Sunday, September 21st, Salmon and Steelhead fishing will start back up throughout the whole Columbia. From the Hood River Bridge down, you can keep hatchery Steelhead, hatchery Coho, and Chinook. Above the Hood River Bridge, you can keep hatchery Steelhead, any Coho, or any Chinook. 

The fishing should be excellent, and the weather looks to be killer as well! Trolling during the incoming and slack tides is sure to be productive. On the outgoing tide, expect to see many anglers anchor up and drop back heavy lead with Wobblers. Up near Bonneville Dam, more folks will be anchoring with Kwikfish, Killerfish, Mag Lips, Flatfish, and other plugs. Bring along a few different scent options and you’re in the game! 

Techniques/Baits: Trolling bait & spinners, Wobblers, Kwikfish, Killerfish, Mag Lips, Flatfish, scents.  

Oregon & Washington Rivers 

Coho are starting to show up, and there are plenty more still to come! These early fish are being caught using a variety of techniques—twitching jigs, eggs, spinners, and plugs. Flexibility is key, as Coho often change their preference day-to-day. 

Techniques/Baits: Twitching jigs, eggs, spinners, plugs. 

Tillamook & Nehalem Bays 

Chinook and Coho have started to push into the bays. Pro David Johnson has been finding Chinook daily trolling 360 flashers and spinners or Yakima Bait Spin-N-Fish. Coho are arriving in good numbers as well, and Pro Chris Vertopoulos has been putting clients on both Coho and Chinook on nearly every trip. 

Techniques/Baits: 360 flashers, spinners, Yakima Spin-N-Fish.  

Bottom Fishing 

Pro Andy Martin has been mixing things up between Salmon and bottom fish, and for good reason—the bottom fishing has been fantastic. Boat limits have been common using shrimp flies, twin-tail scampis, and Farallon feathers. 

Techniques/Baits: Shrimp flies, twin-tail scampis, Farallon feathers.  

Albacore Tuna 

Tuna fishing continues to be solid when boats can make it offshore. Trolling has been great for locating schools, then live bait, vertical jigs, and swim baits have produced fast action once fish are found. As long as the warm weather sticks around, Tuna fishing should remain very good. 

Techniques/Baits: Trolling, live bait, vertical jigs, swim baits.  

Trout 

With cooling water temperatures, Trout fishing is about to turn on in a big way. Trout are preparing for winter and will aggressively feed to bulk up. Casting spinners, trolling flatfish or Mag Lips, and fishing bait are all productive methods. PowerBait and Power Eggs remain go-to bait options. 

Techniques/Baits: Spinners, flatfish, Mag Lips, PowerBait, Power Eggs.