Fishing Report – August 26

Astoria Salmon Fishing

Fishing in Astoria is still white hot. It has become a very good mix of coho and Chinook, and soon the fishing upriver will become amazing as well.

In Astoria, most anglers have been switching over to trolling with 360 flashers and small size 3.5 spinners or using one of the wide variety of hard-spinning baits available now. These fish have been flying into the river on every strong tide and show no signs of stopping.

Bottom Fishing

Bottom fishing remains one of the best opportunities around. Anglers are often finding quick limits of fish, including limits of lingcod, while still having plenty of time to troll for salmon afterward.

Vertical jigs, large swimbaits, large curly-tail grubs, shrimp flies, and Farallon Feathers have all been putting fish in the boat.

Tuna Fishing

Tuna fishing has been pretty good, with anglers finding fish all along the coast. Trolling still seems to be one of the best ways to locate the fish. Once you find them, live bait and vertical jigs have been filling the fish box.

However, you should always bring swimbaits and X-Rap plugs. Sometimes these can make the difference between returning to the dock with a full fish box or a partially full one.

September Coho Fishing in Astoria

As the Chinook begin pushing upriver and anglers start following them, don’t overlook the coho fishing in Astoria. During the first few weeks of September, it can be absolutely lights out.

Once the Chinook fishery closes, there may be almost no angling competition, with tens of thousands of coho chasing your bait. Anglers often report spending more time traveling from the dock than it takes to catch their boat limit of coho.

Fishing Near the Mouth of the Cowlitz

As we move upriver, the next large gathering of anglers is at the mouth of the Cowlitz River. For many years, most anglers have anchored and fished wobblers during the strong outgoing tides.

Although many anglers still fish wobblers, there has been a significant increase in anglers trolling with 360 flashers during incoming and slack tides. These fish do not simply disappear. Anglers have learned that they can catch them as the fish rise from the bottom when the tide begins to change.

Fish will be caught using Spin-N-Fish, cut plugs, Super Baits, stuffed baits, and a wide variety of brands and styles of size 3.5 spinners.

You will also see anglers trolling spinner blades along their leaders, Spin-N-Glos, and prawn spinners. Fish can be caught on almost anything that spins behind a 360 flasher.

Lower Columbia River Tributaries

As the lower Columbia River tributaries begin filling with coho, make sure your twitching jigs and spinners are ready.

When the first A-run coho begin entering the rivers, they are typically aggressive and will attack jigs and spinners with reckless abandon. However, once these fish have been in the river for a while—and before any significant rain arrives—they tend to develop lockjaw.

You can still find biting fish in fast-moving water when using eggs or plugs.

Columbia Gorge Walleye Fishing

Walleye fishing in the Columbia Gorge takes a back seat to salmon fishing during this time of year. However, anglers in the know understand that this can be some of the best walleye fishing of the entire year.

Trolling bottom walkers with worm-harness rigs continues to be the most productive technique.

Oregon Trout Stocking Update

ODFW continues its efforts to stock legal-size rainbow trout throughout the state. Stocking tends to slow down during the heat of summer, but this past week, several thousand trout were stocked in both Trillium Lake and Harriet Lake. Both lakes are relatively close to the Portland metropolitan area.

Look for the best fishing during the early morning and late evening, when air temperatures are cooler and the lakes get some relief from the heat.

Fishing bait on the bottom is always a reliable option. Casting spinners or Kastmasters can also be productive.

Once we experience a stretch of cooler weather and the lakes begin to cool, fishing can become extremely good as trout start packing on calories for the long winter ahead.