OUTDOOR REPORT 04/19/2019
Trevor from our Oregon City store with a nice brown trout that he caught and released on a recent trip to the Owyhee River. Trout fishing is picking up on open waters throughout the region. Visit one of our stores to check out our extensive selection of trout gear, and remember to always check the regulations for the water you intend to fish. Good luck Columbia River Spring Chinook is opening for a second weekend after the initial closure on the 10th of April. It will now be open on Saturday, April 20th and Sunday, April 21st with the same regulations and deadlines as before. The Columbia has dropped significantly after its abrupt jump last week. The river is still high but fishable. The water will stay colored up for quite awhile, but that just means that a lot of the fish will find the path of least resistance. Sometimes the best fishing of the year happens in high water because the fish tend to congregate at choke points in the river were the fish are forced to go a certain direction. The fleet of sport fishermen will be split up between anchor fishing plugs and trolling Herring. Plugs like, 4.0-5.0 Maglips and Brads Killerfish are all great choices when running plugs. For the folks wanting to troll, your favorite Triangle Flasher and either red, green or blue label Herring will be the standard setup. Trolling downstream is the most popular choice, however, if you find some slow water you can troll upriver and give fish more time to find your baits in the colored-up water. Steelhead fishermen are starting to switch from targeting Winter Steelhead to targeting Summer Steelhead. For bank fishermen, casting spinners or spoons, fishing floats and jigs and also drift fishing bait are some of the most productive choices for targeting Summer Steelhead. For the boat fishermen, back trolling plugs can be a superb way to catch these acrobatic fish. Sidedrifting/Bobberdoggin eggs and beads are also a great choice, especially when covering a lot of water. Some Summer Steelhead are currently available in the Sandy and Clackamas Rivers. Trout fishing has been great around the local area with lots of anglers reporting eager, biting Trout. With all this rain we have been having, the Trout have enjoyed the lakes staying on the cool side. With waters staying cool the Trout have continued to feed and will stay active. Casting spinners, Kastmasters and spoons are all great options when searching shorelines while chasing moving Trout. When you find where the trout are hiding, fishing worms, Powerbait and small Salmon eggs all work well either under a bobber or plunked off the bottom. Bottom fishing remains good with this time of year being the best time to target large Lingcod close to shore. Large vertical jigs and curly tail grubs are two of the most popular choices when chasing these delicious fish. Rock fish are always in the mix and not only provide great sport but are amazing table fare. Surfperch fishing has also been good with fishermen reporting quality fish being caught from Seaside to Lincoln City. Small sandshrimp and Berkley Gulp Sandworms have been the most popular options. Crabbing has remained a constant option up and down the coast. Tillamook and Nehalem Bay have both been productive as of late with crab spread from the ocean through the bay. Whether fishing from a jetty with a crab snare or dropping a few pots to soak in the bay, everyone has a great shot at taking home some delicious Dungeness Crab. Razor clamming has opened up along the Oregon coast, and Long Beach, has a two-day opener this Saturday and Sunday. Pay close attention to the timing of the tide to maximize your dig, which can mean the difference between a full bucket of Razor clams or just a couple. Always be sure to check local regulations at ODFW and WDFW before heading out. Find reports and information on the Fisherman's Community page.