Outdoor Report 1/31
Win this boat and support sport fishing opportunity in the Pacific Northwest at the same time! $5.00 raffle tickets on sale now at all three Fisherman’s locations. Only 4,000 tickets will be sold! All proceeds benefit the Northwest Sportfishing Industry Association (NSIA) as they continue the fight for more fish, both wild AND hatchery; better predator management; fish-friendly dam operations and a host of other issues that benefit Northwest fish and fishermen.
Drawing to be held on April 20th at the 27th annual Fisherman’s Marine and Outdoor Spring Fishing Classic Derby. (Need not be present to win.)
Winter steelhead fishing continues to be a great option for anglers all up and down the coast range, as well as the fishermen in the Portland Metro area. A number of rivers are now implementing hatchery broodstock programs that will result in hatchery winter steelhead continuing to enter rivers into the month of April. As a result, the rivers that have these broodstock programs are starting to see some really big fish. We heard reports of multiple hatchery steelhead nearing the 20lb mark! The Wilson and Nestucca have both had good amounts of fish in them as well as the Sandy and Clackamas. Bobber Doggin, backtrolling plugs and side drifting have been the favored techniques this week for the boat fishermen. The bank fishermen have been successful float fishing, drift fishing and casting hardware. It looks like rivers are going to start to rise again this week. So, get your gear ready for some high green water and fresh steelhead. It’s the end of January and that means we will more than likely start hearing reports of the first few springers of the year being caught. These fish are typically caught in the Portland Harbor, Multnomah Channel or Sellwood area. Within these parts of the river, a large percentage of fishermen are trolling with herring or prawns with either 360o or triangle flashers. Who will get the first one? Will it be you? Kokanee fishing has been a great option for those that are wanting a nice relaxing day trolling and catching fish. Merwin and Yale Lake have both been productive, with anglers reporting success while trolling high in the water column. The fish seem to be in the top 20’ of the water column right now, so trolling a dodger and Wedding Ring or Wiggle Hoochie should get you right in the strike zone. If you haven’t had a bite within 45 minutes or so, add a small amount of weight above your gear to drop you down a few feet. Sometimes that is all it takes to get the bite really going. Don’t be afraid to try different scents as well. These fish can be finicky at times. Trout fishing remains a constant option for fishermen wanting to spend some time on a pond or lake. There are quite a few options for lakes that are open year-round. Henry Hagg Lake, St. Louis Ponds, Faraday Lake, East Salish Ponds and Benson Lake to name a few. Most of these options are relatively close to the Portland Metro area and provide a great opportunity for all anglers. Starting now and running through early summer is when a good portion of the local lakes will receive their trout plantings. Early spring can be an awesome time to go trout fishing as you will have the newly planted trout as well as the hold over trout from the year before. This combo can result in a fun trip to the lake. Winter time walleye fishing is one that doesn’t get talked about much. These fish are delicious and are willing biters when you find where they are hiding. This time of year, most people will be trolling variations of bottom walkers and worm harnesses. Covering water can sometimes be your best option when it comes to locating these toothy critters. Surf perch fishing is an option for those wanting to visit the beach and fish for just a few hours or the whole day. The incoming tide is typically the best, so you can plan your trip around that. Another great option is to fish for perch on the incoming tide and than to jump over to the nearest jetty and target sea bass, Greenling and Lingcod. This time of year, large curly tail grubs or swimbaits are good choices for casting off the jetty. Fishing sand shrimp is also a great option as virtually all the species of fish in and around the jetty will eat sand shrimp. Always be sure to check local regulations at ODFW and WDFW before heading out. Find reports and information on the Fisherman's Community page.
Drawing to be held on April 20th at the 27th annual Fisherman’s Marine and Outdoor Spring Fishing Classic Derby. (Need not be present to win.)
Winter steelhead fishing continues to be a great option for anglers all up and down the coast range, as well as the fishermen in the Portland Metro area. A number of rivers are now implementing hatchery broodstock programs that will result in hatchery winter steelhead continuing to enter rivers into the month of April. As a result, the rivers that have these broodstock programs are starting to see some really big fish. We heard reports of multiple hatchery steelhead nearing the 20lb mark! The Wilson and Nestucca have both had good amounts of fish in them as well as the Sandy and Clackamas. Bobber Doggin, backtrolling plugs and side drifting have been the favored techniques this week for the boat fishermen. The bank fishermen have been successful float fishing, drift fishing and casting hardware. It looks like rivers are going to start to rise again this week. So, get your gear ready for some high green water and fresh steelhead. It’s the end of January and that means we will more than likely start hearing reports of the first few springers of the year being caught. These fish are typically caught in the Portland Harbor, Multnomah Channel or Sellwood area. Within these parts of the river, a large percentage of fishermen are trolling with herring or prawns with either 360o or triangle flashers. Who will get the first one? Will it be you? Kokanee fishing has been a great option for those that are wanting a nice relaxing day trolling and catching fish. Merwin and Yale Lake have both been productive, with anglers reporting success while trolling high in the water column. The fish seem to be in the top 20’ of the water column right now, so trolling a dodger and Wedding Ring or Wiggle Hoochie should get you right in the strike zone. If you haven’t had a bite within 45 minutes or so, add a small amount of weight above your gear to drop you down a few feet. Sometimes that is all it takes to get the bite really going. Don’t be afraid to try different scents as well. These fish can be finicky at times. Trout fishing remains a constant option for fishermen wanting to spend some time on a pond or lake. There are quite a few options for lakes that are open year-round. Henry Hagg Lake, St. Louis Ponds, Faraday Lake, East Salish Ponds and Benson Lake to name a few. Most of these options are relatively close to the Portland Metro area and provide a great opportunity for all anglers. Starting now and running through early summer is when a good portion of the local lakes will receive their trout plantings. Early spring can be an awesome time to go trout fishing as you will have the newly planted trout as well as the hold over trout from the year before. This combo can result in a fun trip to the lake. Winter time walleye fishing is one that doesn’t get talked about much. These fish are delicious and are willing biters when you find where they are hiding. This time of year, most people will be trolling variations of bottom walkers and worm harnesses. Covering water can sometimes be your best option when it comes to locating these toothy critters. Surf perch fishing is an option for those wanting to visit the beach and fish for just a few hours or the whole day. The incoming tide is typically the best, so you can plan your trip around that. Another great option is to fish for perch on the incoming tide and than to jump over to the nearest jetty and target sea bass, Greenling and Lingcod. This time of year, large curly tail grubs or swimbaits are good choices for casting off the jetty. Fishing sand shrimp is also a great option as virtually all the species of fish in and around the jetty will eat sand shrimp. Always be sure to check local regulations at ODFW and WDFW before heading out. Find reports and information on the Fisherman's Community page.
