Outdoor Report 10/12
The Columbia is still kicking out brand new fall chinook. There has been great success in the lower river, specifically the Woodland area. Many are still trolling 360° flashers and spinners, however, there are many that have switched over to Brad’s Super Baits and Brad’s Cut Plugs. With the water cooling down fish will start to key in on bait a bit more than spinners, although, they will bite both regularly. While targeting these chinook, a good number of silvers are being caught as well. The silvers are eating the same things as the chinook are behind the 360° flashers. It is great to be able to effectively target both at the same time. Bonneville Dam is still fishing well with fish being caught with a couple of different techniques. It's sort of split down the middle with half running Kwikfish and the other half running 360° flashers. Even though we are starting to see the chinook run start to dwindle in the lower river, the coho fishing will continue to be good for several more weeks. Coho have been in most of the local tributaries for some time now and fishing has been consistent. Most people are fishing eggs, spinners or twitching jigs, however don't pass up the opportunity to cast some plugs or even fly fish for them. These fish can get finicky the longer they spend in fresh water, so make sure to bring a few techniques with you to throw at them. The rain that we are getting now will only make the fishing better for these little chrome bullets. Tillamook has steadily been getting better over the last few weeks and will continue to fish well with the addition of this week’s rain. These fish are fresh from the ocean and ready to bite. Herring is still the bait of choice in the lower bay, Ghost Hole and the jaws, while the upper bay has been getting better and better for those trolling spinners. Larger spinners have been the most productive, specifically sizes 6, 6.5 and 7. Toman and
Mulkey spinners have been the most rewarding as of late. Trying hoochie spinners is not a bad idea either, switching it up can sometimes really make them snap. Catch and release sturgeon fishing has been very good locally. Smelt, sandshrimp, anchovies and squid have been the most productive baits recently, fish from small shakers to large oversize are being caught. COLUMBIA RIVER MAINSTEM, Wauna Powerlines upstream to Bonneville Dam
Mulkey spinners have been the most rewarding as of late. Trying hoochie spinners is not a bad idea either, switching it up can sometimes really make them snap. Catch and release sturgeon fishing has been very good locally. Smelt, sandshrimp, anchovies and squid have been the most productive baits recently, fish from small shakers to large oversize are being caught. COLUMBIA RIVER MAINSTEM, Wauna Powerlines upstream to Bonneville Dam
- Open to retention of white sturgeon on Saturday October 21, 2017 and Thursday October 26, 2017.
- Daily bag limit is one white sturgeon, 44-50 inches fork length (fork length is measured in a straight line from the tip of the nose to the fork in the caudal fin (tail) with the fish laying on its side on a flat surface, with the tape measure/ruler positioned flat under the fish).
- Annual bag limit is two white sturgeon (applicable to all 2017 retention fisheries).
- Retention of green sturgeon prohibited.
- Catch and release angling is allowed.
