Outdoor Report 10/17
Salmon fishing all along the coast is really starting to heat up. From Nehalem Bay all the way to the Sacramento River, salmon fishing is getting good. Most folks have been targeting fish either in the bays or just outside the mouth of the bay as these fish are staging for migration. Fishermen have been spending most of their time trolling bait or spinners. They have been trolling both triangle flashers and 360° flashers, switching back and forth depending on the tide and the amount of weeds. Cut-plug herring are the #1 choice when it comes to running bait. The spinner fishermen are split down the middle, with folks still trolling larger blades-up to a size 8-and others trolling smaller 3-4 size spinners. Either way, fish are being caught and the coming rains will only increase the catch rates. Coho fishing has also continued to be good with local tributaries seeing the peak of their season right now. Rivers that have two runs of coho, A and B runs, are just starting to see the first signs of the larger B run coho. These fish are typically bigger and come with a bigger attitude. They like to bite spinners, spoons, plugs and twitching jigs. With local waters really beginning to cool off, these fish will come into the system aggressive and ready to bite. Sturgeon fishing has also continued to be good. Although this is a catch and release fishery, it is still a great way to get young or new anglers into the sport. If you try a spot and have no success, then pick-up and move, as this can be key in finding willing biters. Trout fishing can be amazing this time of year with fish that have been playing hard to get all summer now coming alive and trying to pack on the weight for the cold winter months. These aggressive fish can be a bit bigger than the freshly-stocked legal trout. Flies, spinners, spoons and plugs all work well. An underrated technique is to twitch small jigs for trout just like you would for coho. This type of reaction bait can be the ticket when trying to connect with large trout. Mt. Hood Pond and Canby Pond both were stocked this week and are great places to take young anglers. Also, Henry Hagg Lake is set to receive almost 9,000 trout next week! Crabbing continues to be great and will get better as each week passes. Whether in the bay or in the ocean you have a great chance at a limit of crab. Bottom fishing all along the north coast has been very productive when ocean conditions allow, which has not been the case this week. The unpredictable weather can make crossing the bar a bit tricky this time of the year, if not downright impossible. Check the forecast before you go and you may be in for a treat with great fishing and a good grade of fish being caught lately. Shrimp flies, Rock Cod rigs and vertical jigs have all been working well. Always be sure to check local regulations at ODFW and WDFW before heading out. Find reports and two most widely used baits, information on the Fisherman's Community page.
