Outdoor Report 2/21
Steelhead fishing has hit an upswing these last few weeks with reports coming from up and down the coast. There has been a good influx of hatchery fish mixed in with the wild fish as well. The rivers have just come back into great shape and many anglers have been finding success Bobberdoggin, anchoring up and drift fishing or backtrolling plugs. With the Bobberdoggin craze taking over a lot of our local fisheries, those fishermen that are choosing to back troll plugs are finding great success by offering something different. Sometimes slowing down your presentation can pay dividends. Spring Chinook fishing had been put on hold for a few days with the Columbia and Willamette both coming way up in height and turbidity. As they both come down though, there should be a few more spring Chinook poking their heads upriver. Trolling will be one of the most popular techniques in the Portland Harbor and Multnomah Channel. As for the Columbia, there will be guys trolling herring. However, with the flows being high, a lot of fishermen will find a pinch point and anchor up with plugs or prawn spinners. The locations are where the fish have to come around a corner or have to filter through a narrow area. Trout fishing has been a good option lately with fish still being stocked. St. Louis Ponds were just stocked with over 1300 legal trout, with 75 of them being trophy trout. These fish will typically congregate around the areas in which they are stocked, so those are great areas to target when trying to plan your attack. Bobber fishing worms, single salmon eggs and Power Bait are all great options when trying to decide what to start with first. Even though the Columbia and Willamette are both high and off color, that doesn’t mean that the sturgeon won’t bite. Often when the rivers get dirty and start to clear up, the sturgeon will go on the bite. Lots of debris gets kicked up with the high flows and with that debris will be all sorts of stuff the sturgeon love to eat. Find a deep water drop off, especially just off the main current and you will have a greater chance of finding Sturgeon. Sandshrimp, herring and squid are all good bait options. Winter time Walleye fishing can be a challenge at times, however some of the best fishing of the year can happen right now. Finding them can be tricky but once you do, they like to bite. Trolling a worm harness and bottom walker on an underwater shelf is a great place to start. Crabbing has been awesome along the coast. Yes, the weather can sometimes be a challenge, however we have had great reports of fast limits of crab from Tillamook and Nehalem Bay. Bottom fishing off the many jetties that line our coast is a great option this time of year. Lingcod, Seabass, Greenling and Surf Perch are just a few of the fish that you may catch. Fishing Sandshrimp off the bottom will be one of the best options, as everything eats Sandshrimp. For targeting Lingcod, a lot of fishermen will choose large curly tail grubs or herring under a bobber. Both options work well and having options will increase your success rate. Always be sure to check local regulations at ODFW and WDFW before heading out. Find reports and information on the Fisherman's Community page.
