Outdoor Report 7/13
With the recent re-opening of the Columbia for fin-clipped chinook retention, there have been good reports flying in. Fishermen from the lower river as well as the upper stretches have been doing quite well. Those that are fishing from the bank have been catching both steelhead and chinook, on spin-n-glows and coon-stripe shrimp, small spinners, small plugs and even just straight spin-n-glows. As the summer progresses, the Columbia will continue to drop in height so make sure you are adjusting your depths accordingly. As for the boat fishermen Kwikfish, Mag Lips, wobblers and spinners have all been working equally well, on anchor. The folks targeting steelhead are typically running coon-stripe shrimp, small plugs or small spinners. You can catch both salmon and steelhead in the same slots, most of the time. So, it pays to have rods rigged to target salmon and to target steelhead. Smallmouth fishing has remained consistent up and down the Columbia and Willamette. We have had reports of fish still being caught shallow on tubes and worms. Early in the morning you can sometimes find fish willing to bite topwater plugs, especially in shallow coves. Reports coming in from Del Stephens this week, indicate that Albacore fishing is starting to pick up. If you are looking for some good info on how to make your Albacore trips more successful, go to the Fisherman's Marine and Outdoor Facebook page and replay the Facebook live recording of John Child's Tuna Seminar from earlier this week. Kokanee fishing has also been good lately. Of course, most fishermen are trolling for them. Although, with the recent hot weather the lakes and reservoirs are starting to gradually warm up and the jigging bite has started to take off. Swing by any of our locations and our staff will be more than willing to show you how to rig up for jigging. Locally trout fishing has remained consistent as well. With the days being warm, sometimes it pays off to get up early and be on the water first thing in the morning. That way when the heat of the day hits and the bite slows some, you will already have a few trout in the cooler. Bait will be your best early morning producer especially from the bank. However, if you are in a boat, trolling small flat fish can be extremely effective at times. Before you head out, be sure to check local regulations. Good luck, have fun and most of all, be safe!
