Fishing Report 01-13-2023
Trevor from our Oregon City Store caught and released this gorgeous wild steelhead recently while drift fishing on a local river. Nice catch, Trevor!
Fishing Report:
We have reached that point on the calendar when most rivers that have Steelhead runs should have at least some fish available. While Winter Steelhead fishing has not exactly been red-hot yet this season, there have been some quality fish caught recently, like the monster 17-lb fish that client Dave Lechner caught earlier this week while fishing with Fisherman’s Pro Guide, Chris Vertopoulos. The big fish ate a BnR Holey Worm fished while bobberdoggin’.
Robert from our Oregon City store also connected with a couple of nice fish earlier this week on the coast, one of them a 38” long wild hen estimated to weigh 16-17 lbs.! The average buck he caught while swinging a P Line Pro Steel spoon through a tailout, and the big hen hit a pink and white Mad River Steelhead Worm fished on an 1/8-ounce jig head under a float. While we have yet to receive any reports of large numbers of Steelhead around, keep in mind that we’ve also had a lot of high water recently as well as a particularly nasty ocean, so as conditions improve we should see Steelhead fishing continue to improve as well. For now, anglers who put in the time and cover a lot of water using a variety of techniques will undoubtedly have the most success. For tips on how to score your own Winter Steelhead success, visit any of our three stores and talk to our knowledgeable staff and they will be glad to help you on your way. And don’t forget about our ongoing Winter Steelhead Derby! If you catch a nice hatchery Steelhead, be sure to bring it into one of our stores to have it weighed and entered into the derby. (All fish must be gutted prior to weigh-in.) With weekly, monthly and overall prizes available, there are multiple opportunities to win something cool! Each and every youth angler 15 years old or younger will receive both a $10.00 Fisherman’s gift card along with a spool of Seaguar STS fluorocarbon leader!
Northwest Salmon anglers are anxiously watching the calendar and counting down the days to the start of Spring Chinook season, when the first fish of the year is usually caught in early February. Typically, the first chromer comes from the Sellwood area of the Willamette, or, is caught by a plunker fishing for Steelhead at Meldrum Bar. Whatever the case, catching the first Springer of the year is a time-honored tradition that evokes the respect and admiration of fellow anglers. To celebrate this Northwest tradition, Fisherman’s is once again offering a Spring Chinook Bounty, wherein the first legally-caught hatchery Springer we weigh at one of our stores will earn the happy angler a $200.00 Fisherman’s gift card along with a Beckman Net and P Line prize pack. Go get ‘em, folks!
Sturgeon fishing in the Bonneville Pool closed to retention effective 11:59 Wednesday, January 11th, due to increased participation and a high catch rate, which quickly ate up the quota. Catch and release fishing remains an option, and the lower Willamette River is a winter favorite because big numbers of Sturgeon typically pull into the lower river due to it having a slightly warmer water temperature than the Columbia. Sand shrimp, squid, herring and smelt can all work at times, so it’s best to have a couple different bait options on board.
Winter Trout fishing is in full swing where open, and ODFW is gearing up to do its first round of stocking this year at low elevation waters. Walter Wirth Lake, Waverly Pond, Walling and Junction City Ponds are scheduled to be stocked this week. Vernonia Pond was recently stocked with surplus hatchery Winter Steelhead. Detroit Lake, with its large population of holdover Trout, is also a popular winter Trout fishery. Soaking Power Bait off the bottom is a good method for lethargic fish. The bite might be subtle, but there are some large Trout caught here over the winter months. Good luck!
