Fishing Report 01-28-2022
Judd Field, son of Fisherman’s Pro Guide, Pete Field, recently teamed up with his Dad to catch this awesome broodstock keeper Steelhead from a coastal river while bobberdoggin’ a yarnie. Winter Steelhead season is now in full swing, so look for most rivers to load up with fresh fish with the upcoming freshet. Fish on!
Fishing Report - January 28th, 2022
Winter Steelhead fishing is nearing "prime time" and as we approach February, most rivers that get a run of Steelhead have a decent mix of brand new fish and fish that have been in the system for a few weeks. This just adds to the excitement of Winter Steelhead fishing, as you truly don’t know what you have hooked until you bring it to hand. It could be a double-stripe, colored up wild buck, or, fresh off-the-tide hatchery hen covered in sea lice. Either way, most anglers will be grinning from ear to ear. Our reports are that fish have been caught this past week on most techniques. From folks covering lots of water Bobberdoggin every seam and flat spot, to those that like to systematically pick apart the river with a subtle bobber and jig technique. Whichever your fancy, there are fish to be had. Fisherman’s Pro, Silas Stardance, has been spending most of his time fishing the Central Coast rivers and has been finding a good mix of wild and hatchery fish. Including a monster wild fish that was added to the broodstock program last week.
The Willamette has been clearing every day and with all of the sunny weather of late it surely feels like spring conditions for those die hard early Springer fishermen. Yes, the water is still very cold, but there are likely a few early Springers poking their noses upriver. As a matter of fact, one of our previous employees landed a wild Spring Chinook while Steelhead fishing just a few days ago. It just goes to show that the first hatchery fish will likely be caught any day. And if you are that lucky angler who lands a hatchery Chinook, bring it into any one of our three locations and have it weighed in. If you are the first one to bring in a hatchery Chinook, you will win a $100 Fisherman’s Marine Gift card!
Catch and release Sturgeon fishing has picked back up now that the mighty Willamette has calmed back down some. These prehistoric beasts are still hungry and if you find a deep hole on the outside edge of the main current, you will surely find biters. Herring, Smelt, Squid, Shad and Sand Shrimp are all good bait choices.
Bottom fishing is another great choice as anglers have found solid success so far this year when the weather has permitted. Fisherman’s Pro, Andy Martin, has been finding great success targeting Lingcod out of Brookings on the Southern Coast.
Crabbing has remained solid and should for quite a while. Obviously, weather can be a factor this time of year, however, last week's beautiful weather made crabbing quite enjoyable for the folks that were tossing pots.
Clamming was good during the last opener we had at Long Beach and all indicators point to yet another great few days of Clamming as WDFW set another 5 day season starting on January 29th.
Kokanee fishing at Lake Merwin has remained steady and as we have said in the past, this gem of a fishery is wildly under fished. Plentiful fish, lots of water to spread out and fish that are high in the water column make for a productive, relaxing fishery that anyone with a motorized boat can partake in. Trolling dodgers with Spin-N-Glos, Wiggle Hoochies, small spinner blades and even wedding rings will all entice bites. As usual, tipping your bait with Shoepeg corn is a must.
Trout fishing is still on the slow side but this nice weather definitely has anglers looking forward to spring Trout fishing. As lakes begin to get stocked more regularly, look at spinners, Kastmasters, spoons and plugs to be great choices to fool the freshly planted Trout. Bait is always a solid option and nightcrawlers, Powerbait, salad shrimp or single salmon eggs all will prove effective.
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.
