Fishing Report 05-26-2023
Customer Jeff Bird went out Sturgeon fishing this week and caught this massive Sturgeon! Measuring in at 9.5 feet long this mighty Sturgeon put up a great fight taking almost an hour to bring in, and dragging the boat 1.7 miles down river. Way to go Jeff!
Fishing Report:
Spring Chinook fishing on the Willamette is still going strong. The fish are definitely spread throughout the system and anglers success has been scattered. Fisherman’s Pro, Josiah Darr, has still been finding bright hatchery fish in the lower river and Multnomah Channel. Trolling herring and triangle flashers has still been giving him the most success .Just before the Columbia opened back up, Fisherman’s Pro, David Johnson, had been doing quite well backtrolling and backbouncing eggs and sand shrimp in the Oregon City area. But once the Columbia did open up, he shifted gears and went to sitting on anchor with bait-wrapped Mag Lips.This proved successful with setting up in shallow water being the big game changer. Pro, Jim Nichol, has also been finding Columbia River chrome on K15 size Kwikfish wrapped with a chunk of sardine. Again, shallow water has been the ticket. Don't forget the Columbia Spring Chinook fishery is still open from May 25th through June 4th! Make sure to check out WDFW for any updates and remember to follow fishing regulations.
Catch and release Sturgeon fishing has been a good option for folks seeking some great catching action. Shrimp, herring, sardines and squid have all been producing well.
In the ocean, the bottom fishing has been producing coolers full of big, fresh Lingcod for many anglers. One of those anglers has been Fisherman’s Pro, Ted Teufel. He has had plenty of boat limit days with a pile of Seabass and even a few surprise Halibut in the mix. Look for this fishery to get better as we move into late spring. There will eventually be a few Tillamook Bay Spring Chinook getting caught as well. In fact, Fisherman’s Pro, Tim Juarez, found his clients several Spring Chinook and a boat load of Crab last week!
Kokanee fishing remains good up at Lake Merwin and Swift Reservoir. The Kokanee are gaining size and packing on some weight .We have had reports of boat Limits from quite a few anglers. Trolling remains the best technique for most anglers. Dodgers with small bright-colored hoochies, small spinner blades, small Spin-N-Glo’s and wedding rings have all been working. Be sure to tip your offering with a kernel of Shoepeg corn and you are in business!
Smallmouth Bass fishing is heating up in the Columbia River Gorge. The river is high and off color but the Bass don’t seem to mind. They are making their annual migration into the shallow water coves that line the sides of the Columbia, looking to find some spawning habitat. Tube baits, jigs, grubs and Senkos all have a place in the Bass angler’s quiver when it comes to soft plastics. Lipless crankbaits, shallow diving crankbaits, spinnerbaits and swimbaits are also great options, especially fishing near drop offs or rocky outcroppings.
Trout fishing around the region continues to be a stellar option. ODFW has continued their tireless efforts in planting fish all around the state. Locally, North Fork Reservoir was stocked this past week with over 4,000 legal Trout! Now is the time to head for a relaxing day on a lake and bring home a nice brace of Trout. Powerbait, nightcrawlers, shrimp and salmon eggs are all great bait options. Boat anglers will do well trolling small Flatfish , Mag Lips and Hotshots. Spoons, spinners and Kastmasters should definitely have a place in your arsenal as well. Trout can have a hard time passing up a nice Roostertail spinning through the water column.
Walleye fishing in the Columbia Gorge is still going on and folks like Fisherman’s Pro, Steve Leonard, have been hard at it trying to fill fish boxes with these delicious fish. Trolling worm harness rigs and nightcrawlers has been the most productive technique thus far.
