Fishing Report 07-01-2021
Kara Kindt caught her first Salmon on 6-30-2021 while fishing with Fisherman’s Pro Guide, Dan Dieter, on the Willamette River near Kelly Point. It bit a Simon 3.5 Spinner fished behind a Pro Troll Flasher with a 12-ounce sinker. Nice job, Kara, on one heck of a fish!
Fishing Report - July 1st, 2021
Anglers are finding success chasing Chinook on the Columbia from the lower river to the upper river. There is still a mixture of late spring Chinook and large summer Chinook coming in, which is giving anglers an opportunity at some quality fish. These fish are on a one-way mission to get to their tributary, so most anglers are finding success anchoring up in a traveling lane and waiting for the fish to come to them. Kwikfish, Killerfish, Mag Lips and small spinners have all been working well. Many fish are also being caught by trolling small spinners behind a Pro-Troll Flasher.
Sockeye and summer Steelhead are also being caught in the Columbia. These delicious, acrobatic fish are typically running quite a bit shallower. With this in mind, it can be easier to identify areas that could give them a break from the current and give you a great shot at targeting them. Small prawn spinners, coon stripe shrimp, sand shrimp and small Mag Lips or Flatfish are all great options when picking out terminal tackle.
Catch and release Sturgeon fishing down in the Astoria area remains a stellar option for folks looking for fast paced action. This fishery is based around keeper-sized and oversize sturgeon feeding in shallow water, fresh from the ocean. Who doesn’t like 6’ fish leaping out of shallow water? Squid, sand shrimp, herring and anchovies have all been productive options.
Shad fishing is still rocking and rolling in the Columbia, with most anglers are focusing their efforts up near Bonneville Dam. Small, bright-colored curly tail grubs, jig heads, flicker spinners and small spoons have all been working very well.
Walleye fishing has been good and fishermen have been taking advantage of it! Up the Columbia Gorge, Walleye have become much more plentiful and anglers are finding them a number of different ways. However, trolling bottom walkers and worm harnesses is still the most popular option.
Bass and Panfish around the Metro area have been active and the warm weather has been helping. There are tons of small ponds and back channels that host a number of Panfish, from Bluegill and Crappie, to Smallmouth and Largemouth Bass. With the warm weather, it makes it a great time of year to get out and explore these areas.
Kokanee fishing has been productive and anglers are finding success at most all lakes that have good populations of Kokanee. These landlocked Salmon are typically schooled up in rather large numbers, so when you find one you typically find a lot of them. Trolling has been the go-to for most folks and staggering your depths is a good approach to locating the schools.
Trout fishing remains excellent throughout the region and locally lakes are still routinely getting stocked. This week, North Fork Reservoir and Estacada Lake both received freshly stocked trout. Bait is always a great option, whether it’s nightcrawlers, Powerbait or salmon eggs. Spinners, spoons and plugs are all good choices as well.
Bottom fishing has been great along the coast, with anglers finding great numbers of bottomfish with a few really nice Lingcod and Halibut mixed in. Large curly tail grubs, shrimp flies, swimbaits and Rock Cod Rigs have all been producing fish.
Surf Perch fishing has been good for many anglers, with folks finding great success after minus low tides. Berkley Gulp Sand Worms, clam necks and sand shrimp are all sound choices when picking your surf perch bait.
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.
