Fishing report 1-16
Winter Steelhead fishing was good on the days that folks could get out last week. We had a big water event that drove rivers up, and into an unfishable state. There was a day or two folks could sneak onto a river to chase Steelhead and then the snow hit Friday evening, making every day beyond that nearly impossible to get out and fish. We are finally working our way out of the nasty weather and the fishing should pick right back up again. Sometimes when rivers haven’t had any pressure for a few days the fish get a big reset and become really aggressive again. For folks wanting to cover a lot of water, Bobber-doggin would be a great idea; Eggs, Yarn, Beads and even Shrimp will all produce well. For those that want to be a little more tactical as they head down river, back-trolling Plugs can be just what the doctor ordered. Maglips, Kwikfish, Wiggle Warts and Hotshots are all great plug choices when you are wanting to specifically target a run, or even a section of a run, where you envision some Steelhead hanging out. Traditional Bobber-and-Jig fishing, Drift-fishing and even throwing hardware are also great techniques to help you “pick apart” a specific section of river.
Anglers that are facing super-high rivers and off-color water for the next few days would do well in taking a page out the playbook from Fisherman’s Pro, John Klar. John has been a fishing guide longer than many of you have been alive and in that time he has figured out some clever ways to get his clients into Steelhead. He does really well during high water events anchoring close to the shore and plunking. Yes, plunking from a Drift Boat. It may seem unconventional, but being in the boat allows you to anchor in spots that you may not otherwise be able to cast into. John fishes larger-size Spin-n-Glo’s, and Borax Cured Eggs to give his offering a good scent trail downstream. When others are staying home, John is on the water achieving success a day or two before the rest of the crowd is.
Catch-and-Release Sturgeon fishing has been great in the Willamette, as well as the Columbia, above Bonneville specifically. As we start to see all of this snow and ice begin to melt, the rivers will likely get a big jump in water height. If you are contemplating a trip in the next few days you would be wise to keep a keen eye on river levels. As the big rivers jump up, we tend to start seeing some large debris coming down river which can make for some treacherous conditions for anchoring. Just a reminder to stay constantly vigilant.
Kokanee fishing at Lake Merwin and Yale also got put on hold the past few days as the surrounding area got pummeled by snow and ice. This is another fishery that can actually get better when the angling pressure subsides for a few days. Look for the Kokanee to be real “snappy” once the road conditions allow travel up there. Once you are able to get out there, Kokanee fishermen will do well trolling Dodgers and small offerings like small Spin-n-Glo’s, small Spinner Blades, small bright-colored Hoochies and Brad’s Kokanee Cutplugs. As always, tipping your lure with a kernel of Shoepeg corn will help entice these land-locked Sockeye Salmon into biting your offering.
Bottom-fishing will be a good option for anglers as soon as roads become passable and safe to drive on. Before these nasty conditions started, the reports of quality bottomfishing were circling around with word of some nice-quality Lingcod in the mix as well. Shrimp Flys, Vertical Jigs, Swimbaits, large Curly Tail Grubs and Farallon Feathers have all been putting fish on the deck.
Crabbing is another great winter-time opportunity that can yield pounds of success. Tillamook and Nehalem bays have both been great lately and should continue to provide quality Crabbing after this bad weather snap.
Razor Clamming along Washington beaches is currently closed but WDFW has posted quite a few tentative dates over the next month and half. Keep an eye out for digs opening up with short notice as they try and do their marine toxin testing as close to the digs as possible.
Waterfowl hunters have been loving the weather! The birds have been up and moving and should continue to stay moving as we keep getting windy, wet weather. Fisherman’s Pro, Ted Teufel, has had a few days off from Steelhead fishing and has been doing his best to put a dent in the Waterfowl population. He reports, obviously, nasty conditions but birds are on the move!
