Outdoor Report 12/7
Winter steelhead are here! Virtually every river system has had a few winter steelhead caught in them. The smaller tributaries such as Big Creek, Gnat Creek, North Fork Nehalem and Necanicum River typically have early returning hatchery runs and will see more fish earlier than the rest. After a lot of rain, the smaller tributaries will be first to get back into shape. The fish seem to move into the rivers in large schools, so when the water starts to come down you want to think about fishing one of the smaller tributaries first. Some of the most popular techniques to use on these tributaries are fishing bobber and jig or drift fishing eggs, shrimp or beads. The Clackamas still has some early fish that show up headed for Eagle Creek. The run isn’t huge but when they come, they come in groups. Jigs, pink worms, yarnies, eggs, sandshrimp and beads are all great options when targeting these early hatchery fish. However, if we get into a cold snap, as usually happens in December, it can pay off to have a few reaction type techniques. Spoons, spinners
and backtrolling plugs are all great techniques to employ when it is really cold. Sometimes the fish need to be enticed into biting something gaudy and flashy. The strikes can be vicious, so be prepared for that when using these invasive techniques. A lot of the coastal rivers will just continually get better, the closer to the new year we get. Bobberdoggin’ baits and beads, bobber fishing worms and drift fishing yarn and bait are all great options when fishing coastal waters. These fish may only be a few hours from salt water so they are typically very good biters, especially if the rivers are running a more steelhead green color. Catch and release sturgeon fishing has been productive as well. As the water in the Willamette and Columbia continue to drop the sturgeon fishing will get better and better. Squid, herring and sandshrimp have been hot baits lately. As we start seeing smelt in the rivers those will quickly become the go-to bait. Oregon’s central coast bays have been reopened down to Bandon for crabbing. That includes Newport and Waldport. The ocean off the entire state and bays south of the north jetty of the Coquille River remain closed. This should be a great weekend for crabbing as it has been dry and there has not been as much fresh water flushing the bays. Local duck hunting should improve as the “sheet water” starts to dissipate. The east winds and colder weather should keep the birds close to feed and moving. After dropping to a season low (1.1 birds per hunter) average on the Sauvie Island Game Management Units for Dec 3rd, the harvest rate jumped back up on Dec 5th to 2.4 birds per hunter. Before heading out be sure to check local regulations. Tight lines, shoot straight and most of all be safe.
and backtrolling plugs are all great techniques to employ when it is really cold. Sometimes the fish need to be enticed into biting something gaudy and flashy. The strikes can be vicious, so be prepared for that when using these invasive techniques. A lot of the coastal rivers will just continually get better, the closer to the new year we get. Bobberdoggin’ baits and beads, bobber fishing worms and drift fishing yarn and bait are all great options when fishing coastal waters. These fish may only be a few hours from salt water so they are typically very good biters, especially if the rivers are running a more steelhead green color. Catch and release sturgeon fishing has been productive as well. As the water in the Willamette and Columbia continue to drop the sturgeon fishing will get better and better. Squid, herring and sandshrimp have been hot baits lately. As we start seeing smelt in the rivers those will quickly become the go-to bait. Oregon’s central coast bays have been reopened down to Bandon for crabbing. That includes Newport and Waldport. The ocean off the entire state and bays south of the north jetty of the Coquille River remain closed. This should be a great weekend for crabbing as it has been dry and there has not been as much fresh water flushing the bays. Local duck hunting should improve as the “sheet water” starts to dissipate. The east winds and colder weather should keep the birds close to feed and moving. After dropping to a season low (1.1 birds per hunter) average on the Sauvie Island Game Management Units for Dec 3rd, the harvest rate jumped back up on Dec 5th to 2.4 birds per hunter. Before heading out be sure to check local regulations. Tight lines, shoot straight and most of all be safe.
