Outdoor Report 3/8
Steelhead fishing has been very consistent throughout the last week. There seems to be a decent number of fish throughout the system, both locally and at the coast. So, if you are wanting to take your drift boat down to the lower stretches to do some bobberdoggin’ or side drifting you have a great shot at tagging a couple of fish. If you are wanting to bank fish the upper stretches and float fish, drift fish or throw hardware you have an equally good opportunity at finding steelhead. With water being in good condition anglers looking to float fish will do well with pink worms, BnR Steelhead Scampi, soft beads, jigs and/or bait. Anglers wanting to drift fish can use corkies, cheaters, yarn, pink worms or bait, these will yield chrome results when put in front of a hungry steelhead. This is also a time of year that we tend to see a larger grade of fish as there are lots of wild steelhead around. Always keep in mind that the next one you hook may be the fish of a lifetime. Spring chinook have been caught these last couple of weeks and the fishing will continue to get better and better as the month progresses. Trolling herring in combination with a triangle flasher or 360° flashers are both super popular options. Prawn spinners, Kwikfish and Brad’s Cut Plugs or Superbaits will all be good options to have on board. Those that are anchor fishing will do best with Kwikfish, Flatfish and Mag Lips. Don’t forget to try a prawn spinner, it’s not a technique that is widely used but can be extremely productive. Catch and release sturgeon fishing has been phenomenal. This time of year, sturgeon fishing can be a great backup plan if the spring chinook fishing is a little slow that day. Smelt, herring and sand shrimp are all excellent options when targeting these prehistoric creatures. Lots of anglers over the last couple of years have been turning their attention to Walleye and Kokanee. This weekend should see both an increase in participation and catch. Target the Walleye in the Bonneville Pool of the Columbia River and the closest Kokanee fishery to our stores will be Merwin Reservoir in Southwest Washington. As always make sure you check the local regulations before heading out. Tight lines, shoot straight and most of all, be safe out there.
