Outdoor Report 5/16
Spring Chinook fishing remains good around the local area. Fish are being caught all along the Willamette, and with this week’s cooler temperatures and rain, the river should cool some, improving the bite even more. The Columbia has come up some and that has slowed down the current in the Willamette. The past few years fishermen have figured out that when these conditions appear, you can switch your gear to 360 Flashers and small spinner to continue enticing fish. Virtually all up and down the river you will see this technique be the most predominant. Small spinners, Brad's Superbaits, Brad's Cut Plugs and Prawn spinners all work well behind 360 Flashers. Drano Lake and Wind River have still been pumping out fish for anglers willing to make the drive up the gorge. These fish are some of the most premier Springers on the planet. Revered as some of the best eating and hardest fighting Springers around. Anglers have been using a wide variety of techniques to catch these fish. Trolling has still been the most predominant technique with anglers trolling 360 Flashers and bait, Triangle Flashers and bait, Mag Lips and Wiggle Warts. Other folks are choosing to anchor up and bobber fish eggs, Shrimp, Prawns or Tuna belly. As time goes on you will see more and more anglers switching to bobber fishing in the early mornings and late evenings. Shad are on their way! The first few waves of Shad have entered the Columbia and Willamette and will soon be coming up river by the millions, literally. These hard fighting, great biting fish love to bite and are great sport for anglers of all skill levels. You can catch them on anchor, forward or backward trolling. Small bright colored jig heads, grubs and Dick Nite style spoons are among the most popular options. Find a decent current seam, get your gear in their face and you should have constant action all day long. Trout fishing remains excellent all around the local area and with this week’s rain and cooler temps the Trout should definitely stay on the bite. Early morning and evenings are still some of the best times to target them, but if you have access to a boat then you can search around the lake to find where the aggressive fish are hiding throughout the day. Trolling has been a great option, as well as casting spinners and spoons. Surf Perch fishing has been extremely good all along the coast line, with the incoming tide definitely being the most productive time to target them. Berkley Gulp Sandworms have been the go-to bait with the best color changing daily. Bring all the colors and switch them up throughout the tide to see what works best that day. Bottom fishing has also been great with lots of angler reporting success targeting rock fish and Lingcod. Large curly tail grubs and vertical jigs have been some of the best options when choosing what tackle to use. Crabbing has been productive in Tillamook and Nehalem Bays with reports of quality keepers. A great option this time of year is to hop on any number of jetties that litter the Oregon Coast and fish for rock fish. While you are fishing you are also allowed to crab off the jetties with either crab snares or folding traps. It keeps you busy and it’s a great way to get a mixed bag of seafood to take home. Again, curly tail grubs are a great option for rock fish and Sand Shrimp works great as all variations of Surf Perch come in and out on every tide set. Our estuary keeper Sturgeon fishery had its first opener earlier this week and lots of anglers participated, hoping for a shot at some delicious keeper Sturgeon. Fishing overall was productive and will only get better as we near June. Sand Shrimp and Anchovies were the top producing baits with Herring being a good option as well. Watch the tides and be careful as the weather can be a little finicky this time of year. Summer Steelhead fishing on the Columbia opens on May 16th and there usually are some fish around that are headed for some of Washington’s lower river tributaries. These fish typically hug the shore lines and love to bite Coon Stripe Shrimp, Prawns, small plugs and spinners. Bass fishing in the Pacific Northwest is in full swing as most bodies of water are in the spawning phase. Look for shallow flats along the bank that have a hard bottom and you will find Smallmouth and Largemouth Bass in those areas. Covering water using crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and swimbaits is a great way to find productive areas. Don’t be afraid to slow down and pick apart a section with a jig, Texas rig, or Senko. Always be sure to check local regulations at ODFW and WDFW before heading out. Find reports and information on the Fisherman's Community page.
