05-21-2005, 03:09 PM
Oregon Fisheries Update
May 20th – May 26th, 2005
Limited Time - access Tech Report #19 - 2005 Run Forecast for free. Click here to see the Tech Report written by Bob Rees.
Sturgeon fishing in the gorge remains a “best-bet” for Columbia River anglers. Quality sized keepers and oversized fish are again showing in good numbers this week. Shad season remains closed until Sunday when anglers can go get some fresh bait for the oversized fish or just have a great day with the best crab bait that swims!
The estuary opener produced some great results but has since slowed dramatically. Guides are finding good success but some days, they have to work long hours for them. Judging from their size, they have been eating well. Shrimp remains a top bait.
The ocean would be another great bet this weekend for bottomfish, halibut and crab except the ocean forecast is calling for a lot of chumming and one might question the safety of your vessel in such conditions. I recommend staying off the ocean through the weekend at least!
Steelhead season on the mainstem Columbia also opens on Sunday from Rocky Point in the estuary to the I-5 Bridge so beach plunkers can get after them. Passage at Bonneville Dam however indicates a slow start to success for these folks. Shad fishing will also open on that date, allowing anglers to harvest a portion of these prolific fish for crab and sturgeon bait.
The Deschutes River closed to chinook fishing on May 15th due to the poor springer numbers. It had just opened on April 15th.
Spring chinook fishing is slow on the lower Willamette. The run estimate was adjusted Wednesday, May 18th, from the original 117,000 to a more realistic 80,000 to 90,000.
The Clackamas is high and muddy, Fishing is slow on the Sandy River.
High water has anglers struggling to find and entice fish on the Santiams, but a few spring chinook and summer steelhead are being taken by anglers with the right stuff.
North coast salmon fishing was tough this week but a nice tide series starting over the weekend may change things dramatically. Water levels on the Trask, Wilson and Nestucca Rivers may also draw in fishable numbers of springers by the weekend. A rare occurrence for this time of year.
Sturgeon fishing in Tillamook Bay has slowed and crabbing has become a bit more sporadic as well. Bottom fishing out of Garibaldi was great last week but again, with the ocean forecast, I advise against it.
Big surf will also hamper perch anglers on north coast beaches.
Big sturgeon are being landed on the lower Umpqua as anglers release oversized in search of one short enough to keep. The Umpqua and Rogue Rivers are both suffering from the results of rain storms on the Southern Oregon coast which has stalled the fishing upstream.
Young anglers of excellence featured this week include McMinnville High School sophomore Blake Paulsen, 16, who won his age division (15-18) in the Oregon B.A.S.S. Jr. Bassmaster State Championship held Saturday, May 7th at Cottage Grove Lake and Nick Rubeo, 12, of Hillsboro who landed an 8.11-pound smallmouth at Hagg Lake on Monday, May 9th, virtually securing himself the new Oregon State record.
Once confirmed, the smallie, above, will be the fifth consecutive Oregon State record to come from Hagg Lake, Ray Currie, 69, who caught two of those five record smallmouth bass, believes there may be more to come from those waters.
Trout have been stocked this week in Big Creek Reservoir, Big Creek Reservoir, Cape Meares Lake, Coffenbury Lake, Hebo Lake, Loren's Pond, Lost Lake (Clatsop County), Molalla Creek Reservoir, South Lake, Thissell Pond, Town Lake, Estacada Lake, Faraday Lake, Huddleston Pond, North Fork Reservoir, Small Fry Lake, Blue River, Blue River Reservoir Breitenbush River, Detroit Reservoir, E. E. Wilson Pond, Fall Creek, Foster Reservoir, Hills Creek, Junction City Pond, Leaburg Lake, upper McKenzie River, Mid Fork Willamette, Quartzville Creek, Salt Creek,Santiam River North Fork, and Trail Bridge Reservoir.
The Guide's Forecast's Washington edition is coming to fruition as requested by our numerous readers and pro guide Kevin Newell (360-430-2521) is doing a bang-up job of making it happen. Enjoy the fruits of his labor and for our free version subscribers, here is a re-cap of the Washington report:
Mid Columbia River Fishing Report – Pro Guide Jeff Knotts (509) 366-4052 The Umatilla closes Friday at midnight for salmon. Just like the many other fisheries, it never really got cooking. Paterson bass fishing is just about as good as it gets.
Kalama River Fishing Report - We fly fished the Kalama on Tuesday the 17th and the water looked good but it was flowing a little high. We didn't hook up with anything; partly do to our mid afternoon start. Some springers were caught that day by bait anglers but not the numbers we had been seeing. There are still winter steelhead available and the summer steelhead are starting to show up.
Snake River Fishing Report – Pro Guide Pat Long (509) 751-0410 According to Pat, "The Snake River region is still in a high water state with some tough conditions. We are doing quite well on sturgeon on the upper Snake and bass fishing has also been fair to good in the sheltered locations (bays and back channels protected from the main flow)."
There is always more at the website: http://www.theguidesforecast.com/
May 20th – May 26th, 2005
Limited Time - access Tech Report #19 - 2005 Run Forecast for free. Click here to see the Tech Report written by Bob Rees.
Sturgeon fishing in the gorge remains a “best-bet” for Columbia River anglers. Quality sized keepers and oversized fish are again showing in good numbers this week. Shad season remains closed until Sunday when anglers can go get some fresh bait for the oversized fish or just have a great day with the best crab bait that swims!
The estuary opener produced some great results but has since slowed dramatically. Guides are finding good success but some days, they have to work long hours for them. Judging from their size, they have been eating well. Shrimp remains a top bait.
The ocean would be another great bet this weekend for bottomfish, halibut and crab except the ocean forecast is calling for a lot of chumming and one might question the safety of your vessel in such conditions. I recommend staying off the ocean through the weekend at least!
Steelhead season on the mainstem Columbia also opens on Sunday from Rocky Point in the estuary to the I-5 Bridge so beach plunkers can get after them. Passage at Bonneville Dam however indicates a slow start to success for these folks. Shad fishing will also open on that date, allowing anglers to harvest a portion of these prolific fish for crab and sturgeon bait.
The Deschutes River closed to chinook fishing on May 15th due to the poor springer numbers. It had just opened on April 15th.
Spring chinook fishing is slow on the lower Willamette. The run estimate was adjusted Wednesday, May 18th, from the original 117,000 to a more realistic 80,000 to 90,000.
The Clackamas is high and muddy, Fishing is slow on the Sandy River.
High water has anglers struggling to find and entice fish on the Santiams, but a few spring chinook and summer steelhead are being taken by anglers with the right stuff.
North coast salmon fishing was tough this week but a nice tide series starting over the weekend may change things dramatically. Water levels on the Trask, Wilson and Nestucca Rivers may also draw in fishable numbers of springers by the weekend. A rare occurrence for this time of year.
Sturgeon fishing in Tillamook Bay has slowed and crabbing has become a bit more sporadic as well. Bottom fishing out of Garibaldi was great last week but again, with the ocean forecast, I advise against it.
Big surf will also hamper perch anglers on north coast beaches.
Big sturgeon are being landed on the lower Umpqua as anglers release oversized in search of one short enough to keep. The Umpqua and Rogue Rivers are both suffering from the results of rain storms on the Southern Oregon coast which has stalled the fishing upstream.
Young anglers of excellence featured this week include McMinnville High School sophomore Blake Paulsen, 16, who won his age division (15-18) in the Oregon B.A.S.S. Jr. Bassmaster State Championship held Saturday, May 7th at Cottage Grove Lake and Nick Rubeo, 12, of Hillsboro who landed an 8.11-pound smallmouth at Hagg Lake on Monday, May 9th, virtually securing himself the new Oregon State record.
Once confirmed, the smallie, above, will be the fifth consecutive Oregon State record to come from Hagg Lake, Ray Currie, 69, who caught two of those five record smallmouth bass, believes there may be more to come from those waters.
Trout have been stocked this week in Big Creek Reservoir, Big Creek Reservoir, Cape Meares Lake, Coffenbury Lake, Hebo Lake, Loren's Pond, Lost Lake (Clatsop County), Molalla Creek Reservoir, South Lake, Thissell Pond, Town Lake, Estacada Lake, Faraday Lake, Huddleston Pond, North Fork Reservoir, Small Fry Lake, Blue River, Blue River Reservoir Breitenbush River, Detroit Reservoir, E. E. Wilson Pond, Fall Creek, Foster Reservoir, Hills Creek, Junction City Pond, Leaburg Lake, upper McKenzie River, Mid Fork Willamette, Quartzville Creek, Salt Creek,Santiam River North Fork, and Trail Bridge Reservoir.
The Guide's Forecast's Washington edition is coming to fruition as requested by our numerous readers and pro guide Kevin Newell (360-430-2521) is doing a bang-up job of making it happen. Enjoy the fruits of his labor and for our free version subscribers, here is a re-cap of the Washington report:
Mid Columbia River Fishing Report – Pro Guide Jeff Knotts (509) 366-4052 The Umatilla closes Friday at midnight for salmon. Just like the many other fisheries, it never really got cooking. Paterson bass fishing is just about as good as it gets.
Kalama River Fishing Report - We fly fished the Kalama on Tuesday the 17th and the water looked good but it was flowing a little high. We didn't hook up with anything; partly do to our mid afternoon start. Some springers were caught that day by bait anglers but not the numbers we had been seeing. There are still winter steelhead available and the summer steelhead are starting to show up.
Snake River Fishing Report – Pro Guide Pat Long (509) 751-0410 According to Pat, "The Snake River region is still in a high water state with some tough conditions. We are doing quite well on sturgeon on the upper Snake and bass fishing has also been fair to good in the sheltered locations (bays and back channels protected from the main flow)."
There is always more at the website: http://www.theguidesforecast.com/