Columbia River Portland Fishing Report Today

Hey folks, this is Artificial Lure, your go-to guy for all things rod and reel on the mighty Columbia River around Portland. It's Friday morning, December 19th, and we're lookin' at a wet one out there—atmospheric river dumpin' 2-4 inches of rain through today per local forecasts, with flood warnings up for western Oregon and southwest Washington. Rivers are risin' fast, so watch those levels and stay safe on the water.

Sunrise hits around 7:46 AM, sunset 4:29 PM here in Portland, givin' us a short winter day to chase bites. Tides on the Columbia at Portland show low at 2:36 AM (-0'2"), high 6:31 AM (7'4"), low 2:08 PM (4'0"), and high 5:15 PM (9'1") according to tides.net. Fish the incoming tides hard, especially that afternoon push when current stirs 'em up.

Fish activity's slowin' down this time of year—fall Chinook season shut down December 1st, no retention allowed per ODFW Columbia Zone report from Dec 18. Hatchery steelhead are the play now, with early winter fish showin' in tributaries like the Wilson and North Fork Nehalem, though rivers are high and muddy from recent rains. ODFW Northwest Zone says fair bite on hatchery winter steelhead at North Fork Nehalem—should fishable by weekend if it drops—and some early grabs on the Wilson. Creel program's done till spring, so it's catch-and-release mostly. Sturgeon and shad might give you action lower down, but numbers are low.

For lures, go slow and subtle in this dirty water: yarn balls with pink or orange Glo-Bugs, or spin-n-glos in black/chartreuse. Jigs tipped with shrimp or sand shrimp work killer for steelhead. Live bait? Roe bags or cured prawns if you can find 'em legal.

Hot spots: Try the Multnomah Channel near Sauvie Island for tide rips holdin' fish—tides there low 1:18 AM (-0'2"), high 6:05 AM (1'6")—or drop lines below Bonneville Dam where current concentrates 'em. Check regs, grab that new Columbia salmon/steelhead endorsement startin' Jan 1.

Bundle up, fish smart, and tight lines!

Thanks for tunin' in, folks—subscribe for more reports! This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai.

Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.

Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Columbia River Portland fishing report.

We’re in classic winter mode on the big river. According to Tide-Forecast, Portland’s running a modest tide swing today with a low around late morning and a high close to midnight, so you’ll see a gentle push and pull rather than big coastal-style rips. Sunrise is about 7:15 and sunset about 5:35, giving a tight window where those gray first and last light bites matter most.

Weather-wise, National Weather Service guidance has us cool and unsettled: mid‑30s to low‑40s, clouds, leftover breeze after last night’s coastal wind warnings. Expect a damp chill, maybe showers. Layer up, bring gloves you can still tie knots in, and watch the wind forecasts if you’re launching a smaller sled.

Fish activity around Portland has shifted fully to winter patterns. Steelhead are starting to trickle through the system, with most of the better reports from anglers working the Multnomah Channel mouths and up toward the Willamette, but a few bright fish have been picked up plunking near I‑205 and down toward Government Island. Local shop chatter says catch rates are still spotty—think a fish here and there, not wide‑open—but the ones caught have been solid 6–10 pounders with a couple bigger.

Walleye guys are doing more consistent work. The Columbia River’s winter walleye fishery is waking up, especially down toward Camas and up around the Vancouver stretch and Caterpillar Island. Slow‑trolled worm harnesses and jigged plastics are putting fish in the box, mostly eaters in the 14–20 inch range with an occasional mid‑20s trophy.

Sturgeon is mostly a catch‑and‑release game in this reach, and a few locals soaking smelt and squid in the deeper channels are reporting steady action on shakers with an odd keeper‑class overslot that has to go back. Check current regs hard before you ever think about bonking one—ODFW has Columbia sturgeon on a tight leash.

Best offerings right now:

- For **steelhead**: 1/8–1/4 oz jigs in pink, white, or cerise under a slip float, tipped with a little shrimp. Small 2–3 inch soft‑plastic worms in pink or black‑and‑red are also producing. Plunkers are leaning on Spin‑N‑Glos with small spinwings and coon‑stripe shrimp or cured roe.

- For **walleye**: slow‑dragged 3/8–1/2 oz jigheads with 3–4 inch paddletails in natural shad, chartreuse, or purple. Nightcrawler harnesses behind a bottom bouncer in 25–40 feet remain a staple.

- For **sturgeon**: sand shrimp, smelt, and squid strips on heavy gear; sit tight on contour edges and let them come to you.

A couple hot spots if you’re heading out:

- **Government Island / I‑205 area**: good winter steelhead plunking bars and some jig water tight to the bank when flows behave. Mind the shipping lanes.

- **Vancouver to Caterpillar Island**: classic winter walleye stretch—deep slots, soft edges, and current seams that hold fish when the water’s cold.

The river’s busy with commercial traffic and the USCG’s been active

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.

Hey folks, this is Artificial Lure, your go-to guy for all things fishing on the mighty Columbia River around Portland. It's Monday, December 15th, 2025, and we're kickin' off the day at 8:30 AM with sunrise already past at 7:44 AM PST—sun dips at 4:27 PM, so make those daylight hours count.

Tides today per Tide-Forecast.com: Low at 8:47 AM hitting 0.8 ft around Vancouver on the Columbia, high pushin' 2.98 ft at 2:52 PM, then low again at 11:14 PM to 0.9 ft. Fish the outgoing after that morning low for best current action. Weather's rowdy—National Weather Service has a Gale Warning till 4 PM with Wind Advisory gusts tearin' through the northern Oregon Coast Range and Willapa Hills per Tillamook County Emergency Management. Bundle up, secure your gear, and watch for whitecaps.

Fish activity's solid despite the blow. ODFW reports healthy lingcod pops with bag limits bumpin' to 3 fish in '26, and black rockfish guidelin's holdin' steady—anglers hittin' 4-fish limits easy last season till quotas tightened. Recent catches around Portland: sturgeon steady in the deep holes, steelhead pushin' upriver on the mainstem (barbed hooks might be comin' back soon per commission talks), plus perch and rockfish off the jetties. Limits of 10-20 perch common, sturgeon oversize keepers showin' daily.

Best lures? Jig a **Buzz Bomb** or **Army Worm** in chartreuse for perch and rockfish—slow troll 'em deep. For steelhead and sturgeon, **Kwikfish** divers or **Spin-N-Glo** with yarn. Bait-wise, fresh herring or cut anchovies on a circle hook crush it for sturgeon; nightcrawlers or shrimp for perch.

Hot spots: Hit the Vancouver I-205 Bridge pilings at low tide—perch swarm there. Or try Big Eddy Marina east of downtown for sheltered sturgeon action.

Stay safe out there in the gale, tight lines!

Thanks for tunin' in, folks—subscribe for more reports! This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai.

Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.

Hey folks, this is Artificial Lure, your go-to guy for all things fishin' on the mighty Columbia River around Portland. It's a crisp December mornin', perfect for bundlin' up and hittin' the water. Sunrise kicked off at 7:12 AM, sunset's at 5:36 PM, givin' ya about 10 hours of light—Tide-Forecast.com nails it for today.

Tides are playin' nice: low at 9:07 AM hittin' 0.39 ft, then high at 11:09 PM pushin' 0.98 ft. Fish the outgoing tide early for best bites, as currents stir up the bottom—NOAA Tides & Currents backs those predictions for the river mouth area.

Weather's classic Pacific Northwest December: cool and wet, with the Columbia runnin' chilly and a tad stained from recent rains, per Fishing Reminder's Vancouver report. Solunar theory from Tides4Fishing says low fish activity today, but don't let that stop ya—winter patterns mean steelhead and sturgeon are key players.

Recent catches? Locals report steady steelhead grabs, some fat 8-12 pounders on the lower river, plus a few sturgeon overslots released clean. Smaller trout and perch in the shallows, but numbers are down from fall runs—word from Vancouver spots.

For lures, go with **glow spoons** like 1/2 oz Buzz Bombs in chartreuse for steelhead in low light. Jigs with **marabou tails** or **yarn flies** drifted on the swing. Best bait? Threadfin shad chunks or prawn tails for sturgeon; nightcrawlers for perch. Keep it simple in this cold water.

Hot spots: Try the **Vancouver waterfront** for easy bank access and steelhead, or drift near **St. Helens** where tides lock in fish—tides.net shows solid swings there.

Bundle up, check regs, and stay safe out there.

Thanks for tunin' in, folks—subscribe for more reports! This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai.

Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.

Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Columbia River Portland fishing report.

We’re sitting on a typical December pattern: cold, gray, and calm enough to fish if you dress for it. Local weather outlets are calling for mid‑40s to low‑50s, light east wind, scattered showers, and plenty of cloud cover—perfect steelhead and sturgeon weather. Sunrise around the metro stretch is about 7:40 a.m. with sunset near 4:30 p.m., according to the local tide tables at Portland and Vancouver.

On the tide side, Vancouver and St. Helens Columbia River tables show a pre‑dawn high around 12:45–1:00 a.m., dropping to low water about 7:45–8:30 a.m., then a solid midday high in the early afternoon and another low in the evening. That morning outgoing and the early‑afternoon push have been the best windows.

Fish activity has definitely shifted into winter mode. Steelhead reports have been spotty but encouraging: a few bright early winters showing in the lower Sandy and making their way through the Portland stretch, with bank anglers scratching out a fish or two on the Columbia plunking rigs. Most boats near town are still focused on catch‑and‑release sturgeon and late‑season coho stragglers.

The last several days, guides working below the I‑205 bridge and down toward Caterpillar Island have been putting clients on decent keeper‑sized sturgeon where open, plus plenty of shakers. Most are coming on sand shrimp and smelt cocktails, with squid strips for durability. A couple of boats reported bonus walleye just upstream around Government Island edges pulling worm‑tipped crankbaits along the drop‑offs.

For gear, here’s what’s been hot:

- For sturgeon: 8–16 oz of lead, 4/0–6/0 circle hooks, running sand shrimp, smelt, or herring chunks. Add a little scent; the cold, colored water means they’re sniffing more than chasing.

- For steelhead: small to medium soft beads in peach, orange, and cream, or pink worms under a clear float. Spinners in size 3–4 in copper or brass have taken a few along rocky shoreline seams.

- For walleye: fire‑tiger and perch‑pattern crankbaits, or 3/8 oz jigs tipped with nightcrawler along the deeper Columbia edge lines.

On the lure side, if you’re a hardware junkie like me, bring:

- Size 3 Blue Fox‑style spinners in copper and copper/black

- 1/4–3/8 oz jig heads with pink or white curly tails

- For trolling: small Brad’s kokanee‑style plugs or mini cut‑plug herring behind short leaders when targeting bonus salmonids in the main current edges

A couple of local hot spots to think about:

- **Government Island / I‑205 stretch**: consistent sturgeon on the ledges, with the occasional winter steelhead traveling the shoreline. Work that midday incoming.

- **Caterpillar Island to Frenchman’s Bar (WA side)**: deeper slots and inside turns holding sturgeon and walleye. Set up on a contour change and let the fish come to you.

Bank anglers are doing best setting up early on the dropping tide with big spin‑n‑glos and bait for steelhead near the mo

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.

Hey folks, Artificial Lure here, your go-to guy for Columbia River angling around Portland. It's a crisp December 12th morning, sunrise at 7:41 AM and sunset 'round 4:27 PM per Tides.net. Tides today show high at 12:34 AM hitting 7'1" and 1:49 PM at 8'3", with lows at 9:00 AM (1'6") and 10:00 PM (2'9") at the Vancouver I-205 Bridge, according to Tides.net—fish the outgoing for best drift.

Weather's typical PNW winter: chilly highs in the 40s, partly cloudy with light rain possible, winds 5-10 mph from the south. Bundle up, water's cold.

Fish action's slow but pickin' up for winter steelhead in lower Columbia tributaries like the Big Creek, Gnat Creek, and Klaskanine—hatchery fish are fair, per the ODFW Northwest Zone report updated Dec 9. Fall Chinook closed Dec 1, no retention all year. Hatchery coho lingerin' in spots like North Fork Nehalem, some bright ones still good into December, but numbers low. Early winter steelhead showin' in Wilson and Trask Rivers, fair to good if flows drop—check ODFW for levels.

Catches recent: a few hatchery steelhead and coho, limits spotty but quality fish. No big numbers, but persistent anglers hookin' 5-10 lb steelies.

Best lures? Spin-n-Glo's in hot pink or chartreuse, 3-4" kwikfish for steelhead swings, small spinners like Mepps #3. Bait-wise, fresh roe clusters or cured prawns rule—drift 'em deep on the outgoing tide.

Hot spots: Try the hole below Bonneville Dam for steelhead staging, or Big Creek mouth near Highway 30 for easy access and consistent hatchery bites. Launch from Portland's Cathedral Park ramps if river's fishable.

Stay safe, check regs—no wild coho retention.

Thanks for tuning in, folks—subscribe for more reports! This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai.

Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.

Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Columbia River report for the Portland stretch.

We’re sitting in a classic December pattern: heavy rain, high rivers, off‑color water, and more storms stacked up in the Pacific. The National Weather Service out of Portland is calling for steady showers, breezy south wind, and highs in the mid‑40s. According to the same forecast, expect gusts pushing 25 to 30 mph at times and river levels running high, so pick your launches carefully and watch for debris.

Sunrise this morning is right around 7:40, with sunset close to 4:25, so you’ve got a tight daylight window. Low, gray light most of the day means fish aren’t as spooky; it also makes the morning and late‑afternoon tide swings prime time.

Tide-wise, using Vancouver and St. Helens tables as a proxy, we’ve got modest Columbia swings today, with a low early, building to a mid‑day high, then easing off again toward dark. Around Portland that translates to softer current in the late morning and again late afternoon—exactly when you want to be working ledges, inside turns, and any soft seams behind pilings or wing dams.

Recent action: local reports and shop chatter from places like Fisherman’s Marine and Sportsman’s Warehouse have sturgeon carrying most of the load. Anglers are putting up decent numbers of keeper‑sized fish below the I‑205 bridge and down toward Kelly Point, with some oversize showing when the river isn’t chocolate milk. Walleye catches have been fair out of the Multnomah Channel and down toward Kalama—nothing on fire, but enough eaters to make it worthwhile if you grind. Steelhead and late coho are scattered, mostly caught by folks targeting them specifically with patience and persistence.

Best offerings right now:

- For **sturgeon**: fresh or brined smelt, sand shrimp, herring chunks, and squid strips on 6/0–8/0 circles. With the color we’ve got, add a small glow bead or chartreuse hoochie above the hook. Shorten leaders in the heavy current and anchor on current breaks, not in the main fire hose.

- For **walleye**: 3/8–1/2 oz jig heads with 3–4" plastics in chartreuse, glow, or motor oil, bounced slow along the bottom. Slow‑trolled deep‑diving cranks in gold, perch, or clown patterns have also been putting fish in the box when the wind lets you control the boat.

- For **steelhead/late coho** in the side channels and trib mouths: smaller presentations—pink or orange soft beads, size 3 spinners, and 2.5–3.0 mag‑lips or similar plugs in metallic greens and pinks. Run them tight to the breaks where cleaner water is pushing in.

Couple of local hot spots to consider:

- **Gobble’s to Frenchman’s Bar / Caterpillar Island**: Classic winter sturgeon water. Anchor above the drops, cast back to the edge where that hard current meets softer inside water. Keep an eye on floating logs; it’s busy out there after big rain.

- **Mouth of the Multnomah Channel / Sauvie‑side flats**: Good bet for both eater sturgeon and walleye. Work the 20–35 foo

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.

Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Columbia River report around Portland.

According to NOAA’s Portland and Vancouver tide stations, we’re on small inside tides today: low just before dawn and a modest high mid‑morning, with another soft ebb pushing through mid‑afternoon. That means slower current in the harbor and around the islands, with the best bite typically bracketing those turns. Sunrise is right around 7:15, sunset just after 4:30, so your prime windows are first light through mid‑morning and that 2–dark evening push.

National Weather Service Portland is calling for another wet, mild day: steady rain, south to southwest wind 10–20 with higher gusts, and unseasonably warm temps in the upper 40s to low 50s. There’s an areawide flood watch out, and rivers are on the rise. Flows on the mainstem Columbia are climbing and visibility is dropping into that 2–3 foot green‑brown, which can actually help the winter bite if you slow down and fish big profiles.

The Guide’s Forecast notes that salmon and summer steelhead on the big river are effectively wrapped up and effort has shifted to crab and early winter steelhead down low. Up here in the Portland reach, the scene is classic shoulder‑season: light pressure, a few diehards working for catch‑and‑release sturgeon and the very first winter steelhead nosing around the lower tributary mouths.

Recent action:

- **Sturgeon:** Anglers working the Portland Harbor and down toward Warrior Rock reported steady sub‑legal action with a sprinkling of keeper‑sized fish on sand shrimp, smelt, and herring. Soft edges 30–60 feet deep near channel breaks have been the ticket when the current lays back.

- **Walleye:** A handful of boats between Kelley Point and downriver toward St. Helens have been quietly picking off fish on jig‑and‑crawler rigs and deep diving cranks when the wind will let them hold line.

- **Trout/rough fish:** Bank anglers around Sauvie and Vancouver have found the usual mix of pikeminnow, perch, and the odd trout on nightcrawlers under a slider rig when the water clears just a touch between showers.

Best offerings today:

- For **sturgeon**, run fresh sand shrimp, smelt, or herring chunks on a sliding rig with a 10–16 oz pyramid, 18–24" leader, and 7/0–9/0 circle. With color in the river, big scent wins—refresh baits often.

- For **walleye**, think low and slow: 3/8–1/2 oz jigs tipped with nightcrawler in chartreuse, glow, or motor oil; or deep‑diving cranks in perch, firetiger, and gold/black, ticking bottom off the edge of the shipping lane.

- For **bank mixed bag**, simple is king: nightcrawlers, sand shrimp, or cured coon‑stripe under just enough weight to hold.

Couple of local hot spots to consider:

- **Portland Harbor / Swan Island to St. Johns Bridge:** Classic winter sturgeon drift. Work the soft inside bends and depressions off the main channel; when the tide slacks, slide shallower.

- **Kelley Point / Mouth of the Willamette:** Good intersection water for both sturgeon

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.

Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Columbia River fishing report around Portland.

We’re riding a small tide today on the upper river. Tide-Forecast for Portland shows a predawn high about 2 a.m. and a weak low early afternoon, so current swings will be subtle but you’ll still see that midday lull and an evening pick‑up in flow. Sunrise is right around 7:07, sunset about 5:34, giving you a nice long gray window on both ends.

National Weather Service and local emergency management are calling for a wet pattern tied to an atmospheric river, with a Flood Watch posted for the Lower Columbia and Portland metro. Expect steady rain, rising rivers, and some color in the water. Wind will be the wild card; if it stacks against the current, plan on some ugly chop in the open reaches.

All that fresh flow has the resident fish on edge but not off the bite. Steelhead numbers are just starting to trickle in on the lower Columbia tribs, but up around Portland it’s mostly a game of winter smallmouth, walleye, and the odd cutthroat or oversize sturgeon. Local shop chatter this week has been steady on the walleye bite below the I‑205 bridge and down toward Government Island: smaller fish in numbers with a few quality eyes in the 5–8 pound range. Bass guys working slower seams along the Washington side have reported fair action on 1–2 pound smallies whenever the river isn’t blowing out with debris.

For tactics, think cold water and off‑color conditions. Walleye are coming on **3–4 inch paddle‑tail swimbaits** in chartreuse, pearl, or firetiger on 3/8–1/2 oz jig heads, fished just off bottom on the first break. Slow the retrieve until it feels almost too slow. Classic Columbia rigs with **nightcrawlers on spinner harnesses** behind 1–2 oz bottom bouncers are still putting fish in the boat when pulled 0.8–1.2 mph along channel edges.

Smallmouth are keyed to soft plastics with a bit of thump. Go with **green pumpkin tubes, Ned rigs, or 3 inch grubs** on 1/8–1/4 oz heads, dragged and shaken, not hopped. On the brighter afternoons, a **silver blade bait or small gold spoon** yo‑yoed on current breaks can wake up a better fish.

Sturgeon folks soaking bait near the deep slots are finding a few keepers and plenty of shakers. Best bets are **fresh smelt, sand shrimp, or squid strips** on heavy slider rigs. With rising water, avoid the heavy main flow; look for inside corners and soft water just out of the main chute.

A couple of local hot spots to consider:

- **Government Island / Caterpillar Island stretch** – good structure for walleye and smallmouth; work the 20–35 foot breaks and current seams off the island points.

- **Kelly Point down to Sauvie’s east end** – deeper bends and soft edges hold sturgeon and winter walleye; hug the ledges and watch for debris with the higher flows.

Given the flood watch and fast-changing conditions, keep an eye on river levels and floating wood, wear the dry gear, and don’t push it in a small boat.

Thanks for tuning in,

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.

Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Columbia River Portland report.

We’re sliding into that classic early‑December pattern: cool, gray, and wet, with the river running cold and a little colored after steady rains. FishingReminder’s Vancouver outlook notes typical winter temps in the low 40s to low 50s with showers and light east wind, so bundle up and plan on a damp day.

According to Tide-Forecast’s Portland section, sunrise is right around **7:06 a.m.** and sunset about **5:34 p.m.** The Columbia’s upriver flow mutes the ocean tide, but you’ll still see subtle pushes; out toward Longview and Stella, Tides.net shows early‑morning highs and late‑morning lows, which means your best bite windows around Portland will mirror that first light period and the late‑afternoon swing when current softens.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s recreation report from December 4 says winter steelhead are just starting to show in lower Columbia tribs, but it’s still early and fish are scattered. Think of metro winter steelhead right now as bonus fish. The Guide’s Forecast’s Portland/Metro report this week flat‑out calls mainstem salmon and steelhead “on hold,” with most serious folks shifting to the coast or to reservoir trout. That tells you expectations on the big river itself should be modest.

Catch reports the last few days have leaned toward:

- A few **keeper sturgeon** caught and released in the harbor and down toward the mouth of the Willamette on sand shrimp and smelt.

- Scattered **late coho** and dark fall Chinook reported mostly below the Portland stretch; above Westport, The Guide’s Forecast notes the Columbia is essentially wrapped for salmon.

- Light action for **walleye** in the Vancouver and Camas sloughs, with small eaters showing for the folks willing to grind jigs in the deeper slots.

For tactics, think winter mode:

- For **sturgeon**, best bait is still **sand shrimp, smelt, and squid strips** on stout leaders, fished on the edge of the channel or any inside turn that softens the current.

- For **walleye**, go with **1/2–3/4 oz jig heads** tipped with soft‑plastic grubs or ringworms in chartreuse, white, and motor oil, or slowly pull **worm harnesses** with nightcrawlers when the wind allows.

- If you’re swinging for that unicorn early **steelhead** in nearby tribs, ODFW and local shops are pushing **soft beads, pink worms, and nickel‑size yarnies** under a bobber, or small **1/4‑oz spoons and spinners** in copper and black.

Best artificial choices on the main river right now:

- **Walleye:** Rapala Husky Jerks, Shad Raps, or similar in firetiger, perch, or “clown,” trolled just off bottom.

- **Sturgeon:** It’s a bait game, but a bright slider and bead chain helps keep things clean.

- **Bycatch coho/Chinook:** If you insist, run smaller 3.5 spinners or Brad’s Super Baits in chartreuse and green with a herring or tuna wrap, but know seasons and closures before you drop gear.

A couple of local hot spots to consider:

-

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.