Columbia River Portland Fishing Report Today

Hey there, folks I'm Artificial Lure. Today, October 23, 2025, fishing around the Columbia River looks promising. Tides in Vancouver, just upstream from Portland, show a low tide at 3:31 AM and a high tide at 7:57 AM, with another low at 2:03 PM and a high at 7:38 PM. Sunrise is at 7:38 AM, and sunset is at 6:10 PM.

Recently, there's been a good catch of Coho Salmon and Steelhead in the area. For these species, use lures like bright-colored spinners or bait like herring or squid. The Nesmith River, near Astoria, and the Bonneville Dam area are hot spots for catching these fish.

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Good morning anglers, Artificial Lure here with your Columbia River fishing report around Portland for Wednesday, October 22nd, 2025.

We're looking at another beautiful fall morning on the river. Sunrise hit us at 7:07 AM, and we'll have light until about 6:15 PM tonight. The crisp autumn air is settling in, with temperatures starting in the low 40s this morning and climbing into the mid-50s by afternoon. We've got mostly clear skies with light winds out of the northwest at around 5 to 8 miles per hour - perfect conditions for getting out on the water.

**Tides and Water Conditions**

For those fishing the lower river near Wauna, we're seeing moderate tidal movement today. The water's been running clear with good visibility, which has been helping the bite. Water temps are holding steady in that 54 to 57 degree range, right where fall fish like to be active.

**What's Biting**

The sturgeon bite continues to be solid. Anglers have been pulling keepers and plenty of shakers from the usual holes between Longview and the I-5 bridge. Fresh smelt and squid are your go-to baits. Set up in 20 to 35 feet of water and let your bait sit on bottom.

Walleye action has been picking up nicely, especially in the evening hours. The stretch from Cascade Locks down through the Portland Harbor has been producing fish in the 2 to 4 pound range. Jigs tipped with nightcrawlers or trolling crankbaits along rocky ledges and drop-offs are working well. Focus on depths between 15 and 25 feet.

**Hot Spots**

Try the waters around Government Island - the back channels have been holding both walleye and smallmouth bass. The pilings near the St. Johns Bridge are another good bet for sturgeon right now. Work the deeper holes on the incoming tide.

The fall Chinook run is winding down, but a few late fish are still moving through. Spinner rigs with sardine wraps or back-bouncing roe in the deeper slots can still produce.

Remember, we're in that calm before the real fall storms roll in, so take advantage of these stable conditions while they last. The forecast looks cooperative through the weekend.

Thanks for tuning in, and make sure to subscribe so you don't miss tomorrow's report. Tight lines out there!

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Artificial Lure here with your Columbia River fishing report around Portland for Tuesday, October 21, 2025.

We’re off to a crisp, dry start—sunrise was at 7:32 AM and it’ll set tonight at 6:18 PM. The morning brought patchy fog, but skies are clearing up quickly, with temperatures climbing toward 66°F under mostly sunny skies. Enjoy it while it lasts: weather forecasters like Gordon McCraw say today’s the tail end of the calm spell, with wet and blustery conditions moving in midweek. So if you’ve got a line in the water, now’s your window!

On the tide front, NOAA reports a low tide at the Portland gauge right around 5:20 AM this morning, with the flood tide turning and running strong until peak high at about 10:53 AM. The next low rolls in around 6:31 PM this evening. These rising tides through late morning are prime time for sturgeon and walleye, especially as fish shift up tight to the edges and channel breaks.

Anglers have had solid action along the Multnomah Channel and Sauvie Island, and the turn below the I-5 bridge—as always, classic fall Columbia striper water. Fall chinook runs are tapering off but late fish are still showing in the deeper slots, and a few steelhead are being reported around the mouth of the Willamette and Bonneville Dam tailrace.

On the catch front, this last week’s reports have been mostly about sturgeon (catch and release), some healthy slot-length fish landed near Kelly Point and Frenchman’s Bar. Walleye continue to show up, with catches improving on the flats off Hayden Island and the foot of Sauvie—remember these fish bite best around the major bite windows that fishingreminder.com predicts as afternoon and near dusk right now.

Top lures for sturgeon have been fresh-smelling shad pieces and sand shrimp on heavy leaders, but don’t overlook big nightcrawlers if you’re fishing below the Willamette. For walleye, you want bright chartreuse or firetiger jigs, and hard-bouncing crankbaits like Rapala Shad Raps and Flicker Shads in natural baitfish or perch patterns. Anglers drifting nightcrawlers or trolling worm harness rigs with a juicy half-crawler have also been putting fish in the cooler.

Bass anglers are still reporting decent smallmouth action mid-day, especially off riprap and rocky points near Cathedral Park and the St. Johns area, using Ned rigs and drop-shot plastics in green pumpkin or smoke.

If you’re after the last of the salmon, try 3.5 spinners in chartreuse/silver or copper, or cured eggs under a bobber near the mouth of the Sandy or the lower Willamette confluence. But keep in mind fall flows are rising and water is clearing, so finesse your gear.

Two hot spots to try right now:

- The Willamette-Columbia confluence—tides and currents here draw in a mixed bag, with active walleye, late salmon, and some monster sturgeon.

- The tail end of Sauvie Island, especially along the Multnomah Channel for walleye in the morning and smallmouth as the sun climbs.

Conditions will get tougher once this week’s

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Artificial Lure here with your October 20th fishing report for the Columbia River and Portland area. Out the window this morning, we’re greeted by heavy overcast and a classic fall drizzle—so get that rain gear ready. Sunrise hit at 7:45 am and you can expect sunset at 6:16 pm tonight, with the moon slivering down to a waning crescent. It’s authentic Northwest fall: cool, wet, but the fishing is still worth it if you pick your battles.

Let’s talk tides. According to the US Harbors tide charts, the Columbia River entrance saw a low tide near 9:11 am and will hit high tide just after 10 pm. In Portland proper, NOAA’s Morrison Street Bridge gauge shows a moderate tide swing, with highs mid-afternoon and lows in the morning—decent news for those working the bank or the shipping lanes. Remember, that tidal push can trigger the bite, especially near structure and river mouths.

Weather-wise, the National Weather Service has a Hazardous Seas Warning through the morning in the main channel. Out by the bar, swells are finally dropping from a gnarly 18+ feet overnight to about 9 feet by afternoon. Inland, you’re looking at breezy westerly winds calming down after a gusty evening. Best bet: stick to sheltered channels, sloughs, or upstream spots until things mellow. Waders and small craft need to keep an eye on the updates out of Portland and Astoria.

Fish activity right now is picking up with the transition into true fall patterns. The big news on the Columbia is the tail end of the Chinook salmon run—reports from local anglers indicate a few late kings still pushing upstream, mostly landed near the I-205 Bridge and Meldrum Bar. Coho numbers have been decent from Troutdale down to St. Helens, especially on days when river clarity holds after rain. Bass fishing is slowing, but smallmouth are still catchable near rocky points and current seams. Walleye catches remain steady in the deeper holes from Camas to Washougal—with the bite often better just after sunrise or during dusk.

For baits and lures, folks targeting salmon are scoring with chartreuse spinners, metallic blue Mag Lips, and classic plug-cut herring below slip floats. Coho are turning on to smaller Brad’s Wee Warts and rocket red Spin-N-Glos drifted near the bottom. If you’re after sturgeon (check regs), frozen smelt and squid slabs are your go-to along deeper, slower runs. For bass, it’s cold-water go-tos like green pumpkin tubes and small swimbaits jigged slow. Walleye have been eating chartreuse worm harnesses with nightcrawlers and purple blade baits hopped tight to the riverbed.

Top spots today:

- Swan Island Basin and the Willamette mouth are reliable for late coho moving through.

- The stretch between Rooster Rock and Beacon Rock provides solid multi-species action, especially during the outgoing tide.

- Meldrum Bar as always is a community hotspot, particularly for salmon.

Remember to check ODFW for regulation changes—some emergency closures and rules are still in effect for the fall

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Artificial Lure here with your Columbia River, Portland area fishing report for Sunday, October 19th, 2025.

We’re waking up to crisp fall air and overcast skies this morning. Temps are hovering in the upper 40s early, climbing to the low 60s by afternoon. Light winds out of the northwest should keep things calm on the water—prime fishing weather for October in the Northwest.

Sunrise hit at 7:32 AM, with sunset coming up at 6:19 PM, giving us plenty of daylight to work those riverbanks and back eddies. According to US Harbors, today’s tide in Portland is falling early, bottoming out at 12:13 PM, and back up for a solid evening high at 4:51 PM. That falling tide this morning is great for targeting predatory fish hunting the bait funneling out of sloughs and tributaries.

As we roll through mid-to-late October, the big story remains the waning fall salmon run. ODFW and conservation groups are still in court advocating dam spill measures, hoping to keep our iconic Chinook and coho returns strong. Numbers are down from historic highs but there’s still action for those willing to put in the hours—especially near the mouths of tributaries and the deeper slots just below the Bonneville Dam. Last week, bank anglers at Meldrum Bar and Sauvie Island reported a handful of bright coho and late Chinook, most weighing 8–20 pounds. Most boaters are finding much of the same, but persistence pays, especially around the Willamette-Columbia confluence.

Just north by St. Helens, sturgeon keep drawing catch-and-release crowds. The outgoing tide midday usually fires up larger fish, especially on sand shrimp or herring. Walleye are also getting lively as the water cools—try jigs tipped with nightcrawlers or chartreuse plastics along the deeper current seams below the Portland harbor.

Your best bets for lures today:

- For coho: Bright spinners (Blue Fox size 4 or 5 in orange or chartreuse), Brad’s Super Baits stuffed with tuna, or twitching jigs in pink and purple.

- For Chinook: Larger Kwikfish wrapped with sardine or cut herring, Mag Wart plugs in metallic blues, or wobblers off anchor just above the deep holes.

- For walleye: 3/8 oz jigheads with worm trailers, or deep-diving shad crankbaits in chrome or firetiger.

- For sturgeon: Fresh sand shrimp, herring chunks, or squid strips on 6/0 hooks, especially around the pilings.

Bank access has been solid at the following local hotspots:

- **Sauvie Island beaches:** Consistent with coho and a few late summer steelhead.

- **Willamette-Columbia confluence at Kelley Point Park:** Active for late salmon and the occasional walleye.

- **St. Johns area piers**: Good for sturgeon and the occasional fat smallmouth bass.

Word on the dock is that boaters who slow troll the mouths of the Lewis or Cowlitz River in Southwest Washington are still hitting fresh coho, especially first and last light.

A friendly reminder: with wildfires mostly under control this fall, there are fewer access closures, but always check your ramp statu

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Good morning, this is Artificial Lure coming to you with your Columbia River fishing report for Saturday, October 18th, 2025, here in the greater Portland area.

Weather on the river this morning started out crisp with a cool, early-fall fog hugging the banks. Look for partly cloudy skies as the day presses on, highs reaching the upper 50s, and a light breeze—perfect conditions for both bank and boat anglers. Sunrise came at 7:26 this morning, with sunset expected around 6:18 this evening, giving you a solid window to get on those active morning and evening bites.

Checking in on the tides, Wauna Station on the Columbia printed a mild outgoing flow at first light, which will slack off late morning before a slow flood back in the afternoon, according to NOAA’s local tide predictions. These changing tides tend to fire up the bite for salmonids staging in main river current breaks as well as smallmouth holding along rocky points.

On the fish front, the talk of the river this week has been coho staging in numbers below the Bonneville Dam and all the way up past St. Helens. According to a recent local report, catches spiked the last couple days with fish averaging 6 to 10 pounds. Bank and boaters are both running hot, and that classic technique—casting and slow-retrieving bright spinners, especially #4 or #5 size Blue Fox in chartreuse or orange—has been red hot. The best action is coming each morning during that outgoing tide window, especially near major creek mouths and the ladders at Meldrum Bar.

If you’re after smallmouth, mid-October always delivers. Bass Resource noted just this week that the warm, flat calm evenings are producing solid numbers of brown bass, with the topwater bite holding through sunset. Soft plastics in green pumpkin on a Ned rig or tube jig along rip-rap and boulder fields are go-to, especially around Sauvie Island and Government Island stretches.

For sturgeon anglers, the action’s been steady between Kalama and the Portland Harbor. The lower temperatures have moved some keepers back into deeper holes. Fresh-smelt and sand shrimp top the bait list.

Steelhead are scattered, but a few have been caught around Troutdale with folks drifting coon shrimp and yarnies early.

If you’re bringing kids or looking for a quick limit, the Willamette and sloughs had some recent trout stockings, per the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife stocking schedule. Try a nightcrawler below a float or PowerBait near the Progress Lake dock.

For hot spots today, you can’t go wrong swinging spinners at Kelly Point where the Willamette joins the Columbia, especially on the last of the outgoing tide. Another local favorite—Cathedral Park ramp at St. Johns—gives great multi-species access and productive water for coho, bass, and the odd steelhead.

To recap, the fall fishing is firing: coho are thick and aggressive on bright spinners, smallmouth are busting anywhere you find rocky cover, and there's a chance for a keeper sturgeon if you’re patient in

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Good morning anglers, this is Artificial Lure bringing you the latest from the banks and channels of the Columbia River around Portland on Friday, October 17, 2025.

First, a weather check: the dawn cracked at 7:27 AM today, and you can expect the sun to set around 6:21 PM. Skies over Portland are starting crisp with patchy fog, burning off into a mix of clouds and sun, highs stretching to the mid 60s. Winds are light from the east, and although last week's rain was much needed, today looks stable—no deluges on the radar. But if you're pushing out toward the ocean or planning a beach stop, the National Weather Service has posted a Beach Hazard Warning with sneaker waves possible from noon today through Sunday, so stay sharp near the surf.

Turning to tides, courtesy NOAA: low slack hit at 3:13 AM, with a strong incoming push to a 7.3-foot high at 10:04 AM. Another low swings through around 3:48 PM at 1.3 feet, and the evening tops out at a 9.5-foot high by 9:35 PM. If you’re chasing salmon or planning a sturgeon soak, plan your sets right around those changeovers, especially as ebb and flood can really spark activity in nearby tributaries and sloughs.

Now, onto the heart of the matter—fish activity. According to The Guide’s Forecast, coho are still running the mainstem Columbia, and though the bite has tapered off some, catch rates are still holding surprisingly steady for late October. Mainstem Chinook returns are slipping, but there’s still a shot at bright fish in spots like Warrior Rock and the mouth of the Lewis. Down at Buoy 10, the last push of ocean-fresh coho has come through thanks to recent rains, so timing for chrome fish upstream of Westport is excellent. Fair numbers of hatchery coho are being landed—most pushing 6 to 10 pounds, with a few larger nooks in the mix.

Anglers working the Columbia between Kelly Point and the I-205 Bridge have reported fair to good catches just off the edges—downriggers set at 25 to 35 feet, pulling plug-cut herring, are drawing distinctive taps. Many are also swinging 3.5 magnum spinners (chartreuse, fire tiger, and copper-bronze) through slower eddies at the mouth of the Willamette and Multnomah Channel. Trim those leaders to keep a tight roll and let that vibration work.

If you’re up for bank fishing, Meldrum Bar is a staple right now. Plunkers are still scoring coho with Spin-N-Glo setups paired with sand shrimp or small chunks of cured roe on the bottom. For boaters, the mouth of the Sandy River is another late-season hot spot with coho stacking in at high tide. Early risers and the after-work crowd are finding short but feisty bites.

Best baits right now are plug-cut herring and fresh, well-cured roe; if you’re running hardware, 3.5 spinners and Brad’s Super Baits stuffed with tuna belly are making the most noise. For those steelhead junkies, the lower Columbia tribs haven’t seen much action this week, but the Klickitat mouth is still producing on bright mornings. Don’t overlook coho jigs (purpl

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Artificial Lure with the Columbia River fishing report for Portland, October 15th, 2025.

Sunrise came at 7:06 am, and sunset will be at 6:56 pm. The day started cool and overcast with light wind out of the northwest, a perfect recipe for solid action as we shift deeper into fall. Water temps are cooling, and with a First Quarter Moon tonight, the bite windows have lined up nicely. According to FishingReminder, major bite times today are 5:52-7:52 am and 6:13-8:13 pm, with minor periods in the early afternoon and late night. Tides are minimal, with a low at 8:33 am, high at 1:05 pm, another low around 8:10 pm, and a late high at 11:20 pm.

Recent catches logged on Fishbrain show anglers pulling in decent numbers and size of **Chinook salmon**, **Coho salmon**, and **smallmouth bass** off the Columbia, and yellow perch and largescale sucker are still showing in Spring Creek. The Willamette, just downstream, has been good for smallmouths with some pushing 2 pounds. Largemouth bass are also biting in the creeks feeding into the system, and channel catfish have made a late appearance on nightcrawlers and cut bait along Tryon Creek. Rainbow trout reports are down closer to the Peninsula Drainage Canal, where bank action has been steady.

The most productive lures lately have been **silver and blue spoons** (classic for fall salmon), **3-5 inch swimbaits** in perch or smelt patterns, and **chartreuse spinnerbaits** for bass. For bait, locals are getting consistent results with **sand shrimp** and cured roe for salmon, while **worms** and **cut bait** are pulling in catfish and some sturgeon. Early light hours are triggering more aggressive strikes, especially just after low tide and during the major bite window.

Two hot spots to hit if you’re out today:

- **Tomahawk Island Marina:** Ideal for bank fishing or launching if you’ve got a boat, especially around slack tide and into the evening bite.

- **Broughton Beach:** Good shore access near deeper channels and current seams, perfect for salmon or bass glide casting. Hayden Bay and Jantzen Beach Moorage are also getting traffic, especially for folks drifting bait or tossing spoons.

Word on the docks is that the river is still holding a mix of salmon moving up, and bass stacking near structure as the baitfish ball up with cooling temps. More than 6,000 smallmouth and nearly 5,000 largemouth have been logged in the Portland area recently, so don’t overlook main river points or the mouths of smaller creeks. Remember, with the salmon runs still pushing, best action is at dawn and dusk when tides coincide with major bite times.

Check water access, fish regs, and keep it local—Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is always updating rules, so make sure you’re dialed in, especially for salmon and sturgeon retention.

Thanks for tuning in and tight lines out there. Don’t forget to subscribe for more fishing reports and tips. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

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Hey there, Columbia River and Portland anglers, this is Artificial Lure, your local fishing buddy, coming at you live with a full report for the morning of Sunday, October 12th, 2025. The Guide’s Forecast has been my go-to for the latest, and here’s what you need to know before you hit the water today.

**Tides & Weather**

Tides right now at the Columbia River entrance are coming off a high, but things are looking up as we push toward a new high coming in around 10:13 tonight. The water’s falling, so if you’re planning to fish the lower tide, keep in mind that fish behavior can change with the water level. Sunrise is at 5:45 AM, and sunset is set for 9:01 PM—you’ve got a long day of light. The forecast calls for some welcome rain after this dry spell, but rivers haven’t “blown out” yet, so access should stay solid.

**Fish Activity & Catches**

Action on the Columbia River is strong, with plenty of fish—especially fall Chinook—showing up at the mouths and upriver. The run is starting to taper a bit, so don’t expect the red-hot action of a month ago, but persistent anglers are still finding fish. Coho are coming on strong, especially with the cooler nights and rain on the way—expect that bite to pick up even more after this next front rolls through.

Portland area streams like the Sandy and Clackamas are seeing coho move in, but it’s been a picky bite. Downriver, reports from local shops say fishing has been slow, with low water making things tricky, but those who’ve put in the time are still hooking up. Over on the coast, the Chetco Estuary has had some bright spots, with boaters picking up some fat Chinook trolling between the 101 Bridge and the mouth—think 30-pounders have been coming over the rail.

**Best Lures & Bait**

For Chinook, you can’t go wrong with big, bright spinners or diving plugs. Blue Fox and Kwikfish in UV or chartreuse are always a good call. If you’re pitching bait, cured eggs with a bit of sand shrimp has been turning heads. For coho, think smaller—3.5” spoons in silver and blue, or small, flashy spinners. Hot Shot and Brad’s Wigglers are classic Columbia picks. Remember, when the water’s still low and clear, lighter line and a stealthy approach pay off.

**Hot Spots**

If you’re sticking close to Portland, try swinging spinners along the Sauvie Island split, especially on the incoming tide just inside the mouth of the Willamette. For a bit more elbow room, Bonneville Dam tailrace is always worth a shot, especially with the rains helping moves more fish upriver. For a quieter scene, the Sandy near Oxbow Park has steady coho action, but expect crowds after the rain hits.

**Wrap-Up**

Stick with it, the bite might be a grind right now, but the next pulse of rain could light things up. Thanks for casting in with me today—keep your lines tight, and if you like what you’re hearing, make sure to subscribe for more updates. Until next time, this has been a quiet please production. For more check out quiet please dot ai.

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Artificial Lure here with your Columbia River fishing report for Saturday, October 11, 2025. Let’s get right into it!

Forecasts from the National Weather Service out of Portland say we’re in for a classic fall Saturday—slight south winds giving way to some northwest gusts later on, and with a small craft advisory in effect late afternoon through the evening, expect the river to get choppy as the day goes on. Skies are mostly cloudy with scattered light showers possible, temperatures in the mid-50s early and topping out just under 70 in the afternoon—pretty good fishing weather if you don’t mind fleece and rain gear. Sunrise was 7:28 AM, and sunset’s coming at 6:36 PM.

Tides are running moderate at the Columbia River mouth today. According to tide-forecast.com, high tide hit at 4:46 AM at 6.05 feet, then we’ll see a low tide at 9:42 AM (2.76 feet), with the second high coming at 3:50 PM at 8.19 feet, then dropping off for a night low at 10:55 PM. Fish those moving edges for your best shot—predawn and late afternoon transitions are always prime on this system.

Fall Chinook action is still hanging on, especially below the Portland Harbor through St. Helens and down to the mouth. Most boats this week have been working 360 flashers paired with cut-plug herring or spinners—chartreuse and silver seem to be the ticket. Reports from the stretch between Kelley Point and Sauvie Island say a few solid Chinooks have been hooked early morning right at daybreak and again around the afternoon high, though things are tapering down as the run wraps up. Some coho are still in the mix, especially on those overcast mornings.

Walleye anglers on the Multnomah Channel have found slow but steady bites at dawn, with blade baits and worm harnesses catching most of the better fish. Smaller cranks in perch or firetiger pattern are a close second. Bass fishing’s mostly wound down, but persistent folks working drop shots or Ned rigs near rocky structure below Willamette Falls still pick up a few in the midday hours.

Sturgeon are catch-and-release only these days, but if you’re looking for action, deep holes below the I-5 bridge or around Government Island are always a good bet. Sand shrimp and smelt bring the bites, just remember the slot limit’s closed for harvest.

Local panfish can still surprise from bank spots near Scappoose Bay—small jigs tipped with worm under a float will find perch or the occasional fat crappie. For trout, check recent ODFW stocking at regional lakes, as the mainstem isn’t scheduled right now.

Top hot spots today:

- Kelley Point Park: Especially at high slack for salmon; bring your herring and work the channel edge.

- Multnomah Channel at Coon Island: Early for walleye, especially on an incoming tide.

- St. Helens area: Troll spinners or plugs just outside the main current seam.

In sum, it’s a transition week—some early Chinook still, the last pushes of coho, and steady walleye action for those in the know. With moderate tides and cool fall ai

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