Columbia River Portland Fishing Report Today

Artificial Lure here with your Columbia River and Portland fishing report for Friday, September 5th, 2025.

Let’s start with **conditions**: this morning brought a crisp sunrise at 6:47 AM, and anglers can expect sunset tonight around 7:38 PM, giving you a solid window for chasing those river giants. Tides are always a key player on the Columbia. For today, you’ll see a high at roughly 2:07 AM, a low at 8:06 AM, another high peaking at 2:29 PM, and falling out to an evening low around 8:38 PM, per tide-forecast.com. Working your trips around these turns is going to maximize your chances.

**Weather’s looking decent**—expect cool early, giving way to comfortable late-summer warmth by midday. Layer up for those early runs, then peel it off as the morning fog burns away.

Now, for the **fishing activity**—we’re right in the heart of fall Chinook migration, and action is heating up around Portland, especially from the mouth up through Warrior Rock. Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife checked 391 boats between Warrior Rock and Rainier recently, with a whopping 412 Chinook, 37 jacks, 5 coho, and 7 steelhead kept, plus plenty more released. The Gorge section is less red-hot but still saw some Chinook and jack action. The Portland to Warrior Rock stretch gave up five Chinook and one jack kept out of 59 boats—odds are better upriver or down near Rainier right now. Bank action has been slow, so boaters are having most of the luck.

**Tuna chasers:** Remember, the albacore season extends through September 25th, with no catch limit, so if you’re itching for something different, those offshore trips can be white-hot right now, per Washington Coast outfitters.

**Halibut** is on the menu too—Columbia subarea’s open all-depth Sundays through Fridays until September 30 or quota’s filled, so keep those big rods ready if you’re venturing out the mouth.

**Lures and bait:** Pulling spinners and herring-wrapped Flashers remain top tactics for Chinook, especially on the outgoing tide. Chartreuse and metallic greens are killer colors lately. If you’re fishing coho, don’t forget those smaller spinners or twitching jigs. For the steelhead crowd, wobblers and sand shrimp are classic Columbia producers. Halibut will hit on herring or squid, fished right on bottom in deeper holes.

**Hot spots:**

• Warrior Rock to Rainier is absolutely lighting up—if you want numbers, this is the place.

• Troutdale is putting up good catches, especially for those running herring behind flashers early in the day.

• For those without a boat, the docks at Cathedral Park in North Portland and the Sauvie Island Bridge can produce, but bank action lags behind the boat scene right now.

• Offshore for albacore if the ocean lays down—book a charter or buddy up for those wild bluewater runs.

Don’t forget to check the latest ODFW updates for any in-season regulation tweaks, and be cautious—there’s an active fish consumption advisory for parts of the Columbia due to mercury and PCBs. Fish look and

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Artificial Lure here with your Columbia River and Portland fishing report for September 3, 2025.

Let’s get right to it—Portland woke to clear early fall skies and comfortable temps hovering in the low 70s. We’ve had some light east wind keeping things fresh, making for picture-perfect fishing conditions you usually have to order special. Sunrise was at 6:33 AM and sunset’s coming at 7:42 PM. Long enough to get in both a pre-work cast and a sunset run.

Tides are looking favorable for anglers working both the main channel and sloughs. According to NOAA’s Hammond station, we saw a low at 3:38 AM, a high at 10:52 AM, another low at 3:09 PM, and high again at 9:14 PM—so mid-morning through early afternoon is prime for running baits along current seams and swinging spinners through the eddies. Over at Vancouver, Tides4Fishing says the tidal coefficient is high today, boosting both current and fish activity—those swinging tides push baitfish, and everybody else follows even in the river.

You’re probably wondering, what’s hot in the water this week? The big talk all up and down the boat launches is salmon—Buoy 10 season is wide open through September 5, and bank and boat anglers have been catching thick-bellied coho and some nice chinook in the 12–20 pound range. Regulation this season is two salmon per day, only one of which can be a chinook, and all coho must be fin-clipped as always, per Sea Breeze Charters and the WDFW.

The bite’s been best on the outgoing morning tide, especially below the I-205 bridge down to Sauvie Island and out near the mouth around Kelly Point. Reports from the hatchery hole upriver, too, show solid numbers turning up—you know the drift lines if you’re local.

For lures, trolling herring behind a Pro-Troll flasher in chartreuse or Wonderbread color has been the ticket. Folks throwing spinners—blue 3.5s and green label—off the rocks or from boats have seen good strikes, especially with a little UV flash. Plugs like Brad's Cut Plugs, Sweet Abby, and various Mag Lips loaded with tuna belly are a local favorite, particularly for chinooks staging outside the deeper holes.

On the bait front, nothing is beating fresh herring for the big kings, but coho have been hammering spinners tipped with a little scent. For bank anglers, try drifting eggs or prawns under a float around Twilight Slough and Swan Island for a shot at both kings and late-summer steelhead—yes, a few runners have turned up, especially on smaller soft beads or pink worms.

Hot spots today? Head for the mouth of the Willamette at Kelly Point—huge tide swings put bait right in the ambush zone. Downstream, the famed Multnomah Channel stretch between Fred’s Marina and Coon Island has been putting up consistent numbers for trolling boats. If you’re shore-bound, Cathedral Park and the St. Johns Bridge area are pumping out some solid fish for those getting up before dawn, or try Sauvie’s Oak Island access around the second tide push.

A little word on water clarity: the e

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Morning anglers, Artificial Lure here with your Columbia River fishing report for Sunday, August 31, 2025, here in the Portland stretch and just downstream. We’ve got a classic late-summer setup and folks are already on the water before sunrise, which came up at 6:35 a.m. today. You can plan to fish well into the evening with sunset not until 7:56 p.m.—a solid window for chasing those river giants.

Let’s talk tide: At the Columbia River entrance near the North Jetty, the early low tide rolled in at 12:38 a.m., the first high tide peaked at 7:45 a.m., followed by a midday low at 12:01 p.m., and the evening brings another high at 6:16 p.m. This swing favors an early morning and late afternoon bite, with moving water lined up just right for our salmon and steelhead runs, plus hungry walleye holding in those deeper slots. Tidal exchange is robust today, so expect strong current near high tide—prime time for most species according to Tides4Fishing.

Weather’s about as good as you can hope for headed into September: the marine forecast from the National Weather Service calls for north winds around 5 to 10 knots and easy seas at 3 to 4 feet, meaning the main channel should be plenty safe and comfortable through the weekend.

Now for the big question: what’s biting? Fall Chinook are hitting with more regularity each day, and there were good numbers reported in the lower river between St. Helens and Longview. Local guides are reporting 12–20 pound upriver brights mixed with a few early coho, especially at anchor near reed islands and river mouths on the outgoing tides. Walleye action upstream has been consistent, with several chunky keepers reported out past the Bonneville Pool. Smallmouth bass are still active on the rocky points, and you might run into channel cats prowling in deeper holes south of Kelly Point.

Best baits and lures for today:

- For Chinook: Plug-cut herring or anchovy behind a 360 flasher, with Pro-Cure gel for scent. If you’re trolling, Brads Super Baits loaded with tuna have been hot as well.

- For bank anglers, eggs and shrimp rigs below slip bobbers are getting attention.

- Walleye are taking nightcrawler harnesses, especially chartreuse and orange blades, and soft plastics on a slow troll.

- Smallmouth are slamming shallow-dive crankbaits and drop-shot plastics.

Hot spots to target right now:

- The mouth of the Willamette, where cooler in-flow is stacking big Chinook just after high tide.

- The area off Sauvie Island, working the drops near Multnomah Channel for both salmon and bass.

- For walleye, the flats just above the Portland airport are producing, especially along the wing dams.

One quick safety note: Vancouver Lake is under a blue-green algae advisory, so steer clear of that area but the main river remains safe with normal caution. As always, keep an eye on floating debris and shifts in wind, particularly if you’re venturing out past St. Helens.

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Good morning from the banks of the mighty Columbia—this is Artificial Lure coming to you live with your fishing report for Saturday, August 30th, 2025.

Sunrise rolled in at 6:30 a.m. today and you can expect sunset about 7:51 p.m., giving us a full day’s light to chase fish up and down the river, from the Portland stretch all the way to the estuary. If you’re headed out this morning, you caught the tail end of a low tide at 7:08 a.m., with things building toward a mild high just after 11 a.m. at 1.47 feet around the Morrison Bridge. Another low passes at 4:44 p.m. before a solid 3.07-foot high tide closes the evening near 10:24 p.m. That means your prime window for tidal push—and the bite—will be mid-morning to midday, right as temperatures rise.

Speaking of weather, conditions in and around Portland are warming up quick. We’ve got a classic late-summer pattern: little cloud cover, light variable winds, and highs climbing toward the upper 80s or even low 90s by the afternoon according to the National Weather Service. Winds will be light, picking up a tad in the afternoon, but you won’t battle much chop out there. Saltwater side near the jetties, expect seas around three to four feet, and a gentle mixed swell.

Now, let’s talk fishing. The big news locally is king salmon—those Chinook are pushing through right now. Jones Sport Fishing and recent guides out of Buoy 10 report remarkable days, bagging up to 25-pound brights with multiple fish in the 19 to 20-pound range. The bite’s been aggressive on the fill of the incoming tide, particularly from the Portland reach down to Astoria. Most kept kings have been up, snappy, and hot. Coho are showing, though a lot are wild and need to go back, with hatchery-clipped fish tougher to stick in good numbers so far. But persistence is paying off.

For bait and tactics, it’s classic tactics on the Columbia: trolling herring behind small triangle flashers is taking the lead, especially with blue and chartreuse spinners pulling bites from hungrier, more pressured kings. Anchovies and natural-colored cut baits are also catching plenty, with dyed green label herring a top pick for boat anglers working that mid-morning tidal swing. Plug-cut herring is working especially well in deeper slots and current seams.

Hardware is getting it done too—try 3.5 magnum spinners, Brad’s Super Baits, and Pro-Troll flashers; colors like Lemon Lime, Cop Car, and anything with UV are provoking savage strikes with this bright sun. Downsize your presentation a bit for coho, running smaller spinner blades or twitching marabou jigs in nearshore eddies. For shore casters, steelhead can still be tempted with sand shrimp or cured eggs near the mouths of local tributaries, though numbers have tailed off from July.

If you’re angling for the best hot spots, set your course for the waters near the I-205 Bridge as well as the legendary Portland Harbor reach—those deep runs north of Kelly Point have been stacked with kings on the move. Down ri

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It’s Artificial Lure checking in with your Columbia River fishing report for Friday, August 29, 2025. River anglers around Portland woke up to a cool, steady morning—sunrise at 6:28 and a mild marine layer hanging overhead, with the promise of sun later and a high around 74. Expect a pleasant west breeze in the afternoon; just enough to keep things comfortable without making casting a chore.

Today’s tide chart for Portland shows a low tide at 5:40 AM at 0.85 feet, high swings up to 1.7 feet at 9:51 AM, another low at 4:02 PM at 0.52 feet, and the evening’s high pulling up to 3.15 feet at 9:40 PM. The moving water right after the morning low and into the flood tide has been sparking the bite lately, especially for those drifting or trolling below the I-205 and up toward Sauvie Island.

On the catch front, the action has definitely picked up as fall management regs have kicked in. According to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, checkers logged excellent Chinook numbers upstream from Warrior Rock to Rainier last week: 141 fall Chinook, five jack Chinook, four coho, and 20 steelhead kept, with good numbers released too. In the Portland to Warrior Rock stretch, anglers kept 13 Chinook, one jack, and a steelhead, most coming to boaters running spinners and bait rigs close to the bottom. Bank fishing’s been tougher—especially on the Portland side, where foot anglers reported just a handful of steelhead and occasional jacks.

If you’re after steelhead, your best bet is still hitting the deeper slots early before the sun gets high. The fish are hugging cooler water, and the first few hours after dawn are when you’ll find ‘em chasing your gear. Trolling spinners—especially in green and chartreuse—or plug-cut herring has been producing steady strikes. Plugs like the Mag Lip in 3.5 to 4.5, run behind a dropper, have also fooled more than a few big kings this week.

For bait, cured coon shrimp and sand shrimp tipped on a spinner rig are the ticket for steelhead. For salmon, you can’t go wrong with plug-cut herring brined up nice and tight or running a Brad’s Super Bait stuffed with tuna—just don’t forget that heavy lead to keep your rig just above bottom with today’s moderate flows. If lure fishing, try bright spinners and wobblers during low-light hours, then switch to natural shades as the sun climbs.

If you’re hunting hot spots, two areas stand out:

- **Troutdale Launch**: Boats working the runs just below and above the mouth have been consistently into Chinook and the odd steelhead this week, especially when staying close to the shipping channel edges.

- **Below the Portland Harbor/Downtown Stretch**: Trollers are intercepting fresh Chinook running up with the tides, particularly right after the early morning low — look for crowds and follow the contour lines.

Remember, water clarity is decent thanks to relatively stable flows, and bait balls are congregating with the tide swings through the mid-morning. As always, check the latest ODFW regula

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Artificial Lure here with your August 28 Columbia River fishing update, straight from the banks and boat ramps around Portland. Today saw classic late-summer conditions—warm air, a gentle NW breeze, and the river moving cool and green with light turbidity. Sunrise came in at 5:57 AM and sunset just wrapped at 8:35 PM, so anglers got a full stretch of daylight to play with. Tides at the Morrison Street Bridge started with a low at 4:43 AM, peaked high at 8:56 AM, and the evening drop finished off the bite windows in the late hours, perfect for a closing troll or casting session.

Chinook salmon are leading the charge right now. The action is sporadic but picking up steam, with more fish pushing upriver each tide cycle—expect things to stay strong for the next couple weeks as the fall run ramps. If you're out for Coho, they're showing but still not quite "thick." Coho catches have increased upstream after Willamette Falls, mostly on spinners and wobblers. The deep shipping channels downstream are producing surprisingly well; local guides on the water around Buoy 10 and near the sawdust pile report a "ton of fish" hitting, especially in ripping current—sometimes you’re looking at sustained flows of 5 to 7 mph, so heavy gear is essential. Veteran bank anglers near the Portland waterfront are still plugging away for steelhead, but action is slower due to cold, clear conditions.

Best lures this week? Anchovy trolled behind chartreuse or flame-orange 360 flashers are king, with trolling setups the go-to for Chinook. Ye olde 3.5 Mag Lips and Brad’s Cut Plugs in metallic or glow patterns are getting bites, especially at dawn and dusk. For Coho and steelhead, smaller spinners in silver, green, or pink plus Krocodiles are top picks. Bankies tossing soft plastics—like the Dry Creek Double Dip Tube and the classic curly tail grub in pumpkinseed or smoke glitter—reported solid smallmouth bass near rocky structure mid-river. On bait, go with cured shrimp, sand shrimp, or a thread of tuna belly to up the strike odds for salmon.

Hot spots to hit? The edge of the shipping channel downstream of Sauvie Island is firing, especially in the early morning. Up near the Portland Harbor, the area below the Morrison Bridge provides consistent bites, especially on incoming tide changes. For those looking to stretch south, the mouth of the Willamette continues to surprise with mixed bags—Chinook early, Coho late, and the odd steelhead if you’re persistent.

For gear, check out Coldwater Strong’s Columbia River Bank Leader System—it’s built for fast drop resets and keeps your wobbler dancing even in heavy current. Don’t forget to add float leaders and play with your weight to stay just above bottom snags.

The weather? Mild, dry, and stable through the weekend, with only light cloud cover expected. Should keep the bite steady, but remember, bursts of wind in the late afternoon could stir up chop. Fish early or late for best results.

That’s the scoop for the Columbia around

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Artificial Lure here with your Columbia River fishing report for June 22, 2025, covering the Portland area and just upstream.

The morning kicked off with a moderate tide, peaking around 7:45 am and dropping to a low about 2:30 pm, so if you’re planning to hit the river today, try fishing the early morning high or the late afternoon incoming for your best chances. Sunrise came in at 5:24 am with sunset at 9:01 pm, giving you a long stretch of daylight to work with. The forecast called for light rain showers off and on, a bit of a cool-down but also the trigger we needed for a fresh push of fish into the system, especially the migratory runs.

Shad are still running strong through the lower Columbia, and the bite has been reported as “good” with anglers finding steady action near the mouth of the Willamette and Sauvie Island’s beaches. Sabiki rigs, small gold spoons, and classic shad darts in pink, chartreuse, and silver are your best bet here. Several anglers landed their limits before noon.

Walleye fishing remains white-hot in the John Day Pool, with multiple reports of successful catches using bottom bouncers tipped with nightcrawlers and chartreuse bladed rigs. The average size has been 17 to 24 inches, with a few larger fish over 6 pounds showing up for lucky anglers who work the drop-offs and current seams.

Smallmouth bass fishing is absolutely firing as water temps have stabilized in the upper 60s. The shad migration has the bass pushing up on shallow flats and weed lines. Shad-imitating swim baits, like the Keitech FAT Swing Impact in Smallmouth Magic or French Pearl, are producing big numbers and a few trophy-sized fish. Topwater action is peaking at dawn and dusk—walking baits, poppers, and buzzbaits are getting smoked over submerged structure. It’s not uncommon to land 30–50 bass in a day right now.

Salmon and steelhead are a mixed bag. The summer steelhead run is slow, with only scattered reports of hookups, mostly by bank anglers drifting cured salmon eggs or tossing nightcrawlers and prawn combos. Sockeye numbers are lower than last year, but some are coming through—look for the deeper, cooler channels near the I-205 bridge.

If you’re after sturgeon, Oregon City continues to impress. Local guides are reporting good catch-and-release action, especially using fresh squid and sand shrimp. Sturgeon up to 5 feet are not uncommon, and with the rain, expect a few big ones to move in.

Today’s hot spots:

- Meldrum Bar: red-hot for shad and the occasional steelhead.

- Sauvie Island beaches: limits of shad early, plus solid bass action near the slough mouths.

- Willamette-Columbia confluence: consistent for walleye and a solid chance at a bonus sturgeon.

That’s the latest from your expert on the water. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe for your daily river rundown. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

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Artificial Lure here with your Saturday, June 21st Columbia River fishing report, coming to you from in and around Portland.

We kicked off today with a sunrise at 5:22 am, and we’ll see sunset at 9:03 pm. Expect partly cloudy skies, highs near 75, and a light westerly breeze—fantastic conditions for a day on the water. Tides are moderate today, with the morning high peaking around 7:45 am and an afternoon low bottoming out close to 2:30 pm, so plan your sessions accordingly for those moving water opportunities.

Shad fishing remains strong throughout the lower Columbia around Portland. Local anglers are reporting excellent numbers, especially targeting the current seams near Willamette confluence and just downstream of the I-205 bridge. Shad darts in bright chartreuse, pink, or gold are your best bet—get them swinging through the flats and you’ll have steady action all morning. Word from the bank is several folks are hitting limits before lunch.

Walleye action is heating up as well, especially in deeper holes and channel edges of the John Day Pool. Blade baits and worm harnesses in fire tiger and perch patterns are really putting fish in the boat this week, and a few chunky ‘eyes over 25 inches have been confirmed by local guides.

Summer steelhead continue to be a slow grind—they’re trickling in, but persistence pays off. Early mornings drifting cured salmon eggs or sand shrimp just above the bottom has produced a handful of solid fish for bank anglers near the mouth of the Sandy River and around the Troutdale area. For lure fans, swinging spoons and spinners in copper or orange during the first light window can also draw strikes.

Smallmouth bass fishing is about as good as it gets right now. Reports up and down the river: 20- to 40-fish days are common, with a few lunkers in the 3- to 5-pound range. Key in on rocky points and flats from Government Island to St. Helens. Shad-imitation swim baits like a Keitech FAT Swing Impact (colors like Smallmouth Magic and Ghost Rainbow) are crushing it, and topwater lures are getting explosive hits along riprap and weed beds—especially early and late.

Hot spots to hit today:

- The mouth of the Sandy River for steelhead and shad

- The flats along Government Island for bass

- The deeper slots near the I-205 bridge for walleye

As a quick regulatory update—summer chinook retention is currently limited, and sockeye numbers are down compared to last season. Always double-check the latest ODFW reg updates before you head out.

That’s the local scoop for your Columbia River fishing this Saturday. Thanks for tuning in—don’t forget to subscribe to stay up to date on the bite. 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 Portland fishing report for Saturday, June 21, 2025.

We’re off to a classic early summer start on the Columbia. Sunrise this morning hit at 5:22 a.m., with sunset coming at 9:02 p.m., giving us a long window to wet a line. The skies over Portland today are overcast, temps hovering in the high 60s to low 70s, and a south breeze picking up by midmorning. According to the latest tidal charts, expect a substantial morning incoming tide, peaking just after 9 a.m.—prime time for targeting most species, especially shad, bass, and sturgeon in the metro section.

The shad run is firing on all cylinders, with schools thick below Bonneville and all the way down to St. Helens. Plenty of boats are reporting fast action—think double-digit catches per rod, especially at hot spots like the Willamette-Columbia confluence and Meldrum Bar. Chartreuse and silver shad darts or small spoons are still the top picks—don’t be afraid to move until you land on a school, as these fish will be stacked in fast water seams.

Walleye fishing is another bright spot, especially up around the John Day Pool, but closer to Portland the Multnomah Channel and mouth of the Willamette are dependable. Drifting nightcrawlers on a worm harness or trolling deep-diving crankbaits in perch or firetiger patterns is producing limits for persistent anglers.

Bass anglers are having a heyday with the river warming up. Smallmouths are actively chasing shad, so swim baits that mimic young shad, like Keitech FAT Swing Impact in Smallmouth Magic or Ghost Rainbow, are putting up big numbers. Early morning topwater—think Whopper Ploppers and poppers—are getting explosive strikes along rocky ledges and outside weed beds from Hayden Island down to Sauvie Island. Twenty to fifty fish per day is not uncommon if you stay mobile and work the structure.

Chinook retention is closed for adults in the Portland stretch this summer due to a low forecast, but hatchery jacks are open and showing up in small numbers, mostly up around the airport and Troutdale. If you target steelhead, remember regulations allow only one hatchery fish per day right now, but a few bright hatchery fish have been caught this week. Best bets are drift fishing cured salmon eggs or shrimp under a slip bobber in the fast runs near the mouth of the Sandy and Lewis rivers, or trolling small spinners (blue and silver, or orange and gold) in the main river.

For bait, steelheaders are scoring with cured salmon eggs, sand shrimp, and occasionally nightcrawlers, especially when fished at first light or just before dusk as the sun gets low over the west hills.

If you’re looking to maximize the action, hot spots today are the rocky shorelines below the I-205 bridge for smallmouth, the shad lanes below the Willamette mouth, and Meldrum Bar for a shot at both shad and early steelhead.

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Artificial Lure here with your Columbia River Portland fishing report for Saturday, June 21, 2025.

We’re off to a classic early summer start on the Columbia. Sunrise this morning hit at 5:22 a.m., with sunset coming at 9:02 p.m., giving us a long window to wet a line. The skies over Portland today are overcast, temps hovering in the high 60s to low 70s, and a south breeze picking up by midmorning. According to the latest tidal charts, expect a substantial morning incoming tide, peaking just after 9 a.m.—prime time for targeting most species, especially shad, bass, and sturgeon in the metro section.

The shad run is firing on all cylinders, with schools thick below Bonneville and all the way down to St. Helens. Plenty of boats are reporting fast action—think double-digit catches per rod, especially at hot spots like the Willamette-Columbia confluence and Meldrum Bar. Chartreuse and silver shad darts or small spoons are still the top picks—don’t be afraid to move until you land on a school, as these fish will be stacked in fast water seams.

Walleye fishing is another bright spot, especially up around the John Day Pool, but closer to Portland the Multnomah Channel and mouth of the Willamette are dependable. Drifting nightcrawlers on a worm harness or trolling deep-diving crankbaits in perch or firetiger patterns is producing limits for persistent anglers.

Bass anglers are having a heyday with the river warming up. Smallmouths are actively chasing shad, so swim baits that mimic young shad, like Keitech FAT Swing Impact in Smallmouth Magic or Ghost Rainbow, are putting up big numbers. Early morning topwater—think Whopper Ploppers and poppers—are getting explosive strikes along rocky ledges and outside weed beds from Hayden Island down to Sauvie Island. Twenty to fifty fish per day is not uncommon if you stay mobile and work the structure.

Chinook retention is closed for adults in the Portland stretch this summer due to a low forecast, but hatchery jacks are open and showing up in small numbers, mostly up around the airport and Troutdale. If you target steelhead, remember regulations allow only one hatchery fish per day right now, but a few bright hatchery fish have been caught this week. Best bets are drift fishing cured salmon eggs or shrimp under a slip bobber in the fast runs near the mouth of the Sandy and Lewis rivers, or trolling small spinners (blue and silver, or orange and gold) in the main river.

For bait, steelheaders are scoring with cured salmon eggs, sand shrimp, and occasionally nightcrawlers, especially when fished at first light or just before dusk as the sun gets low over the west hills.

If you’re looking to maximize the action, hot spots today are the rocky shorelines below the I-205 bridge for smallmouth, the shad lanes below the Willamette mouth, and Meldrum Bar for a shot at both shad and early steelhead.

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