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Willamette Valley – Spring Chinook fishing in the Portland area is nearing its peak, at least for the time frame when sport anglers will be able to access them. Once sporadic catches are becoming more regular and guides and anglers have been reporting an unusual number of larger fish this season. All areas from the Gorge downstream to Westport, Oregon have produced nice catches recently but the better fishing will take place now through the modeled closure on April 9th.

The Columbia River gillnet fleet harvested nearly 1,200 fish for a 9-hour opener, a clear indication that there are a lot of fish in the river. Dam counts are slow to accumulate, but that is likely due to high flows and cold water. Peak passage at Bonneville is still over a month away but the next 9 days should be productive for trollers. Anchor anglers using plugs should start to see improving catches when water temperatures eclipse 50 degrees.

Lower Willamette flow is good, allowing spring Chinook hopefuls to enjoy using a variety of techniques. Anglers are less interested un sturgeon fishing with salmon in the river.

Now that rainfall is a thing of the past (OK, the recent past, but still), conditions of most metro rivers is improving as water drops and clears. So it is on the McKenzie where fly fishers will be having a great weekend.

Waters of the Santiam system have been dropping and clearing since the middle of the past week putting it in good shape for fishing.

Clackamas level and flow are excellent for angers to chase fish this weekend and long-term forecasts indicate it will be dropping through the coming week.

Pro guide Jeff Stoeger of O2 Guide Service (503-704-7920) reports again this week from the Sandy River, noting that as it drops below 10 feet for the first time this season, it’s in great shape for drift boating.

Northwest Oregon – Chinook fishers in the lower Columbia are starting to see improving water conditions and catches downstream of Longview. The fishing will only get more consistent until the likely closure on April 9th. Small tides this weekend will make boaters the stronger option but beach plunkers have been doing well on the stronger minus tides. Steelhead have been falling too, mostly to beach plunkers.

Spring Chinook opens on April 1st in some Tillamook area streams although catches likely won’t get good until mid-May. Steelheaders are still doing great as crowds thin, heading for a tastier salmonids on the Willamette Valley (spring Chinook). Rivers are forecasted to continue to drop but action should remain good for anglers versed in low-water techniques. The Wilson and Nestucca will remain the most popular for the obvious hatchery fish option.

Bottomfishers have been pounding limits of lingcod and bottomfish in the deep reef areas but that offshore option closed on April 1st. Nearshore reefs should produce well as they have not been fished all winter. Ocean crabbing is fairly slow and so is bay crabbing on the north coast.

Central & South Coast Reports – Bottom fishing has been excellent out of Depoe Bay but will only improve with calm waves and wind.

Bay crabbing which was poor after rainfall over the past week will be improving as even coastal bays suffered with too much water.

Offshore conditions should be good for just about any endeavor over the weekend and into the coming week as it will be warmer and a lot drier.

Author, blogger and TGF regular contributor Pete Heley (www.PeteHeley.com) reports from the Umpqua River where several springers have been taken to 25 pounds this week.

Rogue anglers will find the level and flow and visibility good for fishing over the coming weekend. The lower and middle (Grants Pass) stretches hold the greater promise, particularly with spring Chinook entering now.

As ocean conditions improve, recreational and charter boats will be able to launch out of the Port of Brookings where bottom fishing has been excellent.

Central & Eastern – Spring Chinook fishing will be allowed on the Deschutes River and Hood River starting April 1, 2016. Be sure to check the regulations on these fisheries prior to making the trip.

Kokanee catches for trollers at Detroit Lake have been fair to good with some taking limits.

As water level and flow continues to improve along with visibility on the John Day River, smallmouth bass fishing will get hot soon.

SW Washington – An excellent report from WDF&W, coming from the Cowlitz River:

Cowlitz River – 93 boat anglers kept 83 steelhead and 9 adult spring Chinook and released 5 steelhead. 97 bank anglers kept 16 steelhead and 10 adult spring Chinook and released 1 steelhead. Most of the steelhead catch was around the trout hatchery while spring Chinook were caught throughout the river.

Kalama River anglers are catching a few steelhead and an occasional spring Chinook.

Wind River and Drano Lake spring Chinook fisheries are not quite underway. Trollers and anxiously awaiting for better numbers to cross Bonneville Dam. Not even 200 salmon have crossed just yet.

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Willamette Valley – After a brief slow-down on spring Chinook catches, action has ramped up once again, largely in the cleaner waters above the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia Rivers. Anglers working from Caterpillar Island into the gorge are reporting fair catches of spring Chinook, some even eclipsing the 30-pound mark. Trolled herring are responsible for the most fish but anglers sitting on anchor are also taking fish.

Spring Chinook counts at Bonneville are lagging significantly behind last years total but that’s to be expected, given the reduced run size prediction and higher, cooler flows we’re experiencing this season. We’re still weeks away from peak migration on the lower Columbia and we likely won’t even get to fish during that time-frame.

While water conditions aren’t conducive to trolling for springers as its high and muddy now, sturgeon fishing is as near a sure thing as anyone could ask for. While sturgeon is a strictly catch-and-release fishery, youngsters love hooking these big fish. It puts a smile on adult faces as well.

As water conditions improve on the McKenzie River in the week to come, fly anglers should consider a foray to this location as the change of seasons will become evident this week.

There is a cadre of winter steelhead anglers who devote themselves to catch-and-release of wild steelhead and this is the week to consider doing so on the Santiam system.

Waters of the Clackamas are fairly high and will get higher before showing some improvement late in the coming week. This is good news for anglers, though, particularly if they time their trip right.

Regarding the Sandy River, as much as we would like to have the power to see through weather conditions, freezing levels, snowpack and all other elements which have an effect on this location, it’s not always possible. Even our regular contributor, pro guide Jeff Stoeger of O2 Guide Service (503-704-7920) advises anglers to just keep an eye on the river gauge.

Northwest Oregon – Steelheaders had a good week on the north coast. Although size wise, the fish weren’t averaging all that large, quantities made up for the lack of quality. We’re in peak season right now and given the magnitude of the run-size this year, we shouldn’t be surprised that action is so good. It is likely to taper however as dropping flows and a whole-heck-of-a-lot of fish passed through last week.

The Wilson and Nestucca will remain primary targets for anglers desiring to take fish home. The Trask and Kilchis will be good options for those wishing to avoid crowds. New still have several more good weeks of steelheading ahead.

Offshore weather conditions allowed for access to hungry lingcod and sea bass late last week. Not so much the case this week as rough seas, including gale force winds will make bar crossings illegal. It’ll be great fishing when the weather cooperates.

Don’t count on good crabbing or clamming given the tides and weather factors coming up this weekend. There will be better times ahead however.

A BUNCH of trout got stocked for spring break on the north coast this week. It’s a great time to pursue them for those wanting better action. Check here for all your options.

Central & South Coast Reports – Central coast charters report excellent bottom fishing this week whenever they have been able to get out. There have been limits for all on these trips although crabbing has been a little slow.

This should be a great week to fish for surf perch. These fish are not too particular about which beaches they prefer although they do like a place where the water is a little deeper close to shore. Many baits work including shrimp, mussels and sand worms.

Author, blogger and TGF regular contributor Pete Heley (www.PeteHeley.com) reports the Umpqua River is muddy at this time. As water conditions improve, he mentions that springers have been caught below Winchester Dam on the North Umpqua so that might be a good place to start.

Rogue River waters are running high this week and, according to river forecasts, will be somewhat slow in recovering. As conditions improve, so will steelheading. Springers are starting to enter as well so angers may expect prospects to pick up in coming weeks.

Conditions on the Chetco river have already started to improve with winter steelhead widely scattered throughout the system.

Most south coast lakes have been planted with hatchery and larger trout and are providing good fishing for big and little folks alike. Warm water fish are also becoming active.

Central & Eastern – Fly fishers on the lower Deschutes report fair to good fishing for redsides. March Browns are starting to hatch now.

Trollers at Detroit Reservoir have been catching a mix of mostly kokanee and some rainbow trout but doing pretty well for this time of year.

As well-known as the John Day River is for producing summer steelhead, this is the time of year when it starts to produce jumbo smallmouth bass.

SW Washington – Steelhead catches on the Cowlitz remain impressive with a fish for every other boat over the weekend. Spring Chinook are starting to fall with more regularity too. The Cowlitz hatchery is well ahead of last years start, a good indication that the bumper crop is indeed coming.

Other tributaries are still not producing well. The Lewis and Kalama remain sub-par with little likelihood of improvement.

Despite low numbers of salmon over Bonneville, there is some effort at Wind River and Drano Lake. Catches are nil however.

Lower Columbia River data shows that mainstem “black-chins” are starting to make up a larger percentage of the catch. Nothing surprising here.

The Guide’s Forecast

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