Willamette Valley – Summer steelhead remain available for Bonneville area anglers but the larger-in-number A-run fish are phasing out, while the larger-in-size B-run fish are starting to show. Small spinners often produce the best results but spin-n-glos tipped with coon shrimp are also a consistent favorite. We’re still weeks away from a viable fall Chinook opportunity but after last year, anglers anxiously await the opportunity to try their pro-trolls and super-baits again.

With water in the lower Willamette in the upper 70s, fish movement has slowed to single digits at the Falls and fishing in the lower river has slowed to a near-standstill with the exception of – what else? – warmwater fishes.

Water flows on the McKenzie have been dropping with the long, hot dry spell. Flows are still fishable, so grab you fly rod & give it a try this weekend!

As with other streams around Oregon, the North and South Santiam rivers are flowing low and very clear. There are decent numbers of summer steelhead around as well as some salmon.

Clackamas water levels have been on the drop for the most part over the past several weeks. There are good numbers of summer steelhead in the river, though, as well as a few late springers.

Summertime often means milky, silty water on the Sandy River and so it is now. There are still fish to be caught in places, though, according to our man on the Sandy, Pro Guide Jeff Stoeger (503-704-7920) of O2BFISHN Guide Service.

Northwest Oregon – The Nehalem Bay summer Chinook fishery should be well underway but action has been fair at best for this estuary. It’s been a productive fishery in years past and should be peaking in the coming 2 weeks. Stronger tides have kept interest higher in the estuary, around Wheeler, where fish are being caught every day, just not in the numbers we’ve seen in the past 2 seasons.

The ocean coho season south of Cape Falcon remains open through August 7th but effort is light due to dismal success rates. Less than 6% of the coho quota has been harvested. The fish are running large however.

Tillamook Bay is open to fall Chinook but action won’t spark until later this month.

Most district streams are closed to salmon fishing but steelhead remain open with the Wilson and Nestucca most likely to produce the best results.

Sea-run cutthroat trout may be the best option for the next several weeks. Trolling the tidewater sections of most north coast streams will likely produce results with little competition to boot.

Bay crabbing has been fair on Tillamook and Nehalem. Tides improve dramatically the middle of next week; fresh salmon carcasses will produce good catches.

Central & South Coast Reports – Wind has kept bots off the ocean over the past week, preventing salmon, tuna and bottom fish anglers from getting a salt fix. The upcoming week looks considerably better.

We discuss and simplify the new two-rod rule which allows an angler fishing any coastal stream open for anadromous fishes to use two rods but only for those species and with a two-rod endorsement. There’s more, of course, but that’s the core. Check the regs before fishing.

With nearshore halibut an ongoing fishery, the Summer All Depth season opens Friday and Saturday, August 5th and 6th. We’ll report on catches and quotas remaining every week!

This week, Oregon author and fishing authority, Pete Heley (peteheley.com) shares information about private and public bass ponds and gives details about the current and future coho fishery.

Rogue Bay has been producing summer and fall Chinook on the troll and a good thing, too, as this was the only option for local boats as winds whipped the coast over the past week. Catches haven’t been red hot but it has remained fair but steady with this fishery becoming easier as the wind calms down. Fall Chinook fishing usually starts up on the lower Rogue in late August or early September. Results are still slow on the middle river recently with better fishing available on the upper Rogue.

Bottom fishing is a pretty steady producer and certainly a worthwhile option for boats launching out of the Port of Brookings. As with other Oregon ports over the past week, wind has disallowed ocean launches but that situation is due for a reversal.

Trout fishers have continued to enjoy fair to good results at Diamond Lake.

Central & Eastern – Summer steelhead have started entering the Deschutes River but the progress of the run seems to have slowed as numbers at the dams on the Columbia River are falling off again. It’s early yet, so the better part of the season on the D is yet to come, with these fish cooperating here well into the fall months.

Usually, high lake reports are all about trout but trout fishing has been tough at Davis Lake. While earning the scorn of some salmonid anglers, largemouth bass have rescued a fishing day or two here.

In addition to plenty of trout) another 3,000 of which were stocked this week) Timothy Lake has a decent population of crawdads which lots of people like to eat.

Decent numbers of kokanee which seem to be coming out of Paulina Lake although they are widely scattered, making it difficult to locate schools.

SW Washington – The Cowlitz River has seen a surge of pressure and success for summer steelhead. Boat anglers are doing best but bank anglers are catching a few as well. Chinook are still weeks away from entering in any good number.

Drano Lake boat anglers are doing very well for steelhead. Bank anglers are catching a few too.

Boat anglers working the mainstem Columbia are still catching fair numbers of steelhead with nearly 75% of the fish being of hatchery origin. This fishery should taper but the larger B-run steelhead should start to show in better numbers in the coming weeks.

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Willamette Valley – Steelhead passage at Bonneville continue to climb but success rates in the area for summer steelhead have slowed. Closer to Longview however, summer steelhead action produced just over a 1 fish per boat average. Chinook action continues to be slow but that’s to be expected as we transition from the summer to fall run of Chinook.

Fish counts at Willamette Falls are nearly up to date and indicate passage of salmon and steelhead has slowed. The water temperature, 74 at the Falls, does not make for productive fishing.

Sparkling waters of the McKenzie harbor rainbow trout, only the flick of a fly away from becoming your adversary. But which fly? Summer steelhead are also in the river now.

Despite the Santiam system dropping to lower levels and running crystal clear, steelheaders are finding some summers to catch.

We remarked this week that we are growing weary of the terms, “low and clear.” Tired of reading it, tired of writing it, but it’s that time of year and the Clackamas reflects just that, making it a tough nut for summer steelheaders. The splash and giggle crowd don’t help either.

An exception to the ‘low and clear’ refrain is the Sandy River, where hot temperatures send milky, glacial water into the river from the flanks of Mt. Hood to create a situation of low but not so clear.

Northwest Oregon – By all counts, fishing on the north coast remains challenging. Ocean salmon fishing for coho, traditionally at peak catch periods right now, remains slow. Coho have either been incredibly elusive or non-existent but anglers are having a hard time finding them.

Bottomfishing remains good but lingcod catches have slowed even further. Black seabass remain abundant and should continue to produce well into August.

Tuna chasers still have to go far offshore to find consistent action but the weekend ocean forecast does not look favorable for a far offshore foray.

The nearshore halibut fishery remains mediocre for success but the halibut are averaging larger than 20 pounds. Another all-depth is planned for August 5 – 6, hopefully, the weather cooperates.

Summer steelhead anglers remain predictably challenged by the low water conditions currently witnessed on the Nestucca, Wilson and Siletz River systems. There are fair numbers of fish present however.

The fin-clipped only requirement in Tillamook Bay and adjacent ocean areas lifts on August 1st but success is likely to remain fair at best for most of the month of August.

Central & South Coast Reports – A fishery bound to get the attention of many offshore anglers, that of the the popular non-hatchery, wild ocean coho may be kept starting September 3rd will continue through September 30th unless the quota of 7,500 fish is caught first.

Although most anglers think summer steelhead when the Siletz River is mentioned, and rightly so, another fishery has just started up, that for sea-run cutthroat trout. Fishing will get better into the fall.

Albacore tuna fishing is hot. It seems those who do it are enraptured with it while those who have never done it want to. An extremely exciting experience wrestling with these critters, which are born swimming and never stop, and doing so in the fishes’ own element.

In his report this week, Fishing sage and author of numerous books on the subject, Pete Heley (peteheley.com) reports that the pinkfin surf perch fishery in the Umpqua River above Winchester Bay has slowed way down this week although there are still some around..

Trollers in Rogue Bay have had some good days with a mix of early fall Chinook mingling with late-season springers. Summer steelhead are entering the low, clear waters of the lower Rogue. Steelheaders on the middle river have been catching a few fish over the past week while fishing on the upper Rogue remains fair to good.

Bottom fishing out of the Port of Brookings has been stellar when winds have allowed boats to launch. Good numbers of rockfish are being landed along with large lingcod. Offshore salmon fishing has improved a little with Chinook and coho being landed. Halibut is open south of Humbug Mountain to the California line seven days a week.

Trout fishing has been good and remains so at Diamond Lake.

Central & Eastern – The big news on the Deschutes River, unfortunastely, isn’t about the fishing but rather the fire actively burning on the west bank from Warm Springs to Trout Creek. While the river is open at this writing, that may change.

East Lake has been producing decent numbers of trout to fly fishers who know which pattern to offer and when.

Timothy Lake is well-known as one of the most productive locations for crawfish in Oregon. There are good-sized trout here as well. What do you suppose they eat to grow so large?

Despite a significant algae bloom, thick and soupy in places, hearty Odell Lake kokanee anglers carry on. While the algae blooms, anglers are catching fish..

Wickiup kokanee fishers have continued to do well for large fish. There is a little algae in the water but nothing major.

SW Washington – The Cowlitz River remains productive for summer steelhead. About a 1/2 fish per rod was tallied for boat anglers last weekend. It should remain productive but will likely taper in the coming weeks. Salmon interest will alleviate some of the crowds here.

Drano Lake is posting impressive catches, especially for boat anglers. Boat anglers produced better than 1 fish per rod in the recent creel data. The majority of the fish were hatchery fish. This fishery is peaking right now.

Most anglers remain focused on mainstem Columbia summer steelhead opportunities. That will also change as salmon become more prevalent and water temperatures continue to rise.

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Willamette Valley – Chinook passage at Bonneville is starting to taper but catches were fair to good for gorge boats participating in the fishery. The run is over here so catch rates won’t improve again for at least another month. Summer steelhead anglers working the mainstem remain pleased with their catches and although passage numbers are above last year at this time, they remain below the 10-year average.

Lower Willamette water temperatures are in the 70s with little change over the past week. Fish counts at the Falls,
while good for the most part, are backed up to the 8th of the month. Fish shad as the run winds down or catch-and-release sturgeon.

Water level and flows on the McKenzie are expected to settle down and stabilize over the coming weekend and fish well for fly casters.

With a majority of the fish being counted heading for the Santiam system, it’s a decent destination for anglers targeting summer steelhead or spring Chinook.

Clackamas water levels are low and clear, having been uneffaced by recent showers. It has summer steelhead in good number and spring Chinook to a lesser number so fishing is expected to be good for stealthy anglers.

Despite summer weather triggering a glacial event on the Sandy, turning the water gray green, there are good numbers of steelhead of the summer variety and Chinook of the late spring vintage.

Northwest Oregon – Offshore salmon anglers are still scratching their heads, wondering if any number of coho will show in the fishery this year. Catch rates remain low but improving, with little time left to fill the quota. The next 3 weeks is peak season for most northern ports.

Thankfully, albacore action is keeping anglers busy out of most ports with no one port consistently producing more than another. Tuna are still taking trolled tuna clones but are becoming more receptive to live bait.

Ocean crabbing is good but crabbers are still talking about a high percentage of softshells in the catch.

The Nehalem fishery is becoming a better option but it’s far from limit fishing. Stronger tides have anglers focused on the Wheeler fishery but we’re still weeks away from peak season here.

Cool, cloudy weather is keeping summer steelhead anglers on the Wilson, Nestucca and Siletz systems interested. Anglers still have to stealthily approach their favorite holes, flows remain very low.

Central & South Coast Reports – During the past week, offshore winds prevented ocean launches for many boats. By the look of offshore
forecasts, launching will be a pleasure for the next several days.

Winchester Bay anglers are trolling around the town of Reedsport and catching Chinook on occasion.

Ocean fishers a catching good numbers of albacore out of every port from Newport south with some of the best catches
and shortest trips offshore occuring out of Charleston.

Professional angling author, publisher and blogger of all things fishy, Reedsport’s Pete Heley (peteheley.com) reveals this week some of the most likely State Fishing Records are to be broken in the Pacific Northwest.

Rogue Bay trollers are catching a mix of late spring and early fall fish. With better flow and cooler water temperatures, these fish will move upriver. Fishing has been slow to fair in the lower Rogue, better in the middle river as steelhead move upstream. The upper Rogue remains productive.

Bottom fishing has been fair to excellent out of the Port of Brookings. Tuna are being caught but they’re more offshore.

Trout fishing continues to produce plenty of rainbows at Diamond Lake.

Central & Eastern – Trout fishing has been fair but steady on the lower Deschutes River for those who know what to use and where to fish. Summer steelhead have started to enter the river.

The fishery that almost didn’t happen, that for spring Chinook on the Wallowa River, will close on July 24th according to an announcement from the ODFW.

Often certain bodies of water are associated with a certain type of fishing. Paulina, usually associated with kokanee fishing, has been producing good catches of trout this week.

Wind, which can sometimes cause the worst problems for fly casters on a lake, has been no problem at all at Cultus Lake where deep trollers are taking Lake Trout.

While this is not the best time of year for trophy bass on the John Day, it a great time to catch a lot of them.

SW Washington – The Cowlitz River remains the best option for tributary summer steelhead anglers and catches can be good at times. Still, most anglers remain focused on a productive mainstem Columbia steelhead fishery and the tides are ripe for good action this weekend. Summer Chinook are becoming scarce however.

Drano Lake steelhead anglers are doing well, especially from boats. Good fishing should remain through mid-August.

Merwin Reservoir received a fair planting of larger rainbow trout last week, action should be good.

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