Portland, Oregon Metro Fishing Report –Following a great week on the lower Willamette River, at least for Oregon City anglers, flows have subsided and it seems clear that the Willamette spring Chinook return is going to once again, be underwhelming.
Meldrum Bar plunkers did very well for steelhead last weekend. Summer steelhead numbers appear to be robust in the Willamette Basin, at least compared to recent years.
Shad are also starting to show in good number in the Oregon City area. It’ll likely light up in the next 10 days.
The 60° water temperature came fast following the cold snap about 10 days ago. With the warming water, springers will be on the move, headed for the upper watershed where McKenzie and Santiam anglers will have a chance at them.
Meanwhile, fishery managers met on Wednesday, slightly upgrading the Columbia River run but for all intents and purposes, it’s coming at at near pre-season prediction. Having that safety net enabled managers to offer additional opportunity starting tomorrow, Friday, May 17th. We’re still in peak season, but the bite often tapers after peak passage day. Furthermore, flows are on the rise and fish will be less inspired to bite.
Find the full report and forecast forMembersonthis page herefortheColumbiaand WillametteRivers.
Sandy River Fishing Report– From avid anglerJeff Stoeger
This week the report is all positive with good catches of summer steelhead and spring chinook. There is still some action at cedar creek with most of fish being on the darker side with a mix of summerand some late bright winters.
The river has dropped from 12 ft and is running just over 10ft and will drop over the next few days. The river temp climbed 4 degrees yesterday over the course of the day and will start to climb if the weather continues to heat up.
Find the full report and forecast forMembersonthis page herefortheClackamas andSandy Rivers.
North & Central Coast Fishing Report –Spring Chinook are starting to show in better numbers in the Tillamook district, but it’s still a few weeks away from peak season. It seems the return gets later each year.
Small tides this week will make the lower bay and adjacent ocean waters the better choice. The ocean swell doesn’t look ideal however, so check all your boxes before making the choice to fish the salt. Meanwhile, high tide and the last half of outgoing is looking pretty good for Tillamook Bay spring Chinook this week.
For anglers that are looking west for saltwater opportunity, halibut, bottomfish and salmon, as well as crab are all on the table. One boat reported catching a couple of saltwater Chinook offshore out of Garibaldi earlier this week, but found the coho more willing than the Chinook on that particular trip.
Freshwater anglers had a crack at spring Chinook and summer steelhead on hatchery infused north and central coast systems earlier this week. Anglers did find fish on the Wilson, Nestucca, Siletz and Trask Rivers but it didn’t last long as rivers dropped back down to low and clear in quick fashion.
Trout and surf perch opportunities shouldn’t be overlooked this time of year.
Clammers did find fair to good action along Clatsop Beaches last week. Most reported that the clams were small however.
Members– read the latest and complete fishing report and forecast in theNW Oregonsection of our site.
Upper Willamette River System Report –ContributorGlenn Zinkus
McKenzie River Trout – Hatches Starting Up With Warmer Weather. Willamette Steelhead Counts – Santiam Steelhead.Valley Ponds And Lakes.Walleye In The Willamette.
Alton Baker Canal:Alton Baker was stocked last week with 1,000 legal size trout and receives 1,000 legal size trout next week.
Detroit Reservoir:As of right now, Detroit Lake surface elevation is currently at 1558 feet.Docks are in.There is the Derby starting on Friday.
Green Peter Reservoir: The refilling continues.Water level at 1001 feet right now – has been on the rise.Water clarity is not back yet, but it is improving.Water level can be found here:https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?site_no=14186100
Quartzville Creek: Quartzville Creek flows are at 418 CFS, dropped over the last week and at a good fishing level.
EE Wilson Pond:EE Wilson Pond was stocked with 1,500 legal size rainbows last week and will be stocked again next week with 850 legal size rainbows during the last week of the month.
South Santiam Steelhead: There are more early summer steelhead this month than in recent years – as well as better very early summer steelhead numbers over the falls.There were 296 summer steelhead at Foster as of May 9th.
Foster Reservoir:Foster was stocked with 3,900 legal size trout last week and 3,900 legal size trout this week.
Willamette River – Middle Fork:
Climbed over the past day and 3,590 CFS at the time of this writing at Jasper.The level at Oakridge is at 10.3 feet.Fishable in Jasper and below Dexter.
Willamette River – From Harrisburg, to Corvallis, to Albany:
The Willamette River is currently at 9,330 CFS at Harrisburg.It’s been dropping all week.The temperature range is climbing, and in a good zone now.I’m seeing temperatures in the 56-to-60-degree range.
Members– find the latestcompletereport and forecast as well as past reports for Members on theWillamette Valley/Metrostart onthis page here.
Central Oregon Fishing Report –ContributorGlenn Zinkusreports
Lava Lakes on Cascade Lakes Highway and the Newbury Crater Lakes (East and Paulina) Now Accessible.Stonefly Bonanza On The Deschutes.Drakes Are Starting Up On The Metolius.
Weather Outlook Across Central and Eastern Oregon:
We will start to see the run of warm weather turn more seasonal – but that means we will still see daytime temperatures in the 60s from Friday up through the middle of next week, and probably beyond.Night temperatures will drop into the 30s in most locations.Early mornings on the water will be cool.There will be breezy conditions on Friday through Sunday.
The lower Deschutes canyon around Warm Springs and Maupin will also see temperatures in the 60s through the weekend, and getting into the 70s on Monday before another dip in temps.
Lower Deschutes River:The Lower D has moved, but in a rather tight range of 4100 to 4400 CFS over the past week.It is currently at 4320 at Madras and 5640 CFS at Moody.Water temperature ranges at Madras are in the 53-to-56-degree F range, and 58-to-62-degree F at Moody.Continued good fishing levels and the temperatures are ideal for spurring bug and trout activity.
Middle Deschutes River:Middle Deschutes remains in great shape for angling.
Salmon flies are now happening through all of the Middle Deschutes.Same comments as early in the month – Streamers continue to produce.
Upper Deschutes River: Opening on May 22nd.
Haystack Reservoir: Currently at 68% full.Haystack continues fishing very well; some anglers are catching those big trout that ODFW placed in Haystack.
Lake Billy Chinook: Better reports coming from LBC.Been a couple of weeks of good bull trout reports on flies and on gear. The bulls have moved off of the shallows and into some deeper water. There are good koke reports – anglers have been catching kokes closer to the surface.Some limits being taken within a couple of hours.They’ve been on all colors.
Crooked River:Crooked River has been on the drop and gone from unfishable to about 200 CFS through much of the last two days – around 200 CFS at Prineville Reservoir.Around 369 CFS at Smith Rock.
Check the flows and regional levels at:https://www.usbr.gov/pn/hydromet/destea.html
Fall River:Fishing well.Streamers have been accounting for many of the fish.
That said, hatches are picking up and include green drakes, PMDs, BWOs, midges, caddis, and terrestrials (ants and beetles).Afternoons are producing the best hatches.
Metolius River:The section of the river above Allingham remains closed for a few more days, and it opens on May 22nd.
Memberscan alwayssee so much morein thecompletereport as well as theforecastforcentral Oregon by startingright here.
SW Oregon Fishing Report –ContributorJeff Romereports:
This weekend looks to be like another summer pre-conditioning weekend with the exception of the ocean a probable no go due to windy conditions. Everywhere else looks to be promising with most lakes and ponds in great condition and full of stocked trout and panfish. Rivers that have closed to trout fishing will reopen next Wednesday May 22.
The lower Rogue River saw a few days of good catches but have now tapered…. still worth a try though. The mid and upper Rogue anglers are still catching some winter steelhead although more Kelts in the mix and Springers, well, are a tough to catch beast. The Coquille is seeing some striped bass action, and the Main Umpqua is coughing up more Springers on the lower section.
Ocean outlook is poor for the weekend with windy conditions pushing wind chop up to 2-5 feet in some areas. Possible Sunday further North if you get out in the morning. Bottom fishing has been excellent, and salmon hit and miss trying to find em.
Applegate lake, Lost Creek, and Lake Selmac have been producing good catches of stocked trout (and bass at Selmac). Further north, Galesville has also been decent. Don’t forget the coastal lakes that have been stocked.
The whole Rogue River is holding Springers with the best action lately on the lower. Mid-section is tough, and the upper section is full of snaggers. Winter steelhead in the middle and especially the upper is fair to good.
The South fork of the Umpqua River is closed until the trout opens on May 22nd. Bass are multiplying and striped bass are being taken on the main as well as increased catches of Springers. A few shad have been reported in the main Umpqua as well as on the Coquille River.
Tight Lines 🎣 – Romer
Read this week’s SW Washington fishing report.
