**Willamette Valley/Metro- **The re-opening ofthe catch-and-keep sturgeon season on the lower Willamette brought about afrenzy of angler activity with successful counts of keepers coming from OregonCity to the Portland Harbor on Friday. Although the bite had dropped ofsignificantly by Saturday, anglers consumed a measureable number of the keeperquota jeopardizing the February 24th/25th season finale.ODF&W announced Tuesday that the additional 2-day season for catch and keepwill be rescinded. Willamette River retention season is over for the year.
Springchinook fishing seemingly slowed on the Willamette River although many werefocused on sturgeon. Effort for salmon on the mainstem Columbia remained fairthrough the weekend and persistent anglers are experiencing a rare keepersalmon at Davis Bar and Caterpillar Island. Herring and flashers will remain atop choice.
Troutfishing has been fair to good on the McKenzie with caddis hatching at times butrising water will stall results until the river recovers.
It isunlikely the rising Santiam system will be fishable by the coming weekend.
Whilesteelheading has been slow on the Clackamas for most, it may improve as levelsdrop in the coming weekend. Some steelheaders have taken fair numbers recentlyhowever.
Steelheadinghas been spotty on the Sandy but the river is muddy and rising at this time.Larger numbers of broodstock steelhead are likely later this month.
**Northwest – **With mostnorthwest anglers focused on sturgeon over the weekend, effort was light fornorth coast steelheaders. Wintery weather in mountain passes also quelledeffort. Tillamook district rivers rose to optimum levels over the weekend withfair catches reported on Saturday and lasting through Monday. Side-drifters didwell for most of the weekend but a K-11 chrome/red stripe Kwikfish took a nice12-pound hatchery hen for Rennie Ferris of Newport on Monday.
The Trask, Nestuccaand mainstem Nehalem all produced fair results over the weekend with hatcheryfish most likely to come from the Wilson and Nestucca. The North Fork Nehalemis still producing a few hatchery fish but this system, along with theNecanicum will shift to a predominately wild steelhead prospect through the endof March.
This Kilchis Rivermay be one of the better options by the weekend if river levels continue torise. It is primarily a wild fish system, requiring release of most of the fishthat are caught by anglers.
Sturgeon effort waslight over the weekend but there have been rumors of good fishing recently.Some anglers theorize that the large smelt run on the Columbia may have drawnout a larger population that typically sticks around during winter months to feedon abundant shrimp, clam and crab populations.
Big seas remain inthe forecast, nullifying offshore opportunities for crabbers and bottomfishers.A bounty of rockfish species, including lingcod awaits anxious anglers whenoffshore waters calm. A soft incoming tide this weekend may produce faircatches of Dungeness in Tillamook and Netarts Bays.
**Southwest – **Oceanconditions will keep recreational and charter boats inshore through theweekend. When boats have been able to get out, lingcod and rock fishing hasbeen excellent.
Sturgeoncatches have remained good in Winchester Bay for those fishing below theHighway 101 Bridge. While crabbing has been worthwhile, rain this week may pushDungeness out of the bay. Steelheading has been fair on the mainstem Umpqua,has slowed on the North and has been best on the South Umpqua. Levels are onthe rise region-wide this week.
Crabbingin Coos Bay has been good although rain this week is expected to reduceresults.
Steelheadingon the lower Rogue has slowed in low water although fly anglers have taken somearound Agness. Plug pullers are taking steelhead on the middle river whileupper river boaters are finding steady action with fresh winters with upstreammovement taking place daily.
Chetcosteelheading, which had been productive, slowed due to low, clear water overthe past weekend. The river was on the rise on Tuesday this week but ifforecasts are accurate, will be dropping in the weekend to come. Fresh, brightwinter steelhead will continue to enter as long as bar conditions aren’t toorough.
Resultsfor winter steelhead have been slow on the Elk and Sixes in low waterconditions but should be revitalized with rainfall this week.
Eastern – Fly anglers on the Crooked River have continued todo well for whitefish and trout over the past week. Small, dark nymphs havebeen effective.
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**Warmerweather may contribute to increased catches for eastern Oregon steelheaders.The Grande Ronde, Wallowa and Imnaha remain top options but if temperatures gettoo warm, river flows may be too intense.
**SW Washington – **Broodstock steelhead programswill carry anglers through the spring months with spring chinook and summersteelhead soon on the way. The Cowlitz remains a fair option for steelhead butit’s inundated with smelt right now. Sturgeon fishing in the lower reaches maybe good for those that are able to match the hatch with frozen smelt. Anglersare allowed to use smelt for bait but they can’t come from the population offish that falls under the Endangered Species Act.
The Kalama has put out afew steelhead recently with plugs becoming an effective method in the droppingflows. Another sharp rise in river levels is expected in the SW districthowever, putting boaters and bank anglers off for several more days.