Gorge Fly Shop Blog: Columbia Gorge Fishing Report

Yesterday on the coast with Harris Anglers

Like so much of Oregon, the North Coast experienced substantial precipitation in the last week. Most rivers are currently high, but on the drop. A couple became fishable in the last few days. The good news is that peak fish numbers are yet to come. Another bright light of the season thus far is that the fish have been running on the larger side. It’s shaping up to be a great winter to catch the steelhead of a lifetime!

If you’d like to spend some time on the coast this winter, reach out to Charlie Piette of Harris Anglers. Current available dates are: March 2-4, 29-31, April 1-3

Charlie Piette

Harrisanglers.com

920-379-8517

Trout - Deschutes River:

Trout fishing has remained pretty decent all winter long. As long as the clarity is good, the trout are responding to well presented flies. The river is a little high from the snowstorm but is fishable. Around Maupin the fishing has been fair to good the past week. Trout are stacked in their normal winter holding water and will feed on nymphs throughout the day. Their metabolism slows down in the winter so they may not be gorging like they do during the summer, but they will take advantage of a nicely presented rubber legs that floats by them.

Standard two fly nymph rigs are working for folks, as well as European style nymphing techniques. I’ve had some of my best trout days on the Deschutes in February believe it or not. Way less crowded and fish that are not as heavily pressured can make for some good days with lots of hookups. I generally run 4x fluorocarbon tippet to my lead fly and 5x fluro to my smaller dropper fly and that seems to work great.

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Lake Fishing:

Pretty snowy and cold up at the lakes. Until the spring...

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Summer Steelhead - Deschutes River:

Deschutes steelhead will be going into spawning mode here pretty soon. You should not be targeting them now even though it is not technically illegal to. Leave them alone now so they can spawn and make future generations of steelhead. Besides, chrome winter fish are swimming to their home tribs on the coast and valley area as I write this report.

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Winter Steelhead - North Oregon Coast + Portland Metro area

This weekend is shaping up to be a good one in terms of river levels. Fish are consistently being caught throughout many systems on the coast as well as inland rivers that get a winter run. This year, fish numbers do not seem to be as high as they were last year. We are really having to work for them this year, so enjoy them a little more if you are lucky enough to bring one to hand.

Both swung fly techniques as well as dead drifting beads are working well. The key to swinging winter steelhead is to be persistent and keep going to the spots you know they like to hold in and keep that fly in the zone swinging as much as you can throughout the day. It will happen eventually. People fishing under indicators will hook more fish but the thrill of getting a winter on the swing is unbeatable.

Good luck out there!

Winter Steelhead - Hood River:

Slow start, but I have heard of a handful of winter fish caught. The Hood River generally see’s the bulk of its winter steelhead arriving a bit later than other rivers with the peak arriving in late Feb through the whole month of March and into April.

Smallmouth Bass / Carp:

Smallmouth fishing has remained pretty tough recently. Fish are still fairly spread out making them tough to find. Sinking lines with streamers and crayfish patterns are getting it done down there. People gear fishing have a better advantage of getting their presentation down in their face quicker.

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-Zach Parker