During the winter season, whichever type of fish you want to catch in Oregon’s rivers, you can rely on the good company and expert guidance of Oregon fishing guide Buddy Dupell, owner of Columbia River Fishing Adventures in Portland. An all-inclusive trip will provide you with the gear you’ll need and all the details taken care of for an awesome experience. The lighter fishing “traffic” in winter months presents the opportunity for a more relaxed experience to help fade away (for a while) the stresses of everyday life.
The Columbia River
Most winter runs of steelhead pass through the Columbia River. This coming winter, fishing for both hatchery steelhead and Chinook salmon will be open on the Columbia from January 1st through March 31st. The months of January and February can also produce large Walleye, but it takes a dedicated angler to hook this spectacular fighting fish in winter conditions.
Clackamas River
According to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Clackamas is the leading river, in most years, For the number of hatchery winter steelhead taken home by anglers. In a typical winter season, fishers can claim up to 2,000 hatchery-born steelhead!
The first winter steelhead run enters the Clackamas River before Christmas on their way to their Eagle Creek destination, and peaks around January. At about that same time, a second winter steelhead run sets out for the Clackamas. The second run can extend winter steelhead fishing into the spring months, and usually peaks in March, just as the first summer steelhead arrive.
The Sandy River
The Sandy River has a lot going for it as a steelhead trove – it’s close to home for anyone in the greater Portland metropolitan area, it has plenty of access, and is often fishable when other rivers aren’t.
Although the Sandy River parallels some of Portland’s suburbs, it still has the feeling of being somewhere deep in the wilderness. The Sandy’s winter run usually far exceeds the summer run for number of fish caught, and often produces more than 1,000 hatchery Winter Steelhead, and in some years, up to four times that number.
The Willamette River
The lower Willamette is where Winter steelhead collect before entering the Clackamas River. A modest number of winter steelhead can be caught below Willamette Falls and It also offers some Fantastic Sturgeon Fishing Trips!
Buddy Dupell, owner and guide of Columbia River Fishing Adventures, has the knowledge and experience to know when to switch locations to take advantage of changes in migration patterns, and conditions like water levels, weather, and other factors, for planning a highly enjoyable guided fishing adventure.
To escape the doldrums of a long winter, book a fun and relaxing guided fishing trip in Portland. Buddy will be happy to help you plan the details. Contact him at (503) 490-3099, or at [email protected].