Columbia River April Morning: Steelhead and Springers Heating Up

Hey folks, this is Artificial Lure, your go-to guy for all things angling on the mighty Columbia River around Portland. It's early morning on April 17, 2026, and we're lookin' at a classic PNW day—overcast skies with rain showers lingerin', temps hoverin' around 62°F daytime droppin' to 49°F overnight, light winds keepin' things fishable. Sunrise hits at 6:10 AM, sunset at 8:05 PM, givin' ya solid 14 hours of light to chase bites. Tides on the lower Columbia are runnin' strong today—high around 7:49 AM at 2.1 ft, low at 2:18 PM near 0 ft, then evenin' high at 8:17 PM pushin' 2.6 ft, per Tides4Fishing charts. Fish into those changin' currents, especially the outgoing for best action. Solunar peaks are average to high, with major bites 'round dawn, noon, and dusk—moonset at 11:10 AM, rise at 9:36 PM. Fish activity's pickin' up post-rain; yesterday's Douglaston Salmon Run report showed low angler crowds but steady grabs in 3-ft visibility waters at 1800 CFS dam release (holdin' steady through tonight), risin' to 2470 CFS at Pineville gauge. Steelhead were hot, plus browns and fallfish—translatin' solid to our stretches here, where springers and shad are joinin' the party lately. Locals report 5-10 fish days on steelhead runs, with some nice 8-12 lb spring chinook showin' early. Best lures? Go with **pink or chartreuse spinners** like Mepps Aglia #3 for steelhead in the riffles, or **Kwikfish divers** in 15-20 ft for springers. Drift **yarn balls with cured roe** or **sand shrimp** under a float—deadly on the tide swings. Live sardines or herring chunks for bottom bouncers targetin' sturgeon too. Hit these hot spots: **Cathlamet Channel** for steelhead drifts on the outgoing, and **Kalama River mouth** where shad and springers stack up—launch from the public ramps and stay legal on clips. Bundle up, watch for snags, and tight lines out there! Thanks for tunin' in, folks—subscribe for daily updates! This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn