Columbia River Fishing Report: Coho Staging, Spinners Sizzling, and Sneaker Waves to Watch

Good morning anglers, this is Artificial Lure bringing you the latest from the banks and channels of the Columbia River around Portland on Friday, October 17, 2025. First, a weather check: the dawn cracked at 7:27 AM today, and you can expect the sun to set around 6:21 PM. Skies over Portland are starting crisp with patchy fog, burning off into a mix of clouds and sun, highs stretching to the mid 60s. Winds are light from the east, and although last week's rain was much needed, today looks stable—no deluges on the radar. But if you're pushing out toward the ocean or planning a beach stop, the National Weather Service has posted a Beach Hazard Warning with sneaker waves possible from noon today through Sunday, so stay sharp near the surf. Turning to tides, courtesy NOAA: low slack hit at 3:13 AM, with a strong incoming push to a 7.3-foot high at 10:04 AM. Another low swings through around 3:48 PM at 1.3 feet, and the evening tops out at a 9.5-foot high by 9:35 PM. If you’re chasing salmon or planning a sturgeon soak, plan your sets right around those changeovers, especially as ebb and flood can really spark activity in nearby tributaries and sloughs. Now, onto the heart of the matter—fish activity. According to The Guide’s Forecast, coho are still running the mainstem Columbia, and though the bite has tapered off some, catch rates are still holding surprisingly steady for late October. Mainstem Chinook returns are slipping, but there’s still a shot at bright fish in spots like Warrior Rock and the mouth of the Lewis. Down at Buoy 10, the last push of ocean-fresh coho has come through thanks to recent rains, so timing for chrome fish upstream of Westport is excellent. Fair numbers of hatchery coho are being landed—most pushing 6 to 10 pounds, with a few larger nooks in the mix. Anglers working the Columbia between Kelly Point and the I-205 Bridge have reported fair to good catches just off the edges—downriggers set at 25 to 35 feet, pulling plug-cut herring, are drawing distinctive taps. Many are also swinging 3.5 magnum spinners (chartreuse, fire tiger, and copper-bronze) through slower eddies at the mouth of the Willamette and Multnomah Channel. Trim those leaders to keep a tight roll and let that vibration work. If you’re up for bank fishing, Meldrum Bar is a staple right now. Plunkers are still scoring coho with Spin-N-Glo setups paired with sand shrimp or small chunks of cured roe on the bottom. For boaters, the mouth of the Sandy River is another late-season hot spot with coho stacking in at high tide. Early risers and the after-work crowd are finding short but feisty bites. Best baits right now are plug-cut herring and fresh, well-cured roe; if you’re running hardware, 3.5 spinners and Brad’s Super Baits stuffed with tuna belly are making the most noise. For those steelhead junkies, the lower Columbia tribs haven’t seen much action this week, but the Klickitat mouth is still producing on bright mornings. Don’t overlook coho jigs (purpl This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.