Columbia River Fishing Report: Late Fall Bite and Changing Tides

Artificial Lure here, bringing you the Columbia River fishing report for Tuesday, November 25th, 2025. It’s a classic late-fall morning in Portland—overcast and cool, with light drizzle hanging in the air and temps hovering in the upper 40s. The wind’s just enough to ripple the water, but not enough to keep you off the river. Sunrise was at 7:24 AM and you’ll have good light until sunset at 4:32 PM, plenty of time to track down a bite before that early dusk settles in. The tides today around the Portland stretch of the Columbia are running moderate. According to St Helens tide predictions, we’ve got a low around 9:41 AM, gearing up to a high in the neighborhood of 2:30 PM. With these swings, the best fishing will fall on the changing tides, especially a couple hours before and after the lows and highs. Traditionally, outgoing tides draw the baitfish out, and that’s when predators like walleye and sturgeon perk up. Weather-wise, the week’s been on-and-off rain—think damp and cool, with daytime highs in the low 50s and nighttime lows dipping to the upper 30s. The cloud cover is steady, which means good fishing conditions throughout midday, as lower light can make even picky salmonids a bit less tentative (Tillamook County Pioneer’s weather update backs that up). Fish activity has been solid for late November. The big story continues to be the tail end of the fall Chinook salmon and coho runs. While things have slowed compared to peak, folks putting in the time below Bonneville and up toward the mouth of the Willamette are still plucking some bright late-season Chinook—think in the 10–18 lb range. Coho are mostly colored up but there’s still some decent action on fresher fish at places like Meldrum Bar. Reports from ODFW and angler chatter say that a few steelhead are showing up below Bonneville as the winter run starts to trickle in. Walleye fishing’s picking up again, especially around the deeper ledges near Kalama and the Portland Harbor. And of course, the sturgeon bite is consistent near the mouth of the Willamette and in the Scappoose Bay stretches, with good numbers if not a lot of legal keepers. Hot spots to try today: - **Bonneville Dam tailrace** – Ideal for late salmon, steelhead, and sturgeon; work eddies and deep water off the main current. - **St. Helens / Scappoose Bay** – Shallow backwaters and drop-offs hold walleye and sturgeon; good access from local launches. If you’re looking for bank access, check out **Meldrum Bar** for coho or winter steelhead prospects. For baits and lures: - **Chinook and coho**: Kwikfish wrapped with sardine or herring, bright spinners (chartreuse and orange or pink), or cured eggs under a bobber. - **Walleye**: Blade baits, worm harnesses tipped with a nightcrawler, and soft plastics on 1/2 oz jigs fished slow on bottom contours. - **Sturgeon**: Smelt, squid, or herring, fished on the bottom with enough weight to stay put in the current. - **Steelhead**: Small spoons and pink worms, or cured roe u This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.