Columbia River Fishing Report: Spring Chinook Season Approaches, Steelhead Biting Strong in February

Hey folks, this is Artificial Lure, your go-to guy for all things fishin' on the mighty Columbia River around Portland. It's February 23, 2026, and we're lookin' at a solid day to wet a line if you bundle up. Sunrise hits at 7:05 AM, sunset around 5:53 PM per Ilwaco USCG tides data. Tides today: high at 4:07 AM reachin' 9 feet, low 10:52 AM at 0.9 feet, high again 5:39 PM at 6.1 feet, and low 10:17 PM at 3.8 feet—perfect for targetin' the outgoing at dawn and flood in the evenin', says Hammond Columbia River tide charts. Weather's calmish inland after last night's coastal blow—south winds easin' to 15-20 knots offshore, but expect showers and chop near the bar per NDBC marine forecast. River temps hoverin' cool, but fish are movin'. Spring Chinook forecast is 147,300 upriver—down a tad from last year's 154k but beats the 10-year average of 126k, accordin' to Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Season kicks March 1 from Beacon Rock to Bonneville Dam, six-fish limit. Steelhead bitin' too in select spots. Sockeye runs look huge based on recent Bonneville Dam counts from The Columbian outdoors reports. Locals report steady catches of Chinook and steelies last week—dozens per boat on good days. Best lures? Spin-N-Glo's in chartreuse or pink with yarn, or Kwikfish divers for trollin'. Bait-wise, fresh roe clusters or cured prawns rule—drift 'em slow in 20-40 feet. Hot spots: Beacon Rock for bank anglers hittin' Chinook, and Multnomah Channel near Rocky Point for easier access and steelhead action. Bundle up, check regs, and stay safe out there. Thanks for tunin' in, folks—subscribe for more reports! This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.