Columbia River Fishing Report: Walleye Bites, Salmon Updates, and More

***Artificial Lure's Columbia River Fishing Report*** May 4, 2025 Mornin' anglers! Artificial Lure here with your Sunday fishing report for the Columbia River area around Portland. First off, I gotta tell ya that the Columbia River from Buoy 10 all the way up to the Oregon/Washington border above McNary Dam is currently closed for salmon and steelhead angling. The fisheries folks are keeping an eye on the upriver spring Chinook run and might open things up as the run progresses, so stay tuned. Weather today is looking decent for early May - we're expecting partly cloudy skies with temps reaching the mid-60s. Sunrise was at 5:47 AM and sunset will be around 8:24 PM, giving you plenty of daylight hours on the water. The word on the water is that walleye fishing has been good in The Dalles and John Day pools. If you're after some tasty walleye, now's the time to get out there. I've heard from several locals that chartreuse jigs tipped with a nightcrawler have been the ticket lately. For those willing to travel a bit, the Hood River area has been producing some decent catches. Recent reports show that salmon fishing in that area was good in late April, with plenty of fish still working their way upriver. The 2025 forecast for upriver spring Chinook is 122,500 fish, which is better than last year but still below the 10-year average. If you're after sturgeon, mark your calendars - the keeper sturgeon season in Bonneville and The Dalles pools runs on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Check the regs for exact dates as this fishery is quota-based. For hot spots, I'd recommend trying the Scappoose area for coho. There have been decent reports coming from there recently. Another good bet would be the waters near Portland's downtown, where bass fishing has picked up with the warming water. Bait-wise, local anglers are having success with cured salmon eggs and sand shrimp. If you're more of a lure person like myself, K15 Kwikfish in chrome/chartreuse or copper/chartreuse have been working well along with Brad's Super Bait filled with tuna. Remember to check for any fish consumption advisories before keeping your catch, as there are some mercury and PCB warnings for certain areas of the Columbia. That's the skinny for today, folks. Good luck, tight lines, and I'll catch ya on the water! This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.