Columbia River Fishing Update: Chinooks, Cohos, and Smallies Abound Amid Late Summer Conditions

Artificial Lure here with your August 28 Columbia River fishing update, straight from the banks and boat ramps around Portland. Today saw classic late-summer conditions—warm air, a gentle NW breeze, and the river moving cool and green with light turbidity. Sunrise came in at 5:57 AM and sunset just wrapped at 8:35 PM, so anglers got a full stretch of daylight to play with. Tides at the Morrison Street Bridge started with a low at 4:43 AM, peaked high at 8:56 AM, and the evening drop finished off the bite windows in the late hours, perfect for a closing troll or casting session. Chinook salmon are leading the charge right now. The action is sporadic but picking up steam, with more fish pushing upriver each tide cycle—expect things to stay strong for the next couple weeks as the fall run ramps. If you're out for Coho, they're showing but still not quite "thick." Coho catches have increased upstream after Willamette Falls, mostly on spinners and wobblers. The deep shipping channels downstream are producing surprisingly well; local guides on the water around Buoy 10 and near the sawdust pile report a "ton of fish" hitting, especially in ripping current—sometimes you’re looking at sustained flows of 5 to 7 mph, so heavy gear is essential. Veteran bank anglers near the Portland waterfront are still plugging away for steelhead, but action is slower due to cold, clear conditions. Best lures this week? Anchovy trolled behind chartreuse or flame-orange 360 flashers are king, with trolling setups the go-to for Chinook. Ye olde 3.5 Mag Lips and Brad’s Cut Plugs in metallic or glow patterns are getting bites, especially at dawn and dusk. For Coho and steelhead, smaller spinners in silver, green, or pink plus Krocodiles are top picks. Bankies tossing soft plastics—like the Dry Creek Double Dip Tube and the classic curly tail grub in pumpkinseed or smoke glitter—reported solid smallmouth bass near rocky structure mid-river. On bait, go with cured shrimp, sand shrimp, or a thread of tuna belly to up the strike odds for salmon. Hot spots to hit? The edge of the shipping channel downstream of Sauvie Island is firing, especially in the early morning. Up near the Portland Harbor, the area below the Morrison Bridge provides consistent bites, especially on incoming tide changes. For those looking to stretch south, the mouth of the Willamette continues to surprise with mixed bags—Chinook early, Coho late, and the odd steelhead if you’re persistent. For gear, check out Coldwater Strong’s Columbia River Bank Leader System—it’s built for fast drop resets and keeps your wobbler dancing even in heavy current. Don’t forget to add float leaders and play with your weight to stay just above bottom snags. The weather? Mild, dry, and stable through the weekend, with only light cloud cover expected. Should keep the bite steady, but remember, bursts of wind in the late afternoon could stir up chop. Fish early or late for best results. That’s the scoop for the Columbia around This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.