Columbia River Fishing Update: Steelies, Sturgeon, and a Free Fishing Weekend

🛒 Cozy Earth - Luxurious bamboo sheets, pajamas, & more 💰 Get 21% OFF | Promo Code: POINT https://cozyearth.com/discount/POINT --- Hey folks, this is Artificial Lure, your go-to guy for all things rod and reel on the mighty Columbia River around Portland. It's February 13, 2026, and we're lookin' at a crisp winter day—sunrise at about 7:15 AM, sunset 'round 5:40 PM, with partly cloudy skies, temps hoverin' in the low 40s, and light winds from the east. Tides today at Morrison Street Bridge show a low around 6-7 AM at about 1 foot, high tide mid-mornin' pushin' 6-7 feet, then droppin' off for the afternoon ebb—perfect for movin' water to stir things up, per Tide-Forecast.com data. Fish activity's pickin' up with warmer-than-average water temps holdin' steady, drawin' anglers out. ODFW reports winter steelhead still fair in lower Columbia tributaries like Big Creek and Gnat Creek, with a few hatchery fish hangin' on before the run winds down. Eyes are on sturgeon too—retention opens just for Feb 16 in Bonneville Pool from the dam to The Dalles, and The Dalles Pool up to John Day Dam, targetin' white sturgeon, thanks to that delayed opener from Oregon Dept of Fish & Wildlife. Recent catches? Steelhead numbers are slow but steady, some perch off Brookings surf, and whispers of early springers on the Rogue, but here it's steelies and sturgeon stealin' the show—maybe a dozen steelhead reported last week in the lowers. For lures, glow bugs on a leader roll or steelhead beads are hot for driftin' steelhead, says Gone Fishing Northwest. Bait's edgin' out—cure eggs or sand shrimp doin' the trick where beads fall short, per RMI Outdoors updates. Drop-shot rigs with finesse worms could work if smallies show, but stick to beads and bait for now. Hit these hot spots: Blue Lake Bridge area upstream for consistent steelhead action, or anchor near Bonneville Dam tailrace preppin' for sturgeon day. Bank anglers, try Peterson Point on the Necanicum for catch-and-release wild steelies. Free fishing weekend tomorrow and Sunday—no license needed, so get 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 --- 🛒 Cozy Earth - Luxurious bamboo sheets, pajamas, & more 💰 Get 21% OFF | Promo Code: POINT https://cozyearth.com/discount/POINT This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.