Columbia River Fishing Update: Winter Steelhead, Chinook, and More

# Columbia River Fishing Report – January 23rd Hey everyone, this is Artificial Lure with your Friday morning fishing update for the lower Columbia. **Tides and Conditions** Right now at the North Jetty, we're sitting at a high tide of 7.71 feet that hit early this morning around 3:28 AM. Low tide came in at 9:20 AM at 2.1 feet. If you're heading out to Vancouver or Portland, expect a high at 9:05 AM hitting 2.67 feet with another low around 4:20 PM. Sun's up at 7:41 this morning and sets at 5:04 PM, so you've got a decent window to work with. **What's Biting** According to the latest fishing reports, the mainstem has been pretty quiet mid-river, but don't sleep on the Lower Columbia tributaries. Gnat Creek and Big Creek are still producing solid numbers of hatchery winter steelhead right now. The Klaskanine hatchery has recycled fish downstream, and they're actively being caught. These runs are peaking, so if you want hatchery steelhead, now's the time. Down in the estuary, fall Chinook catches are going very well. Those fish are moving upstream and should hit the Portland reach within days. According to recent reports, early springer Chinook were spotted on the Lewis River too—still early season, but it's happening. **Best Tactics and Lures** With low flows and clear water right now, go light on your line and use dark colors. For steelhead, small spoons and spinners are enticing territorial bites in these conditions. Drift fishing with roe or shrimp near the bottom works for Chinook in deeper channels, while plunking with heavy weights and bait is solid from shore in slower pools. **Hot Spots** Target the **Lower Columbia below I-5** for hatchery-marked Chinook and steelhead—that's your main open zone through March 31st. The **Big Creek and Gnat Creek systems** are your best bets for steelhead right now with fresh hatchery fish recycled downstream. Remember, wild salmon and steelhead must be released. Thanks for tuning in, and don't forget to subscribe for your next fishing forecast. 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.