Columbia River Hot Bite: Walleye Limits and Spring Steelhead - March 20th Report

Hey folks, Artificial Lure here, your go-to guy for Columbia River angling around Portland. It's Friday, March 20th, 2026, and we're lookin' at a solid day on the water. Sunrise hits around 7:15 AM PST, sunset 'bout 7:10 PM—plenty of light for a full session. Tides from Tide-Forecast.com show low at 2:40 AM (0.3 ft), high 7:37 AM (2.7 ft), low 3:36 PM (0.44 ft), and high 8:04 PM (2.1 ft). Fish the incoming around that morning high and evening push—currents'll stir 'em up. Weather's mixin' clouds and sun per Columbia Gorge News, highs near 60F, light WNW winds 5-10 mph. Small Craft Advisory lifts by 8 AM from National Weather Service, so bar's fishable but watch the swells early. Action's heatin' up! The Guide's Forecast reports Columbia walleye bit good yesterday, March 19th—limits comin' steady on the lower river. Steelhead mixed but spotty in tributaries like Cowlitz; some fresh runs pushin'. Sturgeon active too, with a few overslots released. Numbers: boaters pullin' 10-20 walleye days, handfuls of steelies 8-12 lbs. Best lures? My Artificial Lure blades in chartreuse or firetiger—spin 'em deep off points. Jigs with soft plastics or worm harnesses crush walleye. For steelhead, spoons like Gibbs or Brad's Cut Plug. Live bait? Roe bags or nightcrawlers on the bottom for walleye and sturgeon; sand shrimp for steelies. Hit these hot spots: Cathlamet Channel for walleye drifts—structure's loaded. And near Warrior Rock on Sauvie Island for steelhead swings—easy access, birds overhead too per ODFW. Get out there safe, check regs, and tight lines! 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