Columbia River Salmon Fishing: Promising Catches and Hot Spots Near Portland

As of October 16, 2024, the Columbia River near Portland is offering some promising fishing opportunities, despite a bit of variability in recent days. ### Weather and Tidal Conditions Today, you can expect partly cloudy skies with a high of around 62°F and a low of 48°F. The sunrise was at 7:24 AM, and the sunset will be at 6:14 PM. Tides are crucial for fishing here; today's high tide is at 10:17 AM, and the low tide is at 3:44 PM. The incoming tide, especially right before high tide, has been producing the best bites. ### Fish Activity Yesterday's fishing in the Hood River area was decent, with several boats reporting success. We managed to catch two Chinook salmon and lost another, while other boats in the area also had some good catches. There were fewer anglers out, but the fish activity remains strong, with lots of salmon jumping near the mouth of the White Salmon River across from Hood River. ### Types and Amounts of Fish The primary targets right now are Chinook and coho salmon. In the Hood River area above the bridge, you can keep wild coho, but below the bridge, only hatchery coho with clipped fins can be retained. Yesterday's catch included several keeper Chinook and some coho. ### Best Lures and Bait For Chinook salmon, using herring or anchovies as bait is highly effective. Lures such as spinners, especially those with a red or orange blade, and plugs like the MagLip 3.5 or 4.5, are also producing results. For coho, smaller spinners and spoons can be very effective. ### Hot Spots - **Hood River Area**: This has been one of the hotter spots recently, especially above the Hood River Bridge where you can keep wild coho. - **Below Bonneville Dam**: This area has also seen very good fishing for both Chinook and coho, with many anglers reporting early limits. Overall, the fishing on the Columbia River near Portland is holding up well, and with the right conditions and gear, you should have a good chance of landing some nice salmon. This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.