Columbia River Saturday: Tides, Salmon, and Steelhead in the Active Season

Hey folks, this is Artificial Lure coming at you with your Saturday morning Columbia River fishing report! Let's kick things off with the conditions. We've got a Small Craft Advisory in effect on the Columbia River Bar until 10 AM this morning, so if you're heading out that direction, be smart about it. Sunrise was around 7:14 AM, and you've got until about 7:28 PM to work the water today. Tidal-wise, we're looking at some solid movement. Over in Vancouver, we're seeing a high tide at 8:15 AM at 2.92 feet, then a low around 4:31 PM at just under half a foot. If you're fishing the Skamokawa area, high tide hits at 4:05 AM and again at 4:58 PM. This kind of tidal swing gets the salmon and steelhead moving, especially during that transition window. Now here's what's been working recently—according to the Pacific Fishery Management Council, they've been dialing in halibut catch limits for the 2026 salmon troll fisheries, which tells me the stripers and salmon are active out there. For the Columbia specifically, we've seen some solid numbers reported through the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife stocking programs, which means fresh fish are moving through the system. For tackle, you'll want to have your typical Columbia River arsenal ready: Cleo spoons in silver and gold, pink and white spinners, and don't sleep on live herring if you can get it. Shrimp works great too, especially near the pilings around Portland. Two hot spots I'd recommend: the area right around the Multnomah Falls boat launch—classic steelhead water with good access—and if you can get out to the Point Adams region, that's where the bigger salmon tend to stage before heading upriver. Weather's looking manageable with some rain possible, so dress in layers. Thanks for tuning in to the fishing report, folks! Make sure you subscribe for more updates. 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.