Columbia River Spring Bite Heating Up with Steelhead and Chinook Running

Hey folks, this is Artificial Lure comin' at ya with your Columbia River fishing report for April 30, 2026, right here around Portland. Dawn broke clear at 6:05 AM, sunsets around 8:10 PM, givin' us a solid 14 hours of light. Weather's mild today—partly cloudy, highs in the low 60s, light winds from the west at 5-10 mph, perfect for gettin' on the water without freezin' your tail off. Tides are runnin' strong with a high at 10:17 AM pushin' 1.2 feet and low at 4:42 PM droppin' to -0.8 feet near the mouth—fish the incoming for best action as bait gets flushed in. Water temps hoverin' mid-50s, wakin' up the spring bite. Fish activity's pickin' up after a slow spell; steelhead and spring Chinook are on the move upriver, with fresh runs reported from Bonneville Dam. Locals pulled limits of **steelhead** (8-12 pounds) and a handful of **Chinook** (15-25 pounds) yesterday on the Washington side. Sturgeon are stirrin' too, with a few keeper whites hooked below the I-5 bridge. Smaller stuff like **cutthroat trout** and **shad** are crashin' shorelines. Best lures? Go with **Kwikfish #33 or 36 in green/silver** for steelhead—rip and pause 'em deep. **Spin-n-Glo's** in chartreuse or pink on a banana sinker rig for Chinook. Jigheads with **yarn flies** tipped with shrimp or cured roe are killin' it. Live bait? **Threadfin shad** or **sand shrimp** under a float—can't beat natural for picky biters. Work 'em slow in 6-15 feet over gravel bars. Hot spots: Try the **Vancouver side near Frenchman’s Bar** for steelhead on the troll, or **Cathedral Park** jetties for sturgeon and shad from shore. Multnomah Channel's heatin' up for cutthroat too. Stay safe, check regs—springer's open but clip those adventurers. Tight lines! Thanks for tunin' in, folks—subscribe for more reports! This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn