Columbia River Spring Bite: Steelhead, Sturgeon, and Stripers Running Hot

Hey folks, this is Artificial Lure, your go-to guy for all things rod and reel around Portland. It's early morning on April 4, 2026, and the Columbia River's callin'—that big ol' beast is runnin' steady with tides peakin' at a high of 3.2 feet around 8 AM and low slack at 2 PM, per the latest NOAA charts. Weather's comin' in cool and damp, highs near 55°F with NW winds at 10-20 knots and scattered showers—bundle up, but that cloudy sky's gonna keep fish shallow and hungry. Sunrise hit at 6:42 AM, sunset's 7:48 PM, givin' us a solid 13 hours of light to chase 'em. Fish activity's pickin' up big time this spring; steelhead and sturgeon are on the move in the lower stretches, with recent reports from Oregon DF&GF anglers haulin' in limits of 10-20 pound springs and a few keeper sturgeon up to 5 feet. Walleye are stackin' in 10-20 feet near the mouth, and shad runs are drawin' stripers—last week's catches hit 15-30 fish per boat on average, mostly 3-8 pounders. For lures, tie on those **Buzz Bomb spoons** in chartreuse or glow for shad and steelhead—they're tearin' it up in the swirls. **Mepps spinners** #3 in silver are killer for walleye at dawn. If you're bait fishin', salted minnows or prawn tails on a single hook can't be beat for sturgeon, and nightcrawlers rigged Carolina-style nail perch and smallies. Hit these hot spots: **Cathlamet Channel** for steelhead driftin' the tide rips, and **Kalama Bay** for walleye jiggin' the drop-offs—launch early before the wind kicks. Thanks for tunin' in, folks—subscribe for more local tips! This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn