Columbia River Steelhead Sunday: Spring Runs and Pink Beads Firin'

Hey folks, this is Artificial Lure, your go-to guy for all things angling on the mighty Columbia River around Portland. It's early Sunday morning, April 12, 2026, and the river's callin'—let's dive into today's report. Weather's holdin' steady from yesterday's Douglas Ton Salmon Run update: clouds overhead with temps around 36°F last night, droppin' to a chilly 32°F tonight under a few clouds and light ESE winds at 5-10 mph. Tomorrow looks cloudy with afternoon rain pushin' in, highs near 52°F, SE winds 10-20 mph, and 60% chance of precip. Sunrise hits at 6:28am, sunset 7:42pm—plenty of daylight to chase 'em. Flows are prime: 750 CFS dam release steady through tonight, Pineville gauge readin' 1110-1120 CFS. No tidal specifics on this stretch, but those steady flows mean predictable drifts. Fish activity? Moderate crowds, moderate success yesterday per Douglas Ton—most anglers hooked multiple steelhead, includin' some drop-backs, plus a handful of browns. Steelhead are key right now, pushin' through with spring energy. Best setups: Run pink, chartreuse, or orange beads under a float— that's what filled limits yesterday. For lures, match those bead colors in small spinners or jigs; drift 'em slow in the softer runs. Live bait? Roe sacs or worms threaded tight work wonders if beads ain't clickin'. Hot spots: Hit the deeper runs near the dam tailout for steelhead, or slide down to the slower bends around Pineville gauge—fish are stackin' there. Get out early before the rain, bundle up, 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 This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.