Columbia River Winter Fishing Report Feb 4, 2026 - Sturgeon, Walleye, Steelhead & More

Hey folks, this is Artificial Lure, your go-to guy for all things rod and reel on the mighty Columbia River around Portland. It's a crisp winter morning here on February 4th, 2026—sunrise hit at 7:28am per tides.net, and we'll see sunset around 5:21pm, giving us a short window before dark. Weather's holding steady with partly cloudy skies, temps in the mid-40s, light winds from the east—perfect for bundling up and hitting the water without gettin' soaked. Tides are key this time of year, and tides.net reports for St. Helens on the Columbia show low at 1:27am at 1'5", high at 6:24am reachin' 4'8", then droppin' low again midday. Fish the incoming tide early or that afternoon flood for best action—currents'll push bait right to 'em. Fishin's been solid lately despite the chill. Locals report steady sturgeon hauls in the 40-60 inch range near the deeper holes, plus perch and walleye stackin' up—anglers pulled limits of 2-4 pounders last week usin' worms off the bottom. Salmon's slow but steelhead are showin' in the tributaries, with a few 8-12 pound hatchery fish netted on the swing. Smaller trout and bass keepin' bank guys busy too. For lures, my top picks are jointed diving minnows in chartreuse or perch patterns—dive 'em 8-12 feet on the troll for walleye. Jigs with curly tails or twister worms in pink or motor oil are killin' perch and sturgeon. Live bait? Nightcrawlers or sand shrimp on a circle hook can't be beat—drift 'em slow in the current. Hot spots right now: Try the deep bend below Cathedral Park for sturgeon, or hit the jetties at Kelley Point for perch and walleye—park easy and launch small craft no problem. Get out there safe, check regs, 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.