Crisp Fall Mornings on the Columbia with Coho, Chinook, and Walleye Action

Artificial Lure here, with your Columbia River fishing report straight out of Portland for Monday, November 3, 2025. We’re waking up to chilly fall conditions and a crisp autumn morning—first light at 7:00 am and sunset dropping early at 4:58 pm. The days are short now, so plan your casts wisely. On the tidal front, Columbia River Entrance is seeing a low around 3:57 am at 1.4 feet, high at 10:25 am surging up to 8.2 feet, another low at 4:48 pm barely below zero, and high again at 11:13 pm near 7 feet, according to Tides.net. That robust mid-morning incoming tide is the standout—pair it with the sunrise and you’re looking at your best window for predator action. Weather’s typical Northwest November—low-to-mid 40s early, peaking low 50s by afternoon. Last night’s light showers gave way to overcast skies. Winds are mild, east at 6-9 mph according to Columbia River entrance local weather forecasts. It’s damp, but not dumping. River temp hovers in the mid-50s: salmonids and bass are moving slower, and you’ll find fish staging up in deeper channels and structure out of the main flow. Recent catches have leaned heavy on coho and late chinook—Lower Columbia fishing reports from The Columbian say last week saw 100–200 keeper-size coho landed each day from local bank and boat crews. Chinook returns have been waning, but there’s still opportunity for a dime-bright ‘nook if you put in hours near the confluence. Sturgeon are catch-and-release only, but anglers have reported solid hook-ups near the channel edges from Portland to Vancouver. Walleye action is steady in the backwaters and sloughs, with some chunky 24-inchers reported near the I-5 bridge and toward Government Island. Top lures right now: For coho, toss chartreuse and orange Brad’s Wobblers, Mag Lips, or Blue Fox spinners, especially at first light. Chinook are smashing Kwikfish in wrapped sardine or prawn scent and 4.5 Mag Lips in metallic blue and silver. Swimbaits and chartreuse curly-tail grubs are getting steady walleye bites. Bass are sluggish, so look for deeper structure and work slow-moving soft plastics—think green pumpkin tubes and jigs. Bait recommendations: Cured coho eggs are king for salmon, especially fished under a bobber at river bends. Fresh cut-plug herring run behind a diver is working for trollers. Nightcrawlers and scented soft plastics nailed most of last week’s walleye and bass. For the persistent sturgeon chasers, squid and fresh sand shrimp are a top choice. Hot spots to hit: - The mouth of the Willamette is producing solid coho and the odd chinook daily on both sides. - Kelley Point Park and Sauvie Island beaches are prime for bank anglers, especially in outgoing tide pushes. - Government Island’s back channels remain one of the best bets for walleye and late-summer smallmouth. Fish activity is best around mid-morning with that inbound push, but banks get lively again around sunset when the low slack tide coincides with temperatures dropping. Solunar charts peg This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.