Spring Chinook Fade & Summer Steelhead Rise on the Portland Columbia

Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Columbia River fishing report for the Portland stretch. We’re sitting on a cool, mostly dry pattern this morning around town. National Weather Service Portland calls for clouds with a few sun breaks, light northwest breeze 5–10 mph, and highs pushing into the upper 60s to low 70s. That light wind and overcast is prime for working the river edges. Sunrise is right around 5:20 a.m., sunset near 9:00 p.m., giving you a long low‑light window at both ends of the day. The Columbia isn’t a big coastal estuary here, but NOAA’s river stage info shows only mild tidal influence this far upriver. Think gentle up‑and‑down current swings rather than big tide rips. Plan on softer current and better boat control mid‑day, with a little extra push during the morning and evening exchange. That’s when bait and predators tuck tight to seams, points, and pilings. Fish activity has been steady but not lights‑out. Local reports from tackle shops along Marine Drive and in Troutdale say the tail end of the spring Chinook push is still producing a few quality fish, while summer steelhead and warm‑water species are picking up. Anglers working the main channel near the I‑205 bridge and down toward Government Island have scratched out some springers and early summers on the anchor. Meanwhile, bank anglers and small‑boat folks are seeing good numbers of smallmouth and a mix of walleyes and panfish in the softer water. On the salmonid side, most of the recent keepers have come on classic Columbia gear: 360 flashers with small 3.5 spinners in chartreuse, copper, or clown patterns; or cut‑plug herring and anchovy behind a triangle flasher. Pro‑Cure‑style herring or anchovy brine and a little UV scent have been the difference between lookers and biters more than once this week, according to several local guides. Fish the travel lanes: 18–28 feet on the edges of the shipping channel, paying attention to subtle depth breaks and current seams. Summer steelhead are starting to nosing around the lower Portland reach. Plunkers off beaches near Sauvie Island and along the Washington side have picked off a few on Spin‑N‑Glos with a bit of coon‑stripe shrimp or sand shrimp. Run bright colors early—chartreuse/cerise or flame—and slide to more natural chrome/blue when the sun gets high. For warm‑water action, the smallmouth bite has been the most consistent producer. Rocks, riprap, and any kind of broken structure from the mouth of the Willamette down past Blue Lake and out toward Chinook Landing have been kicking out numbers of 10–15 inch bronzebacks, with an occasional bigger fish. Ned rigs in green pumpkin, 3–4 inch tubes in brown or goby tones, and small squarebill crankbaits in shad patterns have all been doing damage. When the sun pops out and the surface warms, topwater walkers and poppers can light up the late evening—think bone or frog patterns along rocky points and current breaks. Walleyes are still very much in play, especially in deeper holes and along shelf edges. Bottom‑bouncers with crawler harnesses in chartreuse or firetiger are the go‑to. Slow‑troll those upstream just fast enough to keep the blade spinning and you’ll run into eaters. Some folks are also catching them incidentally while dragging jigs for smallies. If you’re after numbers with kids or new anglers, hit the backwaters and sloughs for panfish. Nightcrawlers under a float, small jigs tipped with bits of worm, or tiny curly tails will keep rods bending around docks and in the quieter marinas. Couple of hot spots to circle today: • **Government Island / I‑205 to Gleason area** – Good mix of salmon travel lanes and solid smallmouth structure. Work 18–30 feet for salmon on anchor or troll, then slide shallow and pound the rocks for bass when the sun gets higher. • **Sauvie Island beaches and the mouth of the Willamette** – Plunk for early summer steelhead and late springers, or run the edges for smallmouth. The current seams along those bars can be sneaky good when the river’s moving. Best all‑around offerings right now: for salmon and steelhead, 360 flashers with 3.5 spinners, cut‑plug herring, or Spin‑N‑Glos with shrimp; for bass and walleye, Ned rigs, tubes, small cranks, and crawler harnesses. Bring a mix and adjust to the water clarity and light. That’s the Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn