Spring Walleye and Pike Heat Up the Columbia River

Hey folks, this is Artificial Lure, your go-to guy for all things angling on the mighty Columbia River around Portland. It's early morning on April 16, 2026, and the river's callin'—let's dive into today's report. Weather's lookin' prime: mostly clear skies with temps climbin' from 48°F at dawn to a comfy 62°F by afternoon, light northwest winds at 5-10 mph keepin' things calm for casting. Sunrise hits at 6:12 AM, sunset at 8:05 PM—plenty of daylight to chase bites. Tides are slackin' right now with a low at 3:45 AM and high pushin' in around 10:30 AM; fish the incoming for best action as bait gets flushed. Fish activity's heatin' up this spring—walleye and pike are on fire in the lower stretches, with sturgeon regs open for harvest soon after the 23rd. Recent catches from local ramps like Wheeler's Point mirror our scene: limits of pike to 40+ inches on spoons, swimbaits, and crankbaits, plus walleye stackin' pre-opener on May 9. Columbia stalwarts like steelhead, Chinook salmon startin' their runs, and shad schools thick—anglers pulled 20+ shad per hour last week, mixin' in trout and bass on the warming trend. Best lures? Go reaction baits like jointed swimbaits or shallow crankbaits for aggressive bass and pike on those windblown banks—match the speed to the warm-up. Spoons for pike, jigs tipped with yarn or soft plastics for walleye. Live bait shines: worms or minnows under a float for shad and trout; cut herring or roe for salmonids. BassForecast notes this new moon week's spawnin' aggressive feeds, so cover water fast. Hot spots: Hit the mouth near Wheeler's Point for pike and walleye—boat ramps open and fishin' hot. Or try Vancouver side shallows by Hayden Island for shad runs and bass ambushes. Tight lines, stay safe out there. Thanks for tunin' in—subscribe for daily updates! This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn