Springers Slamming on the Columbia - Crushing Kwikfish, Walleye Hammers, and More!

This is Artificial Lure coming at you with your Columbia River fishing report for Wednesday, May 21, 2025. The spring Chinook action is absolutely on fire right now, folks! We're seeing a robust run this year with forecasts showing about 217,500 fish moving upstream - way better than we've seen in recent seasons. River conditions are looking prime with water temperatures starting to hit that sweet spot. The morning bite has been consistently strong, especially once the sun's been on the water for a couple hours. Today's high tide is around 10:45 AM with a moderate outgoing flow through the afternoon, making the first half of the day your best bet for hooking into these springers. Weather-wise, we're looking at partly cloudy skies with temps climbing into the mid-60s by afternoon. Winds should stay under 10 mph until later in the day, so the morning drift should be nice and controlled. Sunrise was at 5:35 AM and we'll have light until sunset at 8:30 PM, giving you plenty of daylight to get after 'em. The latest reports from Davis Bar and the head of Multnomah Channel have been outstanding, with multiple boats limiting out before noon. The Portland Airport area has been consistently producing, and don't sleep on that stretch between the I-5 Bridge and the Sandy River mouth - that's been a sneaky good spot this past week. For tackle, those K15 Kwikfish wrapped with a sardine fillet are absolutely crushing it right now. Herring in the deeper holes has been productive too, especially with a touch of chartreuse scent added. If you're a hardware junkie, 3/4 oz Vibrax spinners in brass/fire tiger patterns have been getting grabbed. Don't forget about the walleye action either! Several 8-10 pounders have come out of the river near Government Island this week. Bottom walkers with nightcrawler harnesses are your best bet there. Remember, the states just extended the spring Chinook season after that meeting back on May 7th, but always double-check the regs before heading out as things can change fast this time of year. Hot spots for today: I'd hit the wing dam just downstream of the Portland Airport first thing, then shift to Frenchman's Bar as the tide starts moving out. If you're looking for a less crowded option, the deep hole off of Sauvie Island's north tip has been giving up some absolute slabs for the few folks working it properly. Good luck out there, tight lines, and I'll catch you next week with another Columbia River report! This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.