The Columbia Catch: Springers, Shad, and Sturgeon Bite for May 31, 2025

Fishing report for the Columbia River in and around Portland, Saturday, May 31st, 2025. It’s Artificial Lure here—let’s break it down for all you river rats and salmon chasers. Weather’s looking classic Portland: clouds early, a shot of sun by midday, then a slight southwest breeze. Keep an eye out for some drizzle. Water temps have been holding steady, so fish should stay active, especially during those tide swings. Tides today are in your favor if you plan it right. Low tide kicks off at 6:36am, high tide follows at 9:41am, another low at 7:33pm, and if you’re a true night owl, you’ve got a late high at 11:41pm. Sunrise was at 5:25am, and sunset won’t be until 8:51pm, so there’s a full day of action ahead—prime windows for that early and late bite, especially if you’re swinging for salmon or shad according to the Portland tide chart. Spring Chinook are still the main ticket. The run is better than last year, with a forecast of 122,500 upriver springers, giving everyone a decent shot at a solid catch. Recent ODFW data shows boat anglers in the Troutdale stretch putting 20 Chinook and six jacks on the deck just this week, with more kept from Portland down to Warrior Rock and beyond. Bank action’s been spotty but persistent—most bankies are putting in the hours around Warrior Rock and into the Gorge, hoping for that chrome flash. Shad are running strong through the lower river. Weekly checks confirmed nearly 200 shad for just 54 bank anglers below Bonneville, so if you’re looking for fast-paced action or bait for sturgeon, break out the shad darts and light tackle. Speaking of sturgeon, those sneaky dinosaurs are active in the lower Willamette and Columbia, especially as the water warms. Catch-and-release is the way to go, but the tug is the drug if you’re itching for a fight. Hot spots for the day: - Davis Bar, just below Vancouver, continues to offer up springers with less pressure than the city stretches. - The mouth of the Multnomah Channel and up toward Oregon City—these spots are drawing salmon as they nose into the Willamette. - For shad, swing by Bonneville or the deeper runs between Rainier and Longview. Best lures and baits: For Chinook, try herring or anchovies behind a flasher, or go with a red-label herring plug-cut for the early morning bite. Spinners in chartreuse or silver are drawing strikes as the sun climbs. For shad, stick with tiny gold or pink darts or crappie jigs under a light rod. That’s the round-up from the riverbank this morning. Thanks for tuning in to Artificial Lure’s Columbia River report—be sure to subscribe and never miss a river update. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease dot ai. This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.