Title: Crisp Fall Fishing on the Columbia: Sturgeon, Walleye, and the Calm Before the Storm

Artificial Lure here with your Columbia River fishing report around Portland for Tuesday, October 21, 2025. We’re off to a crisp, dry start—sunrise was at 7:32 AM and it’ll set tonight at 6:18 PM. The morning brought patchy fog, but skies are clearing up quickly, with temperatures climbing toward 66°F under mostly sunny skies. Enjoy it while it lasts: weather forecasters like Gordon McCraw say today’s the tail end of the calm spell, with wet and blustery conditions moving in midweek. So if you’ve got a line in the water, now’s your window! On the tide front, NOAA reports a low tide at the Portland gauge right around 5:20 AM this morning, with the flood tide turning and running strong until peak high at about 10:53 AM. The next low rolls in around 6:31 PM this evening. These rising tides through late morning are prime time for sturgeon and walleye, especially as fish shift up tight to the edges and channel breaks. Anglers have had solid action along the Multnomah Channel and Sauvie Island, and the turn below the I-5 bridge—as always, classic fall Columbia striper water. Fall chinook runs are tapering off but late fish are still showing in the deeper slots, and a few steelhead are being reported around the mouth of the Willamette and Bonneville Dam tailrace. On the catch front, this last week’s reports have been mostly about sturgeon (catch and release), some healthy slot-length fish landed near Kelly Point and Frenchman’s Bar. Walleye continue to show up, with catches improving on the flats off Hayden Island and the foot of Sauvie—remember these fish bite best around the major bite windows that fishingreminder.com predicts as afternoon and near dusk right now. Top lures for sturgeon have been fresh-smelling shad pieces and sand shrimp on heavy leaders, but don’t overlook big nightcrawlers if you’re fishing below the Willamette. For walleye, you want bright chartreuse or firetiger jigs, and hard-bouncing crankbaits like Rapala Shad Raps and Flicker Shads in natural baitfish or perch patterns. Anglers drifting nightcrawlers or trolling worm harness rigs with a juicy half-crawler have also been putting fish in the cooler. Bass anglers are still reporting decent smallmouth action mid-day, especially off riprap and rocky points near Cathedral Park and the St. Johns area, using Ned rigs and drop-shot plastics in green pumpkin or smoke. If you’re after the last of the salmon, try 3.5 spinners in chartreuse/silver or copper, or cured eggs under a bobber near the mouth of the Sandy or the lower Willamette confluence. But keep in mind fall flows are rising and water is clearing, so finesse your gear. Two hot spots to try right now: - The Willamette-Columbia confluence—tides and currents here draw in a mixed bag, with active walleye, late salmon, and some monster sturgeon. - The tail end of Sauvie Island, especially along the Multnomah Channel for walleye in the morning and smallmouth as the sun climbs. Conditions will get tougher once this week’s This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.