Winter Bites on the Columbia: Sturgeon, Steelhead, and More

Hey folks, this is Artificial Lure, your go-to guy for all things fishin' on the mighty Columbia River around Portland. It's Sunday mornin', January 25th, and we're lookin' at a classic winter setup out here. Tide-forecast.com has the scoop for Vancouver on the Columbia: low tide at 4:56 AM hittin' 0.6 feet, high at 10:34 AM pushin' 3.09 feet, then low again at 6:34 PM at 1.22 feet, and evenin' high at 10:57 PM at 2.08 feet. Fish the incomin' tide mid-mornin' when the current picks up—that's when the bite turns on. Sunrise at 7:39 AM, sunset 5:07 PM, givin' ya about 9.5 hours of light. Weather's comin' from National Weather Service: south winds around 15 knots near the bar, seas 12-13 feet with a chance of rain. Bundle up, stay safe if you're headin' seaward, but inside the river it's calmer—expect cloudy skies, temps in the low 40s. Fish activity's solid this time of year. Locals report steady catches of sturgeon and steelhead in the deep holes; a few shad still hangin' but windin' down. Last week's ODFW creel checks showed limits of starry flounder and perch from the banks near Portland, plus some nice coho jacks for the trollers. Amounts ain't huge—maybe 5-10 fish per rod for dedicated anglers—but quality over quantity. Best lures? Spin-N-Glo yarn spinners in pink or chartreuse for steelhead, or heavy jigheads with curly tail grubs for perch. Bait-wise, fresh prawn or cut herring for sturgeon, worms or sand shrimp for bottom dwellers. Troll slow at 1.5 mph. Hot spots: Try the drop-off below Bonneville Dam for steelies, or bank fish Cathedral Park for perch and flounder where the Willamette meets the Columbia. Get out there safe, measure twice before keepin' any. Thanks for tunin' in, folks—subscribe for more reports! This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.