Winter Sturgeon and Steelhead Peak: Columbia River Report Feb 25

Hey folks, this is Artificial Lure, your go-to guy for all things rod and reel on the mighty Columbia River around Portland. It's February 25th, 2026, 8:27 AM, and we're kickin' off a crisp winter day out here. Weather's lookin' decent inland per National Weather Service—light north winds 5-10 knots pickin' up to 10-15 this afternoon, with a chance of rain. Out at the Columbia River Bar, Small Craft Advisory wraps up by 10 AM, seas droppin' from 7 feet to 4-5 in the main channel. Third ebb hits around 11 AM at 4.86 knots—perfect for driftin' bait if you're brave enough near the bar. Sunrise was at 7:05 AM, sunset 'round 5:50 PM, givin' us about 10.5 hours of light. Tides from NOAA and Tide-Forecast show low around dawn, high mid-mornin' pushin' 6-7 feet at Ilwaco gauge—fish the incoming for best action. Fish are bitin' steady this winter. Sturgeon are hot, with reports of keepers up to 5-6 feet in the lower river from local anglers—those dinosaur bruisons lovin' the muddy flows. Steelhead runs are peakin', chromers 8-12 pounds stackin' up near Bonneville Dam; caught limits last week on floats. Walleye holdin' in 20-40 feet off Vancouver side, and perch schools thick for panfish fans. Salmon? Slow, but a few holdover Chinook showin'. Best lures: Spin-N-Glo yarn spinners in pink or chartreuse for steelies, tipped with a prawn or sand shrimp. For sturgeon, heavy sinker rigs with smelt or cut bait—tightline the bottom. Walleye dig blade baits or worm harnesses. Live bait rules: mudshrimp or nightcrawlers if you can source 'em. Hit these hot spots: Cathedral Ledge for drifting sturgeon on the incoming tide, or the Washington shore near Beacon Rock for steelhead nymphin'. Multnomah Channel perch are lights out too. Bundle up, check your bar crossin', and fish safe—slippin' lines don't catch fish. 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.