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Columbia River Fishing Report: Coho, Chinook, and Steelhead Bite Stays Strong Despite Cooling Temps
Published 5 months, 3 weeks ago
Description
Artificial Lure here with your Thursday, November 6th, 2025 Columbia River fishing report, focused on the waters in and around Portland.
Let’s kick things off with today’s **tide information**: At Hammond, the tide’s rising now and you’re looking at a low tide around 5:05 AM and high tide at 10:09 PM. Over on Multnomah Channel, sunrise will hit at 7:03 AM—with sunset rolling in at 4:46 PM. That gives anglers a decently long window to work the bite; prime time’s right around dawn and dusk, with those tidal changes helping to move fish up[US Harbors][Tides.net].
**Weather forecast** is calling for a chilly Northwest morning in the high 30s to low 40s, warming up later with clear skies. No rain today, and light northeast winds—so expect easy boat handling and comfortable bank casting. Layer up for warmth in the early hours; shed those layers by mid-day.
Now, let’s talk about **fish activity**. According to Spreaker’s Columbia River Fishing Report from yesterday, the bite’s stayed strong for **coho and chinook salmon**, plus steelhead on the move. These runs are still filtering upriver, especially with recent dropping water temps kicking the activity into gear[Spreaker]. Local guides report bright, fresh coho showing up in the lower river and Multnomah Channel—mostly wild fish now, but hatchery keepers still mixed in. Chinook are now mostly upriver, but you’ll still tie into some late runners near the mouth, with steelhead scattered from the Willamette confluence up through St. Helens.
Catch rates have tapered a little since the main push, but bank anglers have been pulling **2–5 fish per trip**, with boats finding a bit more. Most common catches: coho to 10 lbs, chinook up to 20 lbs, plus those sleek 5–8 lb steelhead.
Let’s talk **lures and bait**. Trollers are sticking with classic spinners (size 3–5; silver, chartreuse, and pink have been money this week). Don’t forget Brad’s Cut Plugs with herring tips, especially on a slow roll in deeper runs. Plunkers and bank anglers have had luck with cured eggs under a spin-n-glo, and drift fishermen report coho smashing pink worms and bead rigs. Steelhead are biting on smaller #3 Blue Fox spinners and glo-bugs drifted near fast seams.
Want the inside edge? Early and late light is optimal, so run a **glow lure** in the first hour or last, especially if you’re fishing deep or under heavy clouds. For bass folks still grinding late fall largemouth near the sloughs, green pumpkin Ned rigs and shaky-head plastics are your go-to[Gone Fishing Northwest][Bass Resource].
**Hot spots today:**
- **Sauvie Island, near the Gilbert River mouth:** Still lots of easy bank access, and the channel holds late coho and some steelhead.
- **Warrior Rock and Multnomah Channel:** Consistent trolling action for straggler chinook and wandering coho—try the shallows near the rock and the drop-offs along St. Helens.
- **Mouth of the Willamette:** Boats working upstream edges are finding stray steelhead and a few bass, especially around structure and the old pilings.
Bring your patience—midday tends to lull, but stick with moving water on the outgoing tide for best results. If all else fails, swap to smaller gear and target resident bass and panfish along rocky points near Kelly Point.
Thanks for tuning in—don’t forget to subscribe and share with your fish-loving pals.
This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
This episode includes AI-generated content.
Let’s kick things off with today’s **tide information**: At Hammond, the tide’s rising now and you’re looking at a low tide around 5:05 AM and high tide at 10:09 PM. Over on Multnomah Channel, sunrise will hit at 7:03 AM—with sunset rolling in at 4:46 PM. That gives anglers a decently long window to work the bite; prime time’s right around dawn and dusk, with those tidal changes helping to move fish up[US Harbors][Tides.net].
**Weather forecast** is calling for a chilly Northwest morning in the high 30s to low 40s, warming up later with clear skies. No rain today, and light northeast winds—so expect easy boat handling and comfortable bank casting. Layer up for warmth in the early hours; shed those layers by mid-day.
Now, let’s talk about **fish activity**. According to Spreaker’s Columbia River Fishing Report from yesterday, the bite’s stayed strong for **coho and chinook salmon**, plus steelhead on the move. These runs are still filtering upriver, especially with recent dropping water temps kicking the activity into gear[Spreaker]. Local guides report bright, fresh coho showing up in the lower river and Multnomah Channel—mostly wild fish now, but hatchery keepers still mixed in. Chinook are now mostly upriver, but you’ll still tie into some late runners near the mouth, with steelhead scattered from the Willamette confluence up through St. Helens.
Catch rates have tapered a little since the main push, but bank anglers have been pulling **2–5 fish per trip**, with boats finding a bit more. Most common catches: coho to 10 lbs, chinook up to 20 lbs, plus those sleek 5–8 lb steelhead.
Let’s talk **lures and bait**. Trollers are sticking with classic spinners (size 3–5; silver, chartreuse, and pink have been money this week). Don’t forget Brad’s Cut Plugs with herring tips, especially on a slow roll in deeper runs. Plunkers and bank anglers have had luck with cured eggs under a spin-n-glo, and drift fishermen report coho smashing pink worms and bead rigs. Steelhead are biting on smaller #3 Blue Fox spinners and glo-bugs drifted near fast seams.
Want the inside edge? Early and late light is optimal, so run a **glow lure** in the first hour or last, especially if you’re fishing deep or under heavy clouds. For bass folks still grinding late fall largemouth near the sloughs, green pumpkin Ned rigs and shaky-head plastics are your go-to[Gone Fishing Northwest][Bass Resource].
**Hot spots today:**
- **Sauvie Island, near the Gilbert River mouth:** Still lots of easy bank access, and the channel holds late coho and some steelhead.
- **Warrior Rock and Multnomah Channel:** Consistent trolling action for straggler chinook and wandering coho—try the shallows near the rock and the drop-offs along St. Helens.
- **Mouth of the Willamette:** Boats working upstream edges are finding stray steelhead and a few bass, especially around structure and the old pilings.
Bring your patience—midday tends to lull, but stick with moving water on the outgoing tide for best results. If all else fails, swap to smaller gear and target resident bass and panfish along rocky points near Kelly Point.
Thanks for tuning in—don’t forget to subscribe and share with your fish-loving pals.
This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
This episode includes AI-generated content.