Recently retired: Recommendations for winter bank fishing in Pdx area?

[tkdguy]

Anyone have any suggestion for daytime fishing in the greater Pdx area. I live in Beaverton and West Portland very close to Hwy 217. I have all sorts of gear for fly and spin fishing with lite and medium weight rods and some heavy duty salt water spin surf rods. Any suggestions would be helpful. I'd prefer to fish during the daytime hours rather than get up early at sun rise or before hand.

I have a 4 wd vehicle. Thanks for any input you might suggest. tkdguy

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[Mikej]

All I could suggest seeing as you want to stay in the Greater Portland area, (I think using the term "Greater" and "Portland" together is an oxymoron though), would be looking at the trout stocking schedule.

Willamette Zone
http://www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/fishing/trout_stocking_schedules/2017/North_Willamette_2017.pdf

If you were to be into steelhead the Wilson river has a decent brood stock program and fishes very well at times, even into April. It should be starting to get good about now. Be sure and read the regs.

Watch the Willamette temperatures and when they get a bit above 50, (I used to go when it hit 53 for three days), small mouth will come in shallow looking to bulk up for the spawn. Streamers, minnow imitations could get you into some 3+ lb fish. Think natural colors in clear water and black and/or chartreuse in stained water.

Good luck out there!

 

[Timbertodd]

Trout fishing at Hagg lake is a good option. I would recommend rubber boots. its pretty muddy on the banks. Steelhead in the local or coastal streams is another option. The trout stocking schedule is a great link the Mike attached.

 

[Mikej]

The trout stocking schedule is a great link the Mike attached.

Well thank you Mr. Todd! But I think just "Mike" is sufficient. Nothing special about me.

 

[MrMillspecer]

Vernonia lake for trout, bass, pan fish. Nehalem River Steel Heads, Salmon, trout. Clackamette park for Carp use dough balls. Scappoose bay Carp, catfish. Columbia River sturgeon, Salman ,steelhead Prescott beach or st.helens area. Good fishing !

 

[jbett98]

Meldrums Bar Park in Gladstone is worth driving over to and seeing how the action is going, and how to fish for them.
I fished from a boat up river next to the old bulkhead log landing and watched a fair amount of Steelhead action on the bank.

 

[Timbertodd]

Well thank you Mr. Todd! But I think just "Mike" is sufficient. Nothing special about me.

I am trying my hardest to show respect for my elders.

 

[Timbertodd]

Vernonia lake for trout, bass, pan fish. !

I have had some fun days fishing Vernonia pond from my drift boat. It has decent bank access also.

 

[tkdguy]

What about some of those close in parks areas in the Clackamus, such as Brighton Park, or higher up on the Collawash??? Daytime fishing in these areas are ok????

 

[Stomper]

Anywhere UPSTREAM of PDX, the stocked trout tend to cross-breed with them weird squishy brown fish that always can be seen on the surface downstream of PDX.

 

[bbbass]

Sandy River in Troutdale (good name!) for steelhead and salmon during their runs. Across from the campground is good. Steep rocky bank, be sure to bring a salmon net. Ghost shrimp and green and red Jensen soft plastic salmon eggs above the shrimp.

 

[Mikej]

What about some of those close in parks areas in the Clackamus, such as Brighton Park, or higher up on the Collawash??? Daytime fishing in these areas are ok????

That planting schedule/google earth/maps will give you info you need. Upper/lower Clack/Collawash is going to have some restrictions as far a whens/wheres and whats, for bait/no bait/ barbed hooks. etc.

 

[Mikej]

I ought to ad, I'm not being secretive. The only fisheries I fish anymore are spring salmon, summer steelhead, fall salmon and some bass and warm water fish on the coast. I'm posting what I would do, and have done, to find places to dunk a worm, plastic and/or live.

 

[hm1ing]

I see all the posts are for cold water fishing, don't forget about all the warmwater fishing opportunities like Bass, Crappie, Catfish and other Panfish. Blue Lake, banks of the Columbia, Willamette and other lakes and ponds noted in the Warmwater fishing on the ODFW site. There is a warmwater club "The Oregon Bass and Panfish Club" that have many retired members that will pair with you to fish in the PDX area.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

Spring, spawning Smallmouth Bass on the south shore of the Columbia River.

Late spring through fall, warm water game fish and cats at St Louis Ponds. Near Woodburn OR.

Not so close, but camping at Ft Stevens State Park where there's access to small lakes for stocker trout, bass and cats. Then go fish the tides on the Columbia for surf perch and/or salmon. All in the park boundaries!

Congratulations on retiring! It's the best!!!

Oh yeah! Almost forgot, you can fish for rock fish, etc off of the south jetty! Good museum and old coastal battery ramparts there too!
Funny, (now) story! I went to Fort Stevens and set up camp a couple of days before a family event. Next day I walked way out on the jetty for some rock fishing. That's when the food poisoning from the day before hit me! Gawd, I was sick! Literally crawled back to shore one rock at a time. Crawl two, puke one, repeat! All the while hoping a wave would sweep me out to sea. One of the worst experiences of my life, and I never ate at that Seaside restaurant again! Dam them!