10 January 2026
Columbia River Fishing Report: Overcast Skies, Building Tides, and Steady Winter Action
Columbia River Portland Fishing Report Today
About
This is Artificial Lure with your Columbia River fishing report around Portland.
We’re on a soft winter pattern this morning: overcast, cool mid‑30s to low‑40s, light east wind, and just a touch of drizzle in the forecast. Columbia River bar has a Small Craft Advisory early, according to the National Weather Service marine forecast, but upriver through Portland conditions are fishable if you dress for cold, damp air.
According to tide-forecast’s Vancouver, Columbia River station, low tide hits around 5:43 a.m. at about 0.6 feet, with a mid‑day high around 11:36 a.m. at roughly 2.7 feet, then another low around 7:10 p.m. Those building daytime tides, paired with overcast skies, should perk up mid‑morning and late‑afternoon bites. Sunrise is about 7:49 a.m., sunset about 4:47 p.m., so your prime windows line up nicely with tide changes.
Winter fish activity is modest but steady. Local reports this past week point to fair catch rates on Columbia walleye down around the I‑205 stretch and into the Camas/Washougal area—most fish in the 16–22 inch eating range, with a few bigger hens pushing 8–10 pounds. Sturgeon effort is light but folks soaking bait in deeper holes near Government Island and just below the I‑5 bridge have scratched out a mix of shakers and occasional keeper‑sized fish where open. Warmwater backwaters and Portland Harbor have given up a handful of smallmouth on slower days, along with the odd by‑catch squawfish.
For walleye, think slow and subtle. Best producers have been 3/8–1/2 oz jig heads tipped with nightcrawler pieces or soft plastics in chartreuse, glow, and motor‑oil. Slow‑trolled crankbaits like Flicker Shads and deep‑diving shads in gold, perch, and clown patterns are turning fish along the channel edges in 30–45 feet. Run them just off bottom and be ready to slide in and out of the ship channel breaks.
Sturgeon anglers are doing well on classic baits: smelt, sand shrimp, and herring chunks on heavy sliding rigs. Fresh bait is key—change often. Target the deeper wintering holes, edges in 40–70 feet, and let that scent work.
If you’re after bass or just want to bend a rod, smaller soft‑plastic swimbaits and 3–4 inch grubs on 1/8–1/4 oz jig heads are your best bet in the harbor and sloughs. Drag them painfully slow along rock and pilings; bites are subtle this time of year.
A couple of hot spots to keep on your radar:
- Government Island to I‑205: solid winter walleye line, plus sturgeon in the deeper slots.
- Portland Harbor and Swan Island area: your best shot at mixed‑bag action—smallmouth, the occasional walleye, and miscellaneous scrappers—especially during the afternoon tide push.
That’s the bite for today on the Columbia around Portland. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a report.
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
We’re on a soft winter pattern this morning: overcast, cool mid‑30s to low‑40s, light east wind, and just a touch of drizzle in the forecast. Columbia River bar has a Small Craft Advisory early, according to the National Weather Service marine forecast, but upriver through Portland conditions are fishable if you dress for cold, damp air.
According to tide-forecast’s Vancouver, Columbia River station, low tide hits around 5:43 a.m. at about 0.6 feet, with a mid‑day high around 11:36 a.m. at roughly 2.7 feet, then another low around 7:10 p.m. Those building daytime tides, paired with overcast skies, should perk up mid‑morning and late‑afternoon bites. Sunrise is about 7:49 a.m., sunset about 4:47 p.m., so your prime windows line up nicely with tide changes.
Winter fish activity is modest but steady. Local reports this past week point to fair catch rates on Columbia walleye down around the I‑205 stretch and into the Camas/Washougal area—most fish in the 16–22 inch eating range, with a few bigger hens pushing 8–10 pounds. Sturgeon effort is light but folks soaking bait in deeper holes near Government Island and just below the I‑5 bridge have scratched out a mix of shakers and occasional keeper‑sized fish where open. Warmwater backwaters and Portland Harbor have given up a handful of smallmouth on slower days, along with the odd by‑catch squawfish.
For walleye, think slow and subtle. Best producers have been 3/8–1/2 oz jig heads tipped with nightcrawler pieces or soft plastics in chartreuse, glow, and motor‑oil. Slow‑trolled crankbaits like Flicker Shads and deep‑diving shads in gold, perch, and clown patterns are turning fish along the channel edges in 30–45 feet. Run them just off bottom and be ready to slide in and out of the ship channel breaks.
Sturgeon anglers are doing well on classic baits: smelt, sand shrimp, and herring chunks on heavy sliding rigs. Fresh bait is key—change often. Target the deeper wintering holes, edges in 40–70 feet, and let that scent work.
If you’re after bass or just want to bend a rod, smaller soft‑plastic swimbaits and 3–4 inch grubs on 1/8–1/4 oz jig heads are your best bet in the harbor and sloughs. Drag them painfully slow along rock and pilings; bites are subtle this time of year.
A couple of hot spots to keep on your radar:
- Government Island to I‑205: solid winter walleye line, plus sturgeon in the deeper slots.
- Portland Harbor and Swan Island area: your best shot at mixed‑bag action—smallmouth, the occasional walleye, and miscellaneous scrappers—especially during the afternoon tide push.
That’s the bite for today on the Columbia around Portland. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a report.
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