Well the rivers are all still high and muddy and the salmon and steelhead fishing is slow. The great news is that the strugeon are on the bite in the Columbia. A recent trip to the Fishery up near Bonneville Dam had gave up 50 hook ups with shakers for the boat. Several of the fish were 40 inches long. All of the boats were hooking up and a few keepers were put in various boats. A variety of baits drew bites with smelt being the hot ticket on that day. This one is easy. Anchor in 60 to 70 feet of water. Put a 10 oz or larger lead on a slider rig and drop your bait back on a heavy dacron leader. The fish fight hard and are a ton of fun. Plus keeper size sturgeon make for great meals back at the house.
If you can catch the smaller rivers as they drop between the storms you can expect to catch some late silvers and the first of the hatchery winter steelhead in the next week or two. I am looking to work the hatchery steelhead hard once the weather settles out a bit and the rivers drop into condition. It should be a great year and I am expecting a good run of fish this year. When the river is up big silver spinners and bait will work equally well. With bait gettng the nod in dirty water. Remember to fish the soft pocket water and the soft edges above tailouts.