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Columbia River

River fishing  Oregon · 06:52 - 16:51

Columbia River is a stretch of moving water in Oregon. Anglers here fish mainly for Walleye and Smallmouth Bass.

Prime 85% The bite right now
Top bet: Walleye Active through the night, water near its preferred 9 degrees, peak season, a fishy ripple on the water.

Best day to fish

Tomorrow
81%
55°
Fri
82%
58°
Best day
Sat
78%
59°
Sun
82%
54°
Mon
68%
54°
Tue
82%
57°

The bite over the next days, scored at dusk. Based on the weather forecast, so it is guidance, not guarantees.

Conditions right now

Weather
Partly cloudy
Water temp (est.)
48°F
Air temp
41°F
Wind
7 mph
Pressure
30.15 inHg → stable
Clouds
48.0%

Water temperature is an estimate based on weather and season.

Best times today

Dawn 06:07–08:07 Dusk 15:36–17:36

Local time at the spot, from the most likely species' daily rhythm.

Feeding times today

Waning crescent 30% lit
Major period 07:16–09:16 Major period 19:16–21:16 Minor period 01:09–02:39 Minor period 13:53–15:23

Solunar times are a traditional guide based on the moon's position, separate from the live ranking above. Local time at the spot.

Next hours

03:00
41°
04:00
40°
05:00
40°
06:00
40°
07:00
40°
08:00
43°
09:00
48°
10:00
51°
11:00
53°
12:00
55°
13:00
56°
14:00
56°

Likely catch now (2 species)

Walleye
Sander vitreus
85%
Active through the night, water near its preferred 9 degrees, peak season, a fishy ripple on the water.
Tap for details ↗
Smallmouth Bass
Micropterus dolomieu
8%
Slow during the night, a fishy ripple on the water.
Tap for details ↗

About the fishing here

The Columbia River forms much of the boundary between Oregon and Washington, a massive western river shaped by a string of hydroelectric dams. Salmon and steelhead get most of the attention on their upstream runs, but the slower reservoir stretches behind the dams also hold good numbers of smallmouth bass and walleye. Current and dam operations change how the river fishes day to day, so local conditions matter more here than the calendar. It's a big, cold, often windy river, and safety gear matters on the open stretches.

Anglers here regularly land Walleye and Smallmouth Bass.

For Walleye, the fishing tends to peak around Apr-May, Oct-Nov. The best windows are usually dawn and dusk.

A state fishing license is required to fish here. Napp ranks the species above from the live weather, water temperature, season and time of day, so the order changes through the day.

Guides for this water

Tips right now

Technique Start with a soft-plastic jig for walleye, the most likely catch right now.
Timing This is a prime window for walleye at night. Fish hard now.
Depth The water is colder than the fish like. Fish deep and slow. Look towards deeper water.
Colour Low light: try chartreuse, orange or firetiger for walleye.
Lure Soft-plastic jig for walleye: Jig with worm or plastic.

Fishing permit

A state fishing license is required to fish here. Licenses are issued by each state:

About this water

The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river forms in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada. It flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state of Oregon before emptying into the Pacific Ocean. The river is 1,243 miles long, and its largest tributary is the Snake River. Its drainage basin is roughly the size of France and extends into seven states of the United States and one Canadian province. The fourth-largest river in the United States by flow, the Columbia has the greatest flow of any river into the eastern Pacific.

Read more on Wikipedia →

Map

More waters nearby

Common questions

What fish can you catch at Columbia River?

The usual catches here are Walleye and Smallmouth Bass.

Do you need a fishing license at Columbia River?

Yes. A state fishing license is required; see the link on this page for the state's rules.

When is the best time to fish Columbia River?

For Walleye, the fishing tends to peak around Apr-May, Oct-Nov. The best windows are usually dawn and dusk.

What is biting at Columbia River right now?

Right now Walleye is the most likely catch, at about 100%.