This is Artificial Lure coming to you with your Wednesday, October 29 Columbia River Portland fishing report, dialed in from dawn patrol through dusk.
Sunrise hit at 7:21AM with sunset set for 6:33PM, giving us about eleven hours of solid fishing light today according to the latest Saint Helens tide chart. Out on the river, today’s tides are starting with a low at 3:18AM, peaking into a high at 7:36AM, then dropping again to a low at 2:01PM before the evening high at 7:33PM—so best fish activity will likely center around those high tide swings right after breakfast and before you pack it in for dinner.
Weather’s rocking a classic late October pattern—southerly winds ramping up through the morning, hitting 15 to 20 knots with gusts above 30 by afternoon. The National Weather Service has a Small Craft Advisory in play, so if you’re out on the main channel or near the Columbia River Bar, expect seas around 7 to 8 feet, building higher into tomorrow evening. Rain’s in the cards, especially late in the day, and a fast-moving cold front means your waterproofs will get a workout.
Late fall on the Columbia means it’s prime time for migrating **Coho and Chinook**. According to the Columbia River, Portland Daily Fishing Report podcast, the lower river’s been absolutely cranking out Coho for persistent casters. Chinook numbers have tapered since their peak earlier in the month but there are still mature kings moving through towards tributaries, especially around the Multnomah Channel and up near the Willamette confluence.
Recent catch reports show steady action on Coho, with boats running spinners and anchovy-wrapped plugs nails steady two-rod limits south of Sauvie Island early, especially on that morning high tide window. For lures, bright chartreuse and orange spinners like Blue Fox Vibrax or Brad’s Wobbler are pulling most of the attention, and anglers drifting flashers and cut-plug herring have landed some chinook. Bank anglers are seeing steelhead mixing in with the tail end of the salmon run, coming to deep-diving plugs and sand shrimp.
Sturgeon action’s slowed since midsummer, but there’s still good catch-and-release action below Bonneville. Use smelt or fresh squid and fish the deeper channel edges in the afternoon slack, but keep in mind closures in certain reaches, so check your regs before setting anchor.
If you’re looking for spots to drop a line, two classic hot stretches are stealing the show right now:
- The mouth of **Multnomah Channel** just off Kelley Point—morning tide change brings in fresh Coho pods.
- **Sauvie Island’s North Channel**—boat and bank traffic has picked up as Coho roll in, and last week’s numbers show boats limiting by early afternoon.
Remember, the southern wind will push debris, so stay sharp near channel markers and expect tougher drifts as the afternoon chop builds. With rain on the radar, carry your waterproofs and keep that tackle box loaded with both bright and subtle options—a cloudy, breezy October day will have the fish switching moods fast.
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