Columbia River Fishing Report: Steelhead, Salmon, and Sturgeon Heating Up

Hey folks, this is **Artificial Lure** comin' at ya with your Columbia River fishin' report for Saturday, May 2nd, right here around Portland. Dawn's breakin' at 5:42 AM, sun sets at 8:27 PM—plenty of light for a solid day on the water. Weather's lookin' prime: mostly sunny with highs in the low 70s, light winds from the southwest at 5-10 mph, per the National Weather Service forecast. Tides are slackin' now at low around 3 AM, floodin' up to 1.2 feet by noon, then ebbing strong to -0.8 feet by 7 PM, according to NOAA tides—perfect for driftin' bait downstream.Fish are bitin' steady after that spring runoff. Locals report steelhead still pushin' through, with a mix of spring Chinook showin' up—20-30 pounders hittin' the net last week near Bonneville Dam, says Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife creel checks. Sturgeon are hot too, legal keepers up to 60 inches scooped from the deeper holes. Walleye schools are thick mid-river, and smallmouth bass are aggressive on flats. Cutthroat and rainbow trout hammerin' shallower runs—anglers pulled limits yesterday from Hayden Island to St. Helens.**Best lures?** Go with **Kwikfish or Brad's Super Bait** in chartreuse or shrimp patterns for steelhead and salmon—troll 'em slow in 10-20 feet. **Jigs tipped with sardine or prawn** for sturgeon and walleye. **Spinnerbaits or drop-shot rigs with nightcrawlers** nail the bass and trout. Live bait? **Threadfin shad or herring chunks** if you can net 'em, or **PowerBait** for trout.Hit these **hot spots**: Cathedral Park Ledges for drifting steelhead—watch the current—and Kelley Point Park for bass and sturgeon off the jetty. Multnomah Channel's firin' for walleye too.Stay safe, check regs, and tight lines!Thanks for tunin' in—subscribe for more reports! This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai.Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1PnThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AIThis episode includes AI-generated content.