PDX area winter fishing ideas

It seems like winter is always a slow time for kayak fishing.  This year in particular with all the snow and now rain options are even more limited.    With that in mind I thought we could brainstorm about potential winter fishing opportunities in the greater Portland area.

1.) Sturgeon fishing on the Willamette  -  The water is a bit too high and cold right now but hopefully it will get better soon.

2.) Steelhead fishing - Again the water is a bit too high right now, but it shoudl get better some day.  I'm willing to try this this year either from my kayak and I'll even stick to shore if I have to.

3.) Trout fishing local lakes -  Henry Hagg Lake is closed and many of the smaller  mountain lakes are either hard to get to in the snow or frozen over.  What about Lacamas Lake or Battleground Lake in Southern Washington?  Coastal lakes? Any other lakes come to mind?

4.) Crabbing / Clamming on the coast - not sure what all the extra river run off has done to this option.

5.) Rockfish / Lingcod on the coast if we ever get a good window of calm weather.

Any other potential ideas?  Preferably some that might actually lead to catching some fish.

Brian

I've always wondered about sturgeon possibilities in the coastal bays at this time of the year. Seems like there would be a lot of spawned out salmon flesh that has floated down with the high water. If I remember correctly, in the SF Bay area winter is the best time because the fresh water flushes the bait stealers out. I would think the same pattern may be true up here, unless the water is just too cold.

I've always wondered about sturgeon possibilities in the coastal bays at this time of the year. Seems like there would be a lot of spawned out salmon flesh that has floated down with the high water. If I remember correctly, in the SF Bay area winter is the best time because the fresh water flushes the bait stealers out. I would think the same pattern may be true up here, unless the water is just too cold.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Cold water is what i'm blameing my three trips ( smoker ) for 0  on..  Coos bay aera.  Warm rains in november usualy make  for good fishing. When it started to get wet this year it was cold to start.   Low 40's,    No bites, no jumpers, no meter marks.                                       

high water can really get the gator bite going. I'm headed out tomorrow in the stink boat for the first fish of the year!

Steelhead will get going once the water drops. when ever the hell that happens

Crabbing and clamming was good in Netarts (no rivers so effect of fresh water is minimal) the week after christmas, just windy and cold.  Didn't use the yak as I had some serious harvesting to do.  But the yak would have worked, just hard to carry 9 pots on the fish n dive.  Left them out over night for a week pulled them once  a day and averaged just short of a limit a day.  Didn't clam much as the good low tides were after dark.

I swear a guy could have fished PC last sunday. Would have to work out through a few more sets of breakers then this summer but the ocean looked fine.

For those thinking of heading out for a sturgeon trip.  The water temp in the willy near Oregon City is 50.8 deg (which is great for this time of year) and the sturgeon are aggressively biting!  When the water drops to kayak safe levels there should be a window of good fishing before the water cools down again.

On the topic of clamming... there are some excellent minus tides in the evening this weekend, making for great clamming opportunities.  The high rivers really don't affect the bays down low where the clam flats are (or the beaches where our tasty razor clams can be found).  Trying to talk my wife into a trip to Astoria this weekend, and hitting the Clatsop beaches after dark for razor clams.

Oh, and on the sturgeon front... if I can get my work schedule down, I may have some open seats available in my new (to me) stink pot boat...

Also, there are some pay-to-fish lakes in the Valley and in S. Washington with great trout fishing this time of year, may be worth looking into.  If you are into fly fishing and banking it, this is the prime time of year for the Crooked River below Bowman Dam, near Prineville.  Good opportunities for small-ish (10-12") wild redband trout, and lots of whitefish.

Hey everyone, been awhile since I've posted...but I check in often.  I have always had year round fishing fun at Detroit Lake.  The Mongold ramp gives paved access even at winter low water levels.

Tomorrow My Buddy and I are going fly fishing on the Crooked River (We both live 20 minutes from it).  We are going to target Whitefish, I lovingly refer to them as the Crooked River Grayling.  Anyway we will post a report.

I hope Christmas treated everyone well.  Santa (wife) read my list closely, and I received my new Lamiglass Cascade Pro XT.  It  now has joined forces with a Penn Reel and braided line.  HOW MUCH LONGER till Pacific City II?

-Scott