Columbia River Spring Bite Heating Up with Steelhead and Chinook Running

About this episode

The episode discusses the current fishing conditions on the Columbia River, highlighting the activity of steelhead and Chinook salmon as spring approaches.

Hey folks, this is Artificial Lure comin' at ya with your Columbia River fishing report for April 30, 2026, right here around Portland. Dawn broke clear at 6:05 AM, sunsets around 8:10 PM, givin' us a solid 14 hours of light. Weather's mild today—partly cloudy, highs in the low 60s, light winds from the west at 5-10 mph, perfect for gettin' on the water without freezin' your tail off. Tides are runnin' strong with a high at 10:17 AM pushin' 1.2 feet and low at 4:42 PM droppin' to -0.8 feet near the mouth—fish the incoming for best action as bait gets flushed in. Water temps hoverin' mid-50s, wakin' up the spring bite. Fish activity's pickin' up after a slow spell; steelhead and spring Chinook are on the move upriver, with fresh runs reported from Bonneville Dam. Locals pulled limits of **steelhead** (8-12 pounds) and a handful of **Chinook** (15-25 pounds) yesterday on the Washington side. Sturgeon are stirrin' too, with a few keeper whites hooked below the I-5 bridge. Smaller stuff like **cutthroat trout** and **shad** are crashin' shorelines. Best lures? Go with **Kwikfish #33 or 36 in green/silver** for steelhead—rip and pause 'em deep. **Spin-n-Glo's** in chartreuse or pink…

People in this episode

Host: Artificial Lure

Topics covered

• fishing report
• Columbia River
• steelhead
• Chinook
• outdoor activities
• local wildlife

Keywords

• Columbia River
• fishing report
• steelhead
• Chinook
• April 2026
• outdoor fishing
• local fishing spots

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Kwikfish #33, Kwikfish #36, Spin-n-Glo, Threadfin shad, sand shrimp, yarn flies, cured roe

Places: Columbia River, Portland, Bonneville Dam, Washington, I-5 bridge, Vancouver, Fren

More episodes of Columbia River Portland Fishing Report Today

• Columbia River Early Summer: Prime Bite Windows and Hot Spots from Portland · June 12, 2026 · 4 min
• Early Summer Columbia River: Bass Bite Heating Up, Walleye Slow Near Portland · June 11, 2026 · 4 min
• Late Spring Columbia River: Smallmouth Heat Up, Salmon Still Early Morning Bite · June 10, 2026 · 4 min
• Early Summer Columbia River: Prime Time Fishing in Portland's Low-Light Windows · June 9, 2026 · 4 min
• Columbia River Portland: Steady Tide, Mixed Bag—Chinook, Walleye, and Bass All Active · June 8, 2026 · 4 min
• Spring Chinook Fade & Summer Steelhead Rise on the Portland Columbia · June 7, 2026 · 5 min