Winter Steelhead & Bass: Columbia River Fishing Report for Dec 1st

Hey there, it’s Artificial Lure here, your local fishing guide for the Columbia River and Portland area. Today’s the first of December, and the river’s running a little slow, but there’s still plenty to bite if you know where to look.

The tide’s just starting to turn, with a low tide around 7:55 AM and a high tide at 12:34 PM, both barely nudging above zero feet. That means the water’s not moving much, so stick to spots where there’s a little current or structure. The weather’s cool and crisp, with a light breeze out of the west—perfect for a morning on the water, but don’t forget your layers. Sunrise was just before 7:30 AM, and sunset’s around 4:30 PM, so you’ve got a good window to get out there.

Fish activity’s been steady, especially for winter steelhead and smallmouth bass. Anglers have been pulling in a mix of steelhead and bass near the Morrison Street Bridge and Swan Island Basin, with a few reports of sturgeon near the deeper channels. The steelhead are running a little light this week, but the bass are hungry, especially in the shallows near the marinas.

For lures, go with small jigs, spoons, and soft plastics in natural colors—white, silver, and chartreuse are working best. If you’re drifting, try a classic roe bag or a sand shrimp for bait. The steelhead are hitting roe, and the bass love a good shrimp or crawfish imitation.

Two hot spots to check out: Swan Island Basin is always solid for bass and steelhead, and the Morrison Street Bridge is a classic for winter steelhead. Both are easy to access and have plenty of structure to work.

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This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI