Fish on Foot for Columbia River Smallmouth Bass
Shore Anglers Find Hot Bass Action from April through October
Anglers eager for low-cost, easy smallmouth bass fishing do need a car, a map of Washington and Oregon state parks, light spinning or fly fishing tackle and a willingness to clamber over the rocky shoreline.
Those rocks make for slow going, but those same rocks are one of the reasons why the Columbia River is Bass-O-Rama. Anglers get into lots of smallmouth bass -- and some big ones -- while clambering over the miles of rocky banks.
Finding Smallmouth Bass on the Columbia
Smallmouth bass lurk near the shoreline rocks - and the rocky ledges in deeper water nearby. Smallmouth are not native to the Columbia, but they’ve thrived in the river since the 1930s. There are millions of smallmouth bass in the Columbia, and experts say the river is one of the five best smallmouth spots in the world.
Most of the Columbia River is full of rocks and current seams - the border between fast and slow water flow. The best smallmouth bass fishing for foot anglers starts just upstream from Bonneville Dam, which is 40 minutes from Portland, Oregon on Interstate 84. The good fishing stretches upstream all the way to the Snake River.
Many smallmouth anglers fish the areas behind The Dalles, John Day and McNary dams. Anglers cruise I-84 on the Oregon side of the river and State Route 14 on the Washington side. Both highways lead to plenty of shoreline spots. Washington state parks and Oregon state parks dot the Columbia.
Best Times for Smallmouth Bass Fishing on the Columbia River
April and May bring some of the hottest smallmouth bass angling on the Columbia River. Shore anglers catch 50 to 100 smallmouth a day. The fish average 1.5 to 2 pounds, but anglers land lots of smallmouth between 3 and 5 pounds.
The Washington state record smallmouth - which weighed 8 pounds, 12 ounces - came from the Columbia River.
Spring smallmouth are ravenous, and many anglers prowl the backwater lakes sprinkled behind the Columbia River’s railroad grades and highways. Smallmouth enter the warmer backwaters in spring to eat and spawn when the water reaches 50 degrees.
Canoes, float tubes and pontoon boats are great for fishing the backwater lakes. Many backwater lakes have shore access to the mainstem Columbia River.
Horsethief Lake at Columbia Hills State Park on the Washington side of the river is a great backwater lake, and also has plenty of shoreline on the main Columbia River.
Luring Smallmouth
Fly anglers cast floating popper flies, wooly buggers and Clouser Minnows to early season smallmouth. Spin anglers throw tube jigs, plastic worms and jigs rigged with curly-tailed grubs, such as Mr. Twisters. The best anglers keep their lures tapping - or even dragging - on the rocky bottom.
From June through October, shore anglers look for rocky places with currents seams between fast and slow water. A spot with shallow, rocky ledges, nearby weedbeds and deep water is Bass-O-Rama.
A good summer strategy is casting a floating-diving plug, such as a Bomber Model A or a Strike King Bitsy Pond Minnow, parallel to a rocky bank. Crank the reel a few times - and pause. The plug starts to rise to the surface during the pause, which often sparks a strike from aggressive smallmouth. Repeat as needed until a big smallmouth whacks the lure.
Tapping or dragging the bottom with tube jigs and plastic worms works even on the hottest summer afternoons.
Floating plugs and fly rod poppers that gurgle across the surface get hammered at dawn and dusk.
Keep Moving
Don't limit yourself to one or two spots on the Columbia River, as the smallmouth bass are just about everywhere - even for shoreboard anglers.
This Columbia River Smallmouth hit a Wooly Bugger
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