Family Trip to Oregon- Advice?

[Big Slick]

Don’t forget your jacket!

 

[jt13]

Any recommendations on a salmon, steelhead, or sturgeon Columbia river guide?

 

[Cornell2012]

The ones that have been suggested to me are
Bill Monroe - https://billmonroeoutdoors.com/
Ted Teufel - https://profishguide.com/ (might just be coastal)
Bill Taylor - https://ospreyguideadventures.com/
Dave Eng - https://www.fisheng.com/fisheng-guide-service-1

 

[David658]

Any recommendations on a salmon, steelhead, or sturgeon Columbia river guide?

Grant Scheele, grantsnwguideservice.com

 

[David658]

Portland is the best pizza town in the US (per Bloomberg News), that is a highlight for us every time we go there (since our grandkids are there, we eat a lot of pizza). Sourdough crust!
Astoria is cool, if you like beer the Fort George brewery is good. Newport is also fun, our ritual is to always visit Depoe Bay for chowder and a pint.
Crabbing is not going to be good in June (no "r" in the month), might not even be legal. But summer steelhead on the Santiam could be fun, and the Chinook will be running, too.

 

[Hydrophilic]

I live near Newberg, fantastic area. If the weather cooperates 'wine country' is downright beautiful.
If you're into the best local cuisine these are the best spots, they are spendy however.
Joe Palmer House Restaurant - emphasizes local mushrooms
Painted Lady
Allison resort

There are quite a few different wine routes you can take but I like driving the roads between Newberg and Forest Grove (Hwy 240 to North Valley Rd).

Sandy, OR (Mt Hood) - Must stop at Joe's Donuts for their famous maple/chocolate bars!
Really cool old growth cedar hike at the previous Marmot Dam site on the upper Sandy river. Cool bridge crossing the river on the way to forested hike, won't see too many people.

The coast
Razor clamming is A BLAST. Best during negative tides. You can watch YouTube videos how to clean and cook them. The bay clams aren't as good in my humble opinion.

Bruce's candy kitchen in Cannon Beach just to see that old school taffy machine in the window

Have fun!

 

[LuketheDog]

Rogue River Jet boat ride, I have no idea where that is in relation to your trip, but it's the best thing I ever did in Oregon.

 

[corndog1]

Bonneville dam after you visit Multnomah Falls

 

[Little Big Man MT Chris]

If you end up in Astoria, Fort Stevens state park is a cool experience, old ww1 and ww2 fort , most is open to just walk around it’s about an 40 min from the tillamook cheese factory


There’s also an old ship wreck there on the beach

 

[Little Big Man MT Chris]

If you take hwy 26 to cannon beach stop at CAMP 18 for breakfast it’s a massive log restaurant built by a logger , with a small area to look at old logging equipment, it’s pretty amazing

 

[SC Living Outdoors]

My wife and I went up that way a few years ago and fished for sturgeon in the Columbia River. Sturgeon were on the bucket list for me. We didn't catch any giants, but we caught a lot of fish and we had a good time. We also did a lot of hiking. Its a pretty area up there once you're out of the cities.

 

[Buck Fever NW]

+1 on razor clamming! One of the best years in recent times. Anywhere between Seaside and Astoria ("Clatsop spit"), and you can drive right on the beach. I see 2wd cars but 4x4 is better IMO just for the soft sand at entry points, but not necessary. Shellfish licenses are inexpensive and will cover you if you decide to crabbing, which I would also recommend if you're looking for an "Oregon Coast" experience. It's legal to crab year-round in bays (not ocean) but it's true that they are generally less "full" this time of year as they begin molting and can have softer shells. Still, many people do it anyway and have lot's of fun. If you aren't spoiled like those of us who can go anytime you probably wouldn't even notice the difference. Kids get a real kick out of pulling up rings/traps and seeing the crabs scurry around even if no "keepers."

If you don't have time to rent a boat, you can crab on the dock at Kelly's Marina or maybe Jetty Fishery in Nehalem Bay for a fee (gear/bait included) just check their website(s). These are literally right off of Hwy 101, as is the Tillamook Cheese Factory if you come across Hwy 22 from Newberg on your way up the coast. In fact, if I'm around when you come through I have an extra "clam gun" you can have to get razor clams if decide to go (could meet you at cheese factory). Both clamming/crabbing are tide dependent so be sure to check tide tables online. Clamming is best 1-2 hours before low (preferably "minus") and crabbing 1-2 hours before high tide and through the "slack" (short period when tide is changing).

Lastly, although there may be "better" restaurants in Cannon Beach, sitting on the deck outside at Mo's is great for chowder, fish n' chips etc. Have fun!

 

[rideold]

If your route goes through Newberg have dinner at Rosmarino (https://www.osteriarosmarino.com/). It's on the list of my top 5 Italian restaurants ever (and I think it's on some national lists of best restaurants as well). Oh, and the air and space museum in McMinnville is worth it if you like that kind of stuff. The Spruce Goose is pretty neat.

 

[jt13]

Anyone fish shad and Bonneville Dam or just upstream at cascade locks? Sounds like we're going to time the run pretty good. I understand it's "combat fishing" but any personal experiences?

 

[Salmonchaser]

Not so much combat as social. Ive had many days where you just can’t get all the rods in the water because you’re hooking so many fish. I like just below Bonneville at the “shad Rack.

 

[Buck Fever NW]

Never done it personally but you might check the "Official Shad thread" on iFish. There are numerous recent reports/videos (yesterday included) and it indeed sounds hot!

 

[huntandfly]

Anyone fish shad and Bonneville Dam or just upstream at cascade locks? Sounds like we're going to time the run pretty good. I understand it's "combat fishing" but any personal experiences?

Every year. You will be just slightly early for peak run but still should be plenty of fish coming through. I usually just run about 3-4 inches of pencil lead in line crimped onto the line with a shad dart about 3-4 feet below that.

No need to fish right at the fish ladder, Washington side is better fishing IMO, slower water. It’s a ton of fun.

 

[Brute]

Still a lot of snow on Mt. Hood. Weather doesn't look to be so great this weekend but check out Timberline Lodge.There is some wineries in Hood River and the Hood River Valley. The Hood River Valley is a nice drive with a lot of views to check out Mt Hood and don't forget to look north into Washington as Mt. Adams and St. Helens are great to see also. On Mt Hood Trillum Lake on the far side by the dam has a nice view of Mt. Hood and if it is clear and calm wind a great reflection shot.

Right now the Rose Festival is going on in down town Portland. The Naval ships are coming in to dock at the sea wall today.

 

[Cornell2012]

Anyone fish shad and Bonneville Dam or just upstream at cascade locks? Sounds like we're going to time the run pretty good. I understand it's "combat fishing" but any personal experiences?

7 Day and YTD Adult Counts

The Fish Passage Center (FPC) provides current and historic data on salmon and steelhead passage in the main stem Snake and Columbia river basins. Data from the Smolt Monitoring Program (SMP) is intended to provide the information basis for federal, state and tribal recommendations for fish...

www.fpc.org

195k went over the dam yesterday, and 125k the day before that. Looks like the 10 year average peak time is usually around 6/17-6/23. I haven't tried shad fishing yet but sounds like it can be fun.

Summer Chinook looks like it is on the way up too.

 

[Don Fischer]

My wife and I will be headed to Oregon on her family's vacation next month for a week (June 11-19). My mother in-law has always wanted to go to see the Pacific coast with some of the big attractions being Willamette Valley wine country, Cannon Beach/Astoria, and Mt. Hood. The first half of the trip will be based out of Newberg and the second half out of Cascade Locks. They have some wineries on the to-do list as well as a day-trip to Cannon Beach in the front half of the trip but nothing specific beyond that to the best of my knowledge. As always I am trying to bolster the touristy stuff they all like to do with some outdoorsy things that we like to do.

• Any "can't miss" touristy things (wineries, sights, landmarks, tours, etc.)?
• Restaurants or breweries that need to be visited?
• Is there anything worth seeing or doing in Portland?
  • All I've been told so far is to avoid it like the plague...
• Any recommended easy/moderate hiking trails around Mt. Hood?
  • Suitable for 2 toddlers, a 65yr old woman, and my pregnant wife.
• Any fishing that's worth doing that time of year (half-day charter or DIY)?
  • Probably would be just me and the wife sneaking out on this one.
• Any other recommendations on places to go or to avoid?

In the words of a good governer. Please enjoy your trip, have a great time. When your finished, go home!