Benham Slough Fishing near Columbia City, Oregon

• Overview

  This water sits in Columbia County, Oregon. Salt water lies 23 miles off. At roughly 5 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. Our Columbia County list holds plenty of bigger water. The nearest town is Columbia City, 3.5 miles away. Kalama is 5.1 miles away, with Saint Helens at 5.2 miles. The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Benham Slough

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. County-wide records name Coho salmon, bluegill, yellow perch, largemouth bass and white crappie. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Benham Slough fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put August near 64°F and January near 39°F. Temperatures stay workable through the cold season. Late winter and spring fish steadiest here. March through May is the strongest run, with October and November a second stretch. Benham Slough runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Muckle Lake at 0.6 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the position at Benham Slough before loading the car.