CatchWindow fishing intelligence

TEMCO Kalama Terminal, WA Daily Water Report — August 27, 2026

Boating and kayaking are the clear winners today—the scores don’t lie, and neither does the water. With a flat-calm wave height reading of zero meters all day, a mild north breeze averaging around 5 knots, and zero precipitation in the forecast, the Columbia River at Kalama is about as cooperative as it gets for anyone wanting to get out on the surface. This is one of those late-summer windows where the river feels more like a lake, and if you’ve been waiting for a low-stress afternoon to launch the runabout or slip the kayak in, this is it. The boating score of 9.1 out of 10 is the highest on the board, and kayaking at 8.5 is right there with it, driven by that glassy surface and gentle wind that won’t fight your paddle or your helm. The diving score of 7.6 matches what we’ve seen consistently the past several days, which makes sense given the stable conditions. Surface conditions are excellent, but remember that atmospheric visibility near 20 kilometers has nothing to do with what you’ll see below—without water temperature or clarity readings available, that score is relying on the wind and wave data alone, which are both favorable. Fishing scores a 6.5, a slight dip from yesterday’s 7.3 and well off the 8.2 we saw a few days ago. The solunar periods running from late morning into early afternoon and again around midnight offer some structure, but the rising pressure and mild winds suggest fish aren’t being pushed into any particular feeding pattern by the weather. The wildlife score of 6.5 is notably lower than the 9.1 we had yesterday, likely because the solunar and tide cues aren’t aligning as sharply. Surfing remains a non-starter at 4.5—no wave height, no swell, no period. That number has been stuck all week, and today is no different. Sailing at 6.6 benefits from that steady north breeze, though the lack of stronger gusts keeps it from being a banner day for anyone looking to plane. Looking ahead, Thursday holds similar calm conditions with slightly higher peak wind near 9.5 knots, then a chance of rain creeps in Friday at 40 percent before drying out again over the weekend. Monday and Tuesday see warming temperatures and another rain chance building. For today, though, if you’ve got a boat or a paddle, the river is handing you a perfect late-August invitation—don’t let the glass go unbroken.