Northwest Zone

March 15, 2023

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Best bets for weekend fishing

• It should be a good week for winter steelhead fishing on the North Coast! We got a freshet over the weekend and the rivers are now dropping into great shape and should fish through the week. Temperatures are warming up, which hopefully will get fish moving and on the bite. The Nestucca and Wilson Rivers are still the best opportunities for catching a hatchery fish.
• There should still be some surplus hatchery steelhead available in Lost Lake (Clatsop County), Vernonia Pond, and Town Lake. Catching a steelhead in a lake environment is a unique experience, and a great alternative when the rivers are slow.
• Winter steelhead fishing has remained fair but challenging on the Mid Coast rivers. Fish have been caught in all basins. Freezing temperatures late last week, over the weekend, and in this week’s forecast have slowed the fishing conditions across mid-coast basins. The water levels have come up a few inches but water is still quite cold. We have colder temperatures in the forecast for the weekend and may get more snow at higher elevations.
• The Alsea or Siletz will still be your best bet for hatchery steelhead on the mid-coast although conditions have remained steady across the board. In the coming weeks we should see a warm up and push of fish coming moving through the basins.
• Several roads are still closed due to fallen trees along popular fishing routes including the upper Siletz, Alsea and Salmon River basins and many of the access routes that remain open are challenging and hazardous to access. Before you head out check in with local officials and online sites to be sure you can safely access your favorite spots.

Recently stocked

Mid-coast

Olalla Creek Reservoir, Alder Lake, Georgia Lake, Mercer Lake, Thissel Pond, Dune Lake, Woahink Lake, Elbow Lake, Munsel Lake, Lost Lake, Buck Lake, Carter Lake, Cleawox Lake, Siltcoos Lagoon, Siltcoos Lake, Eckman Lake.

Stocking notes:

• At Big Creek Reservoir north of Newport, stocking will be delayed two weeks due to road construction.

North coast

Trout stocking is scheduled to resume next week! (March 20, 2023.)

Stocking notes:

• South lake will not be stocked next week due to heavy snow (the liberation truck won’t be able to get there). We will stock this lake as soon as the snow melts enough to allow access.

Check out the complete 2023 trout stocking schedule.

Trout stocking maps

Check out the ODFW fishing and trout stocking maps to find nearby fishing locations, driving directions and descriptions of amenities.

Announcements

Watch for boating hazards

Recent snows have brought down several trees and there are some new boating hazards in the North Coast Rivers. The Kilchis, Trask, and Nestucca rivers all have boating hazards at this time. Check the Oregon State Marine Boards, Boating Obstructions map.

Sign up for the latest information on boater access

Marine Board’s Opportunities and Access Report incorporates information from federal and state agencies, local facility operators and fellow boaters to provide up-to-date information so boaters can decide where to recreate and what to expect this season. Subscribe to receive email updates.

Updates by waterbody

ALSEA RIVER: winter steelhead

Winter steelhead are throughout the Alsea system. The popular NF Alsea fishery is open and steady with fishing conditions. This fishery has been fair over the last week. The Alsea will river level has come up over the past few days and is going to continue to climb throughout the week going into the weekend.

The later returning wild broodstock hatchery fish are being caught in the NF Alsea. Boat and bank fishing has been fair over the past week. Wild and hatchery steelhead have been caught and conditions have remained steady but challenging.

Trout fishing will reopen on May 22. Last updated 3/8/23.

Winter steelhead fishing in the mid-coast district – check out this video.

KILCHIS RIVER: winter steelhead

The Kilchis is a mostly wild steelhead river (catch-and-release only for wilds) and as such the run peaks January through March. The Kilchis is in great shape as of this writing; it may be a little low by the weekend but should still be fishable. There are steelhead throughout the fishery. All wild steelhead must be released unharmed. Avoiding long fights and handling will reduce stress on released fish. Last updated 3/15/23.

Trout fishing will reopen May 22, 2023.

Winter steelhead fishing in the north coast district – check out the video.

MIAMI RIVER: winter steelhead

The Miami is a mostly wild steelhead river (catch-and-release only for wilds) and as such the run peaks January through March. The Miami is in good shape today but may be a little low again by the weekend. There are steelhead throughout the fishery. Access is limited on the Miami. All wild steelhead must be released unharmed. Avoiding long fights and handling will reduce stress on released fish. Last updated 3/15/23.

Trout fishing will reopen May 22, 2023.

NECANICUM RIVER: winter steelhead

Very few hatchery steelhead are left on the Necanicum River, but there is still catch-and-release opportunities for wild steelhead through March (the Necanicum closes to fishing on April 1 to protect spawning wild steelhead and out migrating juveniles). It is in good shape today but may be a little low, although still fishable, by the weekend. All wild steelhead must be released unharmed. Avoiding long fights and handling will reduce stress on released fish. Last updated 3/15/23.

Reminder: The South Fork Necanicum is closed to all fishing. This is the tributary that runs alongside the Sugarloaf Mainline.

Cutthroat trout fishing will reopen May 22, 2023.

NEHALEM RIVER MAINSTEM: winter steelhead

The mainstem Nehalem doesn’t have any hatchery steelhead releases, but there are wild steelhead available for catch-and-release fishing throughout the basin. The lower Nehalem is still high and off color but may drop into shape by the weekend.

The upper reaches of the Nehalem should be in good shape through the weekend. All wild steelhead must be released unharmed. Avoiding long fights and handling will reduce stress on released fish. Last updated 3/15/23.

Cutthroat trout fishing will reopen May 22, 2023.

NORTH FORK NEHALEM: winter steelhead

Most of the hatchery run on the North Fork Nehalem is done but there are still some wild broodstock hatchery fish coming in this month, although numbers are low. There’s also catch-and-release opportunity for wild steelhead. The North Fork is in good shape today and should be fishable through the week. Last updated 3/15/23.

NESTUCCA BASIN (Nestucca, Three Rivers, and Little Nestucca): winter steelhead

The Nestucca is still a little high today but is dropping and “greening up;” it should be in good shape by Friday and fish through the week.

There are hatchery and wild (catch-and-release only for wilds) steelhead throughout the fishery, and fresh fish still coming in. The hatchery steelhead run on the Nestucca continues until early April. There are several popular drift boat runs on the river and some good bank access on the upper reaches. Last updated 3/15/23.

River levels and predictions for the Nestucca are available here.

REMINDER: Elk Creek is the deadline for all fishing (trout and steelhead) on the Upper Nestucca, and it is closed to all fishing upstream of that point.

Three Rivers should be in good shape and will fish throughout the week. Recent rains should have brought in some fresh steelhead and with temperatures finally coming up they will hopefully be biting. Last updated 3/15/23.

There are no hatchery steelhead releases on the Little Nestucca River, so it is mostly a catch-and-release fishery for wild steelhead. It should be dropping into good shape by the end of the week and should be fishy and fishable over the weekend. There are steelhead throughout the river, but again, the odds of catching a hatchery fish are very low. All wild steelhead must be released unharmed. Avoiding long fights and handling will reduce stress on released fish. Last updated 3/15/23.

Cutthroat trout fishing in streams will reopen May 22, 2023.

SALMON RIVER:  winter steelhead

Winter steelhead are in the Salmon River. The river is low and clear and fishing pressure has been consistent. Steelhead have pushed up and throughout the system but with the cold temps fish aren’t moving as much. Conditions are similar to the rest of the mid-coast rivers -- fair but challenging.

January-March is the typical peak for winter steelhead in the Salmon River.

Trout fishing in streams will reopen on May 22. Last updated 3/8/23.

SILETZ RIVER: winter steelhead

Winter steelhead are moving up in the Siletz River. Like the rest of the mid-coast basins fishing has picked up with the recent rains over the past few weeks. We are seeing newer fish push into the system and push higher into the system with the recent rains. January-March is the typical peak for winter steelhead fishing on the Siletz River.

Trout fishing in streams will reopen May 22, 2023. Last updated 3/8/23.

Floating the Siletz – check out this video.

SILTCOOS/TAHKENITCH LAKES: coho

Coho fishing on Siltcoos and Tahkenitch lakes is closed for the season. Last updated 1/4/23.

SIUSLAW RIVER: winter steelhead

Winter steelhead are moving throughout the Siuslaw River. Fishing has been slow early in the season but is starting to pick up again. The colder temps have made the Siuslaw challenging but conditions have remained fair.

The Whittaker Cr. drift will be the most productive into early March. There should be good opportunity in the lower river as conditions allow.

Trout fishing in streams will reopen on May 22. Last updated 3/8/23.

TRASK RIVER: winter steelhead

The Trask is still just a touch high today, although the color is great. It should be in good shape through the weekend and into next week. There are steelhead throughout the fishery.

The Trask is a mostly catch-and-release river for winter steelhead, as there are no hatchery releases, although it does get the occasional stray. There are wild steelhead (catch-and-release only) throughout the system. All wild steelhead must be released unharmed. Avoiding long fights and handling will reduce stress on released fish. Last updated 3/15/23.

The forks should be fishable through the weekend and into next week. There are wild steelhead (catch-and-release only) throughout the open areas. Last updated 3/15/23.

The North Fork Trask is open to steelhead fishing from the mouth to Bark Shanty Creek until March 31, 2023. It is closed to all fishing upstream of Bark Shanty Creek until Mary 22, 2023.

The South Fork Trask is open to steelhead angling from the mouth to Edwards Creek until March 31, 2023. It is closed to all fishing upstream of Edwards Creek until May 22, 2023

Cutthroat trout fishing in streams will reopen May 22, 2023.

Trask river levels and predictions are available here.

WILSON RIVER: winter steelhead

The Wilson is in great shape today: steelhead green and dropping. It should be in good shape through the weekend and into next week and with temperatures finally coming up, hopefully steelhead will be on the bite.

There are hatchery and wild steelhead (catch-and-release only for wilds) throughout the fishery, and fresh hatchery fish still coming in. The hatchery run on the Wilson last through early April. The Wilson has some popular drift boat runs and a lot of bank access off of Highway 6. Last updated 3/15/23.

Cutthroat trout fishing in streams will reopen May 22, 2023.

Wilson River levels and predictions are available here.

YAQUINA RIVER: winter steelhead

Winter steelhead fishing typically peaks on the Yaquina January-March. Fishing has been challenging the past few weeks but it’s starting to pick up but with the colder temps will remain challenging.

As with the rest of the mid-coast basins, with the recent rains conditions went from poor to fair. The colder temps have been keeping the river levels low and clear.

Trout fishing in streams closed on Oct. 31 and will reopen on May 22. Last updated 1/8/23.