Northwest Zone

Best bets for weekend fishing

• North coast steelhead fishing is starting to wind down, but there are still fish available to catch and effort is very light. The Nestucca, Wilson and North Fork Nehalem rivers will still offer the best opportunities for catching hatchery steelhead. Many tributaries and upper river sections closed to steelhead angling March 31, so be sure to check the regulations before heading out in April.
• North Coast lakes continue to be stocked with trout (see the schedule below or online). The fish look good this year and are a great size for catching and eating! South Lake will get a double stocking this week to make up the numbers from the previous stocking that was missed due to snow. Unfortunately, North Lake was not able to be stocked due to downed trees at the release site.
• Surplus winter steelhead have been released into Coffenbury Lake, Vernonia Pond and Lost Lake, and surplus summer steelhead were released into Town Lake recently. These fish can be a great alternative when conditions in the rivers are less than ideal and fighting a steelhead in still water is a unique and fun experience.
• The North Jetty of Tillamook Bay (accessible through Barview County Park) has been picking up for rockfish, kelp greenling, and usually start to produce some ling cod this time of year.
• Beaches in Lincoln City, Newport, and Siuslaw as well as Tillamook and Clatsop County beaches offer great opportunities for Surf Perch. Spring and early summer are great times to surf perch fish along the midcoast and north coast. If freshwater fisheries are slow, try your line on the shore and cast for schooled up surf perch on an incoming tide.
• Steelhead fishing on the Midcoast continues to be fair in the basins that are still open, as we progress later in the season most fisheries have slowed down, but there are still fish in the upper basins
• Several Lakes on the midcoast have been stocked with fish this week and last week. Lake trout are a fun alternative to freshwater angling for Steelhead this time of year when conditions can be less predictable on the rivers.

Trout stocking

Stocked April 14-18:

Buck Lake, Cleawox Lake, South Lake, Sunset Lake, Lost Lake, Siltcoos Lake, Dune Lake, Lytle Lake, Sutton Lake, Big Creek Res- 2, Town Lake, Tahoe Lake, Georgia Lake, Perkins Lake, Alder Lake, Coffenbury Lake, Cape Meares Lake, Mercer Lake, Munsel Lake, Hebo Lake, Nedonna Pond, Big Creek Res- 1.

Scheduled to be stocked April 21:

Devil's Lake

NOTE: Ojalla Lake will be closed for maintenance from April-September 2025. Trout will still be stocked in the lake leading up to the closure, but will shift to other locations once the closure happens. Keep an eye out for updates to the stocking schedule to track where the fish are going.

Check out the 2025 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

No access to Tillamook's South Jetty

The Army Corps of Engineers is making repairs to Tillamook's South Jetty and as a result there is no public access this summer. Bay Ocean spit is still open for walking/hiking and biking but is closed to public access about a mile from the jetty.

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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: Steelhead

Steelhead fishing continues to be fair on the Alsea River. A few folks are catching fish either floating lower down in the system or fishing near the hatchery holes. This weekend the water will be low and cold, offering some decent conditions for fishing any later returns.

There's a lot of bank fishing access, and fish have been getting caught, near the hatchery holes. Drift fishing in the lower basin has also been productive for anglers in the Alsea Basin. Last updated 04/16/25.

KILCHIS RIVER: Winter steelhead

The Kilchis River is getting very low and clear, so angling for steelhead may be challenging but there are still some fish around. There are no hatchery releases on the Kilchis, so it's mostly a catch-and-release fishery for wild steelhead. Last updated 4/16/25.

LOWER COLUMBIA TRIBUTARIES (Big Cr., Gnat Cr. Klaskanine R.): Hatchery steelhead

Hatchery winter steelhead returns on the Lower Columbia tributaries are over and no spring Chinook have showed yet. Last updated 4/10/25.

NEHALEM RIVER: Winter steelhead

Winter steelhead fishing on the North Fork has slowed but there are still some broodstock hatchery steelhead around and catch and release opportunity for wild steelhead. It is getting very low and clear so angling conditions are challenging. Last updated 4/16/25.

NORTH FORK NEHALEM: Winter steelhead

Winter steelhead fishing on the North Fork has slowed but there are still some broodstock hatchery steelhead around and catch and release opportunity for wild steelhead. Last updated 4/10/25.

NESTUCCA RIVER: Winter steelhead

The Nestucca was in great shape last weekend and should remain fishable through the week. Fishing was a little slow but there are still some hatchery and wild steelhead (catch and release only for wilds) throughout the fishery.

The upper Nestucca above Moon Creek closed to angling April 1 to protect spawning wild steelhead and out-migrating juveniles and will reopen for trout and summer steelhead on May 22. Last updated 4/16/25.

River levels and predictions for the Nestucca are available here.

SALMON RIVER: Closed to Winter steelhead.

Winter steelhead is closed on the Salmon River. It was a fair season overall with a decent number of fish caught throughout the system. Trout will open in May. Last updated 04/10/25.

SILETZ RIVER: Winter steelhead

Winter steelhead continues to slow down on the Siletz. Like its neighbors, it's been a fair season on the Siletz, with fish seemingly caught in big waves this year. Fish are taking advantage of the warmer weather and moving higher up into the basin. Fish have been caught in the upper gorge area and throughout some of the higher drift floats as we progress later into the season.

The upper gorge offers bank access for targeting winter steelhead. With clear conditions going into the weekend, fish are around but seem to be more focused on spawning than biting in the upper reaches.

We are seeing a few more early summer steelhead being caught in the past 2 weeks or so. As we move into spring more opportunity will be available on the Siletz!

We also have our first reports of Springers being caught in the Siletz. They haven't come in full swing but they are certainly moving into the system. Most folks fish the lower Siletz for Springers with moderate success.

Just a reminder that the gorge road is closed to public driving access during the weekdays M-F but opens for the weekend.

The Siletz is a truly unique system offering multiple opportunities for a variety of species. Last updated 04/16/25.

SIUSLAW RIVER: Closed to winter steelhead

The Siuslaw River is closed for Steelhead fishing. It was a decent season overall on the Siuslaw. Anglers had success following earlier and wetter conditions, which caused the fish to spread out faster. Trout fishing will reopen in May. Last updated 4/10/25.

THREE RIVERS: Winter steelhead

Three Rivers had still has some hatchery and wild (catch and release only for wilds) steelhead coming in but it is very low and clear. Last updated 4/16/25.

TILLAMOOK BAY: spring Chinook, marine species

We haven't heard any reports of spring Chinook being caught in Tillamook Bay yet. No surprise as this fishery doesn't really get going until May. That said, there are usually a few fish caught at the end of April.

Fishing for rockfish, kelp greening, ling cod, and surf perch usually picks up near the mouth of the bay in the spring. This fishery is accessible by boat or off of the North Jetty. Last updated 04/16/25.

TRASK RIVER: Winter steelhead

The Trask is low and clear but there are fish available throughout the fishery. The Trask does not have a hatchery steelhead release, but provides some good catch-and-release opportunity for wild steelhead and the occasional hatchery stray.

The North and South Forks of the Trask closed to angling on April 1 to protect spawning wild steelhead and out-migrating juveniles but it will re-open for trout season on May 22. Last updated 4/16/25.

WILSON RIVER: Winter steelhead

The Wilson has been slow for winter steelhead and is going to be very low and clear this week but there are still broodstock hatchery fish throughout the system as well as catch and release opportunity for wild steelhead. Effort has dropped off and is very light. Last updated 4/16/25.

Wilson River levels and predictions are available here.

Hatchery steelhead is closed on the Yaquina River. Not too many reports came in of fish being caught but the fishery seemed fair overall. Trout fishing will reopen in May. Last Updated 04/08/25.