Winter Steelhead Quick Report and Pics

All of the low water from a recent drought in western Oregon has made many anglers feel a loss of chrome mojo. Luckily that dry weather pattern during the rainy season has ended (at least temporarily). We had a nice system pass through, and it raised many of the coastal rivers to levels where the fishing has been good for the last few days, and should remain good until the rivers bottom out again, or we get another system to freshen the water back again. The good news is that the rains brought fish in, and the fishing has been good out there. The best news was that I was rewarded with the largest winter steelhead I have caught thus far, and it gave the hardest battle possible before I managed to somehow land it. Get yourself out there and hunt for some chrome!!!

Ryan landing his first steelhead on his new switch rod.....

Ryan showing off his first steelhead caught......

This awesome buck tore me to shreds in the most hardcore battle possible. Feeling the rewards!!

Sea Run Cutts were incidentally eating the trout beads, and would set off a false steelhead bite alarm!

What a chrome "egg wagon" of a steelhead!

Setting this hen steelhead off to complete her mission......

Winter Steelhead Video To Pump You Up; While the River Levels are Blown Out

With the recent big time storm, our rivers took a huge hit, and levels are blown out for a couple of days at the least. The best odds for success coming up would be if you are planning on fishing a smaller creek/stream which will clear up quickly, but if you plan on fishing the larger rivers like the Wilson, then you are at least several days off. Luckily the Wilson hit flood stage last night, and now it is dropping like a rock.

Gauge Reading for Wilson River at Tillamook

The Nehalem River on the other hand really rose a lot, and it will be at least a couple of weeks to drop into a fishable levels. Hatchery steelhead should running viably after the river levels fall for those rivers that get planted like the Wilson, Alsea, Siletz, Clackamas, Sandy, North Fork Nehalem, Gnat Creek, & Big Creek(to name a few).The runs should be strong through mid January; so get yourself out there as soon as levels drop to get into this wonderful early winter opportunity.

Gauge Reading for Nehalem River at Foss

This winter steelhead fell to a pink egg sucking leech

 With all of the weather I know I am developing some "cabin fever", and I am really itching to get out for some fishing. Since there is not much angling that can be done in the area of northwest Oregon, I have put up a short video for you to enjoy. This will hopefully get you all fired up for the winter fly fishing action that you have to look forward to. It was filmed late last winter, and it was a really hot pretty buck steelhead.

Enjoy the Video (click to view):