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Winter Steelhead Fishing Highlights
February, 2010 Steelheading Photographs
Nestucca (Hebo, OR), Nehamlem (Tillamook, OR) and Sandy Rivers (Sandy, OR)
click to enlarge images

After a rainy January, the weather pattern finally broke and we were into a warm February with moderate rainfall. Great conditions for coastal steelhead fishing. We were rarely blown out and the water level never really got too low. When it would threaten to drop too far and the fishing would just begin to slow down, here came another small storm to bring it right back up. We got pretty wet a few days, but boy was it worth it. 10 fish days became common place instead of a rarity and everyone’s confidence soared. We had a high day of 21 hookups between 2 anglers after a good storm at the end of the month that brought a huge surprise push of late hatchery steelhead and it was game on!

As the Alsea hatchery stock winds down for the year, Nestucca broodstock steelhead have begun to fish well, although the river has been a bit crowded for our tastes. A lot of quality magazine press has sure increased the fishing pressure in that river. However, at times it’s worth it. There are occasions that river fishes better than anywhere on the Oregon Coast. The native steelhead are showing well and we’re now catching more wild steelhead than hatchery. A normal pattern this time of year. We haven’t caught any 20plus pound fish yet, but we’ve seen a few pictures and hope our turn is next. The next 6 weeks will tell…

We have a few late season steelhead guide days still available. If you’re interested in fishing big wild steelhead on flies or bobber fishing, give us a call at 503-515-3533 or email us!

Winter Stelhead from the Sandy River, Nehalem River and Nestucca River

big hatchery hen steelhead small hatchery hen steelhead big hatchery steelhead limit of hatchery steelhead
A really long hatchery fish. For Alsea stock this was a big one. John shows of a very typical hatchery fish. About 28 inches and 7-8 lbs. Chris with a 10-12lb hatchery steelhead. Chris with his daily limit, on back to back casts before 9am.
chrome hen steelhead on a fly bright male winter steelhead dave with a wild steelhead John with a hatchery steelhead
We love these. Chrome bright with sea-lice and agressive to swung and nymphed flies. Another lower river chrome native Winter steelhead Dave shows off a nice wild hen that's starting to sport a little color. John with the back half of his daily limit another cookie cutter hatchery fish.
14 pound native steelhead jim with a nice winter steelhead limit of 4 hatchery steelhead mike with a small native steelhead
We haven't seen a ton of really big fish this year, but this is one of them. A 14lb class wild buck. Jim with a late February fat hatchery steelhead Jim and Richard with a boat limit by 10am. They went on to hook 21 steelies that day. Jesse and Mike with an early February native steelhead.
steelhead on swung leech chrome little wild steelhead nice sandy river steelhead jim with a nice native steelhead
This chrome tidewater unit fell to a swung fuschia and purple string leech. A pretty little native hen that fell to a Salmon River MVP, tied by Sean Tate A nice Sandy river hen, lively and big bodied. Jason and Jim with a quality Nestucca River wild hen.