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Fly Fishing For Winter Steelhead. When, Where, and How-To. Run Timing. Hatchery Runs; Thanksgiving through the end of January. Wild winter fish; mid-January through mid-April. The Fish. The Rivers. Nestucca River.
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Fly Fishing For Winter Steelhead When, Where, and How-To
Run Timing • Hatchery Runs; Thanksgiving through the end of January. • Wild winter fish; mid-January through mid-April.
Nestucca River • This central Oregon mid-sized coastal river originates in the Coast Range Mountains and flows through the southern part of Tillamook county to reach the Pacific Ocean at Pacific City. The 55 mile length river flows through some public land like the BLM and the Siuslaw National Forest; but most of it's best fishable water falls on private land. The Nestucca flows through several small coastal towns on it's way to where it flows into the ocean on the north end of the Nestucca Bay. The Nestucca is one of the most popular and productive coastal salmon and steelhead streams in Oregon. The river offers good runs of winter steelhead. For bank anglers, the river up above Blaine offers good access. The lower river offers 5 boat ramps for floating access but you do need to check river levels before you go. • The Nestucca has a good run of hatchery steelhead from late November through January. Beginning in mid-January, the big native steelhead start arriving in the river. Each year the Nestucca blesses a few anglers with steelhead larger than 20lbs but the average is about 8 to 12 pounds.
North Santiam River • The North Santiam flows west out of the Cascades into the South Santiam and finally to the Willamette River south of Salem, Oregon. The proximity of the Santiam River to Salem makes it a favorite after work and weekend destination during the summer months. Steelheader’s love the North Santiam and steelhead can be found in this river year-round below Big Cliff Dam. Wild winter steelhead start entering the Santiam river in December and can be found through May. The main push of winters usually starts in late February. • The North Santiam is a major tributary of the Willamette River. The river is over 60 miles long flowing from it's headwaters at Santiam Lake in the southern Marion Lake Basin of Mt. Jefferson Wilderness to where it meets up with the South Santiam near the town of Jefferson. The North Santiam River offers fishing opportunities for Steelhead, Trout and Salmon. The best fly fishing conditions are when river flows are from 2.8 to 4.5 feet. • The lower North Santiam River (from Big Cliff Dam down to the confluence) to is open for catch and release for wild steelhead. The average weight range of the natives are 10-15 pounds with fish reaching 20 lbs. Bank anglers have good access to the river via all the state parks and boat ramps.
Siletz River • The Siletz River flows about 67 miles to the Pacific Ocean through coastal mountains. Formed by the confluence of its north and south forks near the town of Valsetz in Polk County, it winds through the Central Oregon Coast Range. The river, draining a watershed of 373 square miles, empties into Siletz, south of Lincoln City. Although the river travels 67 miles in river miles, its winding course begins only about 20 miles east of the ocean, and its mouth and source latitudes are almost identical. • The Siletz River offers anglers the opportunity to fish for wild and hatchery steelhead year round. Winter steelhead begin arriving in late November with a peak in January-March and extending into April. The winter steelhead hatchery program in the Siletz Basin, which uses wild fish as broodstock, can provide excellent fishing throughout the season. This program releases approximately 50,000 steelhead smolts each spring from the Palmer Creek acclimation facility located near Moonshine Park. During peak season drift boat fishing can be very good productive and many sections of the river are often busy when flow conditions are good. Bank fishing can also be very good in the upper river around Moonshine Park. Fishing upstream of the park does require access through the Siletz Gorge Road -- a private logging road open to public vehicle traffic only on the weekends. Bank anglers also plunk with stationary gear in the lower river. A portion of hatchery fish returning to ODFW fish traps are also recycled to provide additional fishing opportunities. These fish are tagged with a small colored tag near the dorsal fin. Source ODFW website
Alsea River • The Alsea Basin provides good fishing opportunities for hatchery winter steelhead from December into March. The target release of 120,000 smolt into the Alsea are split between the traditional Alsea hatchery stock and a wild Alsea broodstock. Fair to good bank access can be found throughout most of the basin at numerous public pull offs and parks along the river. During high water, bank anglers should focus their efforts in the upper basin and around the Alsea Hatchery. A parking lot just below the hatchery provides anglers with off-road parking and access to the river. Most river access near the hatchery is on private property, which is clearly posted. • Drift boats can be put in at launches from just downstream of the town of Alsea all the way to the head of tidewater, depending on the time of year and river conditions. Fishing from a boat is prohibited above Mill Creek. Throughout the season a portion of hatchery steelhead captured at the Alsea hatchery traps are tagged and recycled downstream as far as the Blackberry Launch to provide for additional fishing opportunity. Source ODFW website.
Presentation • Greased Line: The grease line presentation furnishes a broadside drift of the fly making the fly’s wide silhouette more visible to the fish. The stream currents playing upon the fly materials make it come alive as it drifts downstream. During the drift the fly is fished in a drag-free manner, and then as it comes to the swing-down position it’s fished the same as the wet fly swing. This grease line presentation was established long ago in Europe as an Atlantic salmon technique. The grease line refers to greasing or waterproofing the old silk lines to make them float. • Originally used for fishing the surface, the grease line method can be adapted for fishing deep by using sink tip lines. With the stream’s velocity in mind, the fly’s materials are selected. Soft materials, such as marabou, Artic Fox, Finn Raccoon are used in slower currents; stiff materials, such as bucktail, are used in faster currents; The key is to select a fly pattern which seductively moves with the current. Originally used for fishing the surface, the grease line method can be adapted for fishing deep by using sink tip lines. With the stream’s velocity in mind, the fly’s materials are selected. Soft materials, such as marabou, are used in slower currents; stiff materials, such as bucktail, are used in faster currents; The key is to select a fly pattern which seductively moves with the current.
Wet Fly Swing:Look forthe water you want which is usually 3-6ft. deep and at a walking pace, and cast across stream, to slightly downstream. Mend your line immediately, usually upstream. This allows the fly to sink. Then follow your line with your rod tip downstream. Lowering your rod tip as the fly swings across the current, so the fly will not have any drag. Some anglers like to impart action on their presentation with their rod tip, but if fishing in current the action is often done all by itself.
Dead Drift:The presentation is quite simple. All you will need is a weight forward line, 9–10ft leader, strike indicator, a fly box full of size 6 BH Cabellero Eggs in pink, fluorescent orange and red and some split shot. Cast your fly slightly upstream and make a large upstream mend immediately. Allow the strike indicator to float along drag free making mends as needed to keep things drifting with the current speed. When your fly floats by your position and begins to drag start-feeding line into your drift. This allows your fly the most time in front of any awaiting steelhead. Work the water at your feet first and then start making drifts further out until all the water within your reach is covered. Take enough steps down stream so that you are covering new water and begin the process again. • This method is the most productive way to catch winter steelhead.
Rods • Spey: 13ft 7-8wt. • Switch: 11ft 7-8wt. • Single Hand: 9-10ft.
The Complete Steelheader by John Larison. • A Passion For Steelhead by Dec Hogan. • Fly Fishing For Sumer Steelhead by John Shewey. • A Steelheader’s Way by Lani Waller.
Skagit Master II with Scott Howell (DVD) • Skagit Master featuring Ed Ward (DVD) • Lani Waller’s Steelhead Legacy (DVD)
