Recreation Report
Northwest Zone
Recreation Report
March 26, 2025
Best bets for weekend fishing
- North coast steelhead fishing remained fair this week with fish being caught in most basins when conditions were decent. The Nestucca, Wilson and North Fork Nehalem rivers will offer the best opportunities for catching hatchery steelhead. Many tributaries and upper river sections close to steelhead angling March 31, so be sure to check the regulations before heading out in April.
- North Coast lakes got the first spring stocking of rainbow trout last week and all of the lakes listed below have fish. The fish look really good this year and are a great size for catching and eating! One exception is South lake, which was not able to be stocked due to snow on the access road; we will be getting those fish in as soon as possible.
- 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.
- Rains came late last week and into the weekend rising most of our Mid Coast rivers. The weekend may be fishable depending on how the rest of the week's rain comes in. Likely the water will be high going into the weekend.
Trout stocking
Scheduled to be stocked the week of March 24:
Devil's Lake
Stocked the week of March 17:
Coffenbury Lake, Cullaby Lake, Sunset Lake, Lost Lake (Clatsop County), Vernonia Pond, Town Lake, Hebo Lake, Cape Meares Lake, Smith Lake, Tahoe Lake, Spring Lake, Lake Lytle, Loren's Pond, Nedonna Pond
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.
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. The bite has definitely slowed down but fish are still in the system as we head into a fishable weekend.
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 3/26/25.
KILCHIS RIVER: winter steelhead
The Kilchis River is in decent shape and there should be fish throughout the system. There are no hatchery releases on the Kilchis, so it's mostly a catch-and-release fishery for wild steelhead. Last updated 3/26/25.
LOWER COLUMBIA TRIBUTARIES (Big Cr., Gnat Cr. Klaskanine R.): hatchery steelhead
Hatchery winter steelhead returns on the Lower Columbia tributaries are mostly over and no adult fish were trapped this week. Last updated 3/19/25.
NECANICUM RIVER: winter steelhead
Attention boaters: There is a boating obstruction/hazard upstream of Mail Creek on the Necanicum River (between the Hwy 26 bridge and Klootchy Park). This is a large log/debris jam blocking the river. Boaters should use extreme caution. Check the Oregon State Marine Board boater obstruction map here.
The Hwy 101 boat ramp on the Necanicum will be closed April 1 after the steelhead season has ended on the river due to littering and illegal camping. Access will be provided again next fall when salmon season picks up.
The Necanicum River is in decent shape and there should be fish throughout the system. The hatchery steelhead run is over on the Necanicum but there is still good catch-and-release opportunity for wild steelhead throughout the fishery. The Necanicum closes to all angling on April 1 to protect spawning steelhead and out-migrating smolts. It will re-open for trout season on May 22. Last updated 3/26/25.
NEHALEM RIVER: winter steelhead
The Nehalem was high and off color much of the past week, but when it comes back into shape there should be winter steelhead throughout the fishery. There are no hatchery steelhead releases in the Nehalem, so this is mostly a catch-and-release fishery for wild steelhead which are throughout the fishery. The Nehalem above the Highway 26 bridge at Elsie closes to fishing on April 1st; it will re-open for trout season on May 22. Last updated 3/26/25.
NORTH FORK NEHALEM: winter steelhead
Winter steelhead fishing on the North Fork picked back up this week as the river dropped into shape and some nice fish have been getting caught. There are still broodstock hatchery fish coming back in good shape and catch-and-release opportunity for wild steelhead throughout the fishery. Last updated 3/26/25.
NESTUCCA RIVER: winter steelhead
The Nestucca has been fair for winter steelhead, but it looks like it will be a little high this weekend and early next week. When it's in shape there should be fish throughout the fishery.
The Nestucca has one of our largest releases of broodstock hatchery fish and they should be throughout the fishery with fresh fish still coming in. There are both hatchery and wild winter steelhead (catch-and-release only for wilds) throughout the fishery.
The upper Nestucca above Moon Creek will be 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 3/26/25.
River levels and predictions for the Nestucca are available here.
SALMON RIVER: steelhead
Winter steelhead continues to be fair on the Salmon River. We're not getting a tone of reports of fish being caught, but there are definitely fish throughout the system. With the recent rains fish are likely pushing higher into the system. There is some decent bank access higher up in the system to chase these elusive fish.
We are getting lots of rain later this week but going into the weekend the river should come into shape Sunday, if it does! Last updated 3/26/25.
SILETZ RIVER: winter steelhead
Winter steelhead slowed down a bit on the Siletz. Like its neighbors, it's been a fair season on the Siletz, with fish seemingly being 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 lower drift floats.
The upper gorge offers bank access for targeting winter steelhead. The gorge road has been cleared out and is accessible throughout the entire upper fishery. Fish don't seem to be quite so high in the system just yet, but they are moving that direction.
Lots of water coming into the Mid Coast basins this week and fish are moving in the Siletz Basin. The steelhead seem to moving higher up in the system with the recent big rains.
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 3/26/25.
SIUSLAW RIVER: winter steelhead
The Siuslaw has been producing a decent run with good angler success. Like its neighbors, the Siuslaw basin's fish have been taking advantage of the warmer weather and moving about throughout the basin. Fish have been returning to our trap higher up in the system and are definitely moving throughout the upper basin. Last updated 3/26/25.
THREE RIVERS: winter steelhead
Three Rivers had still has some hatchery and wild (catch and release only for wilds) steelhead coming in. Last updated 3/26/25.
TRASK RIVER: winter steelhead
The Trask has been a little high the past week and will likely remain so until early next week, but there are steelhead throughout the system. 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 close 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 3/26/25.
WILSON RIVER: winter steelhead
Winter steelhead fishing on the Wilson has been fair to good since it dropped back into shape early this week. It is predicted to go up a little again on Friday but should be fishable through the weekend.
The Wilson is one of our largest broodstock hatchery releases and there should be fish throughout the fishery and fresh steelhead still coming in. There are both hatchery and wild steelhead (catch-and-release only for wilds) throughout the fishery. Last updated 3/19/25.
Wilson River levels and predictions are available here.
YAQUINA RIVER: winter steelhead
Hatchery steelhead is open on the Yaquina River. Like its neighbors on the Mid Coast, the recent rains have moved fish into the basin though we haven't gotten many reports from the Yaquina of fish being caught. Fishing in the Yaquina basin remains fair this season. Last Updated 3/5/25.