Steelhead Fly Fishing Oregon Coast

Its already blown out, so no shame in blowing it out even more. The internet is great and all, but it sure has ruined some beautiful places, think we can agree on that. Not trying to single you out, it is an unfortunately common occurrence. One interesting thing about people posting locations; be it for fishing, hunting, hot springs, camp spots, anything else where the area can be overexerted, they are almost always not local, nor do they visit the area often, so they will never see the direct effects, I guess thats predictable.


Wow I sound like a winey old Fck. Guess I should get used to it, and the hoards of people and trash they bring along.

 

lol!! You again.
Hey I’m on the same page with you. There’s a lot of sections of big rivers / creeks I will never mention. Me saying xxxx (censored) lake has big trout is a non issue in my opinion...
People have to get off their ass and fish it. Those big names I mentioned are popular. It’s nothing new. It’s all over Instagram YouTube etc. Someone can come to this Tacoma forum and see I said there’s big trout in (censored). It’s nothing new they can’t find on the internet. You won’t see me mentioning my personal favorite stretches of a river or location or fly.

Don’t get me started with blowing up spots. Go talk to the hypocrite overlanders spamming Instagram with their sponsors blowing up campsites and then whining about people camping there. Same thing. I have the whole central Oregon mapped from California to mount hood with camp spots. You won’t see me post it unless someone privately asks me. Me saying the Pacific Ocean has fish isn’t a problem lol

heads up I have a couple beers in me right now.

Practice catch and release, pack in pick out. Be the best you can, enjoy the land and that’s it. There will always be some dumbass

 

There’s a lot of posts I didn’t read them all so sorry if this was already mentioned.

November is not the best month for steelhead. Most hatchery plants have been switched to broodstock which are later returning steelhead. (December-April) and wild winter steelhead returns run about the same timing. It’s definitely possible to get one late November but it’s unlikely.

November isn’t a great steelhead month but it’s a great salmon month. There will be chinook and coho in most streams on the coast.

I don’t fly fish but there should be some great spots to get them on flies. Chinook prefer bait but you can definitely get them on flies/lures. Coho love lures, they like big pink/purple type lures and they like to chase a moving target. So stripping flies works well.

If you’re shooting for a specific time and not location put yourself in an area with several different streams within driving distance. Like Tillamook for example. This way if you get hit with a rain storm you’ll have some different streams to choose from. Bigger rivers will clear slower than the smaller streams/creeks. And if you get hit with a dry spell bigger rivers will fish better than small streams/creeks in that scenario.

If you specifically want winter steelhead come back between mid December and end of March.

I hope that helps. Good luck.

 

I disagree with alot in this, but I agree with the last part.

 

i know you do. You gotta loosen up.
I’ll pm you tomorrow let’s plan a trip to your secret spot. No joke. I’m planning heading there December.

PS: edited my posts for you. If it’s sensitive to you I will respect it.

 

lol I must have blasted you for another post you made? I try to speak up when I can, futile but vigilant.

I haven't shore fished it in the last couple years since I got a boat, I do respect all of the laddermen standing out there all day

EDIT: I dont have any good pics on my phone but I have a tracker 17 foot, silver with a rear Grey and black Vinyl camo wrap that says TRACKER in chrome, if you see us out there trolling the beaches feel free to flag me down and Ill bring you some good local beer.

 

I haven't done it yet but the Skeena river system in BC has a reputation as a world class fly fishing destination for big, wild, steelhead. Its on the my list along with a tarpon trip in the next five years or so.

 

The North Umpqua still holds Summers around Thanksgiving. If you're really looking for good steelheading that time of year you might consider going slightly east to the upper Rogue. I can give you a couple spots to try if you really want to make the effort. I basically live on that river that time of year. I'm not 100% if I'll be down there that week but if I am I can float you.

 

When everyone is chasing Chinook is the PERFECT time to go after steel. Lots of inland rivers get hot with summer steelhead in November.

 

If he decides to decline a float PM me and I will be happy to take that seat.

 

Yeah man. And if you’re ever around Eugene let me know — fishing has been red hot on the middle fork and Mckenzie before this last rain.

 

Exactly. Summers are in the system to be caught until the seasons close in March or April. Bonus when Chinook are in the system that the steelies will be even more keyed in on roe, beads, and egg patterns.

 

Amen. Beads are king!

 

Sweet let me PM you.
I think I will start with Klammath and work my way up, would love to get some tips from you or meet up.
I see Klamath is pretty good in november.

 

Meh. Depends on what you like I guess. I’d always target the beginning of a run with sea liced fresh fish moving in daily Vs. the tail end of the summer run.

I’m all about steelhead fishing. And I’ve fished the deschutes well into December and still caught decent summers. But it ain’t the same as chrome coho, chum and chinook moving in daily on the coast this time of year. LOTS of places to fish C&R on the coast where you can hike all day and not see a single person too.

 

WOW! Those are nice! The closest thing I seen to that was when once when I fishing for Yellowfin Tuna, and this guy was catching big Skipjack Tuna on a fly rod, he was having a blast.

 

You usually eat em?
I don't mind keeping but for me it's mostly about catching one on the fly, so not too worried about quality

 

90% of the time I fish in areas it’s unlikely to catch a hatchery fish. So mostly just C&R. I just like hiking around in less crowded areas and having a decent chance at catching a fish or two. The hatchery/meat fisheries are usually a little too crowded for my taste.

But if I do catch a hatchery fish that thing is dead and coming home with me. I definitely like eating salmon/steelhead.

 

Yeah it can be a mixed bag that time of year. A lot of fish will hold onto their color for a while, though, if they know they’re heading way upstream.

Kind of weird today — we caught a chromer and 2 fish that we thought were going to the smoker. Opened the two colored fish and they cut bright orange ready for the pan (1 hen 1 buck). Cut open the chromer and she was dull and spawned out. The colored hen was full of healthy eggs. Never seen that before.

 

Building a single hand rod Skagit system for the trip.
Man I forgot how expensive fly fishing can get if you want something other than a classic 5weight set up.