Idaho Fish Report
Fair But Sporadic Chinook on Nehalem
by OR Department of Fish & Wildlife Staff
10-2-2024
Website
The Nehalem fall Chinook fishing has been fair although sporadic. Harvest has been about equally split between the lower and upper bay so far this season. More Chinook should be showing up as October goes on.
The Nehalem gets a return of hatchery coho salmon that should be showing up soon as well. Nehalem Bay is also open to retention of 1 adult wild coho/day and 2/season on WEDNESDAYS and SATURDAYS only, from Sept. 7 to Oct. 23. See the regulation updates online for more details. Coho fishing has noticeably improved in the last week or so; there are plenty of fish showing and there have been some good bites.
Trolling with flashers and spinners seems to be the go-to technique for this fishery in the bay, but trolling herring is always a good option for Chinook as well. In upper tidewater bobber fishing bait can be effective. The bag limit for wild adult Chinook is 1/day and 5 for the season from July 1 to Nov. 30. See the regulation updates for more details.
There are cutthroat trout throughout the Nehalem basin. Most of the sea-run cutthroat are up in the rivers and tributaries by this time of year.
More Reports
OR Department of Fish & Wildlife Reports
for Wednesday, October 2nd
Umatilla River: Salmon fishing has picked up
Crane Prairie Reservoir: Reports of Good Trout and Bass Fishing
Deschutes River: Deschutes River, Benham Falls to Little Lava Lake Updates
Haystack Reservoir: Successful Reports of Large Fish Being Caught
Lake Billy Chinook: Reports of Good Fishing on Billy Chinook
Metolius River: Metolius continues to be excellent
Odell Lake: Odell has good fall fishing for trout
Prinevile Reservoir: Fair Fishing at Prinevile
Wickiup Reservoir: Productive Fishing at Wickiup
Clackamas River: Clackamas Updates
Detroit Reservoir: Detroit Reservoir Updates
Foster Reservoir: Foster Stocked for the Final Time This Year
Green Peter Reservoir: Water Level Dropping and Making Fishing Near Impossible
Willamette River: Middle Fork Willamette Updates
Quartzville Creek: Quartzville Creek Updates
Sandy River: Fishing Should Continue to Be Good on Sandy
Santiam River ( North Fork) : More Fish Coming Every Day!
Santiam River (South Fork): Fish Will Still be Available for Several Months
OR Department of Fish & Wildlife Reports
for Wednesday, September 25th
Grande Ronde River: Grande Ronde River Updates
Imnaha River: Steelhead Fishing Moving Into the Imnaha
Wallowa Lake : Fall can be a great time to visit Wallowa
Wallowa River: Opportunities to catch some really nice fish!
Bikini Pond: Scheduled to Be Stocked This Week!
Crescent Lake: Area Surrounding Crescent Closed Due to Red Fire
Crooked River: Crooked continues to fish well through the fall
Deschutes River: Deschutes River Updates
Haystack Reservoir: Rare Opportunities on Haystack
Laurance Lake: Fly-anglers are catching trout at Laurance!
Ochoco Reservoir: Reports of good rainbow trout fishing
Pine Hollow Reservoir: Fall Stocking Scheduled This Week!
Prinevile Reservoir: Anglers report fair fishing at Prinevile
Taylor Lake: Taylor to be stocked this week
Wickiup Reservoir: Reports of Productive Fishing on Wickiup
Alton Baker Canoe Canal: The ABCC is Open to Fishing All Year
Detroit Reservoir: Fishing can be surprisingly good at Detroit
Dexter Reservoir: Dexter Reservoir Updates
Dorena Reservoir: Trout and Warmwater Fish Available at Dorena
Foster Reservoir: Foster Reservoir Updates
Green Peter Reservoir: Green Peter Updates
Hills Creek Reservoir: Hills Creek Updates
McKenzie River: McKenzie River Updates
Willamette River: Middle Fork Willamette Updates
Quartzville Creek: Quartzville Creek Updates
Row River Pond: Offers Fishing and Wildlife Viewing Opportunities
Santiam River ( North Fork) : Fish the Lower Sections of the River for Coho
Santiam River (South Fork): Fish will be available for several more months
Willamette River: Willamette offers convenience, fairly good access and variety!
Alsea River: Fishing will be best in the Alsea Bay
Kilchis River: Fishing for cutthroat trout should be fair to good
Necanicum River: Trout fishing should be fair to good!
Nehalem River: Chinook fishing has been fair although sporadic
Nestucca River: Fishing has been good at times
Siletz River: Conditions and fishing will improve in the next few weeks
Siuslaw River: Fishing has been fair to good at Siuslaw
Three Rivers: Three Rivers Updates
Tillamook Bay: Overall fishing is fair but there are fish being caught daily
Trask River: Trask River Updates
Wilson River: Wilson River Updates
Chetco River: Good number of salmon!
Plat I Reservoir: Decent Bass Fishing
Sixes River: Sixes River Updates
Smith River: Still Some Fish Around
Umpqua River: Umpqua Mainstem Has Good Catch Rates