darn rain!

Well .. the rain has been  dumping on the rivers  lately and it is not looking good, most rivers are bown with a few still fishable,  After the rain stops it marks the beginning of winter steelhead season, several fish have returned to the north fork nehalem and nestucca rivers. After the water levels start to drop it will be prime time for steelhead.  the first two weeks of december  will be good as long as the rains hold back. Most early returning fish are hatchery steelhead  so rivers that generally get a good hatchery run would be a better bet. 3 rivers, a tributary of the nestucca  can be a good bet early in the season , though the hatchery hole can be crowded by flossers and snaggers  there are several good holes and pull outs along the road before you reach the split at the tackle shop and hwy 101.  best bets for fly fisherman in this area would be nymphing a size 6 egg pattern under a strike indicator or drifting the egg pattern with a split shot and no indicator.  when water levels are higher using brightly colored  marabou flies or leeches  could nab a fish or two.  Good luck out there!   possibly tomorrow and the next day i will be fishing aaron mercer reservoir for cutthroat while waiting for the rivers to drop,so expect  my first winter steelhead report within two weeks.

winter steelhead  fishing three rivers 2010

Brandon