Nehalem Hatchery Fisherman - Thank you

[Desert Rat]

I haven't posted for more than a minute, but I have to do it. I get to Oregon Coast (Cannon Beach) once or twice a year to see my in-laws. I used to take all the nephews fishing when I went which meant minimal actual fishing for me, but now they are all older so I am getting out there a few days each trip on my own. This trip was the second week of Jan. My first day out I went to the Necanicum River, hiked upstream a ways from the park in Seaside on 12th street. I saw no fish, no one fishing, no boats, and almost got hit with someone throwing chicken bones from the road above. I did see an otter breaking into crab traps. I thought to myself - I can 'not catch fish' in a much nicer place. I went to Nehalem Hatchery the next day and WHAT a difference... Beautiful - saw fish and lots of folks fishing... The reason I have to post is that an experienced fisherman (said he'd fished Oregon for most his life) told me I had low probability with the rig I had. I knew this was the case but I really just use the rod that is available to me and adjust it for whatever body of water I go to. This guy fished near me for a few hours and probably couldn't take it anymore. He stopped me and gave me a few pointers on how to set it up and gave me the correct weight and even a homemade steelhead fly (I believe you would call it a fly). What a class act.. I love fishing but have been frustrated by not having a great set-up or waders in Oregon... That small act for some reason really motivated me to change it up and invest in some proper gear. I am combing through the forum to get pointers. I will probably be out there in July which is not winter steelhead but I am sure I can find some good fishing. The whole point of the post - Big thank you to the fisherman at the hatchery. My line was not tight that day - but it will be before long...

 

[troutdude]

Great report and kudo's to that fellow, for helping another angler. That's one of the things that make fishing so much fun!

 

[PapaJ]

The hatchery on the North Fork Nehalem (I think that's where you were) is a magical place. In my 'Bank Maggot' years, years ago, I'd spend three to four weekday mornings a week there from the first significant rain in September through at least the first of March. The Coho arrive after that rain in September. The water should be slow. Fish the hole just below the falls to the tail out with a small clump of eggs with a small orange and green 1/2 & 1/2 corkie, only a swivel for weight, and cast to the middle of the pool above the tailout. Look for your line to 'jump' slightly. You will never feel a bite. Had a morning when I took a bunch of guys from work in the mid 80's that 23 casts, 23 fish, trying to show them how to fish them. Then Chinook arrive in October. That's actually their second push in the fall. Take the road to the right just before you get to the river from the north on 53. Go up the little hill and take every left. Shortly, there was a parking area up there where you will be above the next hole below the falls on the west side. It's the 'Old Lady Hole'. Take the trail down to the bank and you will find a small beach and a little point of land about the mid point of the hole. There is a beach across from you on the other side. If it hasn't rained, use the same rig as for Coho, no weight with a small clump of eggs. Cast not quite to the middle of the pool and let the eggs settle to the bottom. You will see your line start to move when the bait gets picked up. My biggest Chinook ever there was 53# weighed at the hatchery. If the rains have started, fish sand shrimp and a peach or pink pearl corky drifted along the far bank down to the tail out. Have hooked lots of fish there, but many times you just have to laugh as they blast back down stream through the tail out and break you off. That last's through November and the first 'flood stage' river rise. You will know the time is right when the river has dropped and you see Salmon hanging in the trees as you walk down stream from the fish ladder. Take that trail along the water down to just above where the river bends to the left before the falls. There used to be a small tree growing out of the bank on the other side. There was a slot that started just above that tree that the Steelhead loved to hang in. Start in the dark at 'legal' with a small glow corkie with a small piece of green yarn and drift it through that slot. Maybe a sand shrimp tail for bait, or not. At about 9:30 or 10:00 we would change over to a chrome Okie drifter with orange yarn. About an hour later it was a small purple corkie with white yarn. Double digit days were not that rare. Never really killed any Steelhead then. They were just fun. Salmon, that's a different story. Lots and lots of stories about that place. Not sure how many wilds are left, but if it's still open, take the road across from the hatchery that goes upstream. You will eventually find an 'A' frame. Start there and fish the river back down to the hatchery anywhere you can find access. That was always fun, and productive too. Enjoy! jc

 

[JMak97008]

The hatchery on the North Fork Nehalem (I think that's where you were) is a magical place. In my 'Bank Maggot' years, years ago, I'd spend three to four weekday mornings a week there from the first significant rain in September through at least the first of March. The Coho arrive after that rain in September. The water should be slow. Fish the hole just below the falls to the tail out with a small clump of eggs with a small orange and green 1/2 & 1/2 corkie, only a swivel for weight, and cast to the middle of the pool above the tailout. Look for your line to 'jump' slightly. You will never feel a bite. Had a morning when I took a bunch of guys from work in the mid 80's that 23 casts, 23 fish, trying to show them how to fish them. Then Chinook arrive in October. That's actually their second push in the fall. Take the road to the right just before you get to the river from the north on 53. Go up the little hill and take every left. Shortly, there was a parking area up there where you will be above the next hole below the falls on the west side. It's the 'Old Lady Hole'. Take the trail down to the bank and you will find a small beach and a little point of land about the mid point of the hole. There is a beach across from you on the other side. If it hasn't rained, use the same rig as for Coho, no weight with a small clump of eggs. Cast not quite to the middle of the pool and let the eggs settle to the bottom. You will see your line start to move when the bait gets picked up. My biggest Chinook ever there was 53# weighed at the hatchery. If the rains have started, fish sand shrimp and a peach or pink pearl corky drifted along the far bank down to the tail out. Have hooked lots of fish there, but many times you just have to laugh as they blast back down stream through the tail out and break you off. That last's through November and the first 'flood stage' river rise. You will know the time is right when the river has dropped and you see Salmon hanging in the trees as you walk down stream from the fish ladder. Take that trail along the water down to just above where the river bends to the left before the falls. There used to be a small tree growing out of the bank on the other side. There was a slot that started just above that tree that the Steelhead loved to hang in. Start in the dark at 'legal' with a small glow corkie with a small piece of green yarn and drift it through that slot. Maybe a sand shrimp tail for bait, or not. At about 9:30 or 10:00 we would change over to a chrome Okie drifter with orange yarn. About an hour later it was a small purple corkie with white yarn. Double digit days were not that rare. Never really killed any Steelhead then. They were just fun. Salmon, that's a different story. Lots and lots of stories about that place. Not sure how many wilds are left, but if it's still open, take the road across from the hatchery that goes upstream. You will eventually find an 'A' frame. Start there and fish the river back down to the hatchery anywhere you can find access. That was always fun, and productive too. Enjoy! jc

Fantastic write-up, thanks!

My youngest and I caught our furst salmon this past December on the Nehalem at a couple spots near Cook Creek and up by the Campground.

As Im thinking about that area reading your post, Im not quite understanding the cirections to the Old Lady Hole (what a name!).

 

[PapaJ]

If you are going down stream from the hatchery past the waterfall, you will come to a fence. Past that fence is the start of the 'Old Lady Hole'. We used to be able to access that area via the driveway just to the south of the Hatchery entrance. There was a beautiful beach there that was fantastic to fish off of. It was/is a great Salmon hole. AND, in the 60's and 70's there was an 'old lady' that fished it all the time and kicked butt. Hence the name. The only way to access it now is from the other side by taking the road to the west just north of the river, if that makes sense. How about, if you are coming from Hwy 26 on Hwy 53 going south, turn right on the road just before you cross over the North Fork. Go up the hill and make every left you can make, if I remember correctly. There was a little parking area up there with a trail that went down the bank, in the brush, that would take you down to the river to a small beach just across from the beach mentioned above. There is a little point there righ in the middle of the hole. If the water is slow, the fish hang a rod length or so off the bank right at your feet. It's a great place to fish. We also used to work down stream from there fishing as we went. Great water down there for Steelhead too.
Your mention of Cook Creek brings wonderful memories too. If anyone asks, I didn't tell you this, but Cook Creek is incredible the last two weeks of March until it closes on April 1st. Typically, you will be by your self. The Salmonberry used to be amazing too. My first day there the end of March, after moving to Oregon in 1975, While driving down the road looking for places to let my Setter run, I saw an ODFW fish checker right at the bridge that went over the river. While I was talking to him to see what was happening, a gentleman walked up to check his two fish that he took from a drift just above the confluence with the mainstem Nehalem. The fish were chrome bright Steelhead 24# and 25#. I never landed a 20+ on the Nehalem, but many in the high, high teens. The Salmonberry gets much more pressure because of it's notoriety and access with the train tracks, but we really liked Cook Creek better because it seemed to get the same numbers of fish, but we were always alone. Beautiful walk upstream too. The whole Nehalem system is amazing. It definitely doesn't get the respect that it deserves. jc