Oregon steelhead fishing (2010 - 2021)

[BaldTexan]

Hit or miss this season. Caught a nice hatchery fish and a nice large native first week of January followed by a couple of skunked trips. One day was just bad luck out with a buddy, Troutmasta, and myself. 0 for 4 that day but at least we had a chance to wrestle a few for awhile. Some days there were fish in, the next day you were lucky to get bit at all.

GF and I spent Sunday drifting with Tanner at the coast and the river was loaded with biters in the morning. I think we had 9 hookups by 11. 4 to the boat. Hooked a hot tank of a fish early that immediately screamed upstream peeling drag. Couldn't slow that one down. Strongest steelhead I've felt this season. Here's a few.

 

[hobster]

Had the day OFF and hit the river today for only the second time in the last month. Been a rough year so far, so i didn't have very high expectations. Got there and the water was high and brown as I expected, but I know of a couple of holes that fish well at that level. Nothing at the first hole so I split after about a half hour and headed to the next one, where I ran into fellow OFF'er Aton. Was getting some trout bites so when I felt a slight tick I didn't think much of it but set the hook anyway. At first I thought it was a large trout or sucker fish, then she woke up :thumb: Landed this nice 31" hen with Atons help, kind of a crap shoot with chrome hens in the winter, but was very pleased when I got home and cut the fillets. Got her drifting coho eggs (which my pal Roger gave me, thanks man!) I had 13 at this time last year, and this is only my 3rd for the year, so I am super stoked!

 

[C_Run]

My neighbor was milling some white cedar and gave me a bunch of slab wood for firewood so I made myself a new filet board out of one of the choice pieces.

 

[OnTheDrop]

This is one worth sharing, fellow member and I with one of my boats best fish this season.
Can I do that?

 

[hobster]

Worth sharing indeed! Absolute beauty man........and now for something completely different.......

Got this little bullet yesterday, smallest steelie I have ever landed :lol:

 

[killigan]

Went out yesterday and hooked into the first fish of the year. Darker than I like to keep, but this year I'm not too picky about the first one. Hot, acrobatic fish made for a good fight! Smoking him up tomorrow.

 

[C_Run]

1 for two on homemade spoons today. It had the extra fin this time.

 

[OnTheDrop]

 

[perch'em]

I finally saw a professional about my Steelhead problem. I'm not sure if I am cured or if the affliction is worse!

Caught my first Steelhead and even limited out. Great time on the river! You just can't cover as much water from the bank as you can on a drift boat...

Thanks Willamette Valley Outfitters, Steelhead Stalkers, Oregon Rod Reel and Tackle, and Thirsty Soft Beads!

 

[hobster]

Finally got to do a float up north with Tanner, the main rivers were too high so he brought us to a small coastal river which was just awesome! I've been wanting to do this for a while and was stoked to finally get around to it. How beautiful it was :thumb: As you would expect, he was a great guide and got us into some fish. Here is a pic of me fighting a nice wild buck that Tanner netted, we tried to get a picture of the fish but it squirmed away as the camera was being pulled out. Thanks again buddy!

 

[C_Run]

Got one in the Northwest Zone with a homemade spoon this morning.

 

[Native Fisher]

Went out yesterday with my 5yo, hit two smaller streams. Caught and released a dark hatchery buck in the first creek, went down to the next creek and let my 5yo do some casting and reeling. After a few missed opportunities he finally got the hookset on this nice buck, it taped out at 30" and he needed some help reeling, but I was super proud he did the cast and hook set!

 

[Gulfstream]

Hit the Coos this afternoon and got this beauty! First of the year.He went back to make more! HAVE FUN!

 

[Native Fisher]

Got 2 more yesterday before the rivers rose. Both were wild and one wouldn't pose for a picture. I started off bobber and jig fishing with a egg sucking leach patterned jig, fished around and got nothing for about 1.5hrs. Went back through with a nightmare jig and a big red soft bead as a dropper. Started off at the beginning and got a small but fiesty, chrome 5lb wild fish, I'm trying to keep all my wild released fish in the water, and as active this little guy was I couldn't get a decent pic. A few casts later I got this wild buck, he was a bit bigger, but nothing special size wise. They are out there just keep on trying guys

 

[Gulfstream]

With most of the local Coos County rivers VERY crowded,,we waited till about 1 to get on the water as most are gone.2nd spot ,got hammered by this beauty and he did not want to come in.Sent back to join his buddys.My buddy hooked 2 and lost em both.Looks like some serious rain on the way.HAVE FUN!

 

[Native Fisher]

Got to the river at daylight and found quite a few people for a thursday. Typically with the people I'd have bypassed the area and went hiking, but I have been a bit under the weather the last few days, and we were supposed to get some dangerous wind/rain storms so I planted my butt in front of the hatchery and didn't move around a lot. Certainly not an ideal fishing trip for me, but it worked out okay. After about an hour and half the two guys I was fishing near moved on and I got to make some casts into water I had been waiting for, first drift through this cookie cutter hen clobbered a medium sized soft bead behind a jig.

 

[homerhomer]

Here's one I caught right after Christmas. I love the snow.

 

[iHuntiGather]

Second trip out, got one!

 

[C_Run]

Crazy start to the day when a fish chomped my float instead of the nice jig dangling from it. That was the only excitement for the first five hours. I was tired and about to quit and finally got a bite. The water was kind of high for my liking. Copper spoon did the trick again.

 

[C_Run]

One would almost think I know what I'm doing. Different river, same spoon, same result.