They are here in the Nehalem

[OLC]

Obviously I am new here and am not sure where to post, Salmon Thread, Steelhead thread, NW zone...so I chose here.
I live at the very top of tide water on the North Fork of the Nehalem. Pretty much the last portion where you can see an effect of the tide if the water is low enough other than that is looks like a stream. This weekend a pod of silvers moved in with the tide to check out the lower river. The neighbors had a visiting 12 yr old boy who saw the fish move in (when the waters low it churns like a blender) grabbed his rod and caught a six pounder with a spinner. Boy was he jazzed. The fish moved out the next day, I assume back down river because upstream is really low. But is does show that the fish are nosing around and the first rain that moves the river those fish will be flying.

Just an update and a notice that it won't be long.


OLC

 

[troutdude]

Good lookin' out; and glad that the kid was in the right place, at the right time. Welcome aboard.

 

[rogerdodger]

looks like the N. Fork Nehalem gets 100K coho planted in it, does it get a nice return of these clipped fish to retain?

 

[BaldTexan]

Last year there were exponentially more unclipped coho. Very large. No unclipped retention of coho in Nehalem this season


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[OLC]

The amount of clipped seems to depend on year the hatchery got a lot last year. The fish don't seem to lollygag around in the lower river once the river raises.

 

[BaldTexan]

The hatchery fish certainly don't. They zoom straight up, but if you enjoy CnR you catch big unclipped silvers there through October and it doesn't seem to matter what part of the bay your in. They'll be everywhere, even in shallow water too, not just the deeper channels. Boatloads of fun


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[rogerdodger]

The hatchery fish certainly don't. They zoom straight up, but if you enjoy CnR you catch big unclipped silvers there through October and it doesn't seem to matter what part of the bay your in. They'll be everywhere, even in shallow water too, not just the deeper channels. Boatloads of fun


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it will be very interesting to learn if the prediction of a weak Nehalem wild coho run this year turns out to be true...

 

[BaldTexan]

Ha. Wasn't last weekend. First strike trolling at the jaws brought a high finner to the boat so we went over to Tillamook and out side the jaws for the non-selective........and only caught clipped fish! Figures. I will spend at least one day in October CnR spinner fishing for those big "wild" coho in Nehalem. Easy fishery in a small boat and all you need is a few spinners. Doesn't even matter what color as long as it's red and white


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[SmallStreams]

I live at the very top of tide water on the North Fork of the Nehalem.

Hey, I know that area! I've paddled up through there on a kayak... last year? Year before? Was hoping to get a glimpse of what you're describing, but my timing was poor.

Yes, the hatchery fish fly up to the hatchery, but there are methods (legal methods!) that can persuade a coho to land on your dinner table. It's quite the show when they're moving! My success rate was about 1-in-30 last year... I count the fish that ignore my offerings to keep myself occupied.

 

[BaldTexan]

I stopped and fished the Wheeler for awhile Friday and hooked a nice hawg chinook about 15 minutes into my first trolling pass. Wicked fight for about 5 minutes until a sea lion decided to get an easy dinner Snatched it and ran after a short tug of war and a lot of cursing. Dang fur bag thief! Caught only Unclipped coho after that and there were quite a few in there. A lot of jumpers, a few biters.


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[BaldTexan]

I need to bring some trout gear next time. I saw a ton of sea runs jumping in the bay last year while trolling for salmon. Hooked one super hungry sea run while straight lining a Blue Fox for coho. Awesome acrobatics from those fish!


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[SmallStreams]

Not long at all! It might only be a trickle of fish, but anything that causes them to make a break for it will set things in motion...

 

[OLC]

I am about a half of a river mile above Aldervale. I have videos of fish running under my dogs noses and actually running in to my legs. More rain came in the last couple of days but not the deluge that they were predicting. Your 1 in 30 success rate makes me laugh. I've been there and watched waves of fish run through a hole and not touch an offering, eggs, flies, jigs, spinners etc. I quit counting just to make myself feel better. I usually carry three rods rigged differently to see what might work. Then......all of a sudden the bite turns on and you can't keep them off. My wife and I once hooked 30 fish between us one afternoon. Good luck.

 

[SmallStreams]

Visited the N Fk hatchery (restroom!) and some young chap had pulled a small dark coho out of the pool on his first cast. Nobody else fishing there. Friend and I checked a number of locations and we found small coho in about half the holes. They were holding, not running. Couldn't persuade any of them to come to dinner.

So... it's begun, but is a bit on the unusual side and there are probably scads in the bay waiting for more rain while their upstream buddies wait for the orgy to begin.

 

[BaldTexan]

There were a lot of jumping coho in the bay this weekend. They'll be up river soon. A nice chinook hen accepted a spinning invitation to dinner


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