Catch a Ride on the Silver Bullet Express

Late November through March offers the best steelheading in the Pacific Northwest. To me, there is something about sitting in a driftboat, being pelted by a rainstorm, your fingers numb from the cold breeze blowing off the ocean, waiting for the strike of a fish as bright as a chrome bumper off a new Chev pickup. Who needs the Deschutes River with it's bright sunlight and 80-degree air temps anyway?

The Kilchis, Nestucca, Salmon and Siletz Rivers have been dealt good runs of winter steelhead the last couple of years. Ocean conditions have been favorable and fish are prospering with the abundant food sources. Hatchery run fish dominate the rivers from late November to mid-January.

Each year the Kilchis River kicks out a few fresh winter steelhead during the Chum Salmon run, always a nice surprise. This River would be perfect for designation as fly fishing only water, but I'm not expecting that to happen anytime soon. The Kilchis is a short river system with broad riffles offering good depth and beautiful tailouts. It is a true steelheader’s dream water.

The Siletz River has been very productive thanks to the brood stock program. The river offers several different sections to float, with the "Town Drift" being one of the most popular. Moon- shine Park offers a good section with river bank acess for those without a boat.

The Salmon River wild steelhead population has made a nice comeback. January is a great time to get out and cast a fly. There is decent bank access available and enough steelhead to put this river on your "To Do" list. The first of February is the start for wild steelhead with fresh fish moving in through April. These fish average in the mid-teens and can run as large as 25 pounds.

On the Nestucca River, the bulk of the hatchery fish are headed up to the Three Rivers hatchery. If you don’t have a drift boat, this section offers some great access for angling from the bank. If you're drifting the river, the best flyfishing water is from First Bridge downstream to Cloverdale with takeouts at Farmer Creek, Three Rivers and the ramp at Cloverdale. This water is easily navigable by boat.

My river of choice is the Nestucca as the catch and release regulations on wild steelhead makes the angling pressure almost non-existent. I prefer to fish the water below Three Rivers from February to mid-March, then fish from First Bridge down to Farmers Creek late March to mid-April.

Last year I had several very successful guide trips on the Nestucca. Wild steelhead were present in good numbers and many times no one but us fishing the river. Every so often we might pass another boat, but if you have ever fished coastal waters, it's amazing to have this quality of fishery available without the crowds. Our biggest fish last year was a chrome bright 17lb. hen.

For more information, check the fishing reports section of our website at www.creeksideflyfishing.com or stop by our shop.