Winter steelhead fishing can be very good in Oregon’s big rivers, but those same rivers have a tendency to suddenly offer poor fishing after heavy rains make them high and muddy.
Fortunately, there are many smaller streams that clear far more quickly and offer good steelhead fishing soon after a heavy rain.
The following rivers in Northwest Oregon, including the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Northwest and Willamette management zones, are among the best small steelhead streams.
(Note: We have a similar article for Small Southwest Oregon Winter Steelhead Streams.)
Please also note that most of the following streams have a mix of hatchery and wild steelhead.
Except where noted as exceptions in the regulations, only those with clipped and healed adipose fins may be kept in this region.
There also are a number of Oregon coastal streams that aren’t planted with hatchery steelhead.
Coastal Streams
We’ve listed these streams north to south
Necanicum River
The Necanicum enters the Pacific Ocean at Seaside.
A nice number of hatchery fish arrive in early winter and a strong wild run follows in mid- to late winter. Look for the hatchery run to peak in December and January and produce anywhere from 300 to 1,000 fin-clipped steelhead.
Although it is closely followed by U.S. 26 and U.S. 101, this pretty stream near Seaside has limited access.
Get to good fishing above tidewater at Peterson Point off Highway 101 and off Highway 26 at Klootchie Creek Park (the “Big Spruce Hole”) and farther upstream at Black’s Bridge, where Campbell Group allows river access on commercial forest land.
Steelhead smolts are planted near Teevin Bros. off Highway 101 and at Klootchie Creek and Black’s Bridge.
If the Necanicum is slow, the North Fork Nehalem to the south and three lower Columbia River tribs to the north (listed below in this article) are relatively close streams with hatchery winter steelhead runs.
More: Necanicum River Fishing.
Kilchis River
Though it doesn’t produce many hatchery steelhead these days, especially when compared to the larger Wilson River nearby, the Kilchis comes back into fishing shape faster.
Generally the winter season catch is modest after hatchery plants were phased out, and even in the old days a fair number of these fish likely stray back to the Wilson River, where they were raised as a facility on the South Fork Wilson.
Early in the season, there might be a small number of hatchery strays, but in December anglers here might be more focused on getting a final shot at a late-returning Chinook salmon.
Bank access on the lower river is tough due to private property.
Bank anglers can get to the water at Mapes Creek launch (also known as Logger Bridge), Kilchis County Park and numerous spots along Kilchis Forest Road upstream.
Boats put in at Mapes Creek or Kilchis Park and can float down and take out at Highway 101 (known as Parks Landing, where bank access isn’t very good).
See: Kilchis River Fishing for Salmon, Steelhead and Trout.
Three Rivers
This stream enters the Nestucca River near Hebo in southern Tillamook County and, thanks to Cedar Creek Hatchery, it can be a big producer of up to 1,000 winter steelhead some years, as well as a smaller summer steelhead run and spring Chinook.
Early and late winter runs spread the fishing from the holidays through at least March, with peak catches often in December or January.
Get to the river at the hatchery, the Heart Attack Hole or the sewage treatment plant in Hebo.
Figure Three Rivers will be in good shape if the Nestucca is on the high side but too low once the bigger river falls and clears.
For more about fishing for winter and summer steelhead here, see: Nestucca and Three Rivers Steelhead Fishing.
Salmon River
This popular Chinook salmon fishery just north of Lincoln City has been opened up to become Oregon’s northernmost fishery with a modest bag limit for wild winter steelhead.
You can fish for steelhead starting in late summer through March, but wild winter steelhead will be running the best in the last couple months of that period.
A longer stretch of river is open for steelhead than for Chinook, which have a different season.
You can fish for steelies up to the mouth of Sulphur Creek, located just west of the Van Duzer Corridor.
There is not a formal hatchery run here, but the occasional stray may be retained beyond the limit for wild steelhead.
Big Elk Creek
Big Elk Creek is a tributary of the Yaquina River, near Elk City upstream from Toledo and Newport.
Once primarily a hatchery steelhead stream, it is now is open to a modest annual limit of wild winter steelhead.
This is a seasonal fishery with points of access along Harlan Road.
Consult the regulations carefully for information about the upper deadline (Grant Creek Bridge at this writing) and other rules.
Historically, this creek had been planted with hatchery reared smolts near Milepost 13, so returning fin-clipped adults often moved into that area. Wild fish go where they please!
The annual catch on this small stream had typically been a couple hundred hatchery fish and most have been landed from late December into February.
Wild fish tend to run later than hatchery ones.
The steelhead season is open through March 31.
North Fork Alsea River
This is where you’ll find the Alsea River Hatchery, destination for most of this great winter steelhead river’s run.
The main river offers fine fishing, but when it’s too high, the North Fork above the town of Alsea up to the hatchery (where there’s bank access) is the place to try.
In fact, the North Fork routinely produces more steelhead than the mainstem Alsea, reaching nearly 3,000 in some big years.
There are two hatchery returns here, an early one that gets going around the holidays and a wild steelhead-based broodstock run that stretches fishing through late winter.
The hatchery is just off Highway 34, the route to Corvallis.
For more details, see: Alsea River Steelhead Fishing.
Lake Creek
Lake Creek is a fair to good winter fishery between Eugene and Florence.
Winter steelhead smolts are released in Green Creek, a little over four miles up from Lake Creek’s confluence with the Siuslaw River. You can’t fish in Green Creek or other tribs, but there is good access to Lake Creek just below the release site.
Most Lake Creek steelhead are caught in the lower stream because many tend to hold up when they reach Green Creek.
The Lake Creek catch is 200 to 500 fish most winters, which is well below the mainstem Siuslaw but productive when the bigger river is blown out.
For more details, see: Siuslaw River Steelhead Fishing.
Columbia River tributaries
We are listing these from west (near Astoria) to east (near Portland.)
North Fork Klaskanine River
Southeast of Astoria, off Highway 202 near Olney, this small fishery can be fairly productive for winter steelhead, giving up as many as 500 per winter in decent years.
This is an early run, with the best catches coming around the holidays and into early January.
Fish a few access points along Highway 202 in the short stretch from the hatchery down to the confluence with the South Fork, including the hatchery and Sigfredson County Park.
The smolt release of 40,000 is done at the hatchery.
Also see: Klaskanine River Fishing.
Big Creek
Near Knappa on Highway 30, about 10 miles east of Astoria, Big Creek has a good hatchery run popular with the locals but also known to Portland-area anglers.
Look for public access at the hatchery and Big Creek County Park, both upstream from Highway 30, with some access below the highway as well.
Peak fishing is usually in late December and the first few weeks of January.
During poor years, the harvest dips to about 200 fish, but good runs boost it to 600 or more. The entire release of 60,000 winter steelhead smolts per year is from the hatchery.
More: Big Creek Salmon and Steelhead Fishing.
Gnat Creek
About five miles east of Big Creek, this stream is almost as tiny as its namesake insect.
But with a little stealth and short casts, Gnat Creek can be very fun to fish for its run of hatchery winter steelhead.
The run peaks from late December through early January.
We suggest you don’t bother with this stream during long dry spells as the steelhead will be spooky in gin clear water.
Access points include below the hatchery, near Highway 30 between Westport and Knappa, and downstream (west) about a mile at Gnat Creek Campground.
The annual catch can range from 150 to over 300 marked fish. About 40,000 smolts are released annually at the hatchery.
More: Gnat Creek Fishing.
Eagle Creek
A Portland-area high-water favorite, in past years a good season on Eagle Creek approached 1,000 winter steelhead, but a reduction of smolt plants several years back has reduced the run size a bit in this Clackamas River tributary.
Eagle Creek has a federal hatchery and is the first metropolitan stream to recover from heavy rains.
Look for access at Bonnie Lure Park near the mouth, along Eagle Fern Road (including Eagle Fern Park) and in the canyon below the hatchery.
This creek also has a coho salmon fishery in early fall.
Sandy River (Upper)
OK, it’s a stretch to call this a small river, but the Sandy’s upper reaches are on the small side and often weather a good rainfall – but only when snow levels are low enough to keep a good bit of high-elevation precipitation on the ground in solid form.
If the freezing level is high, forget this one for at least a few days after a good dousing.
Access points in the upper river near the city of Sandy include close to the fish hatchery at the mouth of Cedar Creek, Revenue Bridge and the former Marmot Dam site.
The Sandy almost always has at least a decent winter run, with harvests reaching 2,000 or more in a season.
There also are plenty of big wild winter steelhead for catch-and-release angling, as well as summer steelhead, spring Chinook and the Portland area’s most popular fall coho salmon fishery.
Learn more about Sandy River steelhead.
Also on this website, more articles about winter steelhead fishing:
- Best Winter Steelhead Rivers Near Portland
- Best Winter Steelhead Rivers on Oregon’s North Coast
- Best Winter Steelhead Rivers on Oregon’s Central Coast
- Winter Steelhead Fishing in Coos, Coquille and Umpqua Rivers
- Best Winter Steelhead Fishing in the Rogue River and South Coast
- Best Small Streams in Southwest Oregon for Winter Steelhead
Return to Oregon Steelhead Fishing page
Oregon Resources
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ODFW Trout Stocking Schedule
Oregon Fishing Regulations
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