Montana Fish Report

August 1st is the official start of Fall Chinook season, but there won't be many around this early, and probably won't be any above tidewater until the fall rains. The wild adult fall Chinook bag limit is 1 per day and 5 per season in the Nestucca basin as part of the overall daily bag limit. See the regulation updates online for more details.

Summer steelhead continue to return to the Nestucca River and are throughout the fishery (up to Elk Creek). Fishing seems to have picked up with some fish being caught consistently. Cedar Creek hatchery recycled 17 back to Pacific City, to add additional angler opportunity, last week. Light float fishing set ups with terminal baits like beads, jigs or small natural baits, as well as casting spoons or spinners can be effective. Early morning and late evening will be the best times to fish, although if there's good cloud cover or a little rain fish may stay on the bite more of the day.

There are resident cutthroat throughout the fishery and sea-run cutthroat should be moving into the river as well. Many areas have bait restrictions in place so check the regulations for those and open areas before heading out.