Hebo Deli and Sporting Goods News and Updates

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Nestucca System and Other River Fishing News 

**All river conditions/predictions below are based on the current Hebo area forecast/conditions for Wednesday, Jan 14, 6:56 am.

Big Nestucca

Tillamook and Lincoln County Winter Steelhead fishing season has arrived!  Here's some chromers from the past.  Check out that hog...

This is what it's all about

This is what it's all about

Freshwater

Tips

Are You Concerned about fish seeing your line in clear water?

The Condor (first bridge above Hebo):  Excellent bank fishing and easy access/parking.

River Conditions

Check out the Big Nestucca River forecast graph.  Keep an eye on our Hebo weather as well.  It's 7.1' and dropping... all week and throughout next week looks GREAT!

"Reasonable" high water should not impact your chances of catching a chrome Nestucca River Chinook or Winter Steelhead at the mouth of Three Rivers using the high water techniques discussed above.

High water didn't hurt this Hebo area Winter Steelhead fisherman's success.  What a way to close out the year!...

What did this fish fall for?

What did this fish fall for?

Rigging

Bobber, hardware and drift fishing are all productive while boat or bank fishing for Oregon Coastal Fall and Spring chinook or Winter steelhead.  Furthermore...

Back-bouncing is really effective if you're fishing out of a boat.  In certain spots, it can be effective while bank fishing your favorite Tillamook County salmon and steelhead river.  Additionally... 

Attractors (such as Kwikfish) working in the current behind your boat or even off the bank (with or without bait)...

...can really aggravate those agressive, fresh, chrome Chinook salmon and steelhead.  Try pitch and retrieve as well.   Jr at our Hebo Tackle/Sporting Goods shop will set you up with an attractor/plug.

Bait (salmon):

• Salmon or steelhead eggs with or without:

• Sandshrimp

• Sardines

• Tuna belly

• Anchovie

• Other types of "Shrimp."

You can use these salmon baits without eggs as well.  You can freeze and/or cure most of these Fall and Spring Chinook baits.  Furthermore... there's more baits that can be added to this list!  What's your favorite?

Bait (steelhead):

• Salmon eggs

• Steelhead eggs

• Sandshrimp

• Worms (yes!)

• Crawdad tails

• Other baits including coon shrimp

Use these steelhead baits by themselves or in combination with others.  Some freeze and/or cure well.

Check out our Color Tip below.  This doesn't mean you can't use other colors, it's just that you'll need your presentation to be closer to the Nestucca (or other river) salmon and steelhead before color shifting to gray, then black (shorter-range colors).

Try not to over-think though.  Fishing properly where the fish are is most important.  Your line needs to be in the water.

Possibly salmon and steelhead are more aware of spawning colors as they work their way upstream.  I'm always testing and researching this stuff from reliable sources.  Try florescent pink, red and orange (short-range colors... even though they'll shift to black sooner than the yellows, greens and blues in clearer water).

If you think you're using red but it's black as viewed by the fish... are you ok with that?  I guess so if you really want to use black  :-)  However... as your presentation moves closer to the fish...

...it'll shift back to red (possibly spooking the fish in low, clear conditions?).  Hmmm.....

Tidewater

Tip

Pacific City area (salmon):

Time to fish up in freshwater.  However... if you put your time in... you might have some luck if the Big Nestucca River is about 6' or less.  I've caught fish below and above the Pacific City bridge during these conditions through November...

...on spinners since the current is too strong for bobber fishing (for me) most of the time...

...when the color was good and the water was clean.  Ditto Little Nestucca Tidewater above and below the boat ramp.

Nestucca River System Fall Chinook salmon season is over... time to focus on Winter Steelhead.

During late Fall, it doesn't usually matter as much if you're fishing on holding tides or big tidal swings as long as the current is compatible with your fishing technique. It seems to matter more Spring and early Fall.

Barometer:  I've never worried about barometer changes up in freshwater (except for a fast rising river and other factors associated with it)...

...as much as how it effects tidewater success.

River Conditions

Pacific City/Big Nestucca tidewater will be off-color with a lot of debris a good part of the time during late Fall, Winter and early Spring.  "Out-going" current most of the time due to the large amount of fresh water except during a strong incoming tide. This is a good time to try some beach combing!

Rigging

Bank and boat fishing Nestucca River tidewater (salmon):

Fish right below Pacific City Bridge, the boat ramp below, the mouth or...

...the Pacific City Woods area up above using...

• Bobber and bait

• Hardware

• Trolling hardware with or without bait

• Anchoring in the current and "plunking" a Kwikfish or other wobbling type plug wrapped with bait or without.

• Flies

We've got it all here at Nestucca Valley Sporting Goods.  Jr will show you how to rig up.

Winter steelhead:

When the Nestucca River gets extremely low, fish from Pacific City all the way up to Cloverdale...

...including the mouth of Three Rivers (not tide-affected here).

Little Nestucca

Freshwater

Tip

It'll come up fast and drop fast as well.  If it's coming up in the am and off color (but not too much)... it could be fishable later in the day!  Fish below Stella Falls and check out the deadline markers.  Fish upriver and downriver from here as well.

There should be Sea-Run Cutthroat around all the way up to the headwaters.  Seems nobody fishes for them.  I've caught many while winter steelhead fishing the Little Nestucca... the last one I caught was around 20"... no kidding.

Some years there's a Fall run of Coho Salmon in the Little Nestucca River.  They're aggressive hardware and fly (streamer) biters.

If the water is high and off-color, fish at the mouth of several little tributaries feeding this Hebo area stream dumping in clear/green water.  Fish the transistion.

For those of you that like a clear, decent flow of water...

This water surely isn't turbid! What river is this?

River Conditions

The Little Nestucca River will be dropping all week including next week... it'll be perfect today up high and possibly down lower.  Fish way up high on this Tillamook County Winter Steelhead gem first following a high water. 

If low, clear water is your thing... fish the upper Little Nestucca River when the lower river is fishable.  

I've caught Sea-Run Cutthroat and summer steelhead fishing up here this time of year.  Little Nestucca Summer Steelhead will have a red stripe but they retain some glimmer, unlike "dark" Winter Steelhead.

Here's  an option, using the Big Nestucca River as a guage, If it's 8' and dropping!

Rigging

Little Nestucca fly fishermen:

Expect to do a lot of roll casting due to back-cast limitations.  I can hit most places using my single-hand 7 wt (8-9 wt single-hand fly rod better for Winter Steelhead).  However, a 7 wt loads better with limited back-cast room.

Spey Rod Winter Steelhead fisherman?  We'll get to that later.  Note:  Because of how I like to fish (see directly below)... that Shooting Head to Tip Section (sink tip, etc.), loop to loop connection hangs up in the guides...

...limiting my retrieve several feet.

I just acquired an 11' 8 wt switch rod!  Can't wait to give it a try.  Might be a little long at times but I'll be able to roll cast better (and fight Little Nestucca Winter Steelhead quicker!).  It might not load as well false-casting (I just use one water-load)... maybe I'll pack my 7 wt also.  Was never crazy about packing two rods when fishing smaller steelhead creeks.

Don't just swing your fly... strip it in as well.  Do both.  This way you can cover more water efficiently.  Slow it down (mostly) since water temps are chilly.  Swinging flies for Winter Steelhead is fun but it helps to fish areas where this will not work as well.

Unless you know the holding areas really well, don't invest too much time into tying your fly pattern.  Keep it simple and you'll fish it correctly without worrying about snagging up...

I quit using my articulated steelhead, salmon and trout streamers here. 

If streamer fishing is your thing... you can cover a bunch of water like...

fishing hardware:

Using this productive technique while fishing the Little Nestucca can be a ton of fun.  This works great when the water is cold/cool and clear.  Slow it down.  However...  Silver Salmon (Coho) don't seem to mind a faster retrieve.  Furthermore... 

Hardware is deadly in low, warm water conditions as well.

Nothing like covering a bunch of water while staying warm by hiking!

Other conventional methods are all good... just adjust the size/color to water conditions.

**WE'LL COVER OTHER RIGGING SOON!

Tidewater

Tip

You can find lots of tackle that floated down one of our Nestucca system rivers here!  Check out tidewater or on the beach... close to the mouth of the Big Nestucca River...

Hunting for little Nestucca fishing treasures!

Hunting for little Nestucca fishing treasures!

101 Bridge area and above:

This Hebo area river (Little Nestucca) drops fast and salmon would start holding up in tidewater...

...if the upper river becomes fairly low...

...but the Little Nestucca (including the whole Nestucca River system) Fall Chinook (and some Coho) run is over.

You can catch Winter steelhead here as well during really low flows.

Fish below the Little Nestucca boat ramp down to the 101 bridge.  Or... fish above the ramp up to the first bend.

If you have a boat, you can fish all the way up to the next bridge and beyond until you hit the first riffle if the tide is just right although...

There's plenty of freshwater around now for easier access.  Look out for submerged logs up there where the river narrows.

As the tide slows down, increase the blade size so you're lure catches more water enabling a slow retrieve.  Slow is the key for Nestucca Chinook and cold-water Winter Steelhead.

River Conditions

Little Nestucca Tidewater color should be fine today... probably debris-free.

Keep in mind... Chinook Salmon will still slow down and possibly hold in tidewater for a spell when the water drops considerably late in the Fall during the Little Nestucca Chinook salmon season.  I've caught tidewater Winter Steelhead also during really low water periods.  

Rigging

Salmon and low-water Winter Steelhead:

Bait.  Hardware.  Flies.  Plugs.  Flashers.  Hoochies.  Here's more. 

If you're not a Nestucca fly fisherman, don't be afraid to fish a fly below your bobber if bait isn't doing the trick.  I've seen this work with the Clouser Minnow and other flies... 

Maybe substitute this with a Hebo Sporting Goods "wiggly" GoldStar Hoochie squid.  Also, try adding some scent and or bait.

I know a guy who was very successful bobber fishing for tidewater Winter Steelhead with a rubber worm (nothing else) using a fly rod...

on the Wilson River around 101 bridge.

This boy would rather be here than playing video games!

This boy would rather be here than playing video games!

Three Rivers

I took these pictures of Three Rivers Cedar Creek Hatchery late Fall during the first really high water...

Our Cedar Creek Fishery underwater

Stay home and tie flies today!

Our Cedar Creek Fishery underwater

Stay home and tie flies today!

Tip

Unlike other Nestucca River fisheries, the hatchery does fish in turbid, high water.  In the old days... we fished here when the Nestucca River was 10' and less (7.1' and dropping now) or even more when dropping... seriously!  Use heavier salmon and steelhead fishing gear. 

When Three Rivers drops and clears after being high and roily...

Park behind Nestucca Valley Sporting Goods and walk downstream.  I start fishing for Winter Steelhead here on Three Rivers when the Big Nestucca River is running about 6.5' - 7' and less while dropping.  Or... fish in the S-curves down below Cedar Creek Hatchery alongside the road. 

The upper river is lined with private property until you hit Castle Rock Park.  You can get out there and walk upstream (or down).  Check with Cedar Creek Hatchery first to find out if they're letting fish up past their electric weir.

River Conditions

Cedar Creek Hatchery down to Mouth of Three Rivers:

Three Rivers Hatchery should fish fine today using your Cedar Creek Hatchery high-water (and "not-so-high") techniques.  Downstream all the way to the mouth of Three Rivers below our Hebo Bait Shop should be good to go.

When I drove over the Hebo bridge earlier this Winter Steelhead season I looked downstream and saw "my rock" starting to show.  This is my lower Three Rivers "thumbs-up" guage.  It got covered again but is beginning to show now  :-)

Castle Rock Park: 

Monday morning it was picture perfect... it'll be leaning on the lower side today.

Stop in for a warm meal from our Hebo deli and share pictures of your Three Rivers Winter Steelhead!

Fishing above Cedar Creek Fish Hatchery:

The water conditions are fine today... up high at Castle Rock Park might seem a little low.

When conditions are favorable... start up high on Tillamook County's Three Rivers and work your way down to Cedar Creek Hatchery and below as noted above.  Stay in touch with the Hebo Weather Forecast.  

Three Rivers is open (above the Cedar Creek fish hatchery weir) all year for hatchery steelhead and open for Fall Chinook Aug 1 - Dec 31.  I'm pretty sure there is no fishing deadline above Three Rivers Hatchery.  Check here.

A "Happy New Year" chrome Nestucca River System Winter Steelhead...

I believe this was nailed on Three Rivers... not sure

I believe this was nailed on Three Rivers... not sure

Rigging

Salmon and steelhead:

Bobber and drift fishing for salmon and steelhead...

...including hardware and flies... it's all good.  Save your hardware for clear water conditions although... it's still productive when Three Rivers is off-color. 

We carry all of that stuff here at Nestucca Valley Sporting Goods.  Check out our Color Tip above.

Swing, strip and drift you flies.  Same with spinners although...

Fishing blades slowly retrieved cross-current should be the method used (most) frequently when fishing Hebo area Three Rivers with spinners.

Neskowin Creek

Freshwater

Tip

Neskowin Creek does have a run of wild salmon and Winter steelhead.  I'm not sure about the numbers.  There's a lot of bank access up there.  I know a gal who lets the Game Comission use her river-front property to monitor Neskowin Creek wild salmon and Winter Steelhead returns.  Click here to find more information. 

No floating crafts allowed.

I'll check in with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to learn more about the Neskowin Creek wild fish populations survey when I have more time  :-)

Rigging

Neskowin Creek offers a diversity of water types.  Lure, bobber, drift and fly fishing can all be enjoyed!

Conditions

Fish above 101 Bridge if the Big Nestucca River Level drops to 8' (7.3' today).  Use this as a guage.  Do you want to fish below the bridge?  Always wait a day afterwards if Neskowin Creek fishery is dropping.

Today Lincoln County Neskowin Creek should be fishable above Hwy 101 bridge and below.  It will be fairly low and clear above the bridge.

Tidewater

You can fish the Neskowin Creek "tidewater" area as well when the river conditions are good.  We used to fish it from the south side before those houses were built and...

...along the hi-way before all the trees grew up out of the rip-rap.

Actually... this is not really tidewater when Neskowin Creek is running low along with low tides.  But, when the creek is high, the ocean is roily and the tide is high... it'll push up into this area creating a "Neskowin Creek Tidewater."

Give it a shot during these low water Neskowin Creek conditions.

We're Growing!

Flies?  Yes!  As our Hebo rivers website grows... we'll really dig into fly fishing for steelhead and salmon as well as other topics...

We'll also start building content pages about bait, bobber and lure, etc., fishing in the future!  Many other topics will be included (as per your request).  Get involved... don't be shy and let us know what type of content you would like to see on our Nestucca Valley Sporting Goods/Deli Website. 

Additionally...

You can chime in with your advice/experiences, etc.  We'll use it as a content page for our Hebo Sporting Goods and Deli Website (if you don't mind the whole world seeing it).  You can include your photos as well.  Here's our first one!

Need Bait?  Click Here. 

If you forgot your lunch... we've got you covered including clam chowder or tomato bisque soup!

We'll Start Covering Your Favorite Tillamook Chinook and Steelhead Rivers as well...

...including bottom fishing, crabbing, camping, hiking, food, etc...

Anything related to Our Hebo Deli Food and Sporting Goods Store/Website!

Speaking of... I've fished the Kilchis River all throughout December in the past for Fall Chinook.

It will be fishable before the other Tillamook River System Chinook streams.  Using the Wilson River as a guage, I knew exactly when it was good to go but can't recall.  Sorry.  I'll figure this out for you for future use (I'm not going to just "Google it").

Coming:  Table of Contents for Quick, Easy Access!

We'll build a Table of Contents at the top if this Nestucca Valley Sporting Goods/Deli Blog Page because at times it gets too long and...

...As we remove and replace content... it'll get moved to another "Back Issue" Hebo Bait Shop Blog Page... full of Nestucca Valley Sporting Goods and Deli past news and tips.

We're really busy building our online and offline business right now.  It might be a while before we cover a greater area of Tillamook outdoor/fishing news updates.  Let us know what you expect here.

Let's hear from you... share your story here!