• Welcome to Oregon Winter Steelheading!

  images/10_12_Winter_Steelhead/photos/steelhead-native-male_sso.jpg

  This broad shouldered native buck was the first fish to hand in December, 2010. Not a bad way to start the month.

  

• Hang Loose

  images/10_12_Winter_Steelhead/photos/hang_loose_steelhead_sso.jpg

  This little native hen was the second of two fly caught steelhead in two casts. Good times.

  

• Early Morning Coastal Steelhead

  images/10_12_Winter_Steelhead/photos/early-morning-steelhead_sso.jpg

  With daylight sparse this time of year, we try not to miss much of it. This nice hatchery buck came just a few minutes into the fishing day.

  

• Weather... Soggy. Fishing... Good.

  images/10_12_Winter_Steelhead/photos/steelhead-hatchery-hen_sso.jpg

  A little rain on the lens adds some interesting effects to this shot of Jesse and Jason. Another wet day on the water, but the epic fishing makes it all worth it.

  

• More hatchery goodies

  images/10_12_Winter_Steelhead/photos/lower_river_hen_sso.jpg

  A shiny lower river hatchery steelhead, just a couple tides old.

  

• Typical December Hatchery Steelhead

  images/10_12_Winter_Steelhead/photos/chrome_hatchery_hen_sso.jpg

  Chrome hatchery fish throughout the month of December averaged 26"-28" and 6-8 lbs.

  

• All smiles

  images/10_12_Winter_Steelhead/photos/native_hen_dec_sso.jpg

  A shiny little native hen steelhead, just 1 of 15 hooked that day. A good reason to smile, we love steelheading.

  

• New Dime Bright Buck

  images/10_12_Winter_Steelhead/photos/native_december_steelhead_sso.jpg

  Long-time guest Mike, took this beautiful native buck just after Christmas.

  

The weather on the Oregon Coast in December is well... crappy. It rains a lot, snows a little, blows some and can get pretty cold. However, the rewards for braving these conditons can be tremendous. On days we caught the river on the drop, fishing was lights out for hatchery steelhead. The fish weren't huge, about 6-8 lbs, but numbers of fish were excellent. Double digit hookups between two anglers was normal. We also landed a few nice natives here and there. Again, no giant fish but we'll take chrome steelhead in the 6-10 lb range any day of the week.

The river we fished stayed in shape more days than it was blown out and for December, we consider that a success. We had to move a few trips around early in the month due to high water, but during the second half of December, the river stayed fishable. It even got a little on the low side after Christmas, but it kept kicking out coastal chrome.

We are just getting started with the Winter Steelhead season of 2010/2011 and as you can see it looks to be a good one! The big native fish will soon be on their way!!! To arrange a guide trip for Winter 2010-2011 steelhead action, give us a call at 503-515-3533 or email us! We'll be fishing these agressive, acrobatic fish through April.