Winter steelhead fishing has been fair on the Alsea. A good number of fish showed up at the Alsea hatchery trap after the recent rains. The numbers of later returning right maxillary clipped fish should increase with each rain event for the rest of January through the month of March. Cold weather, low flows, and clear water has slowed down the fishing this week but the next weather system hitting on Thursday should warms things up and get more fishing heading upstream to the hatchery located on the NF Alsea.
The Alsea still gets a good amount of the early returning stock that peaks in December and January, as well as a later stock that peaks in February and March. Expect more fish to show up with each rise in the river level from now through April. Bobber fishing with jigs/bait, drift fishing, and casting lures are all effective ways to catch these hard fighting fish.
Trout fishing in streams will reopen May 22, 2019.