Spring Chinook fishing is slow on the Nestucca, but there are a few fish being caught. The estuary and the lower river below Three Rivers is going to have the majority of the fish right now. A little rain early this week rose the river only a tenth of a foot, but hopefully it was enough to bring in some fresh fish and maybe push a few that had been holding into the river.

Summer steelhead should start showing up this month, but numbers are low this early and we haven’t heard any reports yet. The upper river re-opens to cutthroat trout and steelhead fishing on Saturday, May 22. There probably aren’t many steelhead up there, but there should be some cutthroat around.

Three Rivers is still very low and clear. Fishing is slow, but a few spring Chinook have made it up to the hatchery weir, meaning there is a chance in the river below. Anglers are reminded that Anti-Snagging Gear Restrictions are in place on Three Rivers from May 1 to July 15. The Anti-Snagging Gear Restriction rules are on Page 18 of the Sport Fishing Regulation book.

Hatchery spring Chinook should be returning to the Little Nestucca River as well, but we still haven’t received any reports of fish caught thus far. And none were observed while on site last week. There are new angling deadline signs (ODFW markers) at Upton Falls and Stella Falls