Oregon

Nehalem River

Oregon·Oregon Coast·45.73° N, 123.75° W

Steelhead & salmon

Run	Months	Peak	Now
Fall Chinook	Sep–Nov	Oct	Peak
Coho	Oct–Nov	–	In
Winter steelhead	Nov–Apr	Feb–Mar	From Nov

Run timing is a guide, and seasons, closures and limits change. Check the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife — Northwest Zone before you fish.

Solunar · next 7 days

About Nehalem River

The Nehalem is the big river of the north coast, rising in the Coast Range near Vernonia and running a long way through timber country before it turns west to Nehalem Bay. It fishes as two rivers. The main stem is a wild winter-steelhead river, catch-and-release, best from February into early April, when fresh fish push past Nehalem Falls. The North Fork, which joins near tidewater, has the Nehalem Hatchery and an early hatchery run from late November through January, so it is the place to keep a fish.

The main drift runs from the Beaver Slide below Nehalem Falls, past the Foss gauge, to Roy Creek County Park. It is gentle water once you are on it, a good river for a new rower, but the Beaver Slide launch is a long, steep rope-down onto jagged rock. Above the falls the river runs through a bedrock canyon with a small falls below Spruce Run, so the upper river is walk-in water from the Nehalem Highway and Foss Road. Fall Chinook come in with the first big rains, and coho seasons are set by ODFW each year.

Read the flows at the Foss gauge, which sits above the North Fork mouth. The Nehalem is big and often high in winter. As a rough guide, set from the gauge's seasons, it fishes from about 1,000 to 3,500 CFS, and past about 7,000 it is high and brown. It is slower to clear than the Wilson and Trask, so after a storm fish the smaller Tillamook rivers first and come back to the Nehalem on the drop.

Species

Winter Steelhead
Primary (wild main stem, hatchery North Fork) · Dec-Apr (North Fork Dec-Jan, main stem Feb-Mar) · 6-15 lb
Hatchery fish return to the North Fork's Nehalem Hatchery from late November. The main stem is wild-fish water, catch-and-release, best February into early April.
Chinook Salmon (fall run)
Common · Sep-Nov · 15-40 lb
Fall Chinook push in with the first big rains. Closed to salmon above the Highway 26 bridge at Elsie.
Coho Salmon
Present · Oct-Nov · 6-12 lb
Coho seasons are set by ODFW each year. Check before keeping one.
Coastal Cutthroat Trout
Common · Jul-Oct · 8-16"
Sea-run cutthroat in the lower river in late summer. Flies and lures only above tidewater through August 31.

Species	Abundance	Best Season	Size
Winter Steelhead	Primary (wild main stem, hatchery North Fork)	Dec-Apr (North Fork Dec-Jan, main stem Feb-Mar)	6-15 lb
Chinook Salmon (fall run)	Common	Sep-Nov	15-40 lb
Coho Salmon	Present	Oct-Nov	6-12 lb
Coastal Cutthroat Trout	Common	Jul-Oct	8-16"

Sections

4 reaches

Jewell to Spruce Run

WadeSteelhead · Salmon

The upper main stem below Jewell, where the Nehalem Highway follows the river through timber country. Smaller water fished from the bank and pullouts, with wild winter steelhead late in the season. Closed to salmon above the Highway 26 bridge at Elsie.

Best for: Wild winter steelhead from the bank in February and March, catch-and-release.

Spruce Run to Nehalem Falls

WadeSteelhead

The canyon section above the falls, with bedrock ledges and a small falls below Spruce Run that make it no place for a drift boat. Walk-in water off the Nehalem Highway and Foss Road, where wild winter steelhead rest in the slots and tailouts.

Best for: Wild winter steelhead on foot, away from the boats.

North Fork Nehalem — hatchery to tidewater

Wade & FloatSteelhead · Salmon

The North Fork below the Nehalem Hatchery off Highway 53, the early-season hatchery steelhead fishery. Bank access near the hatchery and on forest land, and a barrier-free platform at the hatchery. Bedrock rapids make it a float for experienced rowers only. Hatchery winter steelhead from late November through January, and coho in the fall.

Best for: Hatchery winter steelhead in December and January, from the bank near the hatchery.

Nehalem Falls to Roy Creek

FloatSteelhead · Salmon

The main drift, from the Beaver Slide below Nehalem Falls, past the Foss gauge, to Roy Creek County Park. A manageable float for a new rower once you are in, but the Beaver Slide launch is a long rope-down onto jagged rock. Wild winter steelhead from February into April, and fall Chinook from the late-summer rains.

Best for: Wild winter steelhead on the swing, and fall Chinook salmon. The river's easiest float.

At a glance

Ideal wading flow: 1,000–3,500 cfs
Blow-out: >7,000 cfs
Ideal water temp: 40–52°F

Best seasons

December and January on the North Fork for hatchery steelhead; February into early April on the main stem for wild fish. September through November for fall Chinook. Read the Foss gauge: as a rough guide about 1,000 to 3,500 CFS, and past about 7,000 it is high and brown. It clears slower than the Wilson and Trask.

Regulations

The Nehalem follows ODFW's Northwest Zone rules. Hatchery steelhead are open all year; wild steelhead must be released. Above tidewater, angling is limited to flies and lures from May 22 through August 31. Salmon seasons vary by reach and are adjusted in season, so check ODFW before a trip.

Main stem to the Foss Road bridge: open all year for hatchery steelhead; Chinook open January 1 through September 15 and September 16 through December 31 under their own limits
Main stem above the Highway 26 bridge at Elsie: closed all year to salmon
North Fork: open all year for hatchery steelhead; Chinook open January 1 through September 15, and 1 wild Chinook per day may be kept
Zone-wide: in the aggregate, 2 adult salmon or steelhead per day and 20 per year; 5 jack salmon per day
Above tidewater, angling for all species is restricted to artificial flies and lures May 22 through August 31
Release wild (unclipped) steelhead; only adipose-clipped hatchery steelhead may be kept
Oregon angling license and a Combined Angling Harvest Tag to keep salmon or steelhead

Coastal salmon and steelhead seasons are adjusted in season by ODFW. The 2026-27 Northwest Zone rules are the source here.

Source: Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife — Northwest Zone. Regulations change annually. Verify before fishing.

Getting there

Nehalem, OR

~1.5-2 hrs from Portland via Hwy 26 and Hwy 53

Fly shops

Northwest Fly Fishing OutfittersPortland

Camping: Nehalem Falls Campground sits on the river at the falls off Foss Road. Spruce Run County Park is upstream. Nehalem, Wheeler and Manzanita have lodging and food near the mouth.

Foss Road follows the lower main stem to the Beaver Slide below Nehalem Falls; bring at least 150 feet of rope to launch there. Roy Creek County Park is the lower take-out. The North Fork is reached from Highway 53, with bank access near the hatchery. Much of the upper river is industrial forest land; respect closures.

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Run

Months

Peak

Now

Fall Chinook

Sep–Nov

Oct

Peak

Coho

Oct–Nov

–

Winter steelhead

Nov–Apr

Feb–Mar

From Nov

About Nehalem River

Species

Winter Steelhead

Primary (wild main stem, hatchery North Fork) · Dec-Apr (North Fork Dec-Jan, main stem Feb-Mar) · 6-15 lb

Hatchery fish return to the North Fork's Nehalem Hatchery from late November. The main stem is wild-fish water, catch-and-release, best February into early April.

Chinook Salmon (fall run)

Common · Sep-Nov · 15-40 lb

Fall Chinook push in with the first big rains. Closed to salmon above the Highway 26 bridge at Elsie.

Coho Salmon

Present · Oct-Nov · 6-12 lb

Coho seasons are set by ODFW each year. Check before keeping one.

Coastal Cutthroat Trout

Common · Jul-Oct · 8-16"

Sea-run cutthroat in the lower river in late summer. Flies and lures only above tidewater through August 31.

Species	Abundance	Best Season	Size
Winter Steelhead	Primary (wild main stem, hatchery North Fork)	Dec-Apr (North Fork Dec-Jan, main stem Feb-Mar)	6-15 lb
Chinook Salmon (fall run)	Common	Sep-Nov	15-40 lb
Coho Salmon	Present	Oct-Nov	6-12 lb
Coastal Cutthroat Trout	Common	Jul-Oct	8-16"

At a glance

Ideal wading flow

1,000–3,500 cfs

Blow-out

>7,000 cfs

Ideal water temp

40–52°F

Best seasons

Regulations

Main stem to the Foss Road bridge: open all year for hatchery steelhead; Chinook open January 1 through September 15 and September 16 through December 31 under their own limits
Main stem above the Highway 26 bridge at Elsie: closed all year to salmon
North Fork: open all year for hatchery steelhead; Chinook open January 1 through September 15, and 1 wild Chinook per day may be kept
Zone-wide: in the aggregate, 2 adult salmon or steelhead per day and 20 per year; 5 jack salmon per day
Above tidewater, angling for all species is restricted to artificial flies and lures May 22 through August 31
Release wild (unclipped) steelhead; only adipose-clipped hatchery steelhead may be kept
Oregon angling license and a Combined Angling Harvest Tag to keep salmon or steelhead

Coastal salmon and steelhead seasons are adjusted in season by ODFW. The 2026-27 Northwest Zone rules are the source here.

Source: Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife — Northwest Zone. Regulations change annually. Verify before fishing.

Getting there

Nehalem, OR

~1.5-2 hrs from Portland via Hwy 26 and Hwy 53

Camping: Nehalem Falls Campground sits on the river at the falls off Foss Road. Spruce Run County Park is upstream. Nehalem, Wheeler and Manzanita have lodging and food near the mouth.

Nehalem River

Steelhead & salmon

About Nehalem River

Species