Skip to main content

A Guide to Winter Fishing on the Oregon Coast




When it comes to finding the perfect winter fishing destination, the Oregon Coast won't leave anglers disappointed. The mild weather coupled with an abundance of fishing locations and fish make Oregon's coastline a perfect place for winter fishing adventures.

What's the Weather like on the Oregon Coast in Winter?

The average temperatures in the winter on the Oregon Coast are around: high 51° F and low 42° F. Other weather factors include high wind gusts up to 80 mph and the bulk of the annual rainfall of 75" coming down from October to May.

Basically, the wintertime weather on the Oregon Coast is rugged enough to filter out the fair weather visitors, yet mild enough to welcome anglers looking for some of the best fishing in the world without the crowds.

Types of Fish to Catch and Where

Weather is mostly a secondary consideration for anglers visiting the Oregon Coast; their first consideration focuses on the types of fish there are to catch. In this regard, winter fishing in Oregon has much to offer.

Here are the main types of fish anglers will find on the Oregon Coast throughout the year:

  • Winter Steelhead
  • Summer Steelhead
  • Fall and spring Chinook salmon
  • Coho salmon
  • King salmon
  • Trout
  • Sturgeon
  • Striped bass
  • Searun Cutthroat
  • Pacific Halibut
  • Tuna
  • Lingcod

During the winter (December through February) on the Oregon Coast, the main attraction for anglers is the winter steelhead. According to Tillamook Coast Oregon:

"The winter steelhead run starts around Thanksgiving on the North Coast, and is at its peak by mid-winter. Winter steelhead continue to run into early spring, when summer steelhead start arriving to take their place."

Winter steelhead fishing spots are located from the top of Oregon's coast to the bottom; from the Columbia River to Brookings, winter steelhead runs offer anglers plenty of places to throw in their lines.

Winter steelhead are an exciting catch because of their size and how hard they fight, at least according to an article found on Travel Oregon called: "Winter Fishing on the Southern Oregon Coast", written by Eileen Garvin, which explains:

"Winter-run steelhead are the main attraction because of their size and extremely hard fight. They average 8 to 12 pounds, but fish as big as 20 pounds are caught each year. King salmon season runs through December, and they can sometimes top 50 pounds."

One of the best locations along the Oregon Coast for fishing, in general, is Tillamook Bay, which is the second largest bay in Oregon to Coos Bay. The Tillamook Bay area also boasts of having five rivers, two bays, six lakes, and an ocean in its vicinity.

The Tillamook coast is a destination within a destination when it comes to winter fishing on the Oregon Coast. Winter steelhead can be fished from the bays or the major rivers flowing into Tillamook Bay, including:

  • Kilchis River
  • Tillamook River
  • Miami River
  • Wilson River
  • Trask River

Winter steelhead may be the main attraction when it comes to fishing on the Oregon Coast during the winter months, yet there could very well be some Chinook salmon left over from the Fall, or some white sturgeon to be found in places like the Columbia River or Tillamook Bay.

There are also many lakes along the Oregon Coast with rainbow trout and largemouth bass, such as Tahkenitch Lake (just north of Umpqua River), Siltcoos Lake (south of Florence), Lake Lytle (Tillamook area), and more.

cc from flickr.com

Fishing Trip Options

There are many options available when it comes to fishing on the Oregon Coast during the winter. These include:

  • Types of fish trying to catch
  • Types of waterways to fish
  • Types of fishing equipment to use
  • Types of fishing locations and techniques
  • Geographical areas to focus on
  • Solo, group, and/or fishing guide trip
  • Basecamp location

Basically, there are many options available for visitors or residents when it comes to the type of fishing trip they want or need. Beginners may want to hire a fishing guide or charter to learn the ropes; they can ride in a boat with a local guide and learn how to fish, where to fish, when to fish, etc.

Even if an angler was experienced, they may want to hire a fishing guide to learn more about a local area and have the chance to fish from a boat down a river or out in the Pacific Ocean.

Then, there are the types of fishing techniques to use, such as: fly fishing, trolling, shore fishing, drift boat fishing, dock fishing, etc.

Whether or not anglers are bringing a boat, family, fishing buddy, or any experience, they'll find the Oregon Coast provides plenty of options when it comes to planning a fishing trip. And, for anglers willing to endure the mild winter, the Oregon Coast offers world-class fishing without the crowds.

Columbia River Gorge cc from commons.wikimedia.org



Waterways and Fishing Destinations

Along the 361 miles of Oregon's beautiful coastline, there are many well-known and not so well-known fishing hot spots. Here are the well-known rivers to note (from north to south), according to Romantic Oregon Coast Vacations and Best Fishing in America:

  • Columbia River
  • Alsea River
  • Tillamook area rivers (noted above)
  • Nestucca River
  • Nehalem River
  • Siuslaw River
  • Umpqua River
  • Siletz River
  • Coquille River
  • Rogue River
  • Coos Bay
  • Chetco River
  • Sixes River
  • Elks River

Some of these rivers are stocked with fish from hatcheries; all of these are where anglers can find steelhead and Chinook salmon during their respective seasons.

These rivers are evenly spread out along the Oregon Coast, giving anglers many choices when it comes to fishing in the winter. And, while fishing the entire Oregon coastline in one season might be too ambitious, a more reasonable plan would be to choose a certain section to visit each year.

Tillamook Bay cc from flickr.com


Tillamook Bay Area

One of the best locations for fishing along the Oregon Coast is the Tillamook Bay Area; as we touched on before, this area has five salmon and steelhead producing rivers flowing into the Tillamook Bay. The Wilson River is likely the most well-known of the five, yet these main rivers are only part of the total waterways in the area.

According to an article found on Best Fishing in America called: "Fishing Near Tillamook, Pacific City and Rockaway", here are some other fishing spots to check out in this specific area:

  • Battle Lake
  • Cape Meares Lake
  • Hebo Lake
  • Loren's Pond
  • Nehalem Bay
  • Nehalem River
  • Netarts Bay
  • Smith Lake
  • Spring Lake
  • Tahoe Lake
  • Three Rivers

This extended list of fishing holes to visit in the Tillamook Bay area is an example of how rich Oregon's coast is with natural rivers, lakes, and bays. Whether anglers are trying to find a secret spot to catch the big one or take their chances in a well-known hot spot, they'll find all the opportunity they need in the Tillamook Bay area to fish during the winter.

The Tillamook Bay area also has many great places for anglers to stay during their winter trip; staying in a beach house (where a boat can be parked) while being close-by these fishing hot spots will make everything easier and more enjoyable.

View from Oregon beach house cc from flickr.com


Winter Fishing in Oregon

In the Travel Oregon article mentioned earlier, fishing guide Andy Martin explains what makes winter fishing in Oregon special:

"Oregon's best river fishing takes place in the winter. It's the best time of year to catch trophy-size salmon and steelhead. The Coast also has mild weather in the winter, so even though it's wet, it's often much warmer than other areas of the state."

That sums up what winter fishing on the Oregon Coast is all about. Truly, it offers anglers a fishing destination to remember, especially, in the wintertime when the crowds are gone and the winter steelhead start to run.

Comments

  1. You have worked nicely with your insights that makes our work easy.Top Fishing Guides The information you have provided is really factual and significant for us. Keep sharing these types of article, Thank you.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

HubPages vs. Vocal

Gaining Context I opened my account at Vocal around two years ago when I published my first article. It was a syndicated article from my golf blog, which surprisingly has done better than all other articles since. Around three months ago, I decided to give Vocal a real chance with a renewed effort and by becoming a Vocal Plus member. They enticed me with half off a year’s membership ($50 for a year, usually it is $99 annually or $10/month). Since this renewed effort, I have published nine articles; six were written originally at Vocal (four were for Vocal Challenges), and the other 3 were syndicated from elsewhere. The plan for Vocal was to publish my creative writing there originally, which meant I had to switch from HubPages where these were published originally before. The distracting ads and lackluster RPM helped make this decision, although I’ve been writing on HP for over a decade. After three months of “working” Vocal, I’ve realized it isn’t worth paying the $10/month. I’ll expl

Views are Like Customers to Writers

Writing online entails considering how many impressions, views, visitors/reads, comments, shares, and reactions each article gets. These digital assets symbolize the money made from each article. How many views did that article get — that poem, story, blog post, picture, art piece? The number will determine how much money the article made. While most writers appreciate even one single read, this doesn’t pay much. On the high end, this might bring .02 cents. Usually, around half a cent, or $5 RMP. Different Writing Platforms and Efforts At Medium views don’t turn into a specific amount of money, rather they are merely an indication of possible money — reads are more important at Medium, as they correlate closely with any money made. Each read at Medium this month made me around that .02 cent mark! The reads at Medium might not be from members, so may not make us money. Still, on average, both views and reads equal a certain estimated amount for each Medium writer. At Vocal, they make it

New Book Release: Staying Optimistic While Being Realistic

  My 9th book has been published called Staying Optimistic While Being Realistic . It is a collection of 13 society articles from the perspective of a Protestant Christian, middle-aged, married, Oregonian man from Dec. 2022 until Nov. 2023. Essentially, this book is a social analysis of 2023 American culture, society, politics, and Christian faith. With an added introduction and 13 color photos, this book is 80 pages in print and around the same as an eBook. The main theme is society, specifically American society, yet drawing on the general term as a way to explore the complexities and challenges of people in terms of finding the truth of themselves and the reality around them beyond the periphery. I have a B.S. in Human Services, so this is part of my service to fellow humans. Making it easier to digest my writing efforts in hopes readers will find valuable inspiration inside that will direct their course with more stability, reason, peace, and faith in a loving God. Eventually, wit

NewsBreak vs. Medium/30-day Comparison

February was the first month for me being monetized at NewsBreak and the second month for Medium. The results are in and they are drastically different. In this article, I’ll share the details and some thoughts about them. To make this easier with how both of these writing sites show stats, let’s compare the stats from Feb. 4 to March 4, or the last 30 days. NewsBreak Articles: 20 Views: 60k Likes: 1,104 Money made: $440 Medium Articles: 14 Views: 1,734 Claps: 124 Money made: $10.75 ----------------- Although my Medium account goes back to August 2018, I’ve only started seriously writing there since early Dec. 2022 (three months ago). I started writing at NewsBreak in late Dec. 2022. Here are some stats on my overall efforts at these platforms: NewsBreak Followers: 803 Articles: 44 Medium Followers: 417 Articles: 69 -------------- While I’m grateful for any money made on both platforms, the difference is fairly drastic. NewsBreak is a place where you can actually make decent money for