Nestucca River Fishing Guide

Pacific Drifter Guide Service: The Best Nestucca River Fishing Guide Around the Pacific Northwest

When searching for a premier Nestucca River fishing guide, Pacific Drifter Guide Service is your top choice. I spend countless days on the Nestucca River, particularly during the winter steelhead season. This stunning, scenic coastal river is located just a two-hour drive from Portland, Oregon, making it an ideal destination for anglers. The Nestucca holds special significance for me, as it’s where I caught my first winter steelhead. Over the years, I’ve spent extensive time drifting and exploring the river, gaining an intimate knowledge of its waters.

The Nestucca is renowned as one of Oregon’s top winter steelhead rivers, with impressive runs of both fall and spring salmon. You can trust that, when it comes to fishing the Nestucca, I will ensure you and your group are perfectly positioned to target fresh, hard-fighting ocean-run fish.

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Best Catches of the Nestucca River

Chinook Salmon

When it comes to Nestucca River salmon fishing, there are abundant opportunities to catch some incredible fish. The fall salmon run begins in September and runs through December, followed by the spring salmon run, which starts in May and continues through September.

Both the fall and spring salmon runs offer exciting fishing prospects throughout the Nestucca River system. We can target salmon in Nestucca Bay near the ocean, in the tidewater below Cloverdale, Oregon, and all the way up the river to the first bridge near Beaver, Oregon. For the spring salmon run, we can fish above the first bridge as well.

The fall and spring salmon runs on the Nestucca are exceptional. From trolling in the bay and tidewater to fishing with plugs, casting rods with spinners, bobbers, bait, or twitching jigs, there’s no shortage of methods to target these fish. If you're looking for thrilling fishing opportunities in a stunning coastal setting, with heart-pounding battles and reels screaming, I can get you on the fish. I take great pride in preparing for every guided fishing charter, ensuring a meticulously planned experience that will make your day on the water unforgettable.

The Nestucca River is home to both hatchery and native-run spring and fall Chinook salmon. The hatchery produces 230,000 spring Chinook smolts and 105,000 fall Chinook smolts each year, ensuring a healthy population for each season and run. With a particularly abundant fall run of native salmon, the Nestucca offers a fantastic fishery for any angler.

Coho Salmon

Coho salmon fishing on the Nestucca River has some fantastic opportunities. From September through December, coho salmon begin entering the system alongside the fall Chinook salmon.

As with the fall Chinook season, we will target coho in Nestucca Bay near the ocean, in the tidewater below Cloverdale, Oregon, and up the river to the first bridge near Beaver, Oregon.

The Nestucca River boasts a very healthy run of wild coho, which complements the fall Chinook salmon that are in the system during the same time. The increasing numbers of wild coho returning yearly provide excellent fishing opportunities throughout the fall season. Coho are known for their erratic movements, rolling and flipping under the water, making for thrilling, intense battles when you hook a fresh, ocean-run fish.

We will primarily use the same techniques as we do for fall Chinook to target Coho, including trolling in the bay and tidewater or fishing with plugs, casting rods with spinners, bobbers, bait, or twitching jigs. Personally, twitching for coho is my favorite method. There’s nothing more exciting than using a twitching jig to entice a wild coho to bite and then watching it explode from the water and rip your line across the river. With the best gear and bait at your disposal, I’ll ensure your rods are bent with these hard-fighting fish.

Coho Salmon

Coho salmon fishing on the Nestucca River has some fantastic opportunities. From September through December, coho salmon begin entering the system alongside the fall Chinook salmon.

As with the fall Chinook season, we will target coho in Nestucca Bay near the ocean, in the tidewater below Cloverdale, Oregon, and up the river to the first bridge near Beaver, Oregon.

Steelhead

Nestucca River steelhead fishing offers a unique and exceptional experience with both winter and summer-run steelhead. The winter run begins in late December and extends into the beginning of April, while the summer run starts in late April and runs through December, ensuring there are steelhead in the system year-round.

We will be targeting steelhead from Blaine, Oregon, down to Cloverdale, Oregon, covering some of the river’s prime fishing areas.

As one of Oregon's top winter steelhead rivers, the Nestucca stands out as a premier destination. Imagine fishing in a lush, rainforest-covered river near the ocean, with waters flowing down from the coastal mountains. The Nestucca is one of my go-to rivers for winter steelhead, and if you’re excited by the prospect of hooking into a high-jumping, chrome-fresh steelhead adorned with sea lice, this river is the perfect place for you. Fortunately, I know the Nestucca intimately and will guide you safely, pointing out every snag and rock to ensure your gear stays in the strike zone for the best chance to connect with these beautiful ocean-run fish.

The Nestucca River is home to both native and hatchery-run winter steelhead. The hatchery produces 140,000 winter steelhead smolts and 50,000 summer steelhead smolts each year. With steelhead available in the system year-round, the Nestucca is a top destination for anglers seeking the steelhead of their dreams. With my years of experience on this river, I can confidently put you on the fish and deliver the memorable fishing experience you're looking for.

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A Look Into What It Is Like Fishing on the Nestucca River With Pacific Drifter Guide Service

See What Past Clients Are Saying About Their Experience Fishing with Pacific Drifter on the Nestucca River

“Jordan is great guide, professional and worked really hard to make our day a memorable one.I can’t say enough about what a great day we had with Jordan as our guide!!”

– Eric H

“Went out with Jordan the other day and he made my first experience on a drift boat a day of fishing I will never forget. He goes above and beyond to make sure his clients have the best opportunity possible to get on a fish. Definitely recommend!”

- Kyle S.

“Jordan is legit. He is a true pro. He got us ON the late run winter steelhead. After having a “slow day” with another client that saw only two fish (which I would’ve been happy with) he called me to see if we wanted to pivot to a more challenging river on his raft, with better chances. Uh, adventure?! Yes please! When I go for another NW Oregon charter it will be with Jordan.”

– Gavin R.

“Jordan is a great guide and person. Authentic, caring, and enthusiastic. He knows the river very well and is a patient teacher. I appreciate his expertise and the way he treats clients with respect. Never had a guide with more passion about seeing other people catch fish and be successful. I would recommend him to anyone who wants to learn about steelhead fishing and become a better angler! Truly an unforgettable experience for a Midwesterner like myself.”

– Jacon G.

“I have hired Jordan twice and highly recommend him. He’s a hard working guide and seems to have a pretty good network with other guides and works hard to get fish in the boat. Both trips were a grind and he stuck it out with us beyond what we paid for , bad weather didn’t matter to get us fish. Dude is not scared to work for it. I will use Pacific Drifter Guide Service again.”

– Ken H.

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Nestucca River Fishing FAQs

Are There Any Restrictions on Catch Limits or Size Limits for the Fish Species We’re Targeting on the Nestucca River?

There are no size limit restrictions. During the winter and summer steelhead seasons, we are allowed to keep two hatchery steelhead per day; no native steelhead is allowed to be kept.

During the fall salmon season, the regulations are set at the beginning of the season. But in general, we are allowed to keep one Chinook, either native or hatchery-born, per day. And all coho have to be hatchery fish.

During the spring salmon run, we are called to keep two hatchery salmon per day. There is no harvest of native salmon during the spring season.

Are Nestucca River Fishing Charters family-friendly, and do you offer any accommodations for kids or beginners?

Do You Provide Photography or Video Services?

Do You Provide Equipment, or Can I Bring My Own Pole?

What Is Your Cancellation/Rescheduling Policy in Case of Bad Weather or Unforeseen Circumstances?

Are You Ready for Your Nestucca River Fishing Adventure? Book Here!

BOOKING REQUEST FORM:

BOOKING DEPOSIT:

A $55 per person non-refundable deposit is required to secure your reservation.

Deposits are non-refundable if canceled within 14 days of the trip.

Guide Services

Winter Steelhead
Spring Chinook Salmon
Summer Chinook Salmon
Fall Chinook & Coho Salmon
Sturgeon

Nestucca River Fishing Guide

Pacific Drifter Guide Service: The Best Nestucca River Fishing Guide Around the Pacific Northwest

Best Catches of the Nestucca River

Chinook Salmon

Coho Salmon

Coho Salmon

Steelhead

A Look Into What It Is Like Fishing on the Nestucca River With Pacific Drifter Guide Service

See What Past Clients Are Saying About Their Experience Fishing with Pacific Drifter on the Nestucca River

Nestucca River Fishing FAQs

Are You Ready for Your Nestucca River Fishing Adventure? Book Here!

BOOKING REQUEST FORM:

BOOKING DEPOSIT:

Guide Services

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