Hatchery summer steelhead are available throughout the system and there are some fish getting caught. The recent rains should have these fish getting active and, on the bite, and even though they’ve been in the river all summer, many of these fish are still in good shape. Drift fishing, casting lures, float fishing beads or jigs, and flies are all effective techniques.

Due to a poor return of Chinook salmon, and conservation concerns about meeting spawning escapement goals, emergency regulation changes took effect for coastal rivers in the NW Zone on Nov. 1, 2018. As a result the Wilson River is closed to fall Chinook fishing upstream of the yellow ODFW sign posted near Makinster Road at River Mile 1.1 (in tidewater). Below the deadline the bag limit for fall Chinook is reduced to one adult Chinook per day and a limit of 3 from Nov. 1 through the remainder of the season.