There are hatchery summer steelhead throughout the system and there are some fish getting caught. Drift fishing, casting lures, float fishing beads or jigs, and flies are all effective techniques. An early winter steelhead could show up any time now, although rain is needed to get fresh fish moving.

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 Nestucca is closed to Chinook fishing upstream of the Woods Bridge. Downstream of the Woods Bridge 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. Three Rivers is also closed to fall Chinook fishing.

Coho salmon will be showing up in the Nestucca later this month. Anglers are reminded that there is NO RETENTION of wild coho in the Nestucca River this year; only adipose fin-clipped coho may be retained. There is not a hatchery coho run on the Nestucca, but the occasional stray is caught.