Current water conditions are low and clear. Steelhead are present and moving through, but may seem a bit more elusive and challenging to entice. When the water was up, plunkers were doing pretty well fishing Spin-n-Glos and boat anglers had also had some success side drifting, fly-fishing, and running plugs. When conditions are ideal, February can be a very crowded month on the river. Spawning ground surveyors have seen fish and redds in all surveyed tributaries, but please remember that fishing in tributaries this time of year is entirely not legal.

ODFW runs an angler-caught broodstock program for winter steelhead on the Chetco. Anglers interested in participating can call the ODFW Gold Beach office at 541-247-7605 for more information. 

Also, ODFW is interested to hear if your hatchery catch has secondary marks/clips.  If your catch is missing an adipose fin, please also check the pelvic/ventral fins (on the bottom/belly) for right or left fin clips and let us know!