Montana Fish Report

There are hatchery summer steelhead throughout the system and there are some fish getting caught. Fall can actually be a great time to target summer steelhead, because these fish will get more active as water temperatures drop during the cooler nights and occasional rain freshens the river. Concentrate on deep pools and riffles with some chop and cover to them. Drift fishing small presentations, spinners, and flies are good choices to target these fish.

It’s still early for fall Chinook, but there’s undoubtedly a few fish in the bay. Fall Chinook will start to stack up in the estuary on the Nestucca from now through the first big rains of fall and fishing should improve throughout September. That said, we are expecting a modest run this year. Trolling herring is popular near the mouth, while farther up the estuary bobber fishing bait or casting spinners are popular techniques.

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.

Anglers are reminded that Three Rivers closed to all fishing below the hatchery weir July 16.

Sea-run cutthroat are present in good numbers on the North Coast this year, and anglers will find them throughout the basin. Fishing has been pretty good for sea-runs this year and should remain so well into the fall. Anglers are reminded that the upper Nestucca upstream from Moon Creek at Blaine is restricted to artificial lures and flies.