[Paul Norton]

I'm going to be on the Oregon coast later this week, and I've got most of a day free so I'm taking some fishing gear with me. (Both an 8wt and a 5wt.)

I've been looking at some maps, pouring over some old posts here, doing some searches... and yet somehow, my plan is not complete. I still have some questions:

1) Are there any fly shops out on the coast between Astoria and Tillamook?
2) Would wading in the Nehalem river be a reasonable idea this time of year? (vs. being a suicidal idea.)


Thanks!

 

[Jacob Mitchell]

2) Would wading in the Nehalem river be a reasonable idea this time of year? (vs. being a suicidal idea.)

I have never fished it this time of year but even if the main stem was too swift you could always go fish the north fork for cutties....

 

[sroffe]

Where are you staying? We're camping at Nehalem Bay State Park this weekend.

 

[Porter]

1. Fishing store @ Tillamook across from Fred Meyer.

2. Lower Nehalem is practically unwadeable due to tides/bank access...lots of muck and unless you enjoy stepping in muck and sinking a foot or more...not good.

3. North fork Nehalem has lots of access and is decent fishing. Take the highway that goes to Nehalem Winery, right before Nehalem (heading south). It is a 25-30
minute drive to the hatchery. Park at the hatchery and take the trail. The trail continues along the river and has many access points, you can hike down the river
quite a ways.
http://www.gofishn.com/content/north-fork-nehalem-river-tillamook-county-oregon

4. There are many other rivers in the area and some lakes too.

 

[fheimerd]

Nehalem river has excellent bank access above tidewater. Foss road follows the nehalem up to nehalem falls. Not much bank access here but right after foss crosses the river, 1/4 before nehalem falls, there is a road that cuts back downstream. Pullouts all along the road. With miles and miles of bank access. Water should be low enough to wade across in select areas. Heard the fishing was pretty good on a rainy day not to long ago. Let us know how it went.

 

[Paul Norton]

Awesome. Thanks for the tips! I'll be sure to post some sort of report when we get back.
Oh, and welcome to the board fheimerd.
@sroffe: Twin Rocks/Rockaway area, so pretty close.
@Porter: RE: Other lakes/rivers. Yeah, I can see that there's other options, it's hard to know what's going to work out... but the Nehalem had the right mix of close proximity/probable fishing opportunities that we could start there and if we struck out still go explore a little further.