Fishing the Naselle River for the first time

[bassquatch]

My best friend and I are heading out tomorrow morning for a couple days on the Naselle, neither of us have ever fished this river so we're excited to see new water! It's supposed to get a late Coho run with Chinook, Chum and Steelhead at the same time?! Anyone on here ever fish it? December is supposed to be a good month and they just got a bit of rain, I hope it stirs them up! We'll be below the forks...

[allen]

Good luck!  Let us know.

[WDFW Hates ME!!!]

I have fished this river since oh lets say mid to late 80's. It used to be awesome. Not as good lately. And the run this year has been very crappy. Not much water, not many fish equals crappy fishing.

[3dvapor]

The nasselle is the best keppt secret of southwest washington.  If the fish are in, its like similar to an alaskan experience.  Problem is the river is very hit and miss. The river will be full of fish one day and empty the next.  Start below the hatchery and work down.  Pontoons work the best.   Also try the grays, only a few minutes away.

[BigGoonTuna]

i always cringe a little when i see those rivers mentioned on the internet.  not a whole lot of access and most of it is from nice private land owners that might change their tune when hordes of report chasers descend on the river.

[bassquatch]

i always cringe a little when i see those rivers mentioned on the internet.  not a whole lot of access and most of it is from nice private land owners that might change their tune when hordes of report chasers descend on the river.

Well my buddy read about it in a 3 page write up in Salmon Steelhead Magazine 

I would say that the river itself might keep many of your typical steelheaders away, it's small, gin clear water and I read about guys using as light as 6lb test to fish it or not getting bit! The bank access isn't amazing by any means and the whole thing makes me think FLY FISHING!! Cool little river but with the Wynoochee, Satsop, and the Grays among others nearby there are plenty of more typical options in the area and some dang good fisheries to boot!

We caught nothing. Saw lots of elk so that was cool. We doubled backed and fished the Satsop one day but there wasn't much doing there either. We are going to try the area again in January, let the steelhead get in there a little thicker 

[WDFW Hates ME!!!]

Like i said earlier. I love the little river. I don't fish it after December, it isn't worth it. There is better fishing elsewhere.

I have had 25 fish days fishing bobber and eggs for chinook one day. And then not a take the next day. I have caught 4 different types of fish in one day. Chum, Silver, Chinook and Steelhead.

Most beautiful fish i have ever hooked was on this Gem of a river, 30 pound mint bright chinook on the 30th of November in 1994. It has gone down hill so bad from what it once was. Late 80's early 90's it was a zoo, fish everywhere.

[BigGoonTuna]

Well my buddy read about it in a 3 page write up in Salmon Steelhead Magazine 

i kinda figured.  only a moron trying to stroke his ego would write that kind of article on a little river like that.  F&H news did that kind of article on the grays just before they went belly up, can't say i miss them.  they need to stick to the known rivers, those little ones just can't handle the pressure.

that said, i'm not the kind of person who hates to see others out fishing, i just don't like report chasers much.  those tend to be the same guys that show up, trample all over private property and leave a bunch of fishing line and beer cans around before they get bored and go back to the cowlitz.

[Button Nubbs]

that said, i'm not the kind of person who hates to see others out fishing, i just don't like report chasers much.  those tend to be the same guys that show up, trample all over private property and leave a bunch of fishing line and beer cans around before they get bored and go back to the cowlitz.

 

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

Well my buddy read about it in a 3 page write up in Salmon Steelhead Magazine 

i kinda figured.  only a moron trying to stroke his ego would write that kind of article on a little river like that.  F&H news did that kind of article on the grays just before they went belly up, can't say i miss them.  they need to stick to the known rivers, those little ones just can't handle the pressure.

that said, i'm not the kind of person who hates to see others out fishing, i just don't like report chasers much.  those tend to be the same guys that show up, trample all over private property and leave a bunch of fishing line and beer cans around before they get bored and go back to the cowlitz.

Boy there's a lot of truth to that.

[WSU]

Who wrote the article?  You see a lot of those guys preaching about keeping things quiet.  Then you see them spilling it all in some fish mag to stroke their ego and get 10 minutes of "fame."

[bassquatch]

Well my buddy read about it in a 3 page write up in Salmon Steelhead Magazine 

i kinda figured.  only a moron trying to stroke his ego would write that kind of article on a little river like that.  F&H news did that kind of article on the grays just before they went belly up, can't say i miss them.  they need to stick to the known rivers, those little ones just can't handle the pressure.

that said, i'm not the kind of person who hates to see others out fishing, i just don't like report chasers much.  those tend to be the same guys that show up, trample all over private property and leave a bunch of fishing line and beer cans around before they get bored and go back to the cowlitz.

Sure hope that's not a dig at my friend and I?! 

We've spent the last 40 years fishing our 'local' stuff and many lakes and rivers around this State! We are very respectful fishermen! I pick up more crap from river banks than the average angler I can assure you of that and I don't river fish nearly as much as I lake fish. My best friend is one of the most respectful people you could ever wish to meet and practically lives on the rivers of this State. I don't see anything wrong with hearing about something that sounds like good fishing and 'investigating' it on your own sometime whether you heard about it word of mouth, internet, a tackle shop or read about it in a publication does it really matter?! Two good old friends out on a weekend fishing adventure does not constitute 'droves' in my mind and judging by the amount of deuces and garbage we saw dropped all over the banks of the Satsop I would say the locals should police their own a little better down there...

I've driven to California after hearing about and seeing great bass fishing on Clear Lake! It's just another ADVENTURE!! I spend over 1,000 hours a year on my 'local' lakes, sometimes a change of pace and going somewhere you've never been is a refreshing escape.

I have no control over what people report in magazines or on the internet nor will I ever, but if I read or hear something that sounds like it's worth investigating then I will not hesitate to go investigate it if it strikes my fancy to do so! When I fail to feel that desire anymore then I may as well hang it up.

We do share the same peeve in general I would assume in that I personally cannot understand how anyone in their right mind can leave garbage and fishing gear littering the woods, banks and boat launches?! 'Disrespectful outdoorsmen' in general, I will just never understand that frame of mind 

[WDFW Hates ME!!!]

Bass,
No issues. I like adventure also. I think the biggest problem now days is the info is so readily available and so quick to get out. When i was younger we could be on the rivers for days of good fishing before the droves of report hunters showed up. Now we get 1-2 days of good fishing alone before the droves of people show up and destroy the place.

The smaller streams are ones we try to keep off the internet. These rivers can't handle the pressure the North fork lewis, kalama, cowlitz get. And it is usually one person trying to stroke their ego that ruins it. I don't report much anymore. I will help anybody out with technique, or methods, but never where.

I will share via PM. As people have shared with me, and people have taken me out and showed me things also.

I always take a garbage bag with me and carry out a garbage bag of crap when i leave.

[bassquatch]

Thank you and I totally understand