The Nehalem gets a run of "summer" Chinook salmon (an early component of the Fall run) and those fish have been in the bay and tidewater and some may have moved into the river. Fishing has slowed a bit the past week but is still fair and consistent with multiple fish being caught daily. August is generally the peak month for the early run of Chinook. At the same time the more traditionally timed fall Chinook are starting to show up. This is mostly a bay fishery with trolling spinners being a popular method lower in the bay and bobber fishing in the upper tidewater. Fish are dispersed from the jaws to the upper tidewater.. The wild Chinook bag limit is one adult per day/five for the season from July 1 to November 30, as part of the overall daily bag limit. Wild Chinook jacks may be retained as per the permanent regulations (up to 5/day). See the regulation updates online at Fall coastal salmon management for more details.

There have been a few hatchery coho caught down near the jaws, but it's probably still a little early for the Nehalem hatchery coho headed for the North Fork. The wild coho fishery will be opening in Nehalem this week. The season is September 9 to October 28 (Open Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays only). As part of your 2 adult salmon/steelhead per day, only 1 can be a wild adult coho. No more than 3 wild adult coho per season from the Nehalem basin. No more than 5 wild adult coho salmon may be harvested per year in the Northwest and Southwest Zones. See the regulation updates online at Fall coastal salmon management for more details.

There are cutthroat trout throughout the Nehalem basin and no shortage of places to fish for them. Sea-run cutthroat are dispersed throughout the fishery. Fishing has been good for them recently. Remember to check for bait restrictions before fishing.

The Nehalem River above the Hwy 26 bridge at Elsie is closed to all angling September 1 – November 30.