Decisions for West Coast Fall Fishing

Fall fishing can be outstanding for many types of fish all over the country but this season is an especially exciting time to think about river fishing because of steelhead and salmon runs. Pacific Northwest fishing is famous for its anadromous fish; that is, fish that migrate from the ocean or large lakes up rivers to spawn. In fact, steelhead fishing and salmon fishing in other locations such as the Great Lakes are now also popular fall fishing destinations thanks to hatchery stocking efforts from West Coast tributary parent fish.

Where

Now that you know generally when to try West Coast fishing, there are several additional decisions to make such as selecting your West Coast fall fishing destinations. Just picking a state can be tough. If you are thinking about California fishing, you’ve got the Sacramento River, which is known for its rainbow trout fishing and steelhead runs; the Klamath River, for chinook salmon fishing; and the Russian River, which has chinook, steelhead, and coho salmon. Then there are other popular West Coast fall fishing destinations such as the Columbia River in Washington and the Snake River in Oregon.

What

You may need to maintain some flexibility when deciding what species to target. In addition to the state fishing regulations, biologist reports, private fishing guide websites, and fishing forums can be valuable sources of information for West Coast fall fishing. Examining prior years’ reports can help determine which river species might be showing up in good numbers. Salmon, steelhead, and other trout are both tremendously worthy adversaries, challenging anglers with their techniques, from fly fishing to trolling, and then their ability to remain hooked up during battles which often include long runs and acrobatic jumps.

How

While researching West Coast fall fishing, you’ll want to dig deep into each state’s fishing regulations. This will take some time because there are complex wrinkles regarding methods and seasons, especially when salmon fishing and trout fishing. Some examples of this include river sections where salmon harvest is allowed but only until a quota is reached, requiring daily monitoring of state websites, or calling their hotlines. There are also areas which require barbless hooks on artificial flies and lures and are catch and release only.

Who

This, of course, is you, ready to experience what magnificent West Coast tributaries have to offer in fall fishing. Whether you prefer shore access or boating, there are incredible fishing opportunities available this time of year. Conduct thorough investigating online for the most up-to-date fishing information for the area and species you would like to target, then grab your fishing license, camera, and maybe your long-johns and see if you can find something that makes your reel sing.