Fish the best of
Nehalem

Nehalem Bay fishing adventures

Nehalem Bay is a small estuary that drains the 119 mile long Nehalem River into the Pacific Ocean.

The name Nehalem is believed to be of Native American origin. Meaning “where the people live,” it referred to members of the Nehalem tribe who inhabited seasonal fishing villages along the sand spit which separates the bay from the ocean.

This 4-mile spit is now known as Nehalem Bay State Park where rolling sand dunes, shore pines, beaches and lush coastal mountains dominate the landscape.

Nehalem Bay Summer Chinook

Our favorite fishing destination

July

Besides the Columbia, Nehalem Bay is home to the only true run of summer chinook on the Oregon coast. Fresh from the salt, chrome bright summer kings first start appearing in early July well before other bays get their first chinook. The peacefulness of this area combined with its natural beauty make this a must-see and one of our favorite destinations.

Nehalem Bay Fall Chinook

a really great heading tBD

August-September

On the heels of the summer run fish, fresh fall kings start entering the bay in August. In addition to the Nehalem fish there are a number of chinook from other river systems that also stage between the Nehalem jetty tips. As they flush into the bay on the incoming tide, these dip-ins as they’re called combine with the Nehalem component bringing numbers up and creating more opportunity. On top of the chinook stocks there are also plenty of coho around this time of year. With this fishery in full swing by September you would expect there to be more effort than there is, but Nehalem often gets overlooked as fishing is peaking up and down the coast this time of year.

  • "Sky was professional, funny, full of great stories and truly knew how to get us to the fish."

    “We had a great time… Sky was professional, funny, full of great stories and truly knew how to get us to the fish. We saw many boats around us and none seemed to be having the “luck” we were. And on that, I used to think it was luck to catch a fish…Now I think it’s about skill and patience. Sky does many guided tours throughout all seasons in Oregon… He will surely see us again.”

    –Angela Higgins, Portland, OR

  • "I want to thank you for working hard to find fish for us."

    “Sky, We had a wonderful time and lot of laughs. I want to thank you for working hard to find fish for us. We are continuously reliving our experiences. You also made a great effort to show us the various streams and lakes. The additional chance to go Pike fishing was really a hoot. The food and housing were outstanding. Can’t wait for June hogs later this month.”

    – Ken Cunningham, Jefferson, OR

  • "No one caught the quality of fish we did, due to your great attention to detail."

    “Sky, Thank you for a great day fishing !! I have sat on my deck looking at the guides come in and hold fish up. No one caught the quality of fish we did, due to your great attention to detail. I am really glad I was able to book with you. Great job and thank you.”

    –John Mayer, Sandy, OR

What to expect

What to Bring

  • A Sack Lunch

  • Layered, waterproof apparel: For more information, visit our blog.

  • Head gear: Baseball cap, boonie or other wide-brimmed hat in summer. A knit cap in colder conditions and chilly mornings.

  • Sunglasses: Polarized glasses help you see the fish better and protect your eyes from flying hooks.

  • Sunscreen & Lip Ointment: We’ve had good luck with Bullfrog SPF 50. Blistex, Carmex or similar for prevention of windburn chapped lips is also important.

  • Phone and/or Camera: Don’t forget your camera or video camera!

What’s Included

  • Rods and Reels: All fishing equipment, bait & tackle is included. You do not need to bring your own gear. We fish with top of the line G. Loomis Rods, Shimano Reels and the highest quality terminal tackle and bait.

  • Life Jacket: All of our boats are equipped with two life vests per customer, an off-shore Type I vest as well as a Type V auto inflatable life vest. We also carry child vests for kids under 90 pounds.

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