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USGS 14301000 near Foss · discharge in cfs
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Nehalem River Fishing Report — Foss to Nehalem Bay
Photo: Gary Halvorson / Oregon State Archives Opens in a new tab. · CC BY 4.0; converted to WebP with a display crop Opens in a new tab.
Should I go fishing?
Yes — worth going.
Fishable near Foss. Check the exact reach before fishing.
Fish from the bank. Start from a legal bank near Foss. Check the exact access, current, and water temperature before entering.
Fishing rating94
Rating updatedRiver local time:
Why this recommendation?
USGS shows 102 cfs. The flow has been stable over about 6 hours. USGS marks this reading provisional and may revise it. USGS records for this date (1940-2023, 84 readings) show a typical middle range of 90 cfs to 158 cfs. USGS 14301000 measures the mainstem near Foss. Its flow, stage, and water temperature describe that reach only; they do not measure Nehalem Bay tides or currents, lower-river wind, clarity, or ramp status, upper-river or Vernonia conditions, North Fork conditions, or safe access. Flow is within the typical range for this date, so weather, temperature, and access become the next checks.
Available live dataHighHow much of the live flow, weather, and alert data came back.
Confidence in this recommendationHighCurrent flow, weather, alerts, and trip-critical signals support this decision.
Usually checks again about every 45 minutes
If you go
- Check
- For Foss, read the live flow, trend, and water temperature. For the bay, check ODFW, NOAA tides, marine weather, and an open launch.
- Fish
- Near Foss, start from a legal bank or protected edge. Treat any lower-river boat day as a separate tide-and-launch plan.
- Leave
- Stop for 70°F trout water, rising or muddy flow, unsafe tide or wind, a closed reach, poor footing, or an access problem.
Flow and weather
Showing server-checked river conditions while current readings refresh.
- Flow
- 102 cfs
- From the latest stored river check. Open the official source for the newest reading.Water 64.0°F · 24h high 65.5°F · USGS provisional
- Air forecast
- 54°F
- Next 24h high
- 62.0°F
NWS air forecast near
- Rain chance
- 1%
Latest stored weather check
Cloudy
- Wind
- 0 mph
- Weather checked
More forecast and source details
Cloudy
National Weather Service
Nehalem River near Foss
The National Weather Service forecast is temporarily unavailable.
Live data
Where these readings come from
RiverReports gauge: Nehalem River near Foss — USGS 14301000
Water 64.0°F · provisional · 24h high 65.5°F provisionalWater observed · high observed
Flies for this time of year
Seasonal starting points, not a live hatch report. Match what you see on the water.
- Clouser Deep MinnowClouser MinnowView fly guide ↗
- Muddler MinnowView fly guide ↗
- Egg Fly Patternsegg patternView fly guide ↗
- Leech Patternsblack leechView fly guide ↗
- Intruder-Style Steelhead Fliessparse intruderView fly guide ↗
See flies for every season
Nehalem flies by season and target.
Use the row for the current date, then match the fly to the legal reach and target. These are seasonal planning choices, not a live hatch claim.
SeasonWhat to look forFlies to try
December through February
What to look forSparse winter insect activity and seasonal steelhead presentations in legally open water
March through May
What to look forMidges, small olives, early caddis, and runoff-edge food; trout season begins May 22
June through August
What to look forCaddis, small stoneflies, terrestrials, and small baitfish for cutthroat in cool legal water
September through NovemberThis season
What to look forLower-river baitfish and egg opportunities plus fall caddis where the exact reach remains open
Every fly below has a matching pictured Fly Box guide. Change one pattern, size, or depth choice at a time.
More fishing tips
Methods, fish species and trip notes
The live rating covers Nehalem near Foss.
Near Foss, the best cutthroat plan is a short cool-water session on stable or easing flow, with a temperature check before and during fishing. The lower river and bay can offer a separate salmon opportunity when ODFW, tide predictions, wind, an open public launch, suitable craft, and current rules all line up. Do not let one favorable signal override a reach mismatch.
Foss flow and temperature are current
Use the trend and temperature for the scored reach near USGS 14301000, then check the bank, clarity, and current onsite.
67°F to below 70°F
Keep the trout plan early and short, handle fish quickly, and recheck the exact reach.
70°F or warmer
Stop fishing for trout. Choose a different target, reach, or day after checking the applicable rules.
Rising, muddy, or debris-filled
Stay out of crossings and leave when a simple protected-bank plan no longer works.
Bay or lower tidewater
Use ODFW, NOAA tide predictions, marine weather, and launch status. Foss flow does not establish bay current or boating safety.
Wading, bank fishing or floating?
Best access methodBank fishing
These scores compare the risks of wading, bank fishing, and floating.
WadingCheck
Wade only protected edges near Foss after checking current, depth, footing, temperature, and an easy exit. Avoid forced crossings.
Bank fishing · Best fit94/100
Use a legal public bank or protected edge near Foss with stable footing. Check posted notices, current, and water temperature before fishing.
FloatingCheck
A lower-river or bay float is a separate decision. Confirm the exact reach, open launch, takeout, tide, wind, shuttle, suitable craft, PFD, and current ramp conditions; the Foss score does not clear it.
Full river report
This report separates the scored Nehalem River reach near Foss from Nehalem Bay, upper Vernonia water, and the North Fork. Choose the reach, then use its flow, temperature, tide, access, and Oregon rules.
USGS 14301000 supplies flow and water temperature for the Nehalem near Foss. ODFW's August 25 report separately described fair-to-good summer Chinook fishing in the bay and good cutthroat fishing throughout the basin. Use the numeric rating and chart only near Foss. Use current ODFW guidance, tides, wind, and launch status for the bay.
Fishing words used on this page
- U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) gauge
- A USGS gauge is an official river station that measures flow or water height.
- Cubic feet per second (cfs)
- Cubic feet per second, or cfs, shows how much water passes the gauge each second.
- Nymph
- A nymph is a young water insect. Anglers also use the word for a fly that copies it.
- Presentation
- Presentation means how you cast and move the fly so it looks natural to a fish.
- Seam
- A seam is the line where fast and slow water meet.
- Blue-winged olive (BWO)
- Blue-winged olives, or BWOs, are small mayflies that often hatch in cool or cloudy weather.
- Caddis
- Caddis are small water insects. The adults look a little like tiny moths.
- Midge
- Midges are tiny flies and a common trout food, especially in cold water.
- Soft hackle
- A soft-hackle fly has moving fibers that can look like an insect rising through the water.
- Streamer
- A streamer is a fly that looks like a small fish, leech, or other swimming food.
Why this call
Why this score
FlowHelps
USGS shows 102 cfs. The flow has been stable over about 6 hours. USGS marks this reading provisional and may revise it. USGS records for this date (1940-2023, 84 readings) show a typical middle range of 90 cfs to 158 cfs. USGS 14301000 measures the mainstem near Foss. Its flow, stage, and water temperature describe that reach only; they do not measure Nehalem Bay tides or currents, lower-river wind, clarity, or ramp status, upper-river or Vernonia conditions, North Fork conditions, or safe access. Flow is within the typical range for this date, so weather, temperature, and access become the next checks.
SeasonHelps
Fall · September through November: Reach closures diverge sharply.
Water temperatureHelps
USGS water temperature is about 64F, and the rolling 24-hour high did not trigger a heat caution. USGS marks the temperature data provisional and may revise it.
Public alertsHelps
No active NWS alert was returned for this forecast point.
Fishing usefulnessHelps
Skip or leave for 70°F trout water, rising or muddy flow, debris, unsafe weather, poor footing, a reach closure, an access problem, or a bay plan without current tide, wind, launch, and safety checks.
Trip notes
Four reach checks that change the trip.
Use a fresh USGS 14301000 flow, trend, and temperature instead of a universal cfs promise. Stable or easing flow can support a short Foss plan, but temperature, clarity, access, and onsite current still decide it.
Skip or leave for 70°F trout water, rising or muddy flow, debris, unsafe weather, poor footing, a reach closure, an access problem, or a bay plan without current tide, wind, launch, and safety checks.
Choose Foss, the bay, upper Vernonia water, or the North Fork first. Use only the score, rule, access, and fly guidance that matches that reach.
Compare the Wilson, Trask, or Sandy only after starting a new gauge, rule, access, and temperature check for that river.
What you can fish for
Coastal cutthroat trout
Primary fishWhen: General trout season: May 22 through October 31
Use the Foss rating for a short freshwater plan near the gauge, then verify the exact access and temperature.
Sea-run cutthroat trout
Also presentWhen: Summer through early fall when the legal reach is open
Use current ODFW guidance and lower-river conditions rather than treating the Foss score as a tidewater rating.
Chinook salmon
SeasonalWhen: Lower river and bay under current in-season rules
ODFW reported summer Chinook in the bay on August 25. Recheck the exact reach, dates, bag limit, and any later update.
Hatchery steelhead
SeasonalWhen: Only where the current Northwest Zone rule is open
Release wild steelhead and verify the main river or North Fork rule before targeting steelhead.
Reach, access, tides, and Oregon rules.
Use a named public site and the rule for that exact section. Public water does not authorize crossing private land.
Before you go
ODFW's 2026 Northwest Zone rules set the general trout season at May 22 through October 31 and require artificial flies or lures above tidewater from May 22 through August 31. Release wild steelhead. The main river and bay below Foss Road Bridge have separate salmon and hatchery-steelhead rules. Foss Road Bridge to Highway 26 is closed to salmon angling all year. Above Highway 26 is closed to salmon angling all year and to all angling September 1 through November 30. Current in-season updates allow one adult wild Chinook per day and five for the seasonal aggregate from July 1 through November 30 across the main river and bay from the mouth to Foss Road Bridge plus the North Fork from its mouth to Highway 53. Chinook then closes December 1 through 31. The special wild-coho season runs September 9 through October 28 on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays only from the jetties to Miami-Foley Road Bridge plus the North Fork from its mouth to North Fork Road Bridge at Aldervale, with one adult per day and three for the period plus one wild jack per day. Recheck current updates and the exact reach before fishing or keeping fish. In-season changes override the permanent summary.
Rules by reach
| River section and season | Fishing rules |
|---|---|
| Nehalem Bay and lower tidewaterseparate plan | Use the current ODFW salmon report, NOAA tide predictions, marine weather, and a verified open public launch. The Foss score does not rate bay current, wind, bar safety, or fish movement. Official rule |
| USGS 14301000 near Fossscored reach | The live rating uses this reach's discharge and water temperature. The seven-day chart shows discharge only. Neither clears a bank, crossing, or float. Official rule |
| Foss Road Bridge through upper Vernoniarules split | Foss Road Bridge to Highway 26 is closed to salmon angling all year. Above Highway 26, salmon angling is closed all year and all angling closes September 1 through November 30. Foss readings do not confirm upper-river conditions. Official rule |
| North Fork Nehalemseparate waterbody | Use the North Fork rule and its own access and condition checks. Do not transfer the main river score or assume the hatchery platform is general public access. Official rule |
Where to access the river
City of Nehalem public docks
The City lists two free public docks downtown. The lower dock supports transient fishing tie-up, and the upper dock includes a kayak launch. Recheck current posted conditions before use.
Site detailsNehalem Bay State Park
The Marine Board listed boating access open with summer boarding docks deployed. Recheck the park and access report before towing or launching.
Site detailsH Street, Tohls Street, and Roy Creek ramps
The Marine Board listed these ramps open and said Roy Creek and Nehalem ramps had been cleared of silt and mud. Use the current report, not the page's former stale mud warning.
Site detailsNehalem County Park ramp
Tillamook County placed rock at the ramp bottom to fill the drop-off. The Marine Board asks boaters to avoid power loading because it damages the ramp.
Site details- The Marine Board's August access report listed Nehalem Bay State Park, Wheeler, H Street, Tohls Street, and Roy Creek open. It also said Roy Creek and Nehalem ramps were cleared of silt and mud. Recheck the live report because access can change.
- At Nehalem County Park, avoid power loading over the rock placed at the ramp bottom. Inspect the ramp and water level before launching.
- Public water does not authorize crossing private land. Use named public access, respect posted boundaries, and do not treat the scenic-waterway designation as roadside-entry permission.
- NOAA station 9437908 supplies tide predictions. It does not measure current at your boat, confirm a safe bar, or replace local knowledge and current marine conditions.
- A Foss rating is not a float clearance. Confirm the exact lower-river launch, takeout, tide, wind, shuttle, suitable craft, PFD, and ramp status before boating.
Sources and report details
Official flow, temperature, fishing, rule, tide, launch, access, safety, and weather sources were checked August 28, 2026. No field visit is claimed.
Rules and closures
Check what is allowed, where the rule applies, and whether the river is open.
Flow and weather
Check the latest river reading and forecast before you leave.
Access and land
Check public entry points, land rules, and seasonal access changes.
More helpful links
Use these links for stocking, safety, and other local details.
See all 16 checked sources
Rules and closures
Check what is allowed, where the rule applies, and whether the river is open.
What this source covers
Open the current rules and check the river section, season, and special limits.
What this source covers
Open the current rules and check the river section, season, and special limits.
What this source covers
Open the current rules and check the river section, season, and special limits.
Flow and weather
Check the latest river reading and forecast before you leave.
What this source covers
Open this page and check the latest safety advice before your trip.
What this source covers
Open this river reading to check the latest level, flow, and update time.
What this source covers
Open this river reading to check the latest level, flow, and update time.
Access and land
Check public entry points, land rules, and seasonal access changes.
What this source covers
Open the land or access page, then check signs before you park or enter.
What this source covers
Open the land or access page, then check signs before you park or enter.
What this source covers
Open the land or access page, then check signs before you park or enter.
What this source covers
Open the land or access page, then check signs before you park or enter.
What this source covers
Open the land or access page, then check signs before you park or enter.
More helpful links
Use these links for stocking, safety, and other local details.
What this source covers
Open this page and check the latest safety advice before your trip.
What this source covers
Open this page and check the latest safety advice before your trip.
What this source covers
Open this page for more river information and check when it was last updated.
What this source covers
Open this page for more river information and check when it was last updated.
What this source covers
Open this page for more river information and check when it was last updated.
How this report was checked
How this report was checked
Reviewed byBlueStreamFly River Review Team
Trip guidance checked
What was checked: Official sources support the Foss gauge, dated ODFW opportunity report, permanent and in-season rules, named public access, ODFW's fish-stress guidance, tide predictions, marine context, and weather. BlueStreamFly uses 70°F as a conservative trout stop; the ODFW guidance says to stop when water exceeds 70°F. The numeric rating applies only near Foss. No field visit, bay-current observation, bar-safety clearance, current clarity reading, fish-count verification, safe-wading clearance, or verified float route is claimed.
Live measurements and forecasts keep their provider timestamps. Rules, access, and trip guidance use the source-review date shown here. BlueStreamFly planning advice is editorial interpretation, not an agency notice.
First-hand experience: BlueStreamFly does not claim a first-hand visit or local field test for this report unless a real contributor is explicitly named and linked.
Quick questions
What part of the Nehalem River does the fishing rating cover?
The numeric rating and seven-day chart cover the main river near USGS 14301000 at Foss. They do not rate Nehalem Bay, the upper river around Vernonia, or the North Fork.
Does the Foss gauge tell me whether Nehalem Bay is fishable?
No. The Foss gauge reports discharge, stage, and water temperature at its site. For the bay, check ODFW's current report, NOAA tide predictions, marine weather, an open public launch, and conditions on site.
When should I stop trout fishing near Foss?
Recheck the exact reach and stop fishing for trout at 70°F or warmer. At 67°F to below 70°F, keep the session early and short and handle fish quickly.
Can I wade or float the Nehalem River?
Start from a legal bank near Foss. Wade only protected edges after an onsite current, depth, footing, temperature, and exit check. A lower-river float is a separate launch, takeout, tide, wind, shuttle, craft, PFD, and ramp decision. The Foss score does not clear it.
What flies should I use on the Nehalem River?
Start with the current seasonal row and the legal target. Use caddis, small mayfly, terrestrial, soft-hackle, or small-streamer patterns for cutthroat. Use migratory-fish patterns only when current rules and the exact lower reach support that plan. Every listed fly opens a pictured guide.