Fishing at the Nemah River
Small, wild, and tucked into one of the last uncut drainages in the Willapa Hills, the Nemah River is a true coastal gem for anglers who don't mind a little extra driving in exchange for quiet water and old-growth scenery. It's not a river you fish for numbers so much as for the experience, though a strong fall coho run gives it plenty of substance to go with the setting. Public access to this river is very limited, but with a little hard work, you can find some good fishing for Fall Salmon and Winter Steelhead.
Where is the Nemah River
The Nemah River system sits in Pacific County on Washington's south coast, made up of North, Middle, and South forks that wind through the Willapa Hills before emptying into Willapa Bay near the small community of Bay Center. The South Nemah flows through the South Nemah Natural Resources Conservation Area, a roughly 2,440-acre watershed prized for stands of 300-year-old western red cedar and Sitka spruce, some of the least-disturbed forest left in the region. It's a small, intimate stream system rather than a big-water destination, with a wild, undeveloped feel that stands apart from the more heavily managed rivers closer to Seattle.
From Seattle, the Nemah is generally 3.5 to 4 hours depending on your route, typically down I-5 and then west toward Willapa Bay on Highway 6 or Highway 12, connecting to Highway 101 along the coast. It sits close to the Naselle River and shares a similar drive time, so anglers already making the trip out to the south coast often plan to fish both in the same outing.
Nemah River Map
What you can catch in the Nemah River
The Nemah's biggest draw is its fall coho run. Chum salmon and Chinook are also present in the system, though catches tend to run lighter than the coho fishery, and winter steelhead move through the watershed as well, with hatchery-origin fish stocked to support the run. Only hatchery-marked Chinook and coho may generally be retained, and steelhead retention is subject to its own set of rules that can shift from year to year based on returns. The Nemah is broken into multiple regulated sections, some open to fishing and some closed entirely depending on the time of year, so getting familiar with exactly which stretch you're fishing, and what's allowed there, matters more here than on most rivers.
Nemah River Fishing Seasons
Summer stays relatively quiet, without a significant salmon or steelhead presence in the river during these months. Lower, clearer water can make for a nice time to walk sections of the Nemah and get a feel for the water before the fall run shows up.
Fall is the Nemah's best season by a wide margin. Coho typically start showing up in good numbers in October and continue strong into November, making this the time most anglers plan their trips around. Chinook and chum salmon are also part of the fall mix, though in smaller numbers than coho, and this is generally considered the most productive and most consistent stretch of the year on the river. Float fishing with bobbers and cured salmon roe is a top tactic, as is twitching jigs and casting Blue Fox Vibrax Spinners.
Winter brings the Nemah's steelhead run, supported by hatchery plants, though this is a smaller and more tightly regulated fishery than what you'll find on nearby Columbia tributaries. Certain sections of the river close entirely during winter steelhead season to protect returning fish, so it's especially important to confirm which stretches remain open before heading out. For anglers who do their homework, winter can still offer a shot at steelhead in a remote, uncrowded setting. Float fishing with a bobber and soft bead or steelhead jig can be tops here, as is swinging a Steelhead Slammer Spinner.
Best Fishing Spots on the Nemah River
Access to the Nemah is limited and the river is brushy, but with a little bit of endurance, while respecting private property postings, you can find a few fishing spots throughout the river. The Middle Nemah, from its mouth up toward the decommissioned DNR bridge on Middle Nemah A-Line Road, offers additional water, though the reach above that bridge is closed to fishing entirely. The North Nemah, from the Hancock property line up to the fishing boundary sign near the hatchery bridge, provides another option, along with limited opportunities further upstream near the hatchery dam. The Nemah River-Estuary Wildlife Area, about 15.5 miles southwest of South Bend off Highway 101, offers a scenic trail through mature conifer forest down to the estuary and is a good spot to get a feel for the lower system, even if it's better known for wildlife viewing than fishing access.
Fishing on the Nemah River
Because the Nemah is carved into several distinct, individually regulated sections, with some open and others closed depending on the exact time of year, it rewards anglers who take the time to read the current WDFW regulations pamphlet closely before heading out. Selective gear rules and barbless hook requirements are standard on this stretch of coast, and emergency rule changes tied to run strength are common, so checking the Fish Washington app right before a trip is a smart habit. This is not a river to fish on autopilot, but for anglers willing to do a bit of homework, the Nemah offers a genuinely wild, uncrowded slice of the Washington coast, with old-growth forest, a strong coho run, and the kind of solitude that's increasingly hard to find on more popular water.
