Numerous Oregon rivers remain open to steelheading year-round and other select systems have extended seasons lasting into April.  Among those known to have some late-arriving winter fish or spring steelhead are the Siletz, the Coquille, the Siuslaw, the Wilson and the Nestucca just to name a few. On some systems there exists an overlap between the late winter-run fish and the start of the summer-run steelhead.  Last week on the Siletz for example, we landed a beautiful, fresh summer-run hatchery fish, though the vast majority of the fish being caught are winter-run, many of which have already spawned. Here in the Willamette Valley we are looking forward to our big Spring Chinook/Summer Steelhead season.  Some of these fish will often arrive on the South Santiam in mid April and on the McKenzie and Middle Fork Willamette in late April and early May.  Their migration is to a large degree, temperature sensitive.  Many are entring the Columba River right now.  The speed at which they move through the Columbia and into and through the Willamette system is often a product of flow rates, ambient spring temperatures, snow melt rates and dam releases.  All these puzzle pieces will determine how soon we are fishing local Willamette Valley rivers for big game fish.  We will keep you posted as the action heats up.