Well, first of all to your question regarding the pictures you saw on the covers of the mags, I will bet you they are from last year or so. I have had pictures in STS and F&H that are from one to two years ago. But yes there are fish to catch out there, If you are fishing for steelhead fish close to the shoreline with spin-n-glo or spinners that should produce. If your after sturgeon the St. Helens area is good but their netting the river now. <*))>>{