Portland, Oregon Metro Fishing Report – Although not consistent from top to bottom, experienced guides and anglers fishing the middle Willamette have had a good week. We’re entering peak season and results from mid-week were impressive for some. With little precipitation in the forecast, the lower Willamette is expected to remain fishable for the foreseeable future.
With the water clearing however, anglers should be looking at alternative strategies for success over the weekend. If the cloud cover predicted comes to fruition, that won’t be a bad thing.
In this week’s Willamette Forecast section for Steelhead and Chinook members, we outline 3 important strategies anglers should consider for this weekend’s effort.
Spring Chinook and summer steelhead passage over Willamette Falls is on the climb. Water temps have hit the magical 53° mark, which statisically speaking, provides sport anglers with the best conditions for willing springers.
Mainstem Columbia fishers had a good week too. Catches around Westport, Oregon were good for many and although it appears there was a stronger showing of upper Columbia bound “Dark-chins,” effiecient anglers also cut off biting Willamette bound springers but Multnomah Channel trollers still fared well.
Portland area Columbia River trollers didn’t witness great fishing on the most recent opener, but some fish were caught downstream of the I-5 bridge. The fishery is now closed with no promise of additional opportunity, maybe after a run size update is assessed around May 10th.
Clackamas River Fishing Report – If you’re a wild steelhead enthusiast, this is your time to shine. Although there’s been better years for adult wild steelhead returns to the Clackamas recently, this is still winding up to be a good one and if you like fair to good fishing, with few people in your space, mid to late April is a good time to fish the upper reaches of the Clackamas River.
There are still a few hopefuls looking for an early summer fish or a bright late winter run, but for the most part, those are hard to come by at Dog Creek, the only feasible option for hatchery fish fishermen. It’s still early for Clackamas River springers, but that’s not the way it used to be, and you never know until you try. Wild steehead numbers at the NF Facility are going good. There are scores of wild ones passing daily. Still no summer steelhead or spring Chinook across the dam yet; no surprise there.
Water levels have been ideal for anglers recently, also enabling a bevy of strategies to be employed. As flows recede and the river clears, bobber and jig fishermen start to take their program more seriously.Sandy River fishing, avid angler Jeff Stoeger reports – “Good afternoon all. Here is this week’s report. I floated the river in my new 18 ft. Clackamax. The river was ideal for fishing and had very clear visibility. The river is on the drop and should level off around 9 ft over the next few days. The report is very slim, for most of the action has been on the Columbia, with it closing on Thursday. Very little action on the river for most of the anglers are either fishing the upper section or the middle section around Oxbow. The fly guys have been doing well and have been floating from Revenue Bridge to Dodge Park and finding fish on streamers in various colors.”
North & Central Coast Fishing Report – With winter steelhead effectively over, anglers will anxiously await the arrival of spring Chinook to the region. We’re still a month away from catchable numbers for some of the coastal systems. There will be a lull in coastal options for the next few weeks.
Summer steelhead will return to the Wilson, Nestucca and Siletz River systems, but won’t show in better numbers for another month as well.
That still leaves the saltwater option as bottomfishing remains good when the weather cooperates. Lingcod are cooperating and sea bass fishing is good too. Crabbing continues to improve as the crustaceans come out of the spawning “clutch” in recent weeks.
Ocean Chinook fishing is open but not productive for most of the coast.
Trout fishing in district lakes should still be productive, but after the Oregon and Washington spring breaks, anglers definitely put a dent in the stocked systems. Stream fishing for trout won’t open until late May.
There’s been some good razor clam digging recently and as long as the surf is calm, the digging should be good.
Upper Willamette River System Report by Terry Otto
Weather drying out, rivers coming back into shape. Hatchery summer steelhead and Detroit Lake kokanee good, local lakes trout improving.
Matt Halseth of Matt Halseth Guide Service is headed to the North Santiam after trying his hand at Columbia springers, and he is looking forward to finally seeing some decent conditions in his home rivers. “If we get a few days in the 80’s,” he said, “things will really start to pop.”
Drier and warmer weather finally has river systems on the drop, and many have come back into fishable shape. Best bets this weekend include the systems that get hatchery summer steelhead, these include the North and South Santiam Rivers, the McKenzie, and the Middle Fork Willamette.
Over a thousand summer steelhead have passed over the Willamette Falls as of this week. These numbers will climb during April and May, and fishing should improve on all the systems with hatchery fish. Only a few spring Chinook have moved over the falls as yet, and anglers probably will not see many of these fish until early May.
Trout lakes stocked the week of March 31- April 4:
Timber Linn Lake, Cottage Grove Res, Turner Lake, Foster Reservoir, Dexter Res, Junction City Pond, Row River Nature Park, Green Peter Res, Blue River Res,
Scheduled to be stocked April 6-11:
Row River Nature Park Pond, Dorena Reservoir, Junction City Pond, Timber Linn Lake, Foster Reservoir, Dexter Reservoir, Pine Nursery Pond, Green Peter Res, Alton Baker Canal.
Check the 2025 trout stocking schedule
North Santiam River
There are no fresh reports on fishing success. The river has been too high. However, North Santiam fishing guide Mike Ferris of Fishermen Mike’s Guide Service reports that the river has finally dropped into fishing condition, although high water methods will be the trick now. The river has dropped below the 5-foot mark that Ferris says is the trigger for good fishing.
The river is usually stocked between May and August with hatchery trout. There are several large, downed trees in the river creating some dangerous hazards for boaters
South Santiam River
Fishing is generally best when flows are below 3,000 cfs, and the river is running at about 3,700 feet at the gage in Waterloo. Few anglers are trying their lick here yet, and there are no fresh reports on success.
You can check the gauge at Waterloo here
Detroit Lake
Ferris fished the reservoir earlier this week with a friend, and reports that the kokanee fishing was good. They got a two-man limit of kokes, plus an bonus trout,. The kokanee are growing well. “The schools are scattered, but they can be found,” he said. “Most of them were from 10 to 12 inches.”
He was trollingfishing in the upper 25 feet of water, pulling a six-inch chrome dodger about 8 inches above a two-hook small hoochie, in pink or pink and purple, using a piece of shrimp on the front hook, and kokanee corn on the back hook. Hoochie
Foster Reservoir
The reservoir near Sweet Home will be stocked with 2,000 trout this week. Besides trout, look for smallmouth bass and yellow perch near underwater structure and drop-offs. Please remember that only kokanee and adipose fin-clipped trout may be kept as part of the 5-trout bag limit, but there are no limits on size or number of bass or other warm water species. Anglers report good success in the two arms of the reservoir, as well as the shoreline in between.
The boat ramp at Sunnyside County Park is available to launch boats
Freeway Lake, East
The lake was stocked in March with 500 hatchery trout. Fishing for warmwater gamefish such as bass, bluegill, crappie, and catfish can be very good, especially early and late in the day in spring and summer. This is one of the best places in the Valley to fish for large crappie.
Green Peter Reservoir
The water level in the reservoir is slowly increasing. The boat ramp at Thistle Creek is available to launch boats. Whitcomb boat ramp and campground will open on April 18. It is scheduled to be stocked for the first time this week with 2,800 hatchery trout. Any Chinook caught in Green Peter reservoir must be released unharmed.
Members – find the latest complete report and forecast, as well as past reports for Members on the Willamette Valley/Metro, start on this page here.
Central Oregon Fishing Report by Terry Otto (from last week)
High water still vexing some river anglers, but Fall and Metolius Rivers good. Lake Billy Chinook kokes and bull trout good. Wallowa Lake is now ice-free.
Columbia River walleye
Walleye fishing in the Columbia River has been pretty consistent, according to the good folks at the Gorge Outfitters Supply in Rufus. The bite has been best by trolling plugs, with the darker colors working in the early morning, (dark purple, black, etc.) and brighter colors such as chartreuse or green once the sun hits the river. Worm harnesses have also been getting some fish. Conditions have been a bit messy, but it hasn’t hurt the bite, judging from how many people are out on the river. Wind has been an issue, as it always is this time of year.
Lower Deschutes River
The river is still high and muddy, and a bit dangerous, that according to John at the Deschutes Angler Fly Shop in Maupin. “You can catch fish out here, but there is mud flow. it’s just not great.” Anglers have been nymphing, but they must get down deep and fish right along the bottom. There have been some afternoon hatches coming off, including March browns and BWO, but not heavy enough to draw the trout to the surface.
The gauge at the Moody Rapids has the river level at over 7,600 cfs. It fishes best below 4,000 cfs. You can check the Maupin river gauge here.
Deschutes River, Lake Billy Chinook to Benham Falls
Anglers report good fishing for brown trout upstream of the Old Mill area in Bend and around Tumalo State Park. Anglers should expect water clarity and streamflow conditions to change and affect fishing during April as the irrigation season begins. Nymphing has been the most effective method.
Deschutes River, Benham Falls to Lava Lake
Closed until May 22.
Lake Billy Chinook
Kokanee fishing continues to be excellent on Lake Billy Chinook with fish averaging 13 inches, and a few up to 15. Anglers are getting limits. Reports also state the fish are not carrying many copepods. Spring run-off is affecting water clarity in the Crooked and Deschutes River Arms making for challenging conditions.
Metolius River
The good folks at The Fly Fishers Place in Sisters report that Blue Wing Olive hatches have been very good this week and the fish are looking up for emergers, cripples and duns. Keep an eye on Spinners late in the day/early evening. Rain is expected Monday, so the mayfly hatches will be good.
There are plenty of caddis around and suggested flies include Corn Fed Caddis, Iris Caddis,
Fall River
The river is fishing really quite well, from the Hatchery down to the Tubes and also up near the camp ground and headwaters. There have been good hatches of Blue Wing Olive and Midges, a smattering of March Browns that may provide a fishable session, and the same can be said for some caddis.
Crooked River
The Crooked River had been dropping, giving the folks at The Fly Fishers Place reason to believe it might be fishable soon. However, the gauge at Opal City shows the river came up sharply on Tuesday and was running at over 2,000 CFS. So, it may be some time yet before the river becomes fishable.
You can check the Crooked River gauge near Opal City here.
Haystack Reservoir
Anglers report good fishing for both trophy-size excess brood hatchery trout and holdover trout in the 16 to 17-inch range. Olive Chironomids and Balanced Leeches continue to be very good for fly anglers.
You can check the ODFW trout stocking schedule here.
Wallowa Lake
The ice on Wallowa Lake has melted, and anglers can now launch boats. Now through June is the best time of year for kokanee fishing. Rainbow trout can be caught near the river mouth, and lake trout are dispersed throughout the lake.
Pine Hollow Reservoir
Pine Hollow Reservoir was stocked on March 17 with 2,500 legal-size trout, 200 trophy trout, and 40 brood trout. Pine Hollow was stocked again with 2,500 legals and 50 brood trout the week of March 31
Agency Lake
Agency Lake is ice-free. Henzel boat ramp is accessible, as is the Petric boat ramp. The docks have been taken out at both. Redband trout are moving around with most returning to the main lake after spawning.
Catch rates remain low due to record-setting drought in 2020 through 2022, resulting in poor survival of juvenile redband trout and subsequent recruitment into the adult population. Best fishing is from a boat and covering lots of water.
Agency Lake regulations are catch-and-release for redband/rainbow trout with no bait allowed (artificial flies and lures only).
SW Oregon Fishing Report – Contributor Jeff Rome reports:
Spring Chinook catches on the Lower Rogue River are getting increased attention with the nicer weather. Fair to good catches of hatchery Chinook have been pleasing anglers from boats as well as on the bank, and the weekend is looking promising for further attempts at some excellent eating. While the upper Rogue is still holding some winter steelhead, added attention has also been for Springers.
Only a few have been caught so far. The mid-section has also seen some more Chinook caught, with one in the mid-20s lately. That being said, the Rogue River is where it’s at for decent steelhead and salmon fishing right now. The dam has stabilized outflow, and the warm weather has brought out some hatches on the upper river, making for some good fly fishing for steelhead.
The lakes are all close, if not full, and have been stocked with trout at least once already. Best bets are Lost Creek, Applegate, Fish, Agate, Selmac, and Galesville lakes. There should be plenty of fish and bank access if you don’t have a boat.
Unfortunately, the ocean is looking to be off while strong winds will keep boats off until at least early next week. Earlier during the week, boats out of Brookings saw quick limits of rock fish, nice ling cod, and even a few salmon incidentally caught (and released), which is a good sign for the upcoming salmon season.
The Umpqua systems are sorta stagnant right now. There’s a bit more angler attention on the South Ump for Springers since the first one passed through the viewing window last week. Steelhead on the North has been slow to fair. Stripper anglers down at the lower Ump are catching some nice ones.
Best bets for the weekend angler are hitting the Lower Rogue River for Springer fishing (I’d stop in and see the folks at the Rogue Outdoor store for the latest info and tackle needs). The mid Rogue for steelhead and springers, anywhere from Gold Hill on down to Almeda. The upper Rogue from the Dam on down to Dodge Park should be holding good numbers of fish. My top bet for lake fish for trout would be Lost Creek and Galesville—Lake Selmac for both trout and some bass fishing.
Read this week’s SW Washington fishing report.