Portland, Oregon Metro Fishing Report
Meldrum Bar plunkers saw some action following the latest rain event, but flows have dropped and cleared enough to cause this early season opportunity even more spotty than before. We’re still a few weeks away from peak hatchery steelhead returns to the Clackamas River, the fish that actually fuel this bank angler opportunity.
Fair numbers of wild winter steelhead are migrating over Willamette Falls, anglers are biologists are hopeful that this will equate into a bigger run than last year.
And of course springer fanatics may wait another few weeks before they try and score the season’s first, but it’ll come quicker than most anticipate.
Upper Willamette Valley Fishing Report by Terry Otto
Rivers returning to fishable levels, winter steelhead trickling in. Trout lakes benefit from new stockings. Whitefish in rivers are biting well.
Best bets this weekend
Steelhead counts are rising at the Willamette Falls. Over 700 have crossed the falls so far, with most headed for the tributaries.
Detroit Lake trout bank fishing is a good winter bet
Several other lakes were stocked with trout this week
Whitefish offer good winter fun in upper tribs
You can check the Willamette Falls fish counts here. You can check the Willamette River Gauge at Salem here.
Stocked the week of Nov 24-28:
Walter Wirth Lake, Waverly Lake, Junction City Pond, Timber Linn Lake.
You can check out the trout stocking schedule here
Upcoming weather
The area has been drying out for a few days, and the rivers are approaching good fishable condition. Rains are predicted for this weekend and beyond, but not with the same intensity as the recent storms. The rivers should offer decent conditions for a while.
Santiam River, North Fork
River levels best for fishing are at or below 3,000 cfs, and the current level is 3,580 cfs. It is expected to drop quickly, and could be in good shape by this weekend, although it will still be on the high side. A few steelhead are entering the river, and the numbers should build from here. Of note, there are no hatchery winter steelhead planted in this river. The coho run is now complete with the majority of the fish now spawning in their tributaries and no longer accessible to anglers. Remember, bait is not allowed until spring. Only artificial lures and flies may be used.
You can check the river gauge at Mahama here.
Santiam River South Fork
Fishing is generally best when flows are below 3,000 cfs, and currently the flows are just a bit above that mark. It is expected to drop, and could be in good shape by this weekend, although it could still be on the high side. A few steelhead are entering the river, and the numbers should build from here. Of note, there are no hatchery winter steelhead planted in this river. The coho run is now complete with the majority of the fish now spawning in their tributaries and no longer accessible to anglers.
You can check the gauge at the Waterloo Bridge here.
McKenzie River
Both the tailwater and freestone section are flowing well above a normal level and stained. Trout and a few steelhead are being caught. The river is running at about 3,000 cfs, which is a little high for good fishing. Trout are in winter mode, and some flies that are good winter bets here include Brown sculpin, white belly sculpin, and blue wing olives. Watch for surface action mid-day.
Detroit Reservoir
Due to recent heavy rains, Mongold boat ramp is now back in the water and usable. More rain is in the forecast so boating access should be available for the next week at least. Refilling the reservoir for the summer will begin on February 1. The crowds are mostly gone this time of year, especially during the week, so anglers can find fish as well as solitude. Pretty much any technique will catch fish, but it might take some experimenting to find out what is most effective on the day you’re out there. The reports are that fishing is fair. No report as yet on kokanee. As a reminder, anglers are allowed to keep up to five trout, with an additional five kokanee.
For the latest information on water levels at Detroit Reservoir check with the Army Corps of Engineers’ website for more information.
Dexter Reservoir
Was last stocked the week of October 6 with 5,000 hatchery rainbow trout. No report on recent success. Boat and bank access is available through state and county parks. Parking and bank access are also available from the causeway near Lowell.
Fall Creek Reservoir
Fall Creek Reservoir is currently being held down and will be held at low winter levels until early May to allow passage of juvenile spring Chinook salmon. Cascara, Winberry and Norh Shore boat ramps are not currently accessible.
Sandy and Clackamas River reports by Jeff Stoeger and Bob Rees
Clackamas River Fishing Report – Reports from the Clackamas aren’t off to a rosy start, but there’s fish in the river none-the-less. Local avid angler and realtor Tim Wilson had this to report, “Went for an exploratory run on Tuesday to see the chanegs in the river, Carver was closed. They have just recently reopened it without cleaning the mud and sludge off of the ramp and parking lot. Hopefully, the rain helps flush it out. Floated Barton to Riverside, no fish.” Tim continued, “Watercolor looked good, the river level was 12.86 foot but it is supposed to climb for much of this week, with the rain/snowmelt in the forecast.”
Mike Roberson of Fisherman’s Marine in Oregon City added, “The Clackamas River is in absolutely beautiful condition although the storm did a lot of damage. There’s a lot of new log jams, a couple of very large gravel bars that have developed down river. The lower gravel bar I saw has narrowed the river down to about 30 foot across or so. It does look fishy. There’s a lot of changes on the river, including trailes along the bank that have either been washed out or covered with debris.
Sandy River Fishing Report – Avid angler Jeff Stoeger shares: Happy New Year to everyone. The Sandy River is currently running steelhead green with a water level of 9.70 feet and a temperature of 40 degrees. Recent heavy rainfall has altered the landscape, and you can view the aftermath on the Sandy River Chapter NW Steelheaders’ website. Check Greg Reid’s 12/26 report and photos from Oxbow to Lewis and Clark for a closer look at the changes.
Weather forecasts predict rain for the next couple of days. The river’s level should remain steady, and more snow is expected for Hood. River access has been affected in several areas. The boat ramp at Oxbow is challenging due to the absence of a beach, requiring you to push your boat or raft over a sand bank. County Park workers attempted to clear the ramp with a tractor but got stuck. Handicap parking has been washed out, and parking options are limited. Currently, only one boat or raft can launch at a time. The familiar gravel bar has disappeared, but a new one has formed where the area was previously washed away. You’ll need an extra-long rope or some help to launch at Oxbow.
There are no major tree hazards reported from Oxbow to Dabney. Between Dabney and Lewis and Clark, the primary concern is trees lodged at the base of the Troutdale Bridge. These trees sit at boat height, and the current can push your boat towards them, so caution is advised. Upstream from Dodge Park to the hatchery, a few fish have been caught recently. There are still some late coho present in the river.
Always check river levels and wind reports before heading out. Strong winds between 15 and 20 mph can make fishing hazardous and uncomfortable, as recently experienced.
For those interested in learning more about the hatchery and the broodstock program, Ryan Queen, the hatchery manager, will be giving a talk on Thursday night, the 8th, at Glenn Otto Park at 7 p.m.
North & Central Coast Fishing Report by Bob Rees
With the rain finally subsiding, steelheaders have been motivated to get out and try their luck on streams large and small. Of course the small stream systems are in peak season, maybe a little after peak season if you ask me, but the good news is that most of the larger systems are showing promising signs of seeing returning adults here as well.
The Wilson, Nestucca and Wilson systems have all posted fair to good numbers of hatchery and wild steelhead recently and the small streams are producing predictably fair results.
Keep in mind that despite it still being peak season here, the waters of these smaller systems are already low and clearing. I know it’s hard to conceptualize the need for rain right now, but these systems become more challenging when flows subside and we haven’t had significant rainfall for several days now (Thank God!).
Starting with those larger systems, one guide reported from the Wilson after fishing on Monday. He was fishing from Siskeyville to Sollie Smith and found a nice bright coho first thing on the drift, a dandy 36″ wild fish that went into the broodstock tank, and another hatchery steelhead that went in the box for the day’s effort. It’s really a great day to have that kind of steelhead action this time of year.
The Trask and Nestucca have also posted fair steelhead results since coming in last weekend. It’s a nice start to what we hope will be a fruitful winter steelhead season this year.
Siletz River anglers have been reporting both wild and broodstock fish since the waters came back down. Another good sign when these typically later returning systems are producing measurable results this time of year.
People should always call the Shellfish Safety Hotline at 1-800-448-2474 before heading out to harvest any shellfish or visit the ODA Recreational Shellfish Biotoxin Closures Webpage.
Much more on the site for Chinook Members:
- Buzz Ramsey’s latest post – Eggs and Imitations for Winter Steelhead . Discover why the right egg imitation can make or break your winter steelhead success, and how top anglers dial in their rigs for peak results. Chinook Members can see his post HERE.
- Bill Monroe’s latest post – Is Coho for Christmas one sleigh away? A long-awaited breakthrough may finally open the door to wild coho retention on the Clackamas, and a surprising new “Santa” inside ODFW says the proposal is finally on its way. Chinook Members can see his post HERE.
You can find all the articles from these two professionals on this page.
- The article of the week: Steelhead on the Beach by Calvin McShane. This article, although written for Great Lakes anglers, has pertinent information for our NW fisheries. Chinook subscribers can find the article HERE.
All the STS articles are located here.
Not a Chinook Member? Become a Member or Upgrade here.
SW Oregon Fishing Report – Contributor Jeff Rome reports
As I write this report with some “brain fog” from bringing in the new year, I want to express my gratitude to all my readers, and I wish you all many tight lines in 2026!
Rain is in the forecast for pretty much everywhere. There are some early weekend opportunities on steelhead holding rivers before they get unfishable. The Chetco, Elk, and Sixes on the coast could be fishable Friday and Saturday as they slowly rise. While not optimum conditions, winter steelhead anglers are steelhead anglers and will fish when they can.
All sections of the Rogue River should also be in decent shape for the weekend. After a fair amount of rain lately, a lot of the fallen leaves and debris have been flushed out, making for better fishing. The mid Rogue from Rogue River on down to Griffen Park would be my best bet to hook winter chrome. The color on Thursday was perfect. The hatchery recently counted the first (and only) winter steelhead.
The Millicoma would be a good choice to check out for the weekend. It fluctuates fast and could be the right time for winter steelhead. The Coos and Coquille might be out of shape for the weekend, but I’d check them out.
Unfortunately, the ocean is going to be rough and nasty with blustery weather and heavy seas into next week. Crabbing in the bays might be worthwhile as long as you have good raingear and a good working bilge pump!