Oregon Fishing Reports

Flows have been running high and steady all week, and that’s lit up the lower Klamath with big schools of steelhead pushing upriver. Water came up midweek with dam releases peaking around 4,100 cfs before slowly dropping off, but even as flows settle, there’s still plenty of movement and fresh fish filtering in.

The steelhead bite has been excellent, with most boats connecting with multiple fish daily, and it’s clear the main push is underway. Look for more pulses of fish moving up as the flows stabilize even more so heading into next week. Salmon are showing up in the lower river, but remember, they are currently off limits.

Stay current on regulations and make sure you have your Steelhead Card in hand.

The lower Klamath is in transition, not quite ready yet, but showing early signs. Flows are still running heavy, with over 4,000 cfs near Klamath Glen, and that’s keeping visibility on the low side due to remaining suspended sediment from the dam removals upstream. Water color isn’t chocolate milk, but it’s off enough to matter, especially in the slower stretches. Water temps are sitting in the low 70s, which isn’t helping either. Most of the movement right now is fast and light... small pulses of salmon and steelhead shooting through the system without holding, making for spotty action.

There are fish around, though, including some reports of 4–8 lb steelhead pushing through the creek mouths like Hunter and Salt. Those keyed in on these cooler inflows have had the best shot, working spinners and through the seams where warm meets cold. Everything is pacing behind flow... until that drops closer to 2,500 cfs and the river settles, we won't see much consistency.

Upstream, flows drop fast past Orleans, but fish density isn’t there yet. Most of the action worth talking about is still centered around the lower river.

Adult fall-run Chinook salmon are spawning again in areas of the Klamath River that have been blocked for over 60 years, following the removal of several dams. The fish have been spotted in Jenny Creek and are returning to the newly rebuilt Fall Creek Fish Hatchery. This is a key milestone in the effort to restore fish populations after the Iron Gate Dam removal in late September. Along with Chinook, Pacific lamprey are also returning. The Fall Creek hatchery aims to produce millions of salmon to support the river’s repopulation and long-term recovery.

The dam removal process upriver has hindered the Steelhead action in the lower Klamath, with water clarity diminishing. Still, a few boaters are out and catching adults here and there. Water clarity should improve along with the fishing over the next few weeks. Please note, that you must have a Steelhead Report/Restoration Card while fishing the Klamath. The limit is two hatchery Steelhead or hatchery trout per day.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) released over 2 million fall-run Chinook salmon smolts into the Klamath River in May 2024. The releases, consisting of 1.3 million smolts on May 15 and 800,000 on May 22, were conducted earlier than scheduled due to warming temperatures and concerns about C. Shasta disease.

The smolts were raised at the new Fall Creek Fish Hatchery, which exceeded its production goal in its first year. The removal of three dams – JC Boyle, Copco 1, and Iron Gate – is ahead of schedule and could open up hundreds of miles of new spawning and rearing habitat for returning salmon by fall 2024.

CDFW plans to release an additional 250,000 to 300,000 yearling fall-run Chinook salmon later in 2024, potentially directly into Fall Creek, which was previously inaccessible due to the Iron Gate Dam.

These efforts are part of the California Salmon Strategy for a Hotter, Drier Future, aiming to support salmon populations through dam removal, improved hatchery practices, and stronger partnerships with tribal stakeholders.