Oregon Fishing Reports

Fall kings are pushing hard out of the estuary and upriver right now, driven by cool water releases from Lewiston Dam that started Aug. 28 (450 cfs stepping up to as much as 1,200 cfs through Sept. 21) plus cooler air and recent rain. The spit fishery at the mouth closed to angling Sept. 3 after harvest hit the adult fall Chinook quota, so the estuary hot bite of the last few weeks is off the table. The rest of the lower river... Weitchpec bridge to the mouth is still open on a 1,624-adult quota of which 1,192 remained as of Aug. 28 (will likely be well down after Labor Day traffic). Expect fresh fish staging in holes throughout the lower river... work them at first light, and figure on higher, colder, and pushier water than the flows you saw last week.

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.