Willamette River
Middle Fork
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Recent Guide Reports
Jun 04
Oregon DWR
COAST FORK WILLAMETTE RIVER: Chinook, summer steelhead, trout
Will be stocked the week of June 8th with 1,000 hatchery rainbow trout.
Chinook fishing should heat up in June.
The river is open to fishing all year for trout, hatchery Chinook salmon, hatchery steelhead and wild steelhead over 24 inches.
Use of bait allowed April 22 Oct. 31 but beginning Nov. 1 anglers may only use lures and artificial flies. In addition to five hatchery trout, two wild trout may be kept daily. Last updated 6/1/26.
MIDDLE FORK WILLAMETTE RIVER: Trout, steelhead, Chinook
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers refurbished the boat ramp on the south side of the Middle Fork Willamette just below Dexter Dam allowing drift boat and raft access. Chinook fishing should get started in mid-May and Chinook and summer steelhead fishing should be good June July downstream of Dexter Dam.
A Columbia River Basin Endorsement is required for anglers targeting salmon and steelhead.
The Middle Fork Willamette above Lookout Point and Hills Creek reservoirs are open to fishing using lures and artificial flies. All wild trout must be released upstream of Lookout Point Reservoir. The Middle Fork Willamette River is not stocked with hatchery trout. Last updated 6/1/26.
WILLAMETTE RIVER: Catch-and-release sturgeon, steelhead, spring Chinook, coho salmon, bass, walleye, shad
From May 25 - May 31, anglers in the lower Willamette River harvested an estimated 315 Chinook. Most of the boat effort and Chinook catch was in the area below the St. Johns Bridge. Bank anglers in the Oregon City area reported no salmonid catch.
The water temperature has warmed to over 65 degrees in the Willamette River, and the bite is often in the earliest hours of the day once the water gets this warm. Most of the successful springer anglers are fishing with 360 flashers and spinners tipped with coonstripe shrimp/prawns or hard plastic "stuffer" baits in the area where the Multnomah Channel and the Willamette Rivers intersect, known as the head of the channel. Chinook are also often found on both sides of the river from the powerlines just upriver from there all the way down to Kelley Point Park in June. Fishing has overall been slow within the Multnomah Channel and the areas above St. John's Bridge to Willamette Falls, but there are occasional springers being caught.
Shad fishing has been great and should continue to be productive well into June. An estimated 4,651 shad were kept and 1,636 were released for 1,256 anglers last week, an average of over 5 shad per angler. You can find them throughout the system, but the best shad fishing occurs in the Oregon City area. Use small spoons and shad darts to target them from a boat or from the bank. Clackamette Park is a productive area to try catching these abundant, hard-fighting fish.
Warmwater fishing starts to become a productive option on the Willamette during times of warm water and low flows. As summer approaches, consider fishing for bass, walleye, and other warmwater species that reside in the Willamette River.
As a reminder, per permanent regulations, sturgeon angling is prohibited from the Lake OswegoOak Grove Railroad Bridge upstream to Willamette Falls from May 1 through August 31.
See Willamette Catch Summaries for more details on spring chinook, steelhead and sturgeon here.
Will be stocked the week of June 8th with 1,000 hatchery rainbow trout.
Chinook fishing should heat up in June.
The river is open to fishing all year for trout, hatchery Chinook salmon, hatchery steelhead and wild steelhead over 24 inches.
Use of bait allowed April 22 Oct. 31 but beginning Nov. 1 anglers may only use lures and artificial flies. In addition to five hatchery trout, two wild trout may be kept daily. Last updated 6/1/26.
MIDDLE FORK WILLAMETTE RIVER: Trout, steelhead, Chinook
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers refurbished the boat ramp on the south side of the Middle Fork Willamette just below Dexter Dam allowing drift boat and raft access. Chinook fishing should get started in mid-May and Chinook and summer steelhead fishing should be good June July downstream of Dexter Dam.
A Columbia River Basin Endorsement is required for anglers targeting salmon and steelhead.
The Middle Fork Willamette above Lookout Point and Hills Creek reservoirs are open to fishing using lures and artificial flies. All wild trout must be released upstream of Lookout Point Reservoir. The Middle Fork Willamette River is not stocked with hatchery trout. Last updated 6/1/26.
WILLAMETTE RIVER: Catch-and-release sturgeon, steelhead, spring Chinook, coho salmon, bass, walleye, shad
From May 25 - May 31, anglers in the lower Willamette River harvested an estimated 315 Chinook. Most of the boat effort and Chinook catch was in the area below the St. Johns Bridge. Bank anglers in the Oregon City area reported no salmonid catch.
The water temperature has warmed to over 65 degrees in the Willamette River, and the bite is often in the earliest hours of the day once the water gets this warm. Most of the successful springer anglers are fishing with 360 flashers and spinners tipped with coonstripe shrimp/prawns or hard plastic "stuffer" baits in the area where the Multnomah Channel and the Willamette Rivers intersect, known as the head of the channel. Chinook are also often found on both sides of the river from the powerlines just upriver from there all the way down to Kelley Point Park in June. Fishing has overall been slow within the Multnomah Channel and the areas above St. John's Bridge to Willamette Falls, but there are occasional springers being caught.
Shad fishing has been great and should continue to be productive well into June. An estimated 4,651 shad were kept and 1,636 were released for 1,256 anglers last week, an average of over 5 shad per angler. You can find them throughout the system, but the best shad fishing occurs in the Oregon City area. Use small spoons and shad darts to target them from a boat or from the bank. Clackamette Park is a productive area to try catching these abundant, hard-fighting fish.
Warmwater fishing starts to become a productive option on the Willamette during times of warm water and low flows. As summer approaches, consider fishing for bass, walleye, and other warmwater species that reside in the Willamette River.
As a reminder, per permanent regulations, sturgeon angling is prohibited from the Lake OswegoOak Grove Railroad Bridge upstream to Willamette Falls from May 1 through August 31.
See Willamette Catch Summaries for more details on spring chinook, steelhead and sturgeon here.
Jun 04
The Caddis Fly Angling Shop
In this video, Simon ties a fantastic jigged PMD pattern that should be a staple in everyones summer box. Pale Morning Duns or Pale Evening Duns (PMD or PEDs) are small yellow to cream mayflies that hatch prolifically in the summer months in the Western US. Their eastern counterpart is typically more yellow and referred to as a Sulphur. While PMDs provide western anglers with some of the finest dry fly fishing of the summer, their nymphs are equally important. For months, fish are keyed in on both the adults and their nymphal form. This particular pattern features a split back suggestive of an ascending nymph ready to burst through its thorax out of its nymphal form. This fly can be tied with a heavier 5/32 bead or a lighter 1/8 bead depending on the water you are fishing it in. Having a few tied in each bead size will help you be prepared for a variety of conditions. PMD hatches are typically long winded on the calendar, so these nymphs will be an effective searching pattern for most of the summer. They make an especially fine dropper below a big buoyant golden stonefly.
Hook- Ahrex CZ Mini Jig Barbless FW555: Size 16
Bead- Hareline Gold Slotted Tungsten Bead: 5/32, 3.8 mm or 1/8, 3.2mm
Thread- Fulling Mill Brown Pro Flat Thread: 70D
Tail- Whiting CDL: Dark Pardo
Abdomen- Fulling Mill Brown Pro Flat Thread: 70D, Uni Black Soft Wire: XS, Solarez Bone Dry UV Resin
Thorax- Fulling Mill Eco Warrior Dub: Pepperbox & Fulling Mill Tactical Dry Dub: March Brown
Wing Case- Hareline Life Flex: Black & Cream
Legs- Hareline Fluorofibre: Tan
UV Resin- Solarez Bone Dry
UV Torch- Loon Plasma Light
Bobbin- Smhaen Tension Bobbin
Vise- Renzetti Master & Deluxe Streamer Base
Hook- Ahrex CZ Mini Jig Barbless FW555: Size 16
Bead- Hareline Gold Slotted Tungsten Bead: 5/32, 3.8 mm or 1/8, 3.2mm
Thread- Fulling Mill Brown Pro Flat Thread: 70D
Tail- Whiting CDL: Dark Pardo
Abdomen- Fulling Mill Brown Pro Flat Thread: 70D, Uni Black Soft Wire: XS, Solarez Bone Dry UV Resin
Thorax- Fulling Mill Eco Warrior Dub: Pepperbox & Fulling Mill Tactical Dry Dub: March Brown
Wing Case- Hareline Life Flex: Black & Cream
Legs- Hareline Fluorofibre: Tan
UV Resin- Solarez Bone Dry
UV Torch- Loon Plasma Light
Bobbin- Smhaen Tension Bobbin
Vise- Renzetti Master & Deluxe Streamer Base
This report was written by The Caddis Fly Angling Shop:
http://www.caddisflyshop.com/
(541) 342-7005
(541) 342-7005
May 28
Oregon DWR
COAST FORK WILLAMETTE RIVER: Chinook, summer steelhead, trout
Was stocked the week of May 18th and will be stocked again the week of June 8th with 1,000 hatchery rainbow trout.
Chinook fishing should get going in mid-May and really heat up in June.
The river is open to fishing all year for trout, hatchery Chinook salmon, hatchery steelhead and wild steelhead over 24 inches.
Use of bait allowed April 22 Oct. 31 but beginning Nov. 1 anglers may only use lures and artificial flies. In addition to five hatchery trout, two wild trout may be kept daily. Last updated 5/26/26.
MIDDLE FORK WILLAMETTE RIVER: Trout, steelhead, Chinook
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers refurbished the boat ramp on the south side of the Middle Fork Willamette just below Dexter Dam allowing drift boat and raft access. Chinook fishing should get started in mid-May and Chinook and summer steelhead fishing should be good June July downstream of Dexter Dam.
A Columbia River Basin Endorsement is required for anglers targeting salmon and steelhead.
The Middle Fork Willamette above Lookout Point and Hills Creek reservoirs are open to fishing using lures and artificial flies. All wild trout must be released upstream of Lookout Point Reservoir. The Middle Fork Willamette River is not stocked with hatchery trout. Last updated 5/26/26.
WILLAMETTE RIVER: Catch-and-release sturgeon, steelhead, spring Chinook, coho salmon, bass, walleye, shad
From May 18 - May 24, fishing slowed down overall in the lower Willamette River, with a total harvest of 472 Chinook. Fishing from Lake Oswego to the mouth averaged 0.11 Chinook kept per boat angler, while fishing from Lake Oswego to Willamette Falls averaged 0.05 Chinook kept per angler. Bank anglers in the Oregon City area reported no salmonid catch for 191 angler trips.
The water temperature has warmed to 65 degrees in the Willamette River, and the bite is often in the earliest hours of the day once the water gets this warm. Most of the successful springer anglers are fishing with 360 flashers and spinners tipped with coonstripe shrimp/prawns or hard plastic "stuffer" baits in the area where the Multnomah Channel and the Willamette Rivers intersect, known as the head of the channel. Chinook are also often found on both sides of the river from the powerlines just upriver from here all the way down to Kelley Point Park as we get into June. Fishing has overall been slow within the Multnomah Channel and areas from St. John's Bridge to Willamette Falls, but there are occasional springers being caught.
Shad fishing is in full swing on the Willamette River! An estimated 3,673 shad were kept and 604 were released for 843 anglers last week, an average of over 5 shad per angler. You can find them throughout the system, but the best shad fishing occurs in the Oregon City area. Use small spoons and shad darts to target them from a boat or from the bank. Clackamette Park is a productive area to try catching these abundant, hard-fighting fish.
Warmwater fishing starts to become a productive option on the Willamette during times of warm water and low flows. As summer approaches, consider fishing for bass, walleye, and other warmwater species that reside in the Willamette River.
As a reminder, per permanent regulations, sturgeon angling is prohibited from the Lake OswegoOak Grove Railroad Bridge upstream to Willamette Falls from May 1 through August 31.
See Willamette Catch Summaries for more details on spring chinook, steelhead and sturgeon here.
Was stocked the week of May 18th and will be stocked again the week of June 8th with 1,000 hatchery rainbow trout.
Chinook fishing should get going in mid-May and really heat up in June.
The river is open to fishing all year for trout, hatchery Chinook salmon, hatchery steelhead and wild steelhead over 24 inches.
Use of bait allowed April 22 Oct. 31 but beginning Nov. 1 anglers may only use lures and artificial flies. In addition to five hatchery trout, two wild trout may be kept daily. Last updated 5/26/26.
MIDDLE FORK WILLAMETTE RIVER: Trout, steelhead, Chinook
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers refurbished the boat ramp on the south side of the Middle Fork Willamette just below Dexter Dam allowing drift boat and raft access. Chinook fishing should get started in mid-May and Chinook and summer steelhead fishing should be good June July downstream of Dexter Dam.
A Columbia River Basin Endorsement is required for anglers targeting salmon and steelhead.
The Middle Fork Willamette above Lookout Point and Hills Creek reservoirs are open to fishing using lures and artificial flies. All wild trout must be released upstream of Lookout Point Reservoir. The Middle Fork Willamette River is not stocked with hatchery trout. Last updated 5/26/26.
WILLAMETTE RIVER: Catch-and-release sturgeon, steelhead, spring Chinook, coho salmon, bass, walleye, shad
From May 18 - May 24, fishing slowed down overall in the lower Willamette River, with a total harvest of 472 Chinook. Fishing from Lake Oswego to the mouth averaged 0.11 Chinook kept per boat angler, while fishing from Lake Oswego to Willamette Falls averaged 0.05 Chinook kept per angler. Bank anglers in the Oregon City area reported no salmonid catch for 191 angler trips.
The water temperature has warmed to 65 degrees in the Willamette River, and the bite is often in the earliest hours of the day once the water gets this warm. Most of the successful springer anglers are fishing with 360 flashers and spinners tipped with coonstripe shrimp/prawns or hard plastic "stuffer" baits in the area where the Multnomah Channel and the Willamette Rivers intersect, known as the head of the channel. Chinook are also often found on both sides of the river from the powerlines just upriver from here all the way down to Kelley Point Park as we get into June. Fishing has overall been slow within the Multnomah Channel and areas from St. John's Bridge to Willamette Falls, but there are occasional springers being caught.
Shad fishing is in full swing on the Willamette River! An estimated 3,673 shad were kept and 604 were released for 843 anglers last week, an average of over 5 shad per angler. You can find them throughout the system, but the best shad fishing occurs in the Oregon City area. Use small spoons and shad darts to target them from a boat or from the bank. Clackamette Park is a productive area to try catching these abundant, hard-fighting fish.
Warmwater fishing starts to become a productive option on the Willamette during times of warm water and low flows. As summer approaches, consider fishing for bass, walleye, and other warmwater species that reside in the Willamette River.
As a reminder, per permanent regulations, sturgeon angling is prohibited from the Lake OswegoOak Grove Railroad Bridge upstream to Willamette Falls from May 1 through August 31.
See Willamette Catch Summaries for more details on spring chinook, steelhead and sturgeon here.
May 28
The Caddis Fly Angling Shop
Fishing dry flies for the grannom caddis hatch can be a lesson in patience. Some would say it is a fools errand entirely. If you know what to look for, and can time it right it can be extremely rewarding. The Mothers Day Caddis hatch or Grannom Caddis is a spring hatch that sweeps North America. Typically, it is the first significant caddis hatch of the year and can produce huge blanket hatches which provide trout with many targets on the surface. Many people claim that fish strictly feed on pupae for this hatch, which sometimes is true. Swinging soft hackles and dead drifting pupae can be deadly, but so can fishing flies closer to the surface. Running an emerger behind a dry is typically my go to, but egg laying variants can work fantastic, especially if you time it right with an egg laying event. If you are on the river and happen to see swarms of grannoms moving upstream, I highly recommend that you follow that swarm up. Typically they will choose a glide to spawn and for females to oviposit eggs on the water. These egg laying events create a feeding frenzy and it can be some of the best dry fly fishing of the spring if you can time it right. After the hatch has been going on for some time, fish are keyed in on cripples, mergers, pupae, and egg laying females specifically. This makes searching with an egg laying caddis a fantastic choice. Grannoms are similar size to many of our summer and fall caddis species too, so this fly will get love all of the way through fall as well.
Hook- Fulling Mill Ultimate Dry FM5050: Size 14
Thread- Fulling Mill 70D Pro Flat Thread: Black
Egg Spot- Fulling Mill Ultra Dry Yarn: Western Green Drake
Abdomen- Fulling Mill Ultra Dry Yarn: March Brown & Fulling Mill Eco Warrior Dub: Pepperbox
Wing- Fulling Mill CDC: Light Dun & Natures Spirit Snowshoe Rabbit Foot: Dark Dun
Hi Vis Spot- Fulling Mill Ultra Dry Yarn: Fluorescent Pink
Hackle- Whiting Bronze Saddle: Brown
UV Resin- Solarez Bone Dry
UV Torch- Loon Plasma Light
Bobbin- Smhaen Tension Bobbin
Vise- Renzetti Master & Deluxe Streamer Base
Hook- Fulling Mill Ultimate Dry FM5050: Size 14
Thread- Fulling Mill 70D Pro Flat Thread: Black
Egg Spot- Fulling Mill Ultra Dry Yarn: Western Green Drake
Abdomen- Fulling Mill Ultra Dry Yarn: March Brown & Fulling Mill Eco Warrior Dub: Pepperbox
Wing- Fulling Mill CDC: Light Dun & Natures Spirit Snowshoe Rabbit Foot: Dark Dun
Hi Vis Spot- Fulling Mill Ultra Dry Yarn: Fluorescent Pink
Hackle- Whiting Bronze Saddle: Brown
UV Resin- Solarez Bone Dry
UV Torch- Loon Plasma Light
Bobbin- Smhaen Tension Bobbin
Vise- Renzetti Master & Deluxe Streamer Base
This report was written by The Caddis Fly Angling Shop:
http://www.caddisflyshop.com/
(541) 342-7005
(541) 342-7005
May 20
Oregon DWR
COAST FORK WILLAMETTE RIVER: Chinook, summer steelhead, trout
Was stocked the week of April 27th and will be stocked again the week of May 18th with 1,000 hatchery rainbow trout.
Chinook fishing should get going in mid-May and really heat up in June.
The river is open to fishing all year for trout, hatchery Chinook salmon, hatchery steelhead and wild steelhead over 24 inches.
Use of bait allowed April 22 Oct. 31 but beginning Nov. 1 anglers may only use lures and artificial flies. In addition to five hatchery trout, two wild trout may be kept daily. Last updated 5/12/26.
MIDDLE FORK WILLAMETTE RIVER: Trout, steelhead, Chinook
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers refurbished the boat ramp on the south side of the Middle Fork Willamette just below Dexter Dam allowing drift boat and raft access. Chinook fishing should get started in mid-May and Chinook and summer steelhead fishing should be good June July downstream of Dexter Dam.
A Columbia River Basin Endorsement is required for anglers targeting salmon and steelhead.
The Middle Fork Willamette above Lookout Point and Hills Creek reservoirs are open to fishing using lures and artificial flies. All wild trout must be released upstream of Lookout Point Reservoir. The Middle Fork Willamette River is not stocked with hatchery trout. Last updated 5/5/26.
WILLAMETTE RIVER: Catch-and-release sturgeon, steelhead, spring Chinook, coho salmon, bass, walleye, shad
From May 4 - May 10, fishing in the lower Willamette River harvest was productive, posting a season-best 1,007 spring Chinook kept for the week. Fishing below St Johns Bridge and in the Multnomah Channel was good, where anglers averaged 0.19 Chinook kept per boat angler. The "head of channel" area where the Multnomah Channel and Willamette River meet has been one of the most productive options within this subarea. Catch rates from St Johns Bridge to Lake Oswego were relatively low, 0.08 Chinook kept per boat angler. From Lake Oswego to Willamette Falls, catch rates continued their slowing trend, 0.05 Chinook per boat angler. Bank anglers in the Oregon City area reported no salmonid catch for 230 angler trips.
The water temperature has warmed to 65 degrees in the Willamette River, and the bite is often in the earliest hours of the day once the water gets this warm. Many successful springer anglers are fishing with 360 flashers and spinners tipped with coonstripe shrimp/prawns or hard plastic "stuffer" baits throughout the river.
Shad fishing kicks off in the Willamette River in May, and a handful of shad were caught in the Willamette this week. You can find them throughout the system, but the best shad fishing occurs in the Oregon City area. Use small spoons and shad darts to target them from a boat or from the bank. Clackamette Park is a productive area to try catching these abundant, hard-fighting fish.
Warmwater fishing starts to become a productive option on the Willamette during times of warm water and low flows. As summer approaches, consider fishing for bass, walleye, and other warmwater species that reside in the Willamette River.
As a reminder, per permanent regulations, sturgeon angling is prohibited from the Lake OswegoOak Grove Railroad Bridge upstream to Willamette Falls from May 1 through August 31.
See Willamette Catch Summaries for more details on spring chinook, steelhead and sturgeon here.
Was stocked the week of April 27th and will be stocked again the week of May 18th with 1,000 hatchery rainbow trout.
Chinook fishing should get going in mid-May and really heat up in June.
The river is open to fishing all year for trout, hatchery Chinook salmon, hatchery steelhead and wild steelhead over 24 inches.
Use of bait allowed April 22 Oct. 31 but beginning Nov. 1 anglers may only use lures and artificial flies. In addition to five hatchery trout, two wild trout may be kept daily. Last updated 5/12/26.
MIDDLE FORK WILLAMETTE RIVER: Trout, steelhead, Chinook
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers refurbished the boat ramp on the south side of the Middle Fork Willamette just below Dexter Dam allowing drift boat and raft access. Chinook fishing should get started in mid-May and Chinook and summer steelhead fishing should be good June July downstream of Dexter Dam.
A Columbia River Basin Endorsement is required for anglers targeting salmon and steelhead.
The Middle Fork Willamette above Lookout Point and Hills Creek reservoirs are open to fishing using lures and artificial flies. All wild trout must be released upstream of Lookout Point Reservoir. The Middle Fork Willamette River is not stocked with hatchery trout. Last updated 5/5/26.
WILLAMETTE RIVER: Catch-and-release sturgeon, steelhead, spring Chinook, coho salmon, bass, walleye, shad
From May 4 - May 10, fishing in the lower Willamette River harvest was productive, posting a season-best 1,007 spring Chinook kept for the week. Fishing below St Johns Bridge and in the Multnomah Channel was good, where anglers averaged 0.19 Chinook kept per boat angler. The "head of channel" area where the Multnomah Channel and Willamette River meet has been one of the most productive options within this subarea. Catch rates from St Johns Bridge to Lake Oswego were relatively low, 0.08 Chinook kept per boat angler. From Lake Oswego to Willamette Falls, catch rates continued their slowing trend, 0.05 Chinook per boat angler. Bank anglers in the Oregon City area reported no salmonid catch for 230 angler trips.
The water temperature has warmed to 65 degrees in the Willamette River, and the bite is often in the earliest hours of the day once the water gets this warm. Many successful springer anglers are fishing with 360 flashers and spinners tipped with coonstripe shrimp/prawns or hard plastic "stuffer" baits throughout the river.
Shad fishing kicks off in the Willamette River in May, and a handful of shad were caught in the Willamette this week. You can find them throughout the system, but the best shad fishing occurs in the Oregon City area. Use small spoons and shad darts to target them from a boat or from the bank. Clackamette Park is a productive area to try catching these abundant, hard-fighting fish.
Warmwater fishing starts to become a productive option on the Willamette during times of warm water and low flows. As summer approaches, consider fishing for bass, walleye, and other warmwater species that reside in the Willamette River.
As a reminder, per permanent regulations, sturgeon angling is prohibited from the Lake OswegoOak Grove Railroad Bridge upstream to Willamette Falls from May 1 through August 31.
See Willamette Catch Summaries for more details on spring chinook, steelhead and sturgeon here.