In the midst of an exceptional drought, low stream flows and relatively high water temperatures, ODFW has curtailed fishing hours throughout the state to reduce the stress on trout, salmon, steelhead and sturgeon. Though no angler likes to lose out on potential fishing time, taking proactive measures to protect Oregon’s native fish now is smart conservation.
A few waterways will see complete closures for those native species, including the Willamette River below Willamette Falls and the lower Clackamas River up to the I-205 Bridge.
Other streams will remain open for the normal one-hour-before-sunrise to one-hour-after-sunset fishing hours. For us in the Willamette Zone that includes:
- The McKenzie River and its tributaries; the Middle Fork of the Willamette River below Dexter Dam; the Middle Fork of the Willamette River and its tributaries above Lookout Point Reservoir; and Alton Baker Canoe Canal.
- The mainstem of the South Santiam River below Foster Dam; Quartzville Creek; the North Santiam River above Detroit Lake; and the Breitenbush River.
The new regulations will be in effect until further notice.
For full details, please see the complete ODFW press release at http://dfw.state.or.us/news/