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Willamette River Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

Oregon’s valley river: the Willamette runs spring chinook, steelhead, smallmouth and sturgeon through Portland.

4/5
Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.
Flow
8,030 cfs
Air / High
64 / 67 F
Wind
S 5 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 14191000, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
4
September 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

4/5Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Willamette River offers the kind of conditions this water was made for. The river is running 8,030 cfs, on the rise. Today brings cloud cover, wind S around 5 mph, steady pressure near 1012 hPa and a high of 67. Water sits around 66 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

Smallmouth bassExcellent

Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

Brown troutExcellent

Terrestrials tight to the bank; streamers through the deeper runs on cloudy days.

SteelheadFair

First fall runs after rain: fresh chrome in the lower pools on spawn bags and beads.

Tomorrow: Similar at 69 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings from Willamette River at Salem.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 14191000.

6,0176,8107,6038,030 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp64 F
High / Low67 / 54 F
WindS 5-13 mph
Pressure1012.2 hPa, steady
Sky / Rain100% cloud, 53%
Sunrise / Sunset06:38 / 19:43
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~66 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Showers, 67/54 F, wind 10 mph, rain 53%

Fair or better. Cloud and a rain chance can stretch the morning bite well past breakfast: keep moving baits tied on.

Species guide

The species that matter on Willamette River: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Steelhead illustration

Steelhead

Best: Oct-Apr

Lake-run rainbows that turn tributaries into winter fisheries. First fall runs after rain: fresh chrome in the lower pools on spawn bags and beads.

Smallmouth bass illustration

Smallmouth bass

Best: May-Oct

Current and rock. Finds gravel flats, boulders and drop-offs, and fights far above its weight. Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

Brown trout illustration

Brown trout

Best: Sep-Nov

Wary, predatory and nocturnal by preference. The big ones eat streamers. Terrestrials tight to the bank; streamers through the deeper runs on cloudy days.

When to come: the Willamette River calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Steelhead
Smallmouth bass
Brown trout
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 66 F (estimated, not a reading).

304050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~66 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Willamette River today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 58 F, wind to 14 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 63 F, wind to 14 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 70 F, wind to 10 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
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Before you go

License

Oregon requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

Oregon license plus Combined Angling Tag for salmon and steelhead. Sturgeon rules are restrictive: check current ODFW regulations and consumption advisories.

Access

Boat ramps and city parks from Eugene through Corvallis, Salem and Portland; Willamette Falls area at Oregon City.

About this water

A 187-mile river through western Oregon to the Columbia at Portland.

Fishing Willamette River: the full guide

A river through the state’s heart

The Willamette River flows about 187 miles north through the valley that carries its name to the Columbia at Portland, draining most of western Oregon. It supports a genuinely varied fishery: spring chinook salmon and winter steelhead running to the upper river and tributaries, smallmouth bass through the middle river, white sturgeon in the deeper water, plus walleye, crappie and catfish.

Spring chinook

The spring chinook run is the marquee fishery, with fish entering from the Columbia and moving upriver from February through June: anglers troll and anchor-fish plugs and prawns in the Portland Harbor, Oregon City and Willamette Falls areas. The falls concentrate fish and the fishery around them is intense during the peak.

Smallmouth and sturgeon

The middle river from Corvallis to Salem and beyond holds smallmouth in genuinely good numbers, an underfished summer option on tubes and crankbaits from drift boats and the bank. White sturgeon inhabit the deeper holes, managed as catch-and-release in most of the river with specific rules: check them carefully.

Willamette Valley logistics

Access is extensive: city parks, boat ramps and state access points from Eugene through Corvallis, Salem, Newberg and Portland. Flows respond to rain and upstream reservoir releases. Consumption advisories apply in some reaches, particularly around Portland Harbor: check current guidance before keeping fish.

Common questions

When is the spring chinook run?

February through June, peaking in spring: the fishery concentrates around Willamette Falls and the Portland Harbor.

Is the smallmouth fishing good?

Yes and underfished: the middle river holds good numbers through summer, ignored by anglers focused on salmon.

Are there advisories?

Yes in some reaches, particularly around Portland Harbor: check current consumption guidance before keeping fish.

Is fishing good at Willamette River right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Nearby waters

Detroit Lake42 miSiletz River46 miNestucca River47 miTrask River50 miSandy River52 miWilson River56 mi
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