Fishing is generally best when flows are below 3,000 cfs. Currently flows have dropped quite a bit over the last week and are now at 1,600 cfs at the Waterloo gauge as of May 29th. These conditions are less than ideal but should change quickly due to less precipitation ahead in the forecast.‌

Summer steelhead are off to a promising start this year, with approximately 7,000 adults having crossed into the upper Willamette River as of May 24. Some of these fish have already reached the South Santiam, where anglers are beginning to catch them, with more arriving each day.‌

Spring chinook numbers have also surged in the last weeks with counts at Willamette Falls now exceeding 7,600 as of May 24th Now that we are beyond April 22, bait restrictions are lifted and anglers can use bait through the end of October.