Is Summer Steelhead Fishing Closing?

The Pacific Northwest has long been known for chasing steelhead on the fly. Whether it is swinging two-handed spey rods or fishing smaller rivers with single-handed nymphing rigs, steelhead have been a staple. Unfortunately, our native steelhead populations have experienced declines, with many theories about what is happening. Some speculate global climate change, increased predation, toxic zones in the ocean, and many other ideas. Birthed out of NWFFO through one of our guides, Matt Thornton, is a non-profit, "The Wilderness Calling Conservation Initiative," whose goal is to tag steelhead kelts on the Oregon Coast to bring more data to the decision making processes.

Don't despair, our summer steelhead hatchery programs in the Pacific Northwest are robust and provide plenty of summer steelhead opportunities!  While the rest of this article is going to discuss some of the challenges this summer steelhead season is facing, don't hesitate to get out and swing some of these locations:

Washington Hatchery Summer Steelhead

• Cowlitz River
• Kalama River
• Klickitat River
• Lewis River
• White Salmon River

Oregon Hatchery Summer Steelhead

• Clackamas River
• Deschutes River
• Hood River
• McKenzie River
• Rogue River
• Willamette River

It is nearly every fly angler's dream to catch wild, unclipped, native steelhead. It is the pinnacle for the fly angler. This year, two of our rivers are facing closures due to low native numbers, and our goal is to help people understand what is happening and why. There is a lot of information here, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us for more information.

Understanding the Deschutes River Steelhead Closure Rules: How ODFW Decides When the River Opens or Closes

When it comes to Pacific Northwest fly fishing, the Lower Deschutes River holds legendary status. From the canyon walls below Warm Springs down to the famous runs around Maupin and the mouth, swing anglers wait all year for wild summer steelhead to arrive.

However, because Columbia Basin wild steelhead returns face unpredictable oceanic and river conditions, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) manages the Lower Deschutes with an in-season Adaptive Management Framework.

If you've ever wondered why the Deschutes opens, closes, or stays open as the summer progresses, here is a complete breakdown of the official counting steps, decision triggers, and how steelhead rules impact other target species on the river.

How It Works: Tracking Wild Steelhead at Bonneville Dam

Unlike rivers where fish are counted right as they enter local spawning tributaries, ODFW relies heavily on counts of unmarked (wild) summer steelhead passing Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River starting July 1.

Decades of fisheries data show a strong correlation between wild fish passage at Bonneville in July and August and the total number of wild fish that eventually turn into the Deschutes and reach spawning grounds upstream of Sherars Falls.

By monitoring Bonneville Dam passage, ODFW can predict Deschutes run strength far enough in advance to protect wild fish while maximizing angling opportunity when numbers are healthy.

The Decision Triggers: Step-by-Step Benchmarks

ODFW uses a clear two-step evaluation process throughout the season to adjust regulations dynamically.

Step 1: Bonneville Dam Count Thresholds

Biologists monitor cumulative unmarked steelhead counts over Bonneville Dam across two critical evaluation windows:

July 1 – July 31 Evaluation

• Scenario A (Exceeds 18,700 wild fish): The fishery remains open under standard permanent rules.
• Scenario B (Fewer than 9,900 wild fish): The steelhead fishery closes by August 15. ODFW continues monitoring through August 31 for potential late-season recovery.
• Scenario C (Between 9,900 and 18,700 wild fish): The fishery stays open, but ODFW closely tracks August counts to evaluate the next thresholds.

July 1 – August 31 Cumulative Evaluation

• Scenario D (Exceeds 23,100 wild fish): The fishery remains open.
• Scenario E (Fewer than 23,100 wild fish): The fishery closes by September 15 (or stays closed if triggered under Scenario B).
• Scenario F (Late Re-Opening): If the river was closed under Scenario B (<9,900 in July), but August returns bounce back to push cumulative counts past 23,100 wild fish by August 31, the fishery re-opens by September 15.

Step 2: Sherars Falls Trap Parameters (Late-Season Check)

In addition to dam counts, ODFW uses wild steelhead captures at the Sherars Falls Adult Salmon and Steelhead Trap as an in-river check on Deschutes-origin run strength by November 1:

1. Re-Opening Trigger: If the river was closed under Step 1, but biologists capture 120 or more wild steelhead at the trap by November 1, the fishery re-opens within 10 days.
2. Emergency Closure Trigger: If the river is open under permanent rules, but fewer than 60 wild steelhead are captured at the trap by November 1, the fishery closes on November 15.
3. Status Quo (60 to 120 fish): The fishery remains in whatever state (open or closed) was established by Step 1.

How Steelhead Closures Affect Other Lower Deschutes Fisheries

When ODFW implements a temporary emergency closure for summer steelhead, it directly impacts target options and boundary rules for salmon and trout anglers in the Deschutes canyon.

1. Fall Chinook Salmon

• Mouth to Upper Railroad Trestle (RM 0 to RM 40): CLOSED. If a temporary rule closes steelhead angling, fall Chinook angling in the lower 40 miles closes concurrently.
• Upper Railroad Trestle to Sherars Falls: REMAINS OPEN. Fall Chinook angling stays open under permanent rules in this reach. Steelhead bycatch in this section is historically low (averaging ~58 wild steelhead captured and released annually).

2. Coho Salmon

• I-84 Bridge to Pelton Dam (RM 0 to RM 100): CLOSED. A steelhead closure concurrently shuts down coho fishing across almost the entire lower river.
• Upper Railroad Trestle to Sherars Falls: REMAINS OPEN. Like Chinook, coho angling remains open under permanent rules in this localized section.

3. Redband Trout & Whitefish

• Impact: REMAINS OPEN.
• Unlike coastal streams where gear overlap forces full river closures, resident redband trout fishing remains open under permanent rules during a steelhead emergency closure.

The Bottom Line for Deschutes Anglers

As of July 31st, the wild unclipped steelhead counts did not meet the needed 9,900 or 18,700 to keep the Deschutes River open to fly fishing for steelhead.  As such, the Deschutes River will be closed to steelhead fishing August 15th through September 15th.  The Deschutes will reopen on September 15th if the new counts reach 23,100 by August 31st.  The river will remain open for trout fishing; however, if we do not manage these closures well, this could change in future years.

Understanding the North Umpqua Summer Steelhead Closure Rules: What Anglers Need to Know

The North Umpqua River holds legendary status in the fly fishing world. Its wild summer steelhead are fast, strong, and deeply tied to the history of Northwest fly angling. But if you've been following the news out of Roseburg, you know that keeping this fishery healthy requires careful management.

With changing environmental conditions and low run counts in recent years, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) relies on a specific management framework to determine whether the river stays open — or if an emergency conservation closure is triggered.

If you've ever wondered how ODFW decides to pull the plug on the season, here is a clear breakdown of the rules, the decision-making triggers, and how potential closures impact other fisheries in the Umpqua basin.

The Conservation Threshold: The Magic Number is 1,200

ODFW's management decisions boil down to the Coastal Multi-Species Conservation and Management Plan (CMP). Under this plan, the Critical Abundance Threshold (CAT) for wild summer steelhead on the North Umpqua is set at 1,200 wild spawners.

If wild fish projections drop below 1,200, ODFW steps in with temporary emergency rules to eliminate angling pressure and protect the run.

How Fish Are Counted

Beginning May 1 each year, biologists count every wild summer steelhead crossing the fishway at Winchester Dam:

• May 1 – July 19: Full video census counts.
• July 20 – November 30: Stratified sub-sample counting.

ODFW builds a 10% safety buffer into daily counts to reduce risk and ensure management decisions happen early enough to protect migrating fish.

The Four Rules Governing the Season

Rather than guessing, ODFW follows four clear, adaptive rules throughout the season to decide if the North Umpqua stays open or closes to angling:

Rule 1: Pre-June 15 (Standard Rules Apply)

Before June 15, permanent sport fishing regulations (or standard temporary rules) remain in effect. Typically, the fishery is open during this early window.

Rule 2: The June 15 Benchmark (373 Fish Threshold)

By June 15, biologists check total wild fish passage at Winchester Dam:

• Fewer than 373 wild adults: The fishery closes immediately.
• 373 or more wild adults: The fishery remains open.

Rule 3: Mid-Season In-Season Tracking (June 15 – July 19)

During this core summer window, ODFW tracks daily counts against historical benchmarks. If daily counts cross above or below the threshold for 7 consecutive days, ODFW can implement an adaptive change (opening or closing the fishery) up to one time during this period.

Rule 4: Late-Season Tracking (After July 19)

From late July through fall, if estimated run counts cross the critical threshold for 7 consecutive days, ODFW will evaluate the data and consider adaptively opening or closing the fishery once during this period.

What does a closure look like? If triggered, closures typically apply to all angling in the North Umpqua River and its tributaries, stretching from the mouth upstream to the marker below Soda Springs Dam near the power plant enclosure, usually running through December 1.

How Steelhead Rules Affect Other Umpqua Fisheries

When a blanket closure hits the North Umpqua, it often impacts anglers targeting other species. Because steelhead gear and techniques overlap with trout and salmon angling, ODFW must manage the whole ecosystem.

1. Spring Chinook Salmon

• Impact: None expected.
• The Spring Chinook season wraps up on June 30. Due to count lag times, early emergency steelhead closures rarely go into effect before July 1, leaving the Chinook season intact.

2. Resident Trout (Cutthroat & Rainbows)

• Impact: Likely Closed.
• Trout gear is nearly identical to summer steelhead gear, making enforcement during a steelhead-only closure impossible. If the North Umpqua closes for steelhead, it generally closes for trout too.
• Alternative Options: You can still chase trout nearby in lakes, reservoirs, or upstream above Slide Creek Dam.

3. Hatchery Coho Salmon

• Impact: Possible Closure on the North Umpqua; mainstem remains open.
• While the North Umpqua is usually open year-round for hatchery coho, coho runs in the North Umpqua are minimal. Because coho anglers use gear similar to steelhead, a North Umpqua steelhead closure will also halt coho fishing on that reach. However, hatchery coho fishing typically remains open on the mainstem Umpqua River.

4. Winter Steelhead

• Impact: Minimal to None.
• North Umpqua wild summer closures typically lift around December 1. Very few winter steelhead enter the upper system before December, so winter steelhead opportunities remain largely unaffected.

The Bottom Line for North Umpqua Anglers

These management rules exist to give wild fish a fighting chance during critical low-water and low-return years, preserving the fishery for future generations.

Before heading out to fish the Umpqua basin, always double-check current in-season regulation updates on the MyODFW Emergency Closure Page or swing by the shop! We'll keep you geared up, informed, and pointed toward open, healthy water.