Winter Steelhead in Oregon: River Run Timing and Flows

Q: When do steelhead run in Oregon?

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife describes winter steelhead from Nov 1 to Apr 30; summer steelhead from May 1 to Oct 31. Winter fish come in from November through April close to spawning, and coastal streams are dominated by them.

Q: Which Oregon rivers have winter steelhead?

The rivers ODFW names with steelhead in the river between December and April include the Alsea River, Chetco River, Clackamas River, Nestucca River, Trask River, Wilson River, Nehalem River, Siletz River and 6 more. Each one is listed below with its agency timing and the source sentence.

Q: When is the peak of the steelhead run in Oregon?

ODFW gives these peaks: Alsea River: mid Jan to mid Feb; Clackamas River: January and March; Siuslaw River: late January into March. Rain and water temperature move the week from one year to the next, which is why the live gauge readings sit beside the table.

Q: Where is the Oregon steelhead fishing report?

ODFW publishes the ODFW weekly Recreation Report (fishing report by zone) (weekly), the Willamette Falls Fish Counts (daily), the Cole Rivers Hatchery Fish Counts (weekly) and the How to fish for steelhead (month by month run timing table). All are linked below.

Q: Which Oregon steelhead rivers get hatchery fish?

ODFW records hatchery releases or returns on the Rogue River.

Q: How high is the Alsea River running today?

The rivers table reads the latest discharge and water temperature straight from USGS for 15 Oregon steelhead rivers with a USGS discharge gauge, the Alsea River among them, and sets each flow beside the gauge's median for today's date from its full record.

Q: Is the steelhead run the same as the fishing season in Oregon?

No. A run window is when the fish move, and it is biology. Seasons, licences and river closures are set by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and change inside a year; its current regulations are linked beside the rivers table.

Q: What is the difference between winter and summer steelhead in Oregon?

Winter fish come in from the ocean close to spawning, November through April by NOAA Fisheries' account; summer fish enter months earlier and hold in the river before spawning. ODFW describes both runs. The Clackamas River, Nestucca River, Trask River and 1 more carry steelhead in every month.

Rivers and flows

Oregon steelhead rivers, run timing and flow today

Each river below is one Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife names for steelhead, with the timing it gives and the sentence it came from. Beside it, the latest discharge from the river’s USGS gauge and the median discharge for today’s date across that gauge’s years of record, so a reading of 150% means the river is carrying half again its usual flow for the day. 13 of the gauges also report water temperature.

Oregon steelhead rivers named by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, with the latest USGS discharge and water temperature and the median discharge for today’s date over each gauge’s record.
River	Run timing	Hatchery	Flow now	Median for today	Water temp
Alsea RiverMid Coast A pure winter river on ODFW's table, December through March, with the run usually strongest from mid January to mid February. ODFW source USGS gauge 14306500	winter Dec to MarPeak: mid Jan to mid Feb	See the note	Loading	Loading	Loading
Chetco RiverSouth Coast A south coast winter river that ODFW marks December through March and nothing in summer. ODFW source USGS gauge 14400000	winter Dec to Mar	See the note	Loading	Loading	Loading
Clackamas RiverWillamette (lower Columbia) Carries winter fish November through May and summer fish June through October, so something is in the river all year. ODFW source USGS gauge 14210000	winter Nov to May; summer Jun to OctPeak: January and March	See the note	Loading	Loading	Loading
Nestucca RiverNorth Coast ODFW lists steelhead here in every month, winter fish November through April and summer fish May through October. ODFW source USGS gauge 14303600	winter Nov to Apr; summer May to Oct	See the note	Loading	Loading	Loading
Trask RiverNorth Coast A Tillamook Bay river with winter fish December through April and summer fish the rest of the year. ODFW source USGS gauge 14302480	winter Dec to Apr; summer May to Nov	See the note	Loading	Loading	Loading
Wilson RiverNorth Coast The other Tillamook Bay year round river, with winter fish December through April. ODFW source USGS gauge 14301500	winter Dec to Apr; summer May to Nov	See the note	Loading	Loading	Discharge only at this gauge
Nehalem RiverNorth Coast A late winter river, December through April, where the run is mostly wild fish returning late. ODFW source USGS gauge 14301000	winter Dec to Apr	See the note	Loading	Loading	Loading
Siletz RiverMid Coast Summer fish June through November and winter fish from December; ODFW notes steelhead are present all year. ODFW source USGS gauge 14305500	winter Dec; summer Jun to Nov	See the note	Loading	Loading	Loading
Siuslaw RiverMid Coast Winter only, December through March, building from late January. ODFW source USGS gauge 14307620	winter Dec to MarPeak: late January into March	See the note	Loading	Loading	Loading
Rogue RiverSouth Coast (Rogue) Both runs: summer fish July through November and winter fish December through April, with Cole Rivers Hatchery raising both. ODFW source USGS gauge 14372300	winter Dec to Apr; summer Jul to Nov	Hatchery fish	Loading	Loading	Loading
North Umpqua RiverUmpqua Winter fish January through April and summer fish May through November, so the river carries steelhead most of the year. ODFW source USGS gauge 14319500	winter Jan to Apr; summer May to Nov	See the note	Loading	Loading	Loading
Sandy RiverLower Columbia Winter fish December through April and a summer run May through August. ODFW source USGS gauge 14142500	winter Dec to Apr; summer May to Aug	See the note	Loading	Loading	Loading
Hood RiverColumbia Gorge A Gorge river with winter fish February through June and summer fish September through November. ODFW source USGS gauge 14120000	winter Feb to Jun; summer Sep to Nov	See the note	Loading	Loading	Loading
Deschutes RiverColumbia (east of the Cascades) A summer only river, June through November, like every steelhead river east of the Cascades. ODFW source USGS gauge 14103000	summer Jun to Nov	See the note	Loading	Loading	Loading
Grande Ronde RiverSnake (northeast Oregon) Summer steelhead that arrive September through December and are still in the river January through March before spawning. ODFW source USGS gauge 13333000	summer Sep to Mar	See the note	Loading	Loading	Discharge only at this gauge

Run calendar

When steelhead are in Oregon rivers

The months ODFW gives for each river, laid on a July to June year so a winter run reads as one bar. The statewide winter run is Nov 1 to Apr 30. Rain and water temperature move the weeks inside those months from one year to the next.

Alsea RiverMid Coastwinter Dec to Mar
Chetco RiverSouth Coastwinter Dec to Mar
Clackamas RiverWillamette (lower Columbia)winter Nov to May; summer Jun to Oct
Nestucca RiverNorth Coastwinter Nov to Apr; summer May to Oct
Trask RiverNorth Coastwinter Dec to Apr; summer May to Nov
Wilson RiverNorth Coastwinter Dec to Apr; summer May to Nov
Nehalem RiverNorth Coastwinter Dec to Apr
Siletz RiverMid Coastwinter Dec; summer Jun to Nov
Siuslaw RiverMid Coastwinter Dec to Mar
Rogue RiverSouth Coast (Rogue)winter Dec to Apr; summer Jul to Nov
North Umpqua RiverUmpquawinter Jan to Apr; summer May to Nov
Sandy RiverLower Columbiawinter Dec to Apr; summer May to Aug
Hood RiverColumbia Gorgewinter Feb to Jun; summer Sep to Nov
Deschutes RiverColumbia (east of the Cascades)summer Jun to Nov
Grande Ronde RiverSnake (northeast Oregon)summer Sep to Mar

Winter steelhead
Summer steelhead
Nov, the current month

Oregon steelhead months by river, from Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Fish in the river across all year.

The runs, in ODFW’s words

Winter steelhead, Nov 1 to Apr 30. Winter fish come in from November through April close to spawning, and coastal streams are dominated by them. Winter-run steelhead return to freshwater between November and April and spawn shortly thereafter. Source
Summer steelhead, May 1 to Oct 31. Summer fish enter from May through October and hold for months before spawning; every steelhead east of the Cascades is a summer fish. Summer-run steelhead return to freshwater between May and October and require several months to mature and spawn. Source

Winter-run Steelhead return from the ocean at age 4 or 5 years, and travel to their spawning grounds from November to April.
NOAA Fisheries, West Coast Region

A dark clear river pool curving past a gravel bar, snow on the banks and a steep forested slope of fir and moss covered alder behind — The Nestucca River in the Oregon Coast Range in late winter. Coastal rivers like this one carry the winter run from late fall into spring, and they rise and drop fast with each storm. “Nestucca Wild and Scenic River (40678437973)”, BLM Oregon & Washington, Public domain

Reports

Oregon steelhead reports and counts

Where ODFW publishes the current picture: fishing reports, weir and hatchery counts, and creel surveys, each with how often it is updated.

ODFW weekly Recreation Report (fishing report by zone)ODFW, fishing report, weeklyIn addition, the ODFW weekly Recreation Report describes the latest river and fishing conditions for dozens of steelhead rivers in Oregon.
Willamette Falls Fish CountsODFW, weir count, dailyA video camera records fish passage 24 hours/day and the video is reviewed by ODFW staff to provide daily counts by species, size, and origin (e.g., hatchery or wild).
Cole Rivers Hatchery Fish CountsODFW, hatchery return, weeklyRoughly weekly, the fish are counted out of the pond and ladder, then sorted.
How to fish for steelhead (month by month run timing table)ODFW, fishing reportThe table below describes the run timing of winter and summer steelhead on some of Oregon’s best steelhead fishing rivers.

Close view of a steelhead head and gill plate in shallow water inside a black mesh net, a thumb resting lightly on its back — A Methow River steelhead in spawning colour, held in the water in a hatchery crew’s net. The red gill plate and band come on as the fish nears spawning. “Steelhead breeding colors Methow River”, Michael Humling/USFWS, Public domain

Elsewhere

Steelhead run timing in other states

Questions about Oregon steelhead

When do steelhead run in Oregon?

Which Oregon rivers have winter steelhead?

When is the peak of the steelhead run in Oregon?

Where is the Oregon steelhead fishing report?

Which Oregon steelhead rivers get hatchery fish?

How high is the Alsea River running today?

Is the steelhead run the same as the fishing season in Oregon?

What is the difference between winter and summer steelhead in Oregon?

River timing from Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife pages, each linked beside its river. Flow, water temperature and the daily median from the USGS Water Services. Compiled September 21, 2026.

Oregon salmon run timingThe chinook and coho runs on the same rivers, in the months before the steelhead.Oregon trout stockingThe same species as a freshwater fish, stocked on a schedule.Oregon river levelsEvery USGS gauge in the state against its own record for the date.