Chasing steelhead with a fly in Oregon’s high-desert rivers in fall is the stuff most fly-fishers’ dreams are made of. The Deschutes River in Central Oregon in particular is a hotbed — however starting Aug. 15, 2026, the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife will close steelhead and salmon fishing on the Lower Deschutes due to poor steelhead runs.
If wild steelhead returns improve in August and exceed 23,100 wild fish by Aug. 31, the Deschutes steelhead fishery can reopen by Sept. 15.
The closure is aimed to protect wild upriver summer steelhead (protected under the Endangered Species Act and listed as Threatened since the late 1990s), and aligns with the state’s Deschutes River Steelhead Management Framework. Anglers should check the ODF&W site to see what this means for chinook, coho and salmon fishing, and check for in-season regulation changes in their zone before fishing. State experts say the Lower Deschutes closure could continue into 2027, and may also impact fishing opportunities in the John Day, Umatilla, Grande Ronde and Imnaha rivers. In the meantime, here’s what to know about steelhead fishing in Oregon, and where to go for an abundance of other species in Oregon’s glorious rivers.
Support a Local Guide
Even during the Deschutes closure fall is a beautiful time in Oregon, and there are plenty of other locations to fish for species other than steelhead. In fact, it’s the perfect time to book a guided trip with a local outfitter to support the people who depend on them for their livelihoods. “If you have a guided trip or DIY trip planned to places like Maupin or The Dalles, don’t cancel,” says Mia Sheppard, owner of Little Creek Outfitters & Guide, based in Maupin. “Rural communities need you and depend on tourism dollars. Now is the time for Oregonians to support Oregonians.”
Editor’s note: Before you travel to Central Oregon or other parts of the state impacted by ongoing wildfires, it’s critical to confirm that your destination is open and ready for visitors. Find road and weather conditions at Tripcheck.com, air quality at AirNow Fire and Smoke Map, and updated fire alerts at our Travel Alerts page. Here’s a list of wildfire-related FAQs to brush up on before you head outdoors.
How Guides and Outfitters are Adapting
The Columbia River used to be home to the largest steelhead run on the planet. Historically, upwards of a million steelhead would travel up the Columbia each year, branching out into every tributary along the way, with many going as far as the Snake and Salmon river drainages in Idaho.
Due to a variety of factors — including dams, habitat destruction, climate change and over-harvesting of fish in the past 100 years — steelhead numbers have seen a steady decline. Recent decades have been particularly harsh, with average runs dropping by more than 50% over the past 20 years.
So much of Oregon depends on these fish — the culture, the people, the land, the water, the air. Anadromous fish (those that migrate from the ocean to their home rivers to spawn) like steelhead are truly a keystone species in the ecosystem of the Pacific Northwest.
But there is hope, with the public’s help. “The angling community has always been an advocate for the conservation and enhancement of Oregon’s natural landscapes, wildlife and fish,” says Priscilla Macy, executive director of Oregon Outfitters & Guides Association. “The rapid decline of our once-abundant fish populations is a crisis that has severely impacted businesses, livelihoods and communities that depend on the economic returns of the fishing season.” Macy’s group supports meaningful conservation efforts for steelhead.
“We must also acknowledge that impacts from fishing cannot be compared to factors including habitat loss, increasing water temperatures, dams and changing flow patterns,” she adds. “Guides and outfitters will do their best to adapt and survive, however solving this problem will require many players and decision makers to come together and implement longer-term, sustainable and collaborative solutions.”
How Fish Have Returned Before
Steelhead have returned in record numbers before. On the Sandy River east of Portland, the number of wild spring chinook increased from an average of 809 before the removal of the Marmot Dam to 2,086 afterward. The dam removal was part of the 2007 Bull Run Hydroelectric Project. The number of returning coho increased from 784 before dam removal to 1,959 afterward, and wild winter steelhead increased from 898 to 2,757.
“These fish are extremely resilient,” says Curtis Ciszek, guide and owner of Jet Boat Fly Guides, a Deschutes River guide service in Bend. “We have built dams, ruined tons of their spawning and rearing habitat, and against an extremely stacked deck, they continue to come back and reproduce.” He adds: “If we can keep fighting to improve their spawning and river habitats, they will continue to keep fighting to come back and reproduce, and hopefully in better numbers.”
Jeff Hickman agrees. He’s a steelhead advocate, conservationist, and owner and guide of Fish the Swing in Manzanita. He says the Sandy River’s Marmot Dam comeback is an example of what’s possible if partners come together and push to make decisions in the best interest of the state’s wildlife. “We need to get involved, volunteer if possible, donate to the fish-conservation groups working tirelessly on advocacy of wild steelhead,” he says. “If everyone put the same amount of energy and effort into fighting for steelhead as they do fishing for steelhead, we would save the species.”
Where to go for Fall Trout and More in Oregon
The pause on steelhead fishing means that anglers can now focus on other species, since Oregon’s waterways are home to an abundance of other fish. (Check the ODFW recreation report for the latest.) The Columbia River is home to a world-class smallmouth bass, carp and walleye fishery. Oregon is home to hundreds of lakes full of rainbow trout, brown trout, brook trout and more — most of which come with spectacular mountain views. On the Oregon Coast, look for a bounty of lingcod; Pacific rockfish; coho, chinook and chum salmon; and coastal cutthroat to chase with a fly.
On the Deschutes, fall trout fishing is often overlooked, but it’s a popular world-class redband trout fishery. Little Creek Outfitters, on the Upper Deschutes, is one of several outfitters still running day trips this fall in nonrestricted areas of the Central Oregon river. Anglers can fish a smaller-sized microspey rod and swing for trout in the same way as fishing for steelhead.
Little Creek also offers a cast-and-blast package, inviting nature lovers to fish as well as hunt for chukar, which thrive in the high-desert conditions. “These birds will give you a run for your money,” says Sheppard, who owns Little Creek with her husband, Marty. “Watching a covey fly is similar to hooking a steelhead. You don’t need to catch steelhead to enjoy yourself. Experiencing the pace of the water, the wildlife, the campfires and the camaraderie is what fishing is about.”
