Willamette River Workgroup

Species

• Smallmouth Bass
• Spring (threatened), Summer, and Fall Chinook
• Coho (threatened)
• Shad
• Summer Steelhead (threatened)
• Sturgeon (catch-and-release only)
• Walleye

Overview

The Willamette River in northwest Oregon is a vibrant and resilient urban-to-wild fishery, flowing 187 miles from the Cascade foothills through Eugene, Salem, and Portland to join the Columbia at Kelley Point. Celebrated for its powerhouse spring chinook salmon runs, summer steelhead, and diverse warmwater opportunities, the river draws thousands of anglers to its deep holes, rocky ledges, and drift-boat glides from Willamette Falls to the Multnomah Channel. Each spring, bright chinook stack below the Falls in a spectacle of leaping fish and crowded banks, while summer steelhead glide through the lower river and upper tributaries like the McKenzie and Clackamas. Smallmouth bass and walleye thrive in the warmer mainstem, and catch-and-release sturgeon offer trophy battles near Portland’s skyline. From selective harvest advocacy to sea lion management at the Falls, ANWS has championed ESA-listed wild springers and steelhead, balancing sport fishing with recovery in a basin where city meets salmon. The Willamette River is served by many of our chapters, including Emerald Empire, Mid-Valley, and Tualatin Valley.

Our Accomplishments

• 1990: ANWS led efforts to address sea lion predaton on spring chinook and steelhead at Willamette Falls, a critical bottleneck for the entire basin.
• 2000: Willamette Spring Salmon Season switched to Selective, which protected declining wild Spring chinook runs critical to the Columbia Basin's recovery.
• 2018: ANWS on NOAA Taskforce approving Willamette Falls sea lion take permit.
• 2019: Successfully lobbied for general funds for sea lion take, sustaining salmon and steelhead recovery efforts.

Goals

Our Willamette River Ambassador will establish our goals for the future of the Willamette River, to be posted here.

Threats and Challenges

Our Willamette River Ambassador will track threats and challenges to the Willamette River, to be posted here.