The Annual Board Meeting is an opportunity for Steelheader leadership to reflect on the past year's accomplishments and challenges in order to chart a path forward for greater success. As Board President Jeff Hernandez noted during the meeting, "The Steelheaders’ strength lies in our members’ dedication to healthy fisheries, public access, and mentoring future generations of anglers. With a renewed focus on outreach, recruitment, and collaboration, the Association is well-positioned to continue being “the angler’s voice for conservation.”

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More than half a dozen Steelheaders from the Columbia River and the Tualatin Valley chapters hit the Columbia river with Oregon and Washington policy makers and their staff. About a dozen other volunteer boat captains participated as well. This annual trip is an opportunity to spend time in the boat chasing beloved Columbia River salmon while connecting our recreational angling community with policy makers who will make big decisions impacting our fisheries during the legislative session. Despite warm temps and hesitant fish, a few salmon were landed with great excitement. The event culminated in a lunch at the Sportsmen’s Public House in Ridgefield. Representatives from WDFW and ODFW presented on the health of the Columbia River and keystone species. Steelheaders are proud to partner on this event with our conservation allies Oregon and Washington Sportsmen Caucuses, Congressional Sportsmen Foundation, Ducks Unlimited, Delta Waterfowl, Coastal Conservation Association, American Sportfishing Association, National Wild Turkey Federation, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Since 1992, The Emerald Empire Chapter has operated a fish hatchery in support of ODFW's STEP program to recover and sustain Oregon’s wild and hatchery stocks of Winter Steelhead on Letz Creek, a tributary of the Siuslaw River. The hatchery is operated in close collaboration with ODFW biologists and uses modern hatchery practices like incorporating wild broodstock into the spawning program. This August, Emerald Empire volunteers clipped and ponded their current brood; a total of 18,060 happy and healthy fry. They are now being reared in one of the only earthen ponds in Oregon’s hatchery system. The fry will over-winter there and in April they will be released to begin their journey to the ocean's salt water.  After spending two years in the salt, they will return to Letz Creek and the chapter will collect their eggs for next brood.  And the life cycle continues.

The Sandy River Chapter has long cherished a partnership with the City of Troutdale in support of a healthy Sandy River with ample public access for recreation. The Sandy Chapter leads an extensive semi-annual river and park clean up pulling hundreds of pounds of trash from the banks and river bottom, from tanning beds to acoustic guitars. The semi-annual river clean up provides the Sandy Chapter use of Glen Otto Park’s Sam Cox building for their monthly meetings and events. As a token of appreciation to the volunteers who make this possible, the chapter hosts an annual picnic, including a pig roast for the past two years provided by chapter members. This year,  40+ people attended and enjoyed the salmon, pork, and outstanding side dishes provided by attendees. The chapter gives a big thank you to Norm and Jolie Ritchie and Greg Reed for their organization, BBQing and support. It is appreciated by all those who attended.

The Clackamas River, Sandy and Tualatin Valley Chapters held a joint fish-along at Social Security Beach, a nickname for a stretch of Ft Stevens State Park at the mouth of the Columbia River, casting for salmon off the beach! This was a fun trip(including driving onto the beach) and a unique fishery (bank fishing for Salmon coming into the Columbia River from the Pacific Ocean) that many were trying for the first time. We had a great time and enjoyed beautiful 75-degree weather and water while the valley hit 100+ degree temperatures. While our party did not bring any fish home, we saw a few fish caught by nearby anglers, which showed that it could IN FACT be done. A local shared that the coho run is hot in September, maybe we should do another trip this month.

Issue 4: Restoring a free-flowing lower Snake River to protect communities and deliver big benefits to ecosystems and salmon

Toxic algal blooms have been detected in the lower Snake River for the third consecutive year. Whitman County Public Health and Garfield County Public Health have issued Health Advisories in response to a water sample testing positive for microcystins, a type of liver toxin that is harmful to people and the river ecosystem, and lethal to pets.

Sandy River Chapter Fish Along
Friday, September 26
Glenn Otto Park 8:00am
Whether you're a seasoned angler or new to fishing, this event is the perfect opportunity to get outside, improve your skills, and connect with fellow anglers.

Steelhead 101 w/ ODFW
Troy, Oregon
October 17th and 18th
Save the date, registration coming soon on
ODFW's new registration site.

NW Steelheaders
Hall of Fame Banquet and Auction
3009 SE Chestnut St., Milwaukie, OR 97267
November 15 6PM
Get tickets now!

2026
Steelhead 101 w/ Sandy River Chapter and ODFW
Glen Otto Park
February 7th and 8th
Save the date, registration coming soon on
ODFW's new registration site.

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 Association of Northwest Steelheaders
P.O. Box 55400
Portland, OR 97238
United States