Many public access points along the river are still closed from last year’s wildfires, including Fisherman’s Bend, and all recreation areas along the Little North Fork. But Packsaddle Park has recently re-opened, which is just below Minto Dam. Anglers can still access the river from Stayton downstream and in a few places above such as the Mehama bridge and North Santiam State Park.

The gate at ODFW’s Green’s Bridge property on the lower North Santiam near Jefferson will be opened later this week and will remain open until next summer.

No recent fishing reports. River levels best for fishing are at or below 3,000 cfs, and the river is currently running at 3,800 cfs at the gage in Mehama. Water clarity is good. 

Fishing for hatchery steelhead is open year-round but the run numbers were disappointingly low this year. Anglers can still do catch-and-release for trout through Oct.31, as well as keep up to five hatchery trout if any dropped down from the reservoirs above.

Fishing for Chinook is now closed to allow fish to spawn undisturbed. If you see fish paired up or actively digging in the gravel to build their nests, please give them a wide berth to avoid stressing them unnecessarily. The coho salmon run this year appears to be shaping up well. About 7,500 adults have been counted at Willamette Falls so far crossing into the upper basin with many more to come.  About 80 adult fish have already arrived at the Bennett dams fish counting station in Stayton. Anglers are allowed to keep two fish below Stayton, where most of the fish are concentrated. Above the Stayton-Scio bridge, coho fishing is closed until Oct. 15 to protect spawning chinook.