Oregon · river
Willamette River
The Willamette River ( wi-LAM-it) is a major tributary of the Columbia River, accounting for 12 to 15 percent of the Columbia's flow. The Willamette's main stem is 187 miles (301 km) long, lying entirely in northwestern Oregon in the United States. From Wikipedia
- Length
- 187 mi
- Basin
- 11,479 sq mi
- Flows into
- Columbia River
Flow now
Willamette River At Salem, OR, 2 mi from the river.
9,880cfsat build, Nov 12, 12 PM MT
The typical week here, from 10 years of record: 11,900 cfs to 27,000 cfs, around 17,900 cfs.
Also gauged at Luckiamute River Near Suver, OR: 180 cfs, Nov 12.
Snowpack
0.0 in of water in the snow at Miller Woods, against a median 0.0 in for the date.
The snowpack here usually builds from Jan 17, peaks Jan 16 and is gone by Jan 23; runoff follows the melt.
The season, November
Usually workable this week. Pick your window and fish it well.
- Midgessizes 18 to 22
- Small eggs and worms
- Pheasant tail and zebra midge nymphsunder an indicator
Typical for the week over 10 years: 11,900 to 27,000 cfs. Running 9,880 cfs today, inside that range. Flows are not forecast; check the gauge the day before.
Brown Trout are spawning (October to December). Stay off clean, light-coloured gravel in riffle tails and pool tailouts, and leave paired fish alone.
Brook Trout are spawning (September to November). Stay off clean, light-coloured gravel in riffle tails and pool tailouts, and leave paired fish alone.
Mountain Whitefish are spawning (October to December). The egg bite behind spawning whitefish is the best winter nymphing of the year: an egg pattern below the riffles.
- Flows swing a lot this week most years. Carry both a heavy nymph rig and a dry-dropper and let the gauge decide.
- Egg patterns in the runs below the spawning gravel, never on it.
Written by the app's rules engine from the calendar, the gauge record and the snowpack, not by hand, so it says only what the data says. The weather for the week comes with the app.
Fly shops on this water
- Home Waters Fly Fishing EugeneWebsite
- Royal Treatment Fly Fishing West LinnWebsiteFishing report, updated Nov 8
- The Caddis Fly Angling Shop EugeneWebsiteFishing report, updated Nov 9
Nearby waters
- Clackamas River47 mi
Open Willamette River in FlyMaster for today's plan, the flies, and your own log here.
Flows from the U.S. Geological Survey, snowpack from the NRCS SNOTEL network, text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Built Nov 12.
