Oregon’s North Umpqua River is legendary for its summer steelhead fishery, and for the special fishing regulations that have helped sustain the unique character and history of this water. Now, for only the second time since Oregon began to regulate fishing on the North Umpqua, the summer steelhead fishery will be closed in 2023 due to poor returns of adult fish.
The end of hatchery summer steelhead on the North Umpqua
On April 22nd, the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission voted 4-3 to end the hatchery summer steelhead program on the North Umpqua River after determining that the hatchery program presented an unacceptable risk to wild fish.
Speak up for North Umpqua wild steelhead
North Umpqua wild summer steelhead numbers have been in serious decline for decades. Considering the major decline in returns of wild steelhead to the basin, ODFW is reviewing its management policies, including the North Umpqua hatchery summer steelhead program.