North Santiam River Fishing Report 04/28/24 The river is still flowing near a normal level and clear. Light green and red, or blood Midges, are hatching along with March Brown mayflies, Little Black Caddis and Skwala stoneflies.
Fly and Gear ordering and delivery: We can get flies to you within two to three business days from the time you place your order via Priority Mail. If you provide a budget for flies, we will select them to match the budget and get them to you on time for your trip. Please see the bottom of this column for ordering options.
We also have custom Perfect Fly selections in 3 different price ranges for this stream that come with or without fly boxes. They make excellent gifts. Click Here To Order or Call us at 800 594 4726 or email us at sales@perfectflystore.com.
Type of Stream
Freestone and tailwater
Species
Steelhead (winter and summer)
Rainbow Trout (Wild and stocked)
Brook Trout (Wild and stocked)
Chinook Salmon
Size
Small to Medium, 92 miles long
Location
Western Oregon
Nearest Towns
Salem
Jefferson
Season
Varies with species
Access:
Good with plenty of public access
Non-Resident License
State of Oregon
Weather
National Weather Service
USGS Real-time Stream Flow
Data: Near Mehama
Season:
The season varies depending on the species. Be sure and check the current regulations
Spring:
Late Spring an be okay for rainbows depending on the weather. Wild winter steelhead are present until May.
The spring Chinook Salmon run starts in May.
Summer:
Summertime is the best time for rainbow trout fishing. Summer steelhead are present from late May through July.
Fall:
Early Fall is usually very good for the trout.
Winter:
The winter run of wild steelhead enter the river in December and remain into the Spring.
Recommended Tackle & Gear
For Steelhead and Salmon
Fly Line:
7, 8 , 9 or 10 weight for appropriate typerod, sinking, sinking tip and floating
Leaders:
10#, 12# in 9 to 15 feet lengths
Tippets:
10# and 12#
Best Fly Rods:
Perfect Fly 7, 8, 9 and 10 ft. single hand rods
Fly Reels:
For 7 to 10 weight lines
Fly Floatants and Misc Items:
KISS Strike Indicators, Lanyards, etc.
Tools & Accessories:
Nippers, forceps, retractors, etc.
Recommended Tackle & Gear
Fly Line:
4, 5 or 6 weight
Leaders:
Dry fly: 9 to 12 ft., 5 or 6X Nymphing:
71/2 ft., 3 or 4X, Streamers 0-2X
Tippets:
Dry fly: 5 or 6X, Nymphing: 3 or 4X,
Streamer 0-2X
Best Fly Rods:
Perfect Fly Supreme Four, Superb Five
or Ultimate Six
Fly Reels:
For 4/5/6 fly line
Fly Floatants and Misc Items:
Floatants, KISS Strike Indicators
Tools & Accessories:
Nippers, forceps, retractors, etc.
Fly and Gear ordering and delivery:
Email us at (sales@perfectflystore.com) with the dates you will be fishing and we will send you a list of our fly recommendations. We can get flies and gear to you within two to three business days from the time you place your order via Priority Mail. If you provide a budget for flies, we will select them to match the budget and get them to you on time for your trip. Your can also call us at 800-594-4726 and we will help you decide what flies and gear to use. All orders are shipped free in the U.S. If under a $100 order requiring Priority mail is a charge of only $8.10. Orders over a $100 are shipped free via Priority Mail.
Copyright 2016 James Marsh
Fly Fishing North Santiam River Oregon
The North Santiam River is a 92-mile long tributary of the Santiam River in western Oregon. It rises in the Cascades in the Willamette National Forest and flows north through mountainous territory past Marion Forks. Near Mount Jefferson, it turns to the west and flows through a canyon past Idanha and Detroit to Niagara County Park. Continuing through Gates, Mill City and Mehama, the North Santiam River flows into the Williamette Valley to where it meets the South Santiam River to from the main stem of the Santiam River.
The lower North Santiam River, below Big Cliff Dam, has a population of wild rainbows and cutthroat trout and is open to catch and release fishing from the end of May through October. The same section of water is a favorite of the steelhead angler.
The summer run of steelhead average about eight to ten pounds and are hatchery, fin-clipped fish that arrive in late May. They are present through the month of July with June and July being the prime months.
The wild winter run of steelhead begins in December and remain in the river through May.
The spring Chinook Salmon run starts in May.
The North Santiam River can be fished from a drift boat from Big Cliff Dam downstream to the mouth of the river. Caution should be used. The river isn’t easy to navigate and can be tricky to dangerous, depending on the flows.
Above Detroit Dam to the headwaters, you will find plenty of stocked rainbows and brook trout. This area is open to fishing from the end of April through October. In the Mount Jefferson Wilderness, you can find wild cuttroat trout, rainbow trout and brook trout.
Above Marion Forks, the stream is especially appealing to the fly angler. It is easily accessed from Highway #22 that rungs nearby the river for approximately twenty-five miles.
Fly fishing the North Santiam River is especially appealing to anglers from in and around the Salem area. Its diverse population of fish and sheer length of the river, makes it a top destination from many local and visiting anglers.
North Santiam River Fishing Report:
03/16/2020 Wild winter steelhead are
still being caught. Stream levels are
running a little below normal.
05/01/20 The stream levels are a little
below normal and in good shape. Good
hatches are occurring.
05/16/20 Great hatches are taking
place and dry fly fishing good. Send us
an email for a fly list:
sales@perfectflystorecom
06/02/20 Stream levels are in good
shape and trout are being caught in
good numbers.
06/14/20 We are still getting good
reports. Good hatches taking place.
06/26/20 The river is in good shape in
all repects. There are multiple hatches
taking place and we are getting some
good reports.
07/09/20 The river is flowing a little
above normal levels but in good shape.
Good numbers of trout are being caught
by our customers.
07/21/20 The stream levels are a little
above normal but otherwise, good
conditions. There are multiple hatches.
08/04/20 Excellent conditions. Good
stream levels, good hatches and good
numbers of trout being caught by our
customers.
08/21/20 We are getting good reports
on steelhead and trout. The chinook
run is about over. Stream levels are in
good shape.
09/12/20 The stream is flowing a little
above normal level and lots of trout are
being caught by our customers.
10/04/20 The stream levels are good.
There are some coho in the river and a
few summer steelhead are being caught.
11/08/20 The river is turning out
steelhead and Coho salmon in decent
numbers for our customers. Shoot us
an email for a fly list.
11/26/20 Steelhead and salmon are
being caught in good numbers by our
customers. Stream levels are a little high
but should be good soon.
12/14/20 Stream levels are in good
shape near normal level. Our
customers continue to report some
good steelhead catches.
12/26/20 Stream levels are up thanks to
rain and we are getting more good
reports from customers. Send us an
email for a recommended fly list.
sales@perfectflystore.com
01/09/21 The stream is very high and
dingy. Wait until it drops and clears.
01/27/21 The stream is flowing at a
normal level and you should be able to
catch plenty fish.
02/25/21 Conditions are as good as they
get at this time of the season. Please
send us your reports.
03/18/21 Trout fishing is fair.
04/25/21 The stream level is a little below normal and in good shape. There are good hatches taking place and we are getting good reports from customers. Send us an email or call us for a recommended fly and gear list.
05/11/21 The river is in good shape. Chinook are coming in the river in good numbers. Trout fishing is very good at this time. There are some very good hatches taking place and we are getting some good reports. Call or send us an email for a recommended fly list.
05/20/21 Trout fishing continues to be good. There are good hatches and we are getting good reports.
05/28/21 The river is low but we are still getting good reports from customers. There are multiple hatches taking place and dry fly fishing is good. Call or write us for a recommended fly list.
06/06/21 Low stream levels are still a problem but we are still getting some good reports thanks to good hatches.
06/17/21 The stream is still low. We are still getting some good reports in spite of the low levels. Email us at (sales@perfectflystore.com) with the dates you will be fishing and we will send you a list of our fly recommendations.
07/03/21 The North Fork trout fishing is good. So far we don’t have any reports on Summer runs for the North main stream yet. It should take place any time so check back.
07/14/21 We did receive more good reports from customers on trout fishing in the uppermost section of the river. Still no summer run reports. You can call us 800 594 4726 or write us at sales@perfectflystore.com for recommended fly and gear reports.
07/20/21 We received two more good reports from customers fishing for trout.
07/28/21 More good reports come in from customers. Some nice size trout are being caught especially on our streamer patterns.
08/05/21 The river is still turning out some good catches of trout for our customers. There are some good hatches taking place.
08/15/21 We did receive two good reports this past week. Stream levels are low and you have to use caution to avoid spooking the trout.
08/23/21 Good hatches are taking place. Mahogany duns have started. We received one good report this past week.
08/31/21 Stream levels are still at a normal level and the river in good shape. We continue to get some good reports from customers.
09/10/21 The river is flowing just a little above normal and in okay shape. Good hatches are taking place. We received two good reports this past week.
09/27/21 More good reports come in. Good hatches and okay stream levels are providing good opportunities.
10/10/21 The river is flowing a little high now. It is 3780 cfs at 4.89 ft. We have been getting some very good reports prior to the high levels. It should drop down fast.
10/20/21 The stream levels are down to a little below normal level and in good shape. We received one good report recently. Good hatches continue to take place.
10/31/21 Trout fishing continues to be good even though the stream levels are still low. There are good blood midge, BWOs, Mahogany duns and Yellow Quill hatches taking place.
11/23/21 Steelhead and salmon are being caught. Both swinging our steelhead streamers and fishing our steelhead nymphs in the deeper water is working.
12/01/21 The salmon are about finished. Trout season is closed until next May except above the lake. Discharges and stream levels are high. We didn’t receive any reports from anyone this past week.
12/18/21 We received one good report on steelhead this past week. Now it the time to get your gear and flies in order.
12/26/21 No reports were received from anyone fishing this past week.
01/03/22 We still didn’t receive any reports from anyone fishing this past week. It may have been due to the holidays. Conditions remain about the same.
01/11/22 Still no reports from anyone. Let us hear from you.
01/19/22 Same story, No reports.
02/04/22 We finally got a good report from a customer fishing for steelhead. Both swinging our steelhead streamers and using our steelhead stonefly patterns worked for him.
02/12/22 We received another good report from a customer fishing this past week for steelhead.
02/20/22 We received one more good report from a customer this past week. There are still some summer steelhead in the river. Fish the deeper pools using our steelhead nymphs.
02/28/22 We didn’t receive any reports from anyone fishing this past week. Conditions remain about the same as last week.
03/08/22 I’m not sure why, but we still didn’t get any reports from anyone this past week.
03/16/22 Stream levels are okay. We received one good report from a customer fishing for steelhead.
04/26/22 Hatchery steelhead are in the river in okay numbers and being caught.
05/04/22 Hatchery steelhead reports continue to come in.
05/20/22 We haven’t received any reports in a while on the river. Please let us hear from you.
06/18/22 The stream is turning out a few good catches of trout. Good hatches are taking place. Stream levels are still a good bit above normal and would be better if it was a little lower.
06/25/22 Stream levels remain above normal but okay in places with caution. We received two good reports from customers fishing this past week. Good hatches continue to come off.
07/02/22 We received one good report from a customer fishing this past week. Stream levels are still a little higher than normal making it tough to wade some sections but some are okay. Very good hatches are occurring.
07/09/22 We are still getting a few good reports from customers. Stream levels are in better shape, good hatches continue and our terrestrial patterns as well as scuds and sowbugs are working.
07/16/22 The stream is still in okay shape with good hatches. We received two good reports this past week.
07/23/22 The river is flowing at a normal level with clear water. We received two more good reports from customers fishing for trout this past week. Good hatches are taking place.
07/30/22 Conditions remain good. Good numbers of trout are being caught by our customers. Good hatches continue.
08/06/22 More good reports have come in from different sections of the river, all reporting decent catches.
08/13/22 We continue to get good reports from customers catching trout. Good hatches are still taking place.
08/20/22 The upper sections of the river seem to be the best but we are getting good reports from all sections thanks to good hatches.
08/27/22 Conditions are good. Good stream levels and good late summer hatches are taking place.
09/11/22 We are still getting good reports from customers fishing it. Two came in from the past week.
09/18/22 Conditions are very good. Stream levels are normal and the water clear. Good hatches continue to take place and we continue to get good reports from customers.
10/08/22 We received two good reports this past week. Stream levels are a little above normal level but okay in most places. Good late season hatches continue to take place.
10/27/22 Stream levels are a little high. We have been getting very good reports when the levels were okay. Good hatches are taking place.
11/17/22 The cold weather streak has the “catching” slow but you should still be able to catch plenty trout, especially fishing our light green and cream midge larva and pupa rigged in tandem as well size 20 BWO nymphs.
0208/23 We received a good report from a customer this past week. There are still some summer steelhead in the river but the water levels are low. Fish the deeper pools using our steelhead nymphs.
02/25/23 Flows are very low and we are not getting any good reports. You may find a fish or two in the deeper pools but there are better choices.
03/14/23 Flows are still low and we didn’t receive any good reports this past week.
03/26/23 The stream is flowing just a little below normal level and clear. Good hatches are taking place. You should be able to catch trout.
04/07/23 Conditions remain fairly good. Good hatches are taking place. We didn’t get any reports from anyone fishing this past week. Let us hear from you.
04/21/23 The stream is flowing just a little above normal level and clear. We received two good reports this past week from customers fishing fr trout. Good hatches are taking place.
04/28/23 We didn’t receive any reports from anyone fishing this past week. Conditions are good and there are good hatches taking place.
05/15/23 The stream is blown out from runoff.
05/25/23 The stream has been high but back down to near normal levels and mostly clear. There are good hatches taking place and we should start getting some good reports soon.
06/07/23 The river is in good shape. There are a lot of insects hatching
and we are getting some good reports from customers.
06/14/23 Conditions remain very good. The river is flowing at a normal level and clear. There are good hatches taking place and we continue to get some good reports.
06/24/23 Conditions remain very good. Let us help you with the hatches and flies you need to match them.
07/02/23 The stream is just a little below normal level and clear. Good PMD, Pale Evening duns, spotted sedge caddis, green sedge caddis, little Yellow stoneflies and other insects are hatching.
07/12/23 Match the hatch and you are in business catching trout. You can do that with Perfect flies that look like the real things. We received two good reports from customers fishing this past week.
07/20/23 The stream is still in okay shape and turning out some good catches of trout for our customers. Good hatches are taking place and dry fly fishing is good.
07/31/23 The stream is flowing at a normal level with clear water. Good hatches continue to take place. We received two good reports from customers fishing this past week.
08/05/23 Two more good reports have come in from our customers. Stream levels are normal with clear water and hatches are still coming off.
08/17/23 The stream is in good shape with good numbers of trout being caught by our customers in the upper section of the river. Good hatches continue to take place.
08/21/23 More good reports have come in from customers. Fish the upper part for the best results. Using Perfect flies will be a big help.
08/28/23 Conditions remain very good. Good hatches and good catch reports continue to flow in.
09/05/23 Stream levels are currently high from heavy rain. It should fall back down very soon. We have been getting very good reports from customers fishing it.
09/12/23 The stream is back down to an okay level in good shape. Good late season hatches are underway and you should be able to catch good numbers of trout.
09/19/23 The stream is in good shape at a good level with clear water. We received two good reports from customers fishing this past week.
09/26/23 Conditions are still very good. we continue to get good reports from different sections of the river. Good hatches are still taking place.
10/03/23 We received two more good reports from customers fishing for trout this past week. Good hatches are still coming off.
10/12/23 The stream continue to produce some very nice catches of trout. Good hatches are still taking place and our sculpin and leech articulated streamers are working very good.
10/27/23 Sorry for missing last week’s report. Conditions are still good throughout the river. Good late season hatches continue including October Caddis.
11/10/23 The stream is in good shape turning out very good catches of trout. Good Cream and Red, or blood midges, are hatching. Our tandem pre-rigged midge larva and pupa flies are catching good numbers of trout.
11/17/23 Get ready for winter steelhead. December usually provides good fishing for them. Let us help you with your fly selections and gear. We have good prices on fly rod outfits and steelhead fly selections.
11/27/23 We haven’t received any steelhead catch reports yet but you should be able to catch them anytime within the next few days.
12/09/23 The stream is in okay shape with steelhead and trout being caught. Swinging and nymphing methods are both working good.
12/26/23 Conditions are good. We are still getting good trout and steelhead reports from the river depending on the section being fished. Midges are tops for trout. Our egg sucking leech patterns are catching steelhead.
Click Here to see our Steelhead Flies: Click Here to see our Salmon Flies.
Email us at (sales@perfectflystore.com) with the dates you will be fishing and we will send you a list of our fly recommendations.