Freestone · Volcanic · Oregon

Clackamas River

Fast whitewater rapids on the Clackamas River flowing past moss-covered boulders and fall-coloured trees, Oregon.
Poor · Steelhead
Intruder · 12–16
Poorlive now
Not the day for it
River high but settled. Not much stacked in your favour today. Worth an hour if you are nearby, not worth the special trip.
55% confidence
What moved it
  • Level3.33 m
  • Water temp18.9°C
  • ClarityClear
Today's fly
Intruder
Intruder12–16
A dependable searching pattern for these waters.
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Level
Steady
3.33 m
Water temp18.9°C
ClarityClear
Weather17°C
WindN 8 km/h
Pressure1020 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm
Rain · ahead0.0 mm

Live readings only. Trends shown where the gauge supports them.

Water temperature for Steelhead
Warm — slow
18.9°Cideal 4–13°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Steelhead
When
Winter steelhead Dec–Apr; summer fish summer into autumn. Best on the steady drop after a rise.
Where
The Clackamas is the Sandy's quieter sibling on the south side of Portland — another metro steelhead river with winter and summer runs, salmon in season, and…
Why this works
Poor — water clarity is working for you, but water temperature is the limiting factor today.
Hatch timeline · todayQuiet day

Hatch predictions

Today's headline hatch shown — see all 2 active hatches hour by hour with Pro.

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey

Hatch predictions

Top prey shown — see all 2 with Pro.

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Evidence
ModelledModerate confidence

Modelled from regional ecology — no survey or occurrence data for this water yet.

Through the year
0–3 scale · July highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
Western Green DrakeHatch
2
2
Flav (Small Western Green Drake)Hatch
2
3
2
Mahogany DunHatch
2
2
American March BrownHatch
2
3
2

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Ranked for today
Steelhead fly box
MT
Marabou Tube
8–10 · Salmon fly
Swing it through the holding lie at a steady pace.
SH
Silver Hilton
12–16 · Fly
A dependable searching pattern for these waters.
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Retain hatchery steelhead, release wild (ESA-listed Lower Columbia DPS)
  • Reach/run/season-specific — verify ODFW Northwest Zone.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Fishing better nearby · 1
Sandy River
18 km
64
Steelhead · Chinook salmon · Coho salmon
Gallery · 2
  1. Fast whitewater rapids on the Clackamas River flowing past moss-covered boulders and fall-coloured trees, Oregon.
    Clackamas River, Oregon
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Conservation note

Lower Columbia River steelhead are ESA-listed threatened. Legal fishery on hatchery fish — retain fin-clipped fish, release wild steelhead in the water. We read shape and run timing (River Mill Dam counts help), never a harvest score on wild fish. Chinook and coho present, hatchery/wild mix.

Water quality · US Clean Water Act
  • Aquatic life: Impaired
  • Fish consumption: Impaired
What this classification means

Fish consumption: Consumption advisory (Mercury) — fish for sport, not the table.

EPA ATTAINS assessment unit 'Clackamas River' (OR_SR_1709001106_02_104597), 2022 Integrated Report. Aquatic Life use: Not Supporting. Listed impairment causes: Temperature, Oxygen Depletion, pH Acidity Caustic Conditions, Mercury. This is a Clean Water Act assessment-unit classification (the US analogue of WFD), not a live reading.

Status is for the Clean Water Act assessment unit covering this reach.

EPA ATTAINS (Clean Water Act) · OR_SR_1709001106_02_104597

Why this score · for Steelhead
  • Temperature1228% weight
  • Flow8022% weight
  • Clarity9518% weight
  • Feeding Time8013% weight
  • Pressure757% weight
  • Insect activity5112% weight
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Trout1 January → 31 December
Related guides
Euro Nymphingsubsurface methods
Booking & contacts