August 7, 2026 3:30 a.m. 

North Umpqua River steelhead angling will close effective Monday through November 30th from the mouth upstream to the marker below Soda Springs Dam.

A release from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said low numbers of returning summer steelhead prompted state fishery managers to enact this targeted angling closure. The current count of wild summer steelhead that have passed Winchester Dam is below 1,000 fish.

ODFW biologists project the run will not meet the “critical abundance” level of 1,200 returning wild fish. Critical abundance is the point when conserving the population could be in jeopardy if a downward trend continues and it’s defined in the Coastal Multi-Species Conservation and Management Plan.

The release said low river flows and water temperatures approaching 80 degrees in the lower North Umpqua and mainstem Umpqua rivers also plays a role in this emergency angling closure. These conditions make summer steelhead vulnerable to disease and mortality.

Ocean conditions may also affect summer steelhead population, specifically warmer oceans and last year’s marine heat wave, both of which affect prey availability and fish growth, and survival. Some populations of summer steelhead in the state are also experiencing low returns, which indicates a region-wide issue.

ODFW is continuing to work with partners to improve riparian and in-stream habitat to help cool water and provide better conditions for native fish. Work is also being done to increase flows in streams to benefit fish.

ODFW said wild summer steelhead counts are determined by video counts of migrating fish at Winchester Dam.