Fishing for summer steelhead has been productive and spring Chinook should be heating up right now with several hundred coming over Willamette Falls each day. It takes them roughly 10-14 days to travel from Willamette Falls to the Middle Fork and McKenzi rivers. Willamette Falls fish counts can be found here. ‌

There may be more fishing opportunity below Dexter Dam for warmwater game fish (walleye, bass) following the drawdown of Lookout Point Reservoir in winter of 2023 as fish passed downstream through Lookout Point Reservoir and Dexter dams. ‌

A Columbia River Basin Endorsement is required for anglers targeting salmon and steelhead in the Middle Fork Willamette below Dexter Dam. ‌

The Middle Fork Willamette above Lookout Point and Hills Creek reservoirs is open to fishing using lures and artificial flies. All wild trout must be released upstream of Lookout Point Reservoir. The Middle Fork Willamette River is not stocked with hatchery trout.