Oregon

Siletz River

Oregon·Oregon Coast·44.75° N, 123.85° W

Steelhead & salmon

Run	Months	Peak	Now
Fall Chinook	Sep–Nov	Oct	Peak
Winter steelhead	Dec–Mar	Jan–Feb	From Dec
Spring Chinook	Apr–Jul	–	From Apr
Summer steelhead	May–Sep	Jun–Jul	From May

Run timing is a guide, and seasons, closures and limits change. Check the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife — Northwest Zone before you fish.

Solunar · next 7 days

About Siletz River

The Siletz runs out of the Coast Range above the town of Siletz, through a gorge and down to Siletz Bay at Lincoln City, and it is one of the few central-coast rivers with steelhead almost all year. Summer fish come in from spring and through the summer, and they push up into the gorge above Moonshine Park looking for cooler water. Winter fish, hatchery and wild, arrive from December. Spring Chinook run from April and fall Chinook from August.

The drifts run from Moonshine Park down to Twin Bridges, from Twin Bridges to Illahee Park at Siletz, and, early in the run or after rain, from the first steel bridge at Ojalla to Morgan Park near tidewater. Bait is allowed, so the river is shared with gear anglers, and above tidewater it is flies and lures only from late May through August.

Read the flows at the gauge at Siletz. As a rough guide, set from the gauge's seasons, it fishes from about 600 to 2,500 CFS, and past about 5,000 it is high and colored. Anglers say it is in perfect shape near 5.5 feet on the same gauge and decent up to 7.

Species

Winter Steelhead
Primary (hatchery and wild) · Dec-Mar · 6-15 lb
Hatchery and wild winter fish from December. Release wild fish.
Steelhead (summer-run)
Common · Jun-Sep · 5-12 lb
Summer fish push into the gorge above Moonshine Park for cooler water.
Chinook Salmon (spring run)
Present · Apr-Jul · 10-25 lb
Spring Chinook April through July; wild fish 1 per day and 2 per season.
Chinook Salmon (fall run)
Common · Sep-Nov · 15-40 lb
Fall Chinook from August, best after the first rains.
Coastal Cutthroat Trout
Common · Jul-Oct · 8-16"
Sea-run cutthroat in late summer and fall.

Species	Abundance	Best Season	Size
Winter Steelhead	Primary (hatchery and wild)	Dec-Mar	6-15 lb
Steelhead (summer-run)	Common	Jun-Sep	5-12 lb
Chinook Salmon (spring run)	Present	Apr-Jul	10-25 lb
Chinook Salmon (fall run)	Common	Sep-Nov	15-40 lb
Coastal Cutthroat Trout	Common	Jul-Oct	8-16"

Sections

3 reaches

Siletz to Morgan Park

FloatSteelhead · Salmon

The lower river below Siletz, past the first steel bridge at Ojalla to Morgan Park near the top of tidewater. Fresh steelhead early in the run and after rains, and fall Chinook from August.

Best for: Fresh winter steelhead after a rain, and fall Chinook salmon.

Moonshine Park to Twin Bridges

Wade & FloatSteelhead

The upper drift from Moonshine Park, where the river leaves its gorge, down to Twin Bridges Park. In summer, steelhead push up into the gorge above Moonshine for cooler water, so this is the summer-steelhead water; winter fish hold here late in the season.

Best for: Summer steelhead in clear water, and winter steelhead on the swing.

Twin Bridges to Siletz

FloatSteelhead · Salmon

From Twin Bridges past the gauge to Illahee Park at the town of Siletz. Steady runs and riffles with a mix of hatchery and wild winter steelhead from December, and spring Chinook from April.

Best for: Winter steelhead and spring Chinook salmon on the middle river.

At a glance

Ideal wading flow: 600–2,500 cfs
Blow-out: >5,000 cfs
Ideal water temp: 40–56°F

Best seasons

December through March for winter steelhead, June through September for summer steelhead, April through July for spring Chinook, September through November for fall Chinook. Read the gauge at Siletz: as a rough guide about 600 to 2,500 CFS, and past about 5,000 it is high and colored.

Regulations

The Siletz follows ODFW's Northwest Zone rules. Hatchery steelhead are open all year; wild steelhead must be released. Spring Chinook open April through July and fall Chinook from August. Check ODFW before a trip.

Open all year for hatchery steelhead; bait allowed
Spring Chinook April 1 through July 31; wild Chinook 1 per day and 2 per season
Fall Chinook August 1 through December 31, with seasons that vary by section
Zone-wide: in the aggregate, 2 adult salmon or steelhead per day and 20 per year; 5 jack salmon per day
Above tidewater, angling for all species is restricted to artificial flies and lures May 22 through August 31
Release wild (unclipped) steelhead; only adipose-clipped hatchery steelhead may be kept
Oregon angling license and a Combined Angling Harvest Tag to keep salmon or steelhead

Coastal salmon and steelhead seasons are adjusted in season by ODFW. The 2026-27 Northwest Zone rules are the source here.

Source: Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife — Northwest Zone. Regulations change annually. Verify before fishing.

Getting there

Siletz, OR

~2 hrs from Portland; ~20 min from Lincoln City

Fly shops

Northwest Fly Fishing OutfittersPortland

Camping: Moonshine Park has camping on the upper river. Lincoln City and Newport have lodging.

Logsden Road and the Siletz Highway follow the river. Launches at Moonshine Park, Twin Bridges Park, Illahee Park in Siletz, Ojalla and Morgan Park. Much of the bank is private; use the parks.

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Run

Months

Peak

Now

Fall Chinook

Sep–Nov

Oct

Peak

Winter steelhead

Dec–Mar

Jan–Feb

From Dec

Spring Chinook

Apr–Jul

–

From Apr

Summer steelhead

May–Sep

Jun–Jul

From May

About Siletz River

Species

Winter Steelhead

Primary (hatchery and wild) · Dec-Mar · 6-15 lb

Hatchery and wild winter fish from December. Release wild fish.

Steelhead (summer-run)

Common · Jun-Sep · 5-12 lb

Summer fish push into the gorge above Moonshine Park for cooler water.

Chinook Salmon (spring run)

Present · Apr-Jul · 10-25 lb

Spring Chinook April through July; wild fish 1 per day and 2 per season.

Chinook Salmon (fall run)

Common · Sep-Nov · 15-40 lb

Fall Chinook from August, best after the first rains.

Coastal Cutthroat Trout

Common · Jul-Oct · 8-16"

Sea-run cutthroat in late summer and fall.

Species	Abundance	Best Season	Size
Winter Steelhead	Primary (hatchery and wild)	Dec-Mar	6-15 lb
Steelhead (summer-run)	Common	Jun-Sep	5-12 lb
Chinook Salmon (spring run)	Present	Apr-Jul	10-25 lb
Chinook Salmon (fall run)	Common	Sep-Nov	15-40 lb
Coastal Cutthroat Trout	Common	Jul-Oct	8-16"

At a glance

Ideal wading flow

600–2,500 cfs

Blow-out

>5,000 cfs

Ideal water temp

40–56°F

Best seasons

Regulations

Open all year for hatchery steelhead; bait allowed
Spring Chinook April 1 through July 31; wild Chinook 1 per day and 2 per season
Fall Chinook August 1 through December 31, with seasons that vary by section
Zone-wide: in the aggregate, 2 adult salmon or steelhead per day and 20 per year; 5 jack salmon per day
Above tidewater, angling for all species is restricted to artificial flies and lures May 22 through August 31
Release wild (unclipped) steelhead; only adipose-clipped hatchery steelhead may be kept
Oregon angling license and a Combined Angling Harvest Tag to keep salmon or steelhead

Coastal salmon and steelhead seasons are adjusted in season by ODFW. The 2026-27 Northwest Zone rules are the source here.

Source: Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife — Northwest Zone. Regulations change annually. Verify before fishing.

Getting there

Siletz, OR

~2 hrs from Portland; ~20 min from Lincoln City

Camping: Moonshine Park has camping on the upper river. Lincoln City and Newport have lodging.

Logsden Road and the Siletz Highway follow the river. Launches at Moonshine Park, Twin Bridges Park, Illahee Park in Siletz, Ojalla and Morgan Park. Much of the bank is private; use the parks.

Siletz River

Steelhead & salmon

About Siletz River

Species