What special fishing regulations apply at Willamette River?

Willamette River carries 4 special-regulation overlays that override Oregon's statewide 2026 rules, covering Chinook salmon (king salmon), Coho salmon (silver salmon), and Smallmouth bass. One of them reads: "Country's premier urban-salmon + smallmouth bass + steelhead fishery; Willamette Falls fish-counting station Oregon City counts ~50,000 spring chinook + ~10,000 summer steelhead + ~6,000 coho annually; smallmouth bass 5 / day with 14 in min + only 1 fish over 18 in TROPHY MANAGEMENT on listed Willamette Quality Management reach (Newberg downstream)." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.

Do I need a fishing license to fish Willamette River?

Yes. Willamette River is in Oregon, so a valid Oregon fishing license is required just as it is anywhere else in the state, issued by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW). The special regulations on this page change the bag, size, slot, or gear rules for Willamette River; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide Oregon rules.

Do Willamette River's special rules replace Oregon's statewide limits?

Only where they conflict. Oregon's statewide 2026 regulations apply on Willamette River by default; the overlays above replace the matching statewide rules for the species or gear they name, while everything not specifically overridden still follows the statewide rule. When a water-body rule and the statewide rule disagree, the water-body rule wins.

Which species have special rules on Willamette River?

Chinook salmon (king salmon), Coho salmon (silver salmon), and Smallmouth bass have a water-body-specific rule on Willamette River, each linking to its full Oregon regulations above. Species not listed here follow the statewide Oregon limits.

2026 regulation year

Willamette River 2026 — Oregon Fishing Regulations

Oregon statewide rules apply unless overridden below.

Last updated June 4, 2026

Willamette River carries 4 special-regulation overlays on top of Oregon's 2026 fishing rules — covering Chinook salmon (king salmon), Coho salmon (silver salmon), Smallmouth bass. Verify the agency booklet before launching: in-season changes are not yet wired to this page.

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Watch Willamette River (OR) and we'll email you when a season, bag limit, slot, or closure changes. Free while in beta.

State-level special regulation

Country's premier urban-salmon + smallmouth bass + steelhead fishery; Willamette Falls fish-counting station Oregon City counts ~50,000 spring chinook + ~10,000 summer steelhead + ~6,000 coho annually; smallmouth bass 5 / day with 14 in min + only 1 fish over 18 in TROPHY MANAGEMENT on listed Willamette Quality Management reach (Newberg downstream)
Source: Oregon special-water list

Per-species rules on Willamette River

Chinook salmon (king salmon) regulations →
Spring chinook 1 / day adult under Combined Angling Tag; ~50,000 spring chinook annually through Willamette Falls fish ladder; country's premier urban-salmon fishery
Coho salmon (silver salmon) regulations →
Coho ~6,000 annually through Willamette Falls fish ladder; reach-specific bag under Combined Angling Tag
Smallmouth bass regulations →
5 / day with 14 in min + only 1 fish over 18 in TROPHY MANAGEMENT below Newberg; country's premier urban-smallmouth Quality Management reach near Portland metro

Official source

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) publishes the authoritative 2026 Oregon fishing regulations. Special-regulation lakes and rivers are listed in the agency booklet — always verify before fishing.

Visit official Oregon fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

In-season closures, slot-limit changes, and run-count-driven harvest pauses are posted to Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife's emergency-order feed — check it before any Oregon trip during the active season.

Other special-regulation waters in Oregon

Browse all water bodies →

Frequently asked questions

What special fishing regulations apply at Willamette River?: Willamette River carries 4 special-regulation overlays that override Oregon's statewide 2026 rules, covering Chinook salmon (king salmon), Coho salmon (silver salmon), and Smallmouth bass. One of them reads: "Country's premier urban-salmon + smallmouth bass + steelhead fishery; Willamette Falls fish-counting station Oregon City counts ~50,000 spring chinook + ~10,000 summer steelhead + ~6,000 coho annually; smallmouth bass 5 / day with 14 in min + only 1 fish over 18 in TROPHY MANAGEMENT on listed Willamette Quality Management reach (Newberg downstream)." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.
Do I need a fishing license to fish Willamette River?: Yes. Willamette River is in Oregon, so a valid Oregon fishing license is required just as it is anywhere else in the state, issued by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW). The special regulations on this page change the bag, size, slot, or gear rules for Willamette River; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide Oregon rules.
Do Willamette River's special rules replace Oregon's statewide limits?: Only where they conflict. Oregon's statewide 2026 regulations apply on Willamette River by default; the overlays above replace the matching statewide rules for the species or gear they name, while everything not specifically overridden still follows the statewide rule. When a water-body rule and the statewide rule disagree, the water-body rule wins.
Which species have special rules on Willamette River?: Chinook salmon (king salmon), Coho salmon (silver salmon), and Smallmouth bass have a water-body-specific rule on Willamette River, each linking to its full Oregon regulations above. Species not listed here follow the statewide Oregon limits.

← Back to Oregon regulations overview