Wild Steelhead Surge Oregon
Oregon's Santiam River is seeing a surge of wild winter steelhead pushing over Willamette Falls — guide Chris Vertopoulos and angler Cari Brownberg documented the action. Meanwhile, Washington's Cowlitz River steelhead action is building with rising temps and dropping water levels creating prime conditions.
The recent surge of wild winter steelhead at Willamette Falls is part of a significant rebound for the species. As of early April 2024, over 7,700 winter steelhead had been counted, with 98% being wild. This figure marks a 20-year high, a substantial increase from the record low of just 822 fish in 2017 when the population was feared to be on a path to extinction. Biologists and officials from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife point to improved ocean conditions as a primary driver for the increased returns. Additionally, the lethal removal of 45 California sea lions and one Steller sea lion at the falls since 2018 may be providing some relief from predation, contributing to the higher survival rates of returning fish. Historically, the Santiam River system was a powerhouse, producing two-thirds of the Willamette's winter steelhead. The current numbers, while promising, are still a far cry from the runs of the 1960s and 70s, which regularly saw over 20,000 fish returning to the Upper Willamette Basin. The species was listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 1999. In Washington, the Cowlitz River is renowned as one of the state's top steelhead producers, for both winter and summer runs. Recent data from the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery separator showed a recovery of 473 winter-run steelhead over a four-day period in late February 2026. The river system benefits from large plantings of both summer and winter steelhead smolts from the Cowlitz Trout Hatchery. The positive numbers in both states come against a backdrop of long-term decline for many wild steelhead populations across the Pacific Northwest. Factors such as habitat loss, competition from hatchery fish, and the impacts of dams on river systems remain significant challenges to their recovery. A recent federal court ruling in February 2026 provided a partial victory for conservation groups and states, including Oregon and Washington, in a long-running lawsuit over the recovery of salmon and steelhead in the Columbia Basin. The ruling is a step towards providing relief for fish populations on the brink of extinction, where hydropower systems are seen as a crucial factor in their decline.
