It’s a fishing day

McKenzie River fishing conditions · Oregon

Today, 4 am–7 amRainbow trout

The bite peaks at 77. Water is 50°, inside their 45–68° range.

Log a trip here
Right now: 72 for rainbow trout, worth the tripTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Rainbow trout, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 72Mon
  2. 65
  3. 65
  4. 653 am
  5. 77
  6. 77
  7. 776 am
  8. 70
  9. 70
  10. 709 am
  11. 70
  12. 70
  13. 7012 pm
  14. 70
  15. 70
  16. 703 pm
  17. 70
  18. 70
  19. 706 pm
  20. 77
  21. 77
  22. 709 pm
  23. 70
  24. 70
  25. 70Tue
  26. 70
  27. 70
  28. 703 am
  29. 70
  30. 70
  31. 706 am
  32. 70
  33. 70
  34. 779 am
  35. 77
  36. 70
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
50°F

Rainbow trout range 45–68°

Wind
10 mph

From the east-southeast

Flow
1,750 cfs

steady · +4% in 24 h

Light
Dark

Sunrise 7:38 am

Sky
Rain Showers Likely

69% chance of rain

Air
50°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Rising

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
100% lit

Full

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Oregon regulations for these waters.

Rainbow Trout

Rainbow trout

Oncorhynchus mykiss

77Worth the tripToday, 4 am–7 am

Water

50°
35°45–68° · ideal 55°78°

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Inside rainbow trout's active range. Settled river level — clearer water, easier wading. Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

8" minimum · 2 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Oregon streams: 2 trout a day, 8" minimum, only 1 over 20", generally open May 22–Oct 31 (Willamette Zone streams are catch and release unless listed). Rainbows over 20" in streams count as steelhead (16" in the Northwest and Southwest zones).

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Oregon

Season here: Year-round, from this spot’s water-temperature record, 2023–2025. More on rainbow trout

Chinook Salmon

Chinook salmon

Oncorhynchus tshawytscha

–Not scoredNo targeting

No targetingClosed to targeting. Release any you hook at once.

Water

50°
32°42–58° · ideal 50°68°

Why

Right in chinook salmon's ideal range. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Settled river level — clearer water, easier wading. Holds 15–150 ft down.

Keep

2 a day

Closed to targeting. Release any you hook at once. Oregon: In the aggregate: 2 adult salmon or steelhead a day and 20 a year on the Combined Angling Tag (hatchery fish on Hatchery Harvest Tags do not count), plus 5 jack salmon a day. Chinook jacks are 15–24", adults over 24"; coho jacks 15–20". Salmon under 15" count as trout, except coho. Chinook are open only where a zone exception lists them, and wild chinook seasons are set each year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Oregon

Season here: Apr–Oct. More on chinook salmon

The water

  • Water temperature50°F
  • River1,750 cfs · steady · +4% in 24 h
  • Barometer30.00 inHg, rising

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunrise today7:38 am
  • Sunset today6:08 pm
  • MoonFull, 100% lit
  • Major solunarSunday 11:50 pm–1:50 am
  • Minor solunarToday 8:00 am–9:00 am
  • Major solunarToday 12:10 pm–2:10 pm

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

Oregon ODFW report, Oct 8

Names chinook salmon, rainbow trout, which people fish for here. It covers the whole state, so it may not describe these waters.

Read it at Oregon ODFW

Licenses and rules: state fishery agencies · fish-consumption advisory

About this spot

The clear, fast river east of Eugene that gave the McKenzie drift boat its name — wild and stocked rainbow trout plus spring chinook in a classic Cascade freestone setting. Live USGS flow and temperature near Vida.

Leaburg Dam to Forest Glen: open all year for 5 hatchery trout a day (wild trout released), hatchery steelhead and wild steelhead over 24". Salmon are closed above Leaburg Dam; hatchery spring chinook may be kept all year in the main stem below the dam.

Nearby

The closest public spots we cover, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Umpqua River (Elkton)65 mi · OregonBest today 1 pm–8 pm
89Go
Yachats State Recreation Area82 mi · OregonBest today 4 pm–8 pm
88Go
Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park82 mi · OregonBest tomorrow 11 am–12 pm
60Marginal
Deschutes River (Maupin)99 mi · OregonBest today 12 pm to tomorrow 12 pm
92Go
Pacific City Beach (Cape Kiwanda)104 mi · OregonBest today 1 pm–7 pm
80Worth the trip
Nehalem Bay State Park129 mi · OregonBest today 2 pm–3 pmSmall Craft Advisory
55Marginal

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at McKenzie River?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at McKenzie River you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at McKenzie River?

McKenzie River is listed on this site for 2 commonly-targeted species: Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at McKenzie River?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at McKenzie River against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does McKenzie River have?

McKenzie River has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. Leaburg Dam to Forest Glen: open all year for 5 hatchery trout a day (wild trout released), hatchery steelhead and wild steelhead over 24". Salmon are closed above Leaburg Dam; hatchery spring chinook may be kept all year in the main stem below the dam.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at McKenzie River?

state agency regulations apply at McKenzie River. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is McKenzie River tidal water?

No. McKenzie River is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.