Oregon North Santiam River - Creekside FlyFishing Guides & Outfitters

Creekside Flyfishing offers guided fly fishing trips on the North Santiam River.

To learn more, check out our Creekside Flyfishing home page or our Oregon guides page.

The North Santiam River flows from it's source, Santiam Lake, in the Jefferson Wilderness area east of Salem. The North Santiam is approximately 90 miles in total length and is a major tributary of the Willamette River. The river flows from it's headwaters to the southern Marion Lake Basin of Mt. Jefferson Wilderness to where it meets up with the South Santiam near the town of Jefferson.

The North Santiam River offers fishing opportunities for Steelhead, Trout and Salmon. The proximity of the Santiam River to Salem makes it a favorite after work and weekend destination during the summer months. From it's source at the lake down to Big Meadows Horse Camp, the tiny stream offers cutthroat, rainbow and some brook trout. The North Santiam River above Big Cliff Dam is managed and stocked with rainbow trout by the ODFW. The river follows Highway 22 for about 20 miles through the Willamette National Forest. This section of the river is easily accessed and since it runs cold can provide some nice dry fly action during the summer months. The section of the river below Marion Forks gains in size as several creeks join up with the North Santiam at that point. The views along this stretch of the river are beautiful, you can enjoy the forest, cliffs, waterfalls and lava flows.

Below Big Cliff Dam, the river swells and allows for both boat and bank fishing opportunities. There's lots of private property from here down to access to the river is primarily limited to public parks or those with a boat. The North Santiam River contains two class III rapids between Big Cliff and Mill City. Steelheaders love this section of the North Santiam as steelhead live in these waters almost year-round. Steelhead are recognized as America's best fighting freshwater gamefish and the Santiam steelhead are aggressive fighters. The North Santiam is most known for it's run of summer hatchery steelhead which starts in May and peaks in June and July when the water warms up; however, fish can be caught throughout the summer and into fall. These fish average between 5 and 15 lbs with the average about 8 lbs. The ODFW recycles summer steelhead throughout the season giving anglers additional chances to catch these stocked fish.

The river also has a smaller run of wild winter steelhead which start entering the system in December and can be found through May. There is also a run of spring Chinook Salmon in the North Santiam. These fish range from 10 to 30 lbs and enter the river between April and early July.

The North Santiam offers catch and release fishing for trout in the North Santiam below Big Cliff. Both rainbow and cutthroat are present and trout fishing can be fun in late summer through early fall when insect hatches are strongest.

All wild fish are catch and release on the North Santiam. The best fly fishing conditions are when river flows are from 2.8 to 4.5 feet. Check out Creekside Flyfishing's fishing report which provides links to river levels and fly suggestions.. As flows are adjusted often on the river, it's good to check flows before you head out. The North Santiam is floatable from Big Cliff Dam down to the mouth, however this river can be very tricky with many challenging rapids. Early season boating can be particularly hazardous. If you're planning on drifting the river you need to be an experienced oarsman and advance scouting is recommended.

Following is a summary of the most dominant hatches available monthly on Oregon's North Santiam River. Due to the cold water temperatures, hatches are limited. Best dry fly fishing is from July through September when the water has had time to warm up and the river is at summer flow levels. This listing is designed to give you a general idea of what to expect and plan for on your next trout fishing trip. Check out our fishing report for suggested Steelhead patterns with purple being the "go-to" color for Santiam steelhead flies.

Month	Hatches:	Patterns: Dry Flies	Patterns: Nymphs
May	Mayflies, Caddis	Yellow or Green Elk Hair Caddis (Sz #12-18), PMD Sparkle Dun (Sz #14-18), Yellow Sally's (Sz 14-18)	Rubber Legged Hare's Ear (#10-16), Caddis Larva #14-16, PMD Nymph #16-18
June & July	Caddis, Mayflies	Tan, Olive or Brown Elk Hair Caddis (Sz #14-18), Parachute Adams #12-18, Royal Wulff #14, Madam X #14, Stimulators #12-14	BH Rubber Legged Hare's Ear (#10-16), BH Prince Nymphs #12-16, BH Squirrel Nymph #14-16
August & September	Caddis, Baetis	Tan, Brown or Olive Elk Hair Caddis (Sz #12-18), Adams (Sz #14-18), BWO Sparkle Dun (Sz #16-18), October Caddis Adult (Sz #6-8), Orange Stimulators (Sz #6-8)	BH FB Pheasant Tail (Sz #12-16), Rubber Legged Hare's Ear (Sz #12-16), October Caddis Pupa (Sz #6-8)
October	Caddis, Baetis	Adult October Caddis (Sz # 6-8), Parachute Adams (Sz # 14-18), BWO Comparadun (Sz #16-18), BWO Sparkle Dun (Sz #16-18)	Pheasant Tail Nymphs (Sz #16-22), Prince Nymphs (Sz #12-16), Gold Ribbed Hares Ear (Sz #12-16), October Caddis Pupa (Sz #6-8)