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Visitors to Oregon are often surprised at the number of boat trailers they come upon as they
travel around the state. There’s no question that Oregonians love getting out on the water.
With all the first-rate waterways we have at our doorstep, it’s no wonder!
Oregon boaters truly enjoy the best of all worlds. We have 400 miles of Pacific coastline to
ply for salmon and Dungeness crabs, world-class whitewater rivers to run, and countless
lakes and reservoirs for waterskiing, fishing, or just cruising about. For geographic diversity
and scenic beauty, Oregon’s waterways are second to none; it’s hard to believe that Depoe
Bay, Paulina Lake and Hells Canyon are all in the same state!
Please be sure to check with Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife for regulations (pdf) and fishing conditions.
Whether it’s a paddle down the Owyhee River in Eastern Oregon, a day with the family taking in the drag boat races at
Dexter Lake near Eugene, or a morning by Buoy Ten on the Columbia trying to get your son
or daughter into their first big chinook, Oregon’s waterways are places where memories are
made…memories you’ll cherish for a lifetime.
Oregon Coast
The majestic rock formations of the northern section, the rolling dunes of the central coast and the great hillside bluffs of the south all present a dramatic palette of blue and gold, which can be found within the deep greens of Douglas firs and Western Hemlock that cling to the shoreline. A perfect backdrop for motorboats, sailboats and paddle boats.
The coastal rivers include such renowned waters as the Rogue, the Umpqua, the Siuslaw and Siletz.
Each of these waterways are great producers of salmon and steelhead, and draw anglers from around the world. Many bays and estuaries are rich in clams and Dungeness crabs, and the offshore waters produce species ranging from ling cod to tuna to salmon.
Portland Metro
In addition to excellent shopping and dining, the Portland Metro area also has a number of exhilerating waterways- directly in its backyard!
When spring chinook are making their way east, anglers flock to the Multnomah Channel (among other venues) in hopes of placing some succulent filets on the barbecue; the Channel offers consistent fishing for catfish, crappie and bass in the summer months. The proximity of several large islands, including Government Island, offers an easy-to-reach destination for those seeking a mini-adventure; primitive camping is available there.
Sauvie Island, just west of Portland, offers good terrain for wildlife viewing, including deer and bald eagles. And the number of houseboats on the Columbia and adjacent sloughs make for some interesting people watching too! For those willing to bundle up, a highlight of the boating season on this section of the Columbia comes in December with the Christmas Ship Parade.
Mt. Hood/Gorge
The Mt. Hood/Gorge region has a variety of exciting activities for the water adventurer, ranging from windsurfing to fishing to kiteboarding. Not to mention, the Columbia river has many different personalities. From just east of Umatilla to The Dalles, it flows through high desert badlands, an unexpected burst of blue against the sun-colored canyons. Further west the high desert gives way to the lush greenery and grand rock formations of the Columbia River Gorge.
The lower Clackamas river below Estacada is a great place for beginning paddlers to get a taste of river running. This stretch also attracts many anglers seeking chinook and summer steelhead in the spring, coho (silver) salmon in the fall, and winter steelhead from December through March.
The Willamette Valley
The Willamette Valley provides excellent resources for all water sports, in addition to a view of beautiful green scenery. The Valley and its tributaries attract good numbers of anadramous fish, both chinook salmon and steelhead; spring chinook are an especially popular target for river anglers. Most of the reservoirs are stocked with rainbow trout, giving both new and seasoned anglers a great chance to catch their limit.
Waterskiers, tubers and jet ski enthusiasts are welcome on most impoundments; one reservoir is even home base to high-speed drag boat racing. For paddling enthusiasts, the Valley is blessed with several “wild and scenic” rivers with enough white water to challenge the most seasoned rafters and kayakers.
If you like to boat and live in an urban area, it’s hard to beat the many opportunities available in the Willamette Valley.
Southern Oregon
The presence of lovely mountain lakes set close to Southern Oregon attractions like Crater Lake National Park, Ashland and the Rogue and Umpqua rivers has made this region a popular vacation retreat for many generations. During a vacation week at Diamond, Emigrant,
Howard Prairie or Lost Creek lakes, a family can mix mornings fishing or waterskiing with afternoons hiking in a national park or taking in a play. For variety, it doesn’t get much better!
Southern Oregon has long been a magnet for serious anglers. The North Umpqua River is legendary for its summer steelhead runs, though it does not easily yield its quarry. The Upper Rogue, the Williamson and the Wood are fabled trout fisheries, with the rainbows of the latter rivers sometime approaching double digit proportions. For many fishing in southern Oregon is synonymous with Diamond Lake, a still water set against magnificent Mount Thielsen; the beauties below the surface are rivaled by those above!
Central Oregon
Central Oregon offers a tremendous array of fresh water boating opportunities. Because Central Oregon has an average of 250 sunny days per year, the activities in this region are all about diversity. You can wade and fly-fish a little creek in the morning and slalom across a vast reservoir in the afternoon—with perhaps a bit of snow skiing or golf thrown in along the way, depending on the time of year you visit (if it happens to be May or June, you might get to play golf AND ski).
West of Highways 26 and 97, you will experience thick forests of lodgepole pine and Douglas fir, a definitively mountain environment. East of the highways, the forests give way to rugged high desert environs, stands of sagebrush and juniper that out-of-state visitors don’t usually associate with Oregon. When you use central Oregon as a base—be it Klamath Lake in the south, Bend or Sisters in the center or Madras and Maupin in the north—you get a taste of almost everything the state has to offer.
Eastern Oregon
From the snowcapped peaks of the Wallowas, the “Alps of Oregon,” to Hells Canyon, America’s deepest ravine, Eastern Oregon is a land of dramatic extremes. The generally dry terrain is punctuated by several inviting lakes and rivers, providing boaters with an opportunity to enjoy some of Oregon’s most pristine natural settings in relative solitude. Alpine Wallowa Lake was custom-made for family getaways, providing a full-range of boating activities, plus lots of off-the-water fun. Likewise, Lake Owyhee provides a respite from the warm sun that’s a far more present companion here than in the western parts of the state.
For the more adventurous, few thrills beat those of running the rapids on the Snake River as it courses through Hells Canyon. When you combine the region’s water recreation opportunities with its rich Native American and pioneer history and wide open spaces, it’s a wonder more people don’t make the trek to take advantage of everything Eastern Oregon has to offer.
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