(SALEM, Or) – Recreational harvest of eulachon smelt on the Sandy River will be open from 12-7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 11 only.
Regulations:
- Open area: From the mouth of the Sandy River upstream to the Stark Street Bridge.
- Limit: 10 pounds per dipper. Each dipper must dip smelt for themselves with their own container.
- Harvest method: Harvest is allowed with dipnet only and smelt may only be caught from the bank.
- Required permit: Each dipper must also have a valid 2026 Oregon angling license.
The smelt harvest limit is 10 pounds per person. An example of a legal limit is roughly ¼ of a five-gallon bucket; however, people should bring scales to ensure they do not exceed the legal limit. ODFW also recommends that dippers bring waders, and ice if they plan to keep smelt for consumption. Life jackets are strongly recommended for children.
Public access points along the open area:
- Lewis and Clark Park
- Glenn Otto Park
- Along the dike off of Perimeter Way near Troutdale Airport
- Pullouts along the Historic Columbia Highway
Public support needed
Dippers should respect local businesses and private property by parking only in designated public parking areas, obeying all posted signs, and avoiding driveways, private lots, and restricted access areas.
In previous years, ODFW and Oregon State Police have witnessed some participants failing to comply with the 10-pound limit. These fish are listed under the Endangered Species Act, and compliance is critical to ensure the sustainability of the smelt population.
The department is asking for public support: please follow all regulations, respect the harvest limit, and help ODFW protect this unique opportunity for years to come.
About smelt
“This is the first time in nearly 50-years that smelt have been in the Sandy River four years in a row, it’s quite an unusual thing to witness,” said Tucker Jones, ODFW’s Ocean Salmon and Columbia River Program Manager. “That said, the eulachon smelt have already been in the Sandy for a few days now, this return doesn’t appear to be as big as last year’s return, and we’re already seeing some post-spawn die-offs.”
The eulachon smelt spends most of its life in the ocean, migrating up rivers, including the Columbia and some of its tributaries, to spawn. They grow to be six to nine inches long and live three to five years. Most adults die shortly after spawning, so it is not uncommon to see large numbers of dead smelt along the river.
While Columbia River eulachon smelt were listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 2010, abundance has increased to levels that allow limited, conservative harvest. The smelt return each year to the Columbia, but just periodically to the Sandy River.