Fishing near Albany, Oregon
Linn County, population 56,472.
- 2 milesto nearest paged water
- 8open launches nearby
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Lakes and rivers near Albany
With 56,472 residents in 2020, Albany is a city of Linn County. Waverly Lake sits about 2 miles northeast of town, nearer than any other lake or bay page. Cheadle Lake is the widest lake in the table, near 72 acres. The shortest tow to an OSMB launch is 1 mile, to Takena Landing on Willamette River.
Waverly Lake, about 2 miles away, is on the trout schedule.
Census 2020 population and Gazetteer point for Albany; miles are straight lines.
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| Lake | Distance | Acres | Kind | OSMB launches | Fish mapped |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waverly Lake | 2 miles northeast | 10 (outline) | lake | 1 | bluegill, brown bullhead, largemouth bass |
| Timber-Linn Lake | 2 miles east | 6 (outline) | lake | 0 | bluegill, brown bullhead, largemouth bass |
| Cheadle Lake | 13 miles southeast | 72 (outline) | lake | 1 | |
| Wirth Lake | 20 miles north | 18 (outline) | lake | 1 | bluegill, brown bullhead, largemouth bass |
| Willamette Slough | 21 miles north | 58 (outline) | lake | 2 | largemouth bass |
BLM Oregon hydrography lake outlines (NHD), summed by GNIS name (layer), read November 2, 2026. ODFW Fish Habitat Distribution layers (ODFW ArcGIS), read November 2, 2026; a mapped species is habitat use ODFW records, not a catch report.
Rivers a drive from Albany
- Calapooia River1 mile, ODFW maps spring chinook and winter steelhead runs, 1 OSMB launch, 1 USGS gauge
- North Santiam River6 miles, ODFW maps coho, fall chinook and spring chinook runs, 12 OSMB launches, 4 USGS gauges
- South Santiam River6 miles, ODFW maps fall chinook, spring chinook and summer steelhead runs, 7 OSMB launches, 5 USGS gauges
- Luckiamute River9 miles, ODFW maps coho, spring chinook and winter steelhead runs, 1 OSMB launch, 2 USGS gauges, 2 booklet exceptions
- Santiam River9 miles, ODFW maps coho, fall chinook and spring chinook runs, 3 OSMB launches, 2 USGS gauges, 37 booklet exceptions
- Marys River9 miles, ODFW maps coho, spring chinook and winter steelhead runs, 1 USGS gauge, 2 booklet exceptions
USGS gauges near Albany
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Willamette River At Albany, Or | 5,140 cfs, 3.33 ft gage height | Nov 5 4:20 am |
| Calapooia River At Albany, Or | 50 cfs, 2.03 ft gage height | Nov 5 4:00 am |
| Santiam River At Jefferson, Or | 2,410 cfs, 2.92 ft gage height | Nov 5 4:15 am |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 5, 2026 4:32 am ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
ODFW stream names and runs, OSMB launches and USGS gauges; read November 2, 2026.
Mapped water access near Albany
- Takena Landing on Willamette RiverWillamette River, 1 mile
- Monteith Park River Access on Willamette RiverWillamette River, 1 mile
- Bryant Park River Access on Willamette RiverWillamette River, 1 mile
- Bowman Park on Willamette RiverWillamette River, 1 mile
- Waverly ParkWaverly Lake, 2 miles
- Freeway Lakes boat rampFreeway Lakes, 3 miles
- Hyak Park on Willamette RiverWillamette River, 3 miles
- Jefferson Ramp on Santiam RiverSantiam River, 7 miles
Oregon State Marine Board Boating Access Sites layer (OSMB ArcGIS), read November 2, 2026; status as OSMB publishes it. Oregon Coastal Management Program (DLCD) Shoreline Access Inventory (layer) and the ODFW shore access map, read November 2, 2026.
Trout releases near Albany
| Water | Distance | Planned releases | Latest listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waverly Lake | 2 miles | 19 | Dec. 20, 2027 – Dec. 24, 2027: 800 legal-size trout |
| Timber-Linn Lake | 2 miles | 33 | Dec. 20, 2027 – Dec. 24, 2027: 900 legal-size trout |
ODFW weekly trout stocking schedule (planned releases; ODFW prints size classes, not species), myodfw.com, read November 2, 2026.
Where Albany anglers buy bait
Bait stores by Albany
- Two Rivers Fly Shopfly shop, Albany, under a mile
- Bi-Mart (Albany)sporting goods store, Albany, under a mile
- Sportsman's Warehouse Albanysporting goods store, Albany, 1 mile
- Bi-Mart (Corvallis)sporting goods store, Corvallis, 8 miles
- Watershed Fly Shopfly shop, Corvallis, 9 miles
- Dey's Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Lebanon, 11 miles
- M2 Outdoor Sportsbait and tackle shop, Lebanon, 11 miles
- Bi-Mart (Corvallis/Philomath Hwy)sporting goods store, Corvallis, 12 miles
Guides and charters for Albany
- FISHERMAN MIKE'S GUIDE SERVICEfishing guide, Mill City, (971) 273-3422
Yellow Pages and store-locator listings (miles only for shops with a geocoded address) and guide or charter listings; read November 2, 2026.
Daily limits on Albany waters
Expect the ODFW Willamette Zone limits on most Linn County waters; zones are drawn by drainage, so check any water near a divide. Annual angling runs $50 for residents of Oregon and $138 for everyone else in 2026. Keep a salmon or steelhead and you need the Combined Angling Tag too, $69 for residents.
| Species | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Trout | Lakes: 5 per day, 3 daily limits in possession. Streams: catch-and-release only, unless noted under Exceptions; 8-inch minimum | Lakes: Open all year. Streams: Open May 22 – Oct 31 unless noted under Exceptions. |
| Kokanee | 10 per day unless noted under Exceptions. | Open all year. |
| Salmon and Steelhead below Willamette Falls and Columbia River Tributa. | In the aggregate: 2 adult salmon or steelhead per day, 20 per year. 5 jacks per day, 2 daily jack limits in possession. | Closed in all waters unless noted under Exceptions. |
| Salmon above Willamette Falls | 2 adult salmon per day, 5 jacks per day, 2 daily jack limits in possession. 20 salmon and steelhead per year in aggregate. | Closed in all waters unless noted under Exceptions. |
| Steelhead above Willamette Falls | 3 adult steelhead per day (in addition to daily salmon bag limit). 20 salmon and steelhead per year in aggregate. | Closed in all waters unless noted under Exceptions. |
| Sturgeon | Catch-and-release only, unless noted under Exceptions. | Catch-and-release: Open all year, except as noted under Exceptions. |
| Bass | Lakes: 5 per day, 3 daily limits in possession unless noted under Exceptions. Streams: No limit. | Lakes: Open all year. Streams: Open during trout, salmon or steelhead seasons, except mainstem Willamette River and sloughs and tidewater areas of Columbia. |
| Bluegill, Catfish, Crappie, Other Sunfish, Walleye, Yellow Perch, Stri. | No limit, unless noted under Exceptions. | Lakes: Open all year. Streams: Open during trout, salmon or steelhead seasons, except mainstem Willamette River and sloughs and tidewater areas of Columbia. |
| Pacific Lamprey | Refer to General (Statewide) Regulations for regulations covering the harvest of Pacific lamprey. | Refer to General (Statewide) Regulations for regulations covering the harvest of Pacific lamprey. |
| Smelt | Closed. | Closed. |
Limits as printed in the 2026 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations (ODFW, eRegulations edition) (Willamette Zone page), read November 2, 2026. Lake, river and bay pages print any water exception.
In range of Albany
Neighbouring towns of Albany
- Millersburg4 miles
- Tangent6 miles
- Jefferson8 miles
- Corvallis10 miles
- Lebanon11 miles
County water around Albany
- Linn Countyseat: Albany
What Piscifun sells for a day spent on Albany
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Picture key to the fish of Albany
Photo: Alaska Region U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Public domain
Photo: Jonathan Cook-Fisher, CC BY 2.0
Photo: gailhampshire, CC BY 2.0
Photo: robposse, CC BY 2.0
Rods packed for Albany lodging: answers
How many miles from Albany to the first lake guide?
Waverly Lake, 2 miles northeast.
Which launch means the shortest tow from Albany?
Takena Landing on Willamette River, some 1 mile off.
What shore site is closest to Albany?
Mapped shore sites all lie beyond 15 miles.
Where is the first tackle stop leaving Albany?
Two Rivers Fly Shop, under a mile away.
Which Oregon county takes in Albany?
It is in Linn County.
What does a license run for fishing around Albany?
A nonresident annual angling license costs $138 in 2026.
What big Oregon lake sits within a drive of Albany?
Cheadle Lake, about 72 acres, 13 miles away.
Which town page is nearest Albany?
By distance: Millersburg (4 miles), Tangent (6 miles) and Jefferson (8 miles).
Which stocked lake serves Albany?
Waverly Lake, 2 miles away, with 19 releases on the schedule (planned, not confirmed).