Fishing near Portland, Oregon
Multnomah County, population 652,503.
- 6 milesto nearest paged water
- 8open launches nearby
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Fishing close to Portland
Portland is a city in Multnomah County with 652,503 residents at the 2020 Census. Drive 6 miles northwest and you reach Smith Lake, the nearest guided water. Launch at Duckworth Memorial Dock on Willamette River, roughly 1 mile from town.
Commonwealth Lake is on the ODFW stocking schedule, about 8 miles away.
Census 2020 population and Gazetteer point for Portland; miles are straight lines.
Lakes a quick hop from Portland
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Kind | OSMB launches | Fish mapped |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smith Lake | 6 miles northwest | 508 (outline) | lake | 1 | black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead |
| Kellogg Lake | 7 miles south | 17 (outline) | lake | 1 | |
| Commonwealth Lake | 8 miles west | 6 (outline) | lake | 0 | black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead |
| Lake Oswego | 9 miles south | 431 (outline) | lake | 1 | carp, pumpkinseed sunfish |
| Blue Lake (Multnomah County) | 10 miles east | 66 (outline) | lake | 1 | black crappie, bluegill, carp |
| Haldeman Pond | 14 miles northwest | 5 (outline) | lake | 1 | black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead |
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.
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- Willamette River10 miles, ODFW maps coho, fall chinook and spring chinook runs, 55 OSMB launches, 10 USGS gauges, 47 booklet exceptions
- Clackamas River12 miles, ODFW maps coho, fall chinook and spring chinook runs, 15 OSMB launches, 5 USGS gauges, 10 booklet exceptions
- Sandy River12 miles, ODFW maps chum, coho and fall chinook runs, 5 OSMB launches, 2 USGS gauges, 8 booklet exceptions
- Tualatin River14 miles, ODFW maps coho, fall chinook and winter steelhead runs, 11 OSMB launches, 5 USGS gauges, 4 booklet exceptions
Gauge stations by Portland
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Willamette River At Portland, Or | -956 cfs, 4.74 ft gage height | Nov 5 4:45 am |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 5, 2026 5:33 am ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
ODFW stream names and runs, OSMB launches and USGS gauges; read November 2, 2026.
Pins for fishing access by Portland
- Duckworth Memorial Dock on Willamette RiverWillamette River, 1 mile
- Riverplace Marina on Willamette RiverWillamette River, 2 miles
- Elrod Levee Launch East on Columbia SloughColumbia Slough, 3 miles
- Whitaker Ponds Canoe Launch on Columbia SloughColumbia Slough, 3 miles
- Elrod Levee Launch West on Columbia SloughColumbia Slough, 3 miles
- Swan Island Ramp on Swan Island BasinSwan Island Basin, 3 miles
- Willamette ParkWillamette River, 4 miles
- McCuddys Marina Marine Drive on Columbia RiverColumbia River, 4 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.
Planned trout plants around Portland
| Water | Distance | Planned releases | Latest listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commonwealth Lake | 8 miles | 6 | May. 03, 2027 – May. 07, 2027: 2,000 legal-size, 244 trophy trout |
| Haldeman Pond | 14 miles | 4 | Apr. 19, 2027 – Apr. 23, 2027: 2,000 legal-size trout |
| Estacada Lake | 23 miles | 16 | Aug. 30, 2027 – Sep. 03, 2027: 800 legal-size trout |
| Faraday Lake | 25 miles | 11 | Sep. 27, 2027 – Oct. 01, 2027: 1,400 legal-size trout |
ODFW weekly trout stocking schedule (planned releases; ODFW prints size classes, not species), myodfw.com, read November 2, 2026.
Gear and bait near Portland
Listed shops around Portland
- Portland Fly Shopfly shop, Portland, 2 miles
- Advanced Marine Servicemarina, Portland, 3 miles
- Bi-Mart (Portland/Woodstock)sporting goods store, Portland, 4 miles
- Fisherman's Marine & Outdoor (Portland Delta Park)bait and tackle shop, Portland, 4 miles
- Harbor 1 Boatyardmarina, Portland, 4 miles
- Columbia River Marinamarina, Portland, 5 miles
- Sundance Marinasmarina, Portland, 5 miles
- Donaldson Marinamarina, Portland, 5 miles
Captains and guides working Portland
- Northwest Flyfishing Outfitterfly fishing guide, Portland, (503) 252-1529
- Sturgeon Frank's Guide Servicecharter, Portland, (503) 240-0631
Yellow Pages and store-locator listings (miles only for shops with a geocoded address) and guide or charter listings; read November 2, 2026.
Weigh-ins around Portland
| Date | Event | Water | Organizer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 2, 2025 | KFNW/OKBF Tour Event 5 Upper Willamette River 2025 | Willamette River | Kayak Fishing Northwest (KFNW) / Oregon Kayak Bass Fishing (OKBF) |
Organizer schedule and results pages for events in Multnomah County or within 20 miles, checked November 2026.
Record weights near Portland
| Species | Weight | Water | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pumpkinseed Sunfish | 0 lb 7.68 oz | Lake Oswego | 1996 |
| Shad | 6 lb 6 oz | Willamette River | 2004 |
| White Catfish | 15 lb 0 oz | Tualatin River | 1989 |
| Smallmouth Bass | 8 lb 1.76 oz | Henry Hagg Lake | 2005 |
| Bullhead Catfish | 3 lb 7 oz | Henry Hagg Lake | 2001 |
Oregon record fish as listed by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (record fish article, dated March 4, 2026), read November 2, 2026. Waters within 40 miles.
Fish an angler can carry home from Portland
The ODFW Willamette Zone table governs most named water in Multnomah County, but watershed boundaries decide each zone. A year of Oregon angling privileges costs $50 in state and $138 from out of state this season. Retained salmonids, sturgeon and halibut are logged on the $69 resident Combined Angling Tag.
| 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.
A short trip from Portland
Next towns over from Portland
- West Haven-Sylvan6 miles
- Raleigh Hills6 miles
- Milwaukie7 miles
- West Slope7 miles
- Cedar Mill7 miles
The county around Portland
- Multnomah Countyseat: Portland
A Piscifun kit worth stowing before you head to Portland
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Know the Portland catch by sight
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, CC BY 2.0
Photo: USFWS Pacific Southwest Region, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Oregon State University, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: robposse, CC BY 2.0
Using Portland as a base camp: answers
Which lake with an Oregon page is nearest Portland?
Smith Lake, 6 miles northwest.
Which open launch comes first leaving Portland?
Duckworth Memorial Dock on Willamette River, about 1 mile.
Where can a Portland family fish on foot?
No mapped pier, jetty or shore site lies within 15 miles; lake pages list bank access by water.
Where can a Portland angler buy cured eggs or nightcrawlers?
Portland Fly Shop, 2 miles away.
Which county page lists Portland?
It lies in Multnomah County.
What does a nonresident pay ODFW for a trip from Portland?
Visitors buy a year of Oregon angling for $138.
Which lake around Portland has the biggest mapped outline?
Smith Lake, about 508 acres, 6 miles away.
What towns could a Portland angler stay in instead?
Nearby towns are West Haven-Sylvan (6 miles), Raleigh Hills (6 miles) and Milwaukie (7 miles).
Does ODFW plan trout releases near Portland?
Commonwealth Lake, 8 miles away, with 6 releases on the schedule (planned, not confirmed).
Are there derbies near Portland?
Organizer pages list 1 event here, all already fished.
Was an Oregon record caught near Portland?
Pumpkinseed Sunfish, 0 lb 7.68 oz, from Lake Oswego.
Pick out Oregon water near Portland
Lake pages show launches, species and limits.