Cast Away: The Best Fishing Spots on the Clackamas River

When anglers fish the Clackamas River, no two trips ever seem to fish the same. On any given day, you might find yourself watching winter steelhead swim through current seams or pulling spring Chinook out of their holding zone before they head upstream. 

Whether you’re targeting spring chinook, coho salmon, steelhead, or rainbow trout, your success in fishing the Clackamas River depends on understanding where fish travel, how river conditions affect their movement, and which techniques work best in each section. 

Learn the best fishing spots on the Clackamas River and tips and tricks for making your trip an experience you won’t forget.

Table of Contents

• Where Is the Best Place To Fish on the Clackamas River?
• 9 Best Fishing Spots on the Clackamas River
• Tips for Successful Fishing on the Clackamas River
• Let Pacific Drifter Guide Service Take You to the Best Fishing Spots on the Clackamas River

Where Is the Best Place To Fish on the Clackamas River?

The Clackamas River is an 83-mile-long Oregon river that flows northwest from the Cascade Range to where it meets the Willamette River near Oregon City, running through the Mount Hood National Forest and entering Portland’s metropolitan areas. 

The upper section of the river is steeper, with rougher waters, making it a great area for high-quality trout fishing. The lower river has calmer, steadier water, making it a good spot for various salmon.

Overall, the best fishing spots on the Clackamas River will depend on factors like what you’re trying to catch, the season you’re fishing, accessibility to the water, and more.

Portland Drifter Guide Service is a fully licensed and insured Portland fishing guide and charter, providing hundreds of guests with unforgettable fishing experiences in Oregon. Contact us to get expert angler insight for your next fishing trip.

9 Best Fishing Spots on the Clackamas River

The Clackamas River is one of the more popular fishing spots in the Pacific Northwest because it offers a mix of salmon, steelhead, and trout opportunities across different seasons. If you’re hoping to fish like a true angler, consider these top fishing spots on the Clackamas River for your next Oregon fishing trip.

#1: Barton Park

Barton Park is located in Boring, Oregon, along the lower Clackamas River, and provides easy access for fishing. With good bank access and a boat ramp for anglers looking to head onto the water, Barton Park gets an abundance of migrating salmon and steelhead moving upstream. 

At Barton Park, you can expect to catch:

• Winter steelhead from December through March
• Summer steelhead from April to November
• Spring Chinook salmon from April to June
• Coho salmon in September through November

Because the lower part of the Clackamas River connects to the ocean, fish are constantly moving through, making this a great fishing spot.

#2: Carver Park

Understanding how fish move through the Clackamas River at Carver Park can make or break your fishing experience. The park is situated where Clear Creek meets the Clackamas River, creating a mix of currents, seams, and holding water that fish use as they travel upstream. 

With easy bank access and a boat ramp, anglers can expect:

• Winter Steelhead from December through March
• Spring Chinook  from April to June
• Coho salmon in the fall
• Summer steelhead from April to November
• Occasional trout

#3: Clackamette Park

Clackamette Park sits at the bottom of the system, right where the Clackamas River meets the Willamette River. Because of its location, fish behaviors and techniques, and fishing conditions all change. 

The merging of the two rivers creates deep, slow pools and resting zones for migrating fish. This means fishing can either be very productive or very slow. 

With a location at the mouth of the Clackamas River, fishers in Clackamette Park will see a mix of:

• Spring Chinook salmon from April to June
• Coho salmon in the fall
• Winter steelhead from December through March
• Summer steelhead from April to November
• Smallmouth bass in warmer months
• Some trout and panfish

#4: Cross Memorial Park

Many anglers are attracted to Cross Memorial Park because it offers access to productive lower-river water without the crowds found in other areas along the Clackamas. While still situated in the lower river, Cross Memorial Park sits just upstream from the confluence at Clackametter Park. This means fish are slowing down here before beginning to move up the river. 

Fish you can expect to catch at Cross Memorial Park include:

• Spring Chinook from April through June
• Coho salmon in the fall
• Winter steelhead from December through March
• Summer steelhead from April to November

#5: Estacada Lake

Estacada Lake differs from the other points along the Clackamas River because, instead of moving river water, it’s a small reservoir fishery. This means different fish, different consistency, and different fishing techniques. 

Most people fish this lake for trout, with Rainbow trout being the biggest stock of fish available. Anglers might find Steelhead passing through in the summer months or limited numbers of Chinook salmon. 

It’s recommended to fish Estacada Lake in the late spring through summer or early fall. You can choose to fish from a dock or water edge, or jump in a boat or kayak and head out on the water.

#6: Meldrum Bar Park

Meldrum Bar Park is located at the mouth of the Clackamas River and sits directly on the Willamette River, offering a mix of confluence-style fishing and lower-river travel lanes. Heavily used by fishermen in the spring, Meldrum Bar is known as a “plunking and bank fishing” zone because fish are both entering and staging before moving upstream.

You can expect to find:

• Spring Chinook from April through June
• Coho salmon in the fall
• Winter steelhead from December to April
• Summer steelhead from April to November
• Warmwater fish, like bass, in the summer

#7: Milo McIver Park

Milo McIver Park is located about 20–25 miles upstream from the mouth of the Clackamas River, with access to Estacada Lake and some free-flowing river sections. It’s also near the Clackamas Fish Hatchery, making it a great spot to catch Spring Chinook salmon and steelhead in the winter. 

#8: North Fork Reservoir

If you’re looking for a beginner-friendly fishing option, North Fork Reservoir is a cold-water reservoir fishery that sees mostly trout. Because a dam forms the reservoir, its water is deep, cold, and stable.

While most people head here to catch Rainbow trout, you might also find:

• Cutthroat trout
• Brown, brook, and bull trout
• Occasional salmon and steelhead

We recommend fishing at North Fork Reservoir from late spring through summer. You might have luck in early fall, but things begin to slow down as winter approaches.

#9: Riverside Park

Located on the lower Clackamas River, Riverside Park can be a very successful fishing spot if you understand how it fishes. 

Riverside Park is situated downstream of Carver Park but upstream of the Clackamas-Willamette confluence. The wide, slower stretch of river means plenty of fish are moving through, with many slowing down and holding briefly.

Fishermen can expect:

• Spring Chinook from April through June
• Coho salmon in the fall
• Winter steelhead from December through March
• Summer steelhead from April to November

Tips for Successful Fishing on the Clackamas River

The Clackamas River is a great spot for fishing; it’s productive, rather consistent, and full of traveling fish. However, with dam releases and rain, conditions can change quickly, drastically affecting fishing techniques along the river. 

Anglers typically use rods and reels for fishing steelhead, salmon, and trout, with various bait choices, including:

• Salmon eggs
• Sand shrimp
• Beads
• Nightcrawlers

At Pacific Drifter Guide Service, we’ll set you up with everything you need for a successful fishing trip along the Clackamas River. For those fishing the Clackamas regularly, consider these key tips:

• Salmon and steelhead are traveling fish, so move spots often if you’re not getting bites. 
• Learn the river levels. The Clackamas is often best right as levels drop, after it rains. 
• Look for fast water meeting slow water, inside bends, boulder edges, etc. 
• Use fishing techniques best for your section of the river.
• Using the right bait or lure for the current conditions 
• Don’t ignore fishing regulations.
• Pay attention to your fishing timing. Early morning is best, as is fishing right after flow changes or during fresh pushes of fish.

Let Pacific Drifter Guide Service Take You to the Best Fishing Spots on the Clackamas River

The Clackamas River offers a wide range of fishing opportunities, but the best success comes from matching your approach to the section of the river you’re fishing. While lower river access points like Carver, Barton, and Riverside are ideal for intercepting moving salmon and steelhead, Milo McIver and upstream areas offer more technical water and better trout and steelhead structure. 

Because conditions and fish movement can change quickly on the Clackamas, adaptability is key, and local knowledge or guided trips can make a big difference. 

Pacific Drifter Guide Services provides real-time river knowledge, dialed-in techniques, and access to the most effective river sections based on current conditions. Led by Jordan Rose, our charter can help you create the best possible fishing experience in Oregon. 

Contact us to learn more about what we offer.