Umatilla fall Chinook closes today below Threemile Dam through Nov. 30

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, out of Pendleton on Sept. 21, 2026, closed fall Chinook fishing on the Umatilla River from the Highway 730 bridge upstream to Threemile Dam effective today, Sept. 22, through Nov. 30, 2026. Managers cited forecasts of a low return and the need to meet hatchery fall Chinook broodstock goals.

Fall Chinook retention stays open above the dam, from Threemile Dam to the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation boundary about 0.7 mile above the Highway 11 bridge. Preseason forecasting had put 1,458 adult fall Chinook back to the river mouth; in-season work has since downgraded that number.

For contacts, ODFW lists Tyler Hoyt at 541-975-8606 and Yvonne Shaw at 503-383-6859. Confirm the live Northeast Zone recreation report before you wet a line.

This is a The Gillnet news desk summary, not a reprint.

Source: ODFW — Umatilla River fall Chinook angling closes Sept. 22 below Threemile Dam (Sept. 21, 2026).