Finfish / River
Finfish: River
Mountain Whitefish
Prosopium williamsoni
Opens Dec 1112d out
Open
Dec 1 – Mar 31
Best
Dec–Jan
spent
Feb–Mar
Oil and fat run highest as fish stage on gravel before the Oct–Dec spawn; cold, clear winter flows firm the flesh, and fish go lean and spent after spawning.
signal · Sandy/Columbia flow & water temp (USGS 14142500); spawn triggers at ≤~42°F (modeled)
Plate No. 043 · Finley & Bohlman
Managed, mind the rules
Mind the season, size, and limit; release what you won't keep, gently and in the water.
The read
Overlooked but rich, sweet, oily white meat, a smoker's fish. Sandy & Columbia.
The event: Cold, clear winter flows.
Field notes
Catching it›
Cold, clear winter flows; drift small nymphs, beads, or bait near the bottom in deep runs. The small, downturned mouth means they feed on the bottom.
Licensing›
Oregon angling license (plus the Columbia Basin endorsement where it applies). Generous limits, an underused winter fishery.
Catch rules›
Check the zone regs (Sandy/Columbia). Often open in winter when salmon and steelhead are closed.
Preparation›
Rich, oily white meat that's superb smoked: brine and hot-smoke. Also good pan-fried fresh. Watch for pin bones; fillet carefully or smoke on the bone.
Where to find it
What we watch: live feeds
Sources
What informs Mountain Whitefish in particular. The shared feeds it reads (tides, weather, water temp) are the live feeds above.
Agency / authority
ODFW GovDelivery (email + RSS) · Push of the same openers + weekly recreation report. RSS = cleanest machine ingest.
Event / weekly
Physical data
USGS NWIS: Sandy River (14142500) · Discharge, gage height, water temp: the 'is it dippable' gate (high/dirty water suppresses the dip).
15-min · No key, CORS. Migrate to api.waterdata.usgs.gov before ~2027. Find a gauge nearer the Troutdale dip reach.