The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office seized approximately 2,500 pounds of illegally harvested smelt last Thursday during a joint poaching enforcement operation with Oregon State Police on the Sandy River.
The fish were confiscated during the single-day legal smelt dipping season on March 27, 2025 — a rare opportunity that drew large crowds to the riverbank between the Sandy River’s mouth and the Stark Street Bridge.
Thursday was only the third time in more than a decade that state officials allowed licensed anglers to catch the fish once prized by Native Americans for their high oil content.
Eulachon smelt, also known as candlefish, are listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. While they return to the Columbia River annually to spawn, their presence in the Sandy River is less consistent. These small, oily fish spend most of their lives in the ocean and typically die after spawning.
A rare one-day smelt dipping season on Thursday, March 27, 2025, drew crowds to Troutdale’s Sandy River, as a spring break surge of eulachon returned in harvestable numbers. Under gray skies, people of all ages lined the banks for the first fishery since 2023, approved by ODFW after navigating federal protections.Mark Graves/The Oregonian
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife authorized bank-only dip netting with a 10-pound harvest limit per person. That amount is roughly equivalent to a five-quart bucket or a quarter of a five-gallon bucket. Anglers were required to bring their own containers and hold a valid 2025 Oregon license. Children 11 and under did not need a license.
All individuals found in violation of harvest regulations were issued citations, the sheriff’s office said in a social media post. The seized smelt were donated to the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.
Officials stressed that overharvesting can harm river ecosystems, as smelt are an important food source for fish, birds and marine mammals. Collecting dead smelt from the banks — for bait or any other use — is prohibited.
A rare one-day smelt dipping season on Thursday, March 27, 2025, drew crowds to Troutdale’s Sandy River, as a spring break surge of eulachon returned in harvestable numbers. Under gray skies, people of all ages lined the banks for the first fishery since 2023, approved by ODFW after navigating federal protections.Mark Graves/The Oregonian
ODFW encourages those interested in future smelt dipping opportunities to subscribe to their email alerts, which are the first source of announcements for upcoming fisheries.
More: Smelt dippers return to Sandy River for rare one-day fishery (photos and video)
–Mark Graves, The Oregonian/OregonLive
503-860-3060
mgraves@oreognian.com