Flowing 111 miles northwesterly up the Oregon coast, the Umpqua River is the primary river of western Oregon. The main portion of the Umpqua River is formed by the convergence of the North Umpqua and South Umpqua Rivers just northwest of Roseburg, Oregon, and it empties into the Pacific Ocean at Winchester Bay. Much of the beginning of the Umpqua River flows through valleys and farmlands, and the northern portions travel through narrow canyons until it dumps into the ocean.
The Umpqua National Forest is the protected land surrounding the Umpqua River, and the 983,129 acres of land are managed by the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service. Visitors can enjoy numerous hiking trails, camping spots, beaches, and picnic areas that can all be areas to spot many of the protected species in the forests. Some of the species that guests are most likely to see are elk, black bears, deer, small woodland mammals, falcons, owls, and possibly cougars.
There are also several species of fish that call the waters in the Umpqua National Forest home, and some of these fish can be found in the Umpqua River. Below are the species of fish that are commonly seen throughout the Umpqua River.
Umpqua River Fish Species
1) Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)
[su_icon_text icon=”icon: globe” icon_color=”#04629B” icon_size=”30″]Native to northwestern North America and Japan[/su_icon_text]
Chinook salmon are often found in the cool waters of the northern Pacific Ocean, and they can be spotted in the Umpqua River Basin in Winchester Bay or traveling up the main river stem during breeding season. This species can be identified by its blue-green back, silver sides, and white belly. There are black speckles spotted along the back, dorsal fin, and tail fin, and they also have relatively small eyes as well as blackish gums.
During spawning season, both male and female Chinook salmon turn a reddish color on their sides, but the sexes can be distinguished by the hooked nose and rigid back that the males possess. Chinook salmon are the largest of the salmon family, and they can easily reach over five feet long and weigh over 100 pounds. Adult Chinook salmon primarily feed on other fishes in the ocean, but the fry and smolt salmon will eat plankton, terrestrial and aquatic insects, amphipods, and crustaceans.
2) Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch)
[su_icon_text icon=”icon: globe” icon_color=”#04629B” icon_size=”30″]Native to the North Pacific[/su_icon_text]
Coho salmon, like other Pacific salmon species, use the lower river and river drainage areas of the Umpqua River as spawning grounds. Also like other Pacific salmon species, coho salmon have different appearances depending on if they are in freshwater or in the sea. When in the sea, this species has a metallic blue back and bright silver sides with black spots on the back and upper caudal fin.
During spawning season, males and females develop black backs and heads and deep red sides. Males will also develop a hooked jaw in freshwater. Coho salmon typically grow to about 24 – 30 inches long and weigh around 6 – 12 pounds. After hatching, juvenile coho salmon will live in freshwater for about one year and feed on aquatic insects and plankton. As adults, coho salmon will primarily feed on other fishes and squid in the ocean.
3) Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
[su_icon_text icon=”icon: globe” icon_color=”#04629B” icon_size=”30″]Native to the western United States[/su_icon_text]
Rainbow trout come in two forms: freshwater resident and anadromous. Anadromous rainbow trout, also called steelheads, are the type that can be found in the Umpqua River. These fish tend to be a darker silver with less intense spots, and this darker coloration is believed to help steelheads blend in with the marine environment better. Rainbow trout typically grow between 12 – 20 inches and usually weigh 1 – 4 pounds. This species is also closely related to the cutthroat trout, but unlike cutthroat trout, rainbow trout do not have basibranchial teeth.
Juvenile and adult rainbow trout primarily feed on larvae that float through the water. Relying on this food source saves a lot of energy since they are not actively foraging, but adults will also eat other fish, crustaceans, and worms. Rainbow trout are an incredibly popular sport fish, and this species has been introduced to every continent except for Antarctica.
4) Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis)
[su_icon_text icon=”icon: globe” icon_color=”#04629B” icon_size=”30″]Native to North America[/su_icon_text]
Brook trout can reside in rivers and streams as well as in marine environments, and for each habitat, brook trout have very specific environmental conditions that need to be met in order to survive. Brook trout have a dark green or brown back that fades into silver-colored sides. They have cream-colored wavy lines along their heads and back that turn into spots on their sides, and they also have red and blue spots speckled across their body.
Brook trout are around 12 – 20 inches long and weigh 2 – 13 pounds on average. These fish are opportunistic feeders and will eat just about anything that finds its way into the water including insects, worms, fish, salamanders, and even small rodents.
5) White sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus)
[su_icon_text icon=”icon: globe” icon_color=”#04629B” icon_size=”30″]Native to the Pacific coast of North America[/su_icon_text]
White sturgeon are the largest freshwater fish in North America, and while they can be anadromous, these fish spend the majority of their life in freshwater systems like the Umpqua River. White sturgeon have very long, cylindrical bodies that are covered in rough skin instead of scales, as well as five rows of bony plates called scutes. The backs of these fish are usually light gray and the sides fade to a white belly.
This species typically grows anywhere from 3 – 10 feet, but it is possible for these fish to grow up to 20 feet long and weigh 1,000 pounds! White sturgeon also have blunt, broad snouts with four barbels near the tip of the snout. They have a ventral, toothless mouth, which they use to swallow primarily other fishes but also clams, mussels, crayfish, and worms.
6) Green sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris)
[su_icon_text icon=”icon: globe” icon_color=”#04629B” icon_size=”30″]Native to the northern Pacific Ocean[/su_icon_text]
Green sturgeon are less common than white sturgeon on the west coast of North America, but this anadromous species can still be found using rivers like the Umpqua River for spawning grounds. This species has scaleless bodies with bony plates that are olive green on the back, lighter green on the sides, and yellow or whitish on the belly. They also have green stripes on the side and belly, whereas white sturgeon have no stripes at all.
Green sturgeon average about 3.5 – 6.5 feet in length and can weigh up to 350 pounds. The snout of a green sturgeon is pointier than the white sturgeon, and the barbels are located midway down the snout. They use these barbels to find food on the bottom of the water including benthic invertebrates, zooplankton, and other fishes.
7) Smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu)
[su_icon_text icon=”icon: globe” icon_color=”#04629B” icon_size=”30″]Native to eastern North America[/su_icon_text]
Smallmouth bass are a very popular sportfish species in the Umpqua River, and anglers can usually find these fish in just about any area that is not incredibly murky. Smallmouth bass are an olive-green color with vertical bands on the side of the body, and they range from 12 – 18 inches in length and weigh around 1 – 4 pounds.
While smallmouths look very similar to largemouth bass, the major distinction between the two is that smallmouth bass have a smaller mouth that extends to the midpoint of the eye. This species is relatively opportunistic when it comes to feeding, and they often feed on insects, amphibians, crayfish, and other fish, including juvenile fish of their own species.
8) Brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus)
[su_icon_text icon=”icon: globe” icon_color=”#04629B” icon_size=”30″]Native to Canada and the United States[/su_icon_text]
Brown bullheads are found near impoundments in the Umpqua River where water is slow-moving and contains vegetation for cover. Brown bullheads are a type of catfish that have dark brown, scaleless skin. The head of the brown bullhead is a solid color, but the trunk has dark mottling. Brown bullheads average around 8 – 14 inches long and weigh 1 – 3 pounds.
This species also has eight barbels on their heads that sense touch and chemical stimuli. They use these barbels along with their terminal mouths and tiny teeth to feed on insects, small fish, fish eggs, mollusks, plants, leeches, worms, and crayfish on the bottom of the river.
9) American shad (Alosa sapidissima)
[su_icon_text icon=”icon: globe” icon_color=”#04629B” icon_size=”30″]Native to eastern North America[/su_icon_text]
American shad are an anadromous species that were introduced to the west coast of North America in 1871. These fish will live in the ocean for much of their lives, but they will migrate into the Umpqua River to spawn.
American shad have streamlined bodies with greenish blue backs, silvery sides, and a white belly. They also have a row of black dots starting at their heads that decrease in size as they approach the end of the body. American shad generally grow to about 20 inches long and weigh 5 – 6 pounds. Although this species is the largest herring species, American shad primarily feed on tiny plankton to survive.
10) Striped bass (Morone saxatilis)
[su_icon_text icon=”icon: globe” icon_color=”#04629B” icon_size=”30″]Native to eastern North America[/su_icon_text]
Striped bass are popular sport fish in the Umpqua River, and they can be found mainly near the mouth of the river in waters that are cool, clear, and deep. Striped bass have bodies that are laterally compressed with green or blue backs and silver iridescent sides. These fish also have 6 – 9 black stripes that run horizontally across the body. Striped bass are larger fish that can grow to about 2 – 3 feet in length and weigh between 10 – 30 pounds. This species is generally piscivorous and will hunt for other fishes at night.
11) Striped seaperch (Embiotoca lateralis)
[su_icon_text icon=”icon: globe” icon_color=”#04629B” icon_size=”30″]Native to the west coast of North America[/su_icon_text]
Striped seaperch, also known as striped surfperch, are a saltwater perch species that are often found by shallow, rocky shorelines, and they can also be found in estuaries of rivers like the Umpqua River. Striped seaperch have deep, compressed bodies that are copper in color, with thin blue and yellow lines running horizontally across the length of them. These fish also have bright blue mottling on their heads, and the bases of their anal fins are orange.
Striped seaperch typically grow to about 9 – 14 inches long, and they can weigh more than two pounds on occasion. These fish have smaller mouths that they use to eat worms, crustaceans, snails, and mussels off the bottom of the sea floor.
12) Yellow perch (Perca flavescens)
[su_icon_text icon=”icon: globe” icon_color=”#04629B” icon_size=”30″]Native to northern and central North America[/su_icon_text]
Yellow perch are one of the most common types of perch, and they are found throughout Umpqua River watersheds in brackish waters and near reservoirs. This species is known for its golden yellow to greenish body covered in 6 – 8 dark vertical bars. These fish have yellow or green eyes and orange-red tinted fins.
Yellow perch generally grow to about 7 – 10 inches long and weigh around a pound, although this species is prone to having stunted growth in areas where food is limited. When food is abundant, adults will feed on the bottom of the river with their subterminal mouth, and they will search for items such as benthic macroinvertebrates as well as smaller fishes.
13) Black crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus)
[su_icon_text icon=”icon: globe” icon_color=”#04629B” icon_size=”30″]Native to North America[/su_icon_text]
Black crappie are often found in the Umpqua River in areas where the water is cool, clear, and deep. Black crappies have compressed bodies that are generally a darker green on the back with dark mottling on the silvery sides. They also have 7 – 8 spines on their dorsal fins, which distinguishes them from white crappies who have 5 – 6 spines.
This species exhibits sexual dimorphism, so the males tend to be larger and darker than the females. Black crappies typically grow to about 8 – 12 inches and weigh 0.25 – 1 pounds. This species is generally nocturnal, so they will hunt during the night for small fishes, crustaceans, and insects.
14) White crappie (Pomoxis annularis)
[su_icon_text icon=”icon: globe” icon_color=”#04629B” icon_size=”30″]Native to North America[/su_icon_text]
White crappies can also be found in the Umpqua River, and they do well in very slow-moving and turbid waters. White crappies have compressed bodies that are silvery olive on the back and silvery white towards the belly. These fish have dark vertical bands along the sides of their bodies, and their gill covers have spines.
Males look slightly different than females during breeding season because males will develop a dark throat. White crappies average about 9 – 10 inches long and are around 2 pounds as adults. These fish generally eat smaller fishes like minnows or shad, but they will also eat insects such as mayflies.
15) Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus)
[su_icon_text icon=”icon: globe” icon_color=”#04629B” icon_size=”30″]Native to North America[/su_icon_text]
Bluegills live throughout the Umpqua River where waters are very slow and slightly warmer. Bluegills are the most common type of sunfish, and they are characterized by having disc-shaped bodies with an olive green back, an orangish-yellow belly, and a black dot at the base of the dorsal fin. These fish get their name from the bluish hue surrounding the gill covers. Bluegills average around 7.5 inches in length and weigh around half a pound as adults.
These fish have very little mouths, so they will only eat smaller prey such as zooplankton, insects, worms, and snails. Bluegills are a main source of food for many larger fish such as largemouth bass, so they have adapted to be maneuverable. For instance, this species can make very quick stops by spreading out their pectoral fins.
16) Green sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus)
[su_icon_text icon=”icon: globe” icon_color=”#04629B” icon_size=”30″]Native to central North America[/su_icon_text]
Green sunfish can be found in the Umpqua River where water is slower moving, but they are adaptable to many different water conditions. This species has a wider body compared to other sunfish bodies and are blue-green in color with black dots and white bellies. They also have darker vertical bands across their bodies and a dark spot on their dorsal fin.
Green sunfish are not very desirable sport fish because they are relatively small, ranging from about 3 – 7 inches long and weighing less than a pound. These fish are very aggressive and will outcompete native fish species for food such as crayfish, fish eggs, insects, and smaller fishes.
17) Warmouth sunfish (Lepomis gulosus)
[su_icon_text icon=”icon: globe” icon_color=”#04629B” icon_size=”30″]Native to the eastern United States[/su_icon_text]
Warmouth sunfish, also known as redeye, are found in the Umpqua River where waters have lots of vegetation for cover and where the sides of the river have steep slopes. Warmouths are a type of sunfish that has a thick olive-brown body with dark brown mottling and three to five red-brown stripes across the gill cover. They average about 5 – 8 inches long and weigh around two pounds.
Warmouths get the nickname “redeye” because they have bright red eyes. These fish also have the name “warmouth” because they have very large mouths that extend to the pupil of their eyes. They use this mouth, along with teeth on their tongues and the roof of their mouths, to eat crustaceans, insects, and small fishes.
18) Largescale sucker (Catostomus macrocheilus)
[su_icon_text icon=”icon: globe” icon_color=”#04629B” icon_size=”30″]Native to western North America[/su_icon_text]
Largescale suckers can be found in the main stem of the Umpqua River in areas where the water is shallower. This species is characterized by its greenish-gray or bronze back and yellow or cream-colored belly. Largescale suckers get their name because of their fairly large scales that look outlined in darker colors.
These fish can reach lengths of 14 inches and will typically weigh less than five pounds. Largescale suckers have ventral-facing mouths with large lips that they use to suck up food from the bottom of the river including aquatic insect larvae, crustaceans, snails, algae, detritus, and plankton.
