Sandy River:

The Sandy River is a 56 mile tributary of the Columbia River located in northwestern Oregon. Its confluence with the Columbia is only about fourteen miles upstream from the city of Portland. The Sandy River starts on Mt. Hood beneath the Reid and Sandy Glaciers. On its way to the Columbia River, it passes through the little towns of Welches, Sandy, and Brightwood. The Sandy remains one of the most beautiful, wild rivers in Oregon, with some of the best steelheading in the world.

The Sandy River’s wild steelhead can go fin to fin with the famed steelhead of British Columbia in size and fight, boosted by catch-and-release regulations for all wild fish and additional environmental protections for the watershed. Winter steelhead in the Sandy River average 8-10 pounds. With Marmot Dam being demolished in 2007, more “two-salt” fish are being caught in the 15-pound range.  The run time begins around mid-December and continues through April. Summer steelhead begin their journey upriver in April.

Your guide Marty Sheppard was born in Welches, along the Sandy River, and landed his first steelhead at the age of five. Since then he has studied the river flows and ebbs and the steelhead that make the Sandy their home. Mia Sheppard, who holds the world record for distance in Spey casting, also has a decade of guiding experience on the rivers of northeastern Oregon and learned everything she knows about the Sandy from Marty, her husband. Little Creek Outfitters specializes in Spey casting with a two-handed rod. Whether you are new to the sport or looking to improve your skills, a day on the water with Marty or Mia will improve your fishing and the odds of hooking into one of the Sandy River brutes.