Named after a Scottish fur trader who explored parts of the Pacific Northwest, the McKenzie River flows 90 miles generally due west out of Willamette National Forest located in the High Cascades and it eventually feeds into the Willamette River just north of Eugene Oregon. The McKenzie starts as the outlet stream from from Clear Lake which is reputed for its high water quality and a constant year-round temperature of 38 degrees. Near to the source it actually flows underground through a lava bed for 3 miles before re-emerging clear and ice cold. The McKenzie drainage comprises and area 1300 square miles, 96 percent of which is forested and 4 percent dedicated to agriculture. The cities of Eugene and Springfield benefit from the river's high water quality as they have tapped the river and adjacent aquifers to provide water to some 200,000 plus residents. Within the river and its tributaries, there are a number of dams and power projects associated with the Eugene Water & Electric Board, Army Corps of Engineers, and Bonneville Power who utilize and manage the river for flood control and hydro-electric power.

Renown for its aesthetic appeal and natural beauty, the McKenzie River corridor provides a diverse range of recreational opportunities including kayaking, rafting, hiking and mountain biking the adjacent trails, camping, and of course, fishing. The now famous McKenzie River Drift Boat actually evolved on this river and sports a unique design creating an incredibly efficient white-water friendly fishing vessel. Many of the boats are manufactured in the Pacific Northwest and now utilized not only in the U.S., but on rivers throughout the world.Numerous species of fish occupy the McKenzie's water. Such residents include Bull Trout, Mountain Whitefish, Sculpin and Chubs, while Rainbow & Cutthroat Trout, Spring Chinook Salmon, and Summer Steelhead represent the more sought after fish targeted by hopeful anglers. The McKenzie has a decent population of wild Rainbows known as “Redsides” and it also receives supplemental plantings of hatchery reared Rainbows throughout the spring and summer. This hatchery program has proven immensely successful and draws in anglers from far and wide year after year.

Some years see very good returns of Spring Chinook to the McKenzie. A hatchery located on the lower river near Leaburg produces salmon smolts, juvenile Springers that are released annually to supplement the wild population. Once released, these young fish head downstream in short order migrating to the Pacific Ocean where they enjoy a large food base for several years before returning to the McKenzie as adult salmon ready to spawn. Only hatchery produced Spring Chinook may be harvested on the McKenzie and they are identified by a missing adipose fin. A variety of baits and lures represent the most popular fishing tactics.

The McKenzie also has an on-going hatchery program for the production of Summer Steelhead. These fish were originally introduced to the McKenzie River and the program has created a very popular fishery. Once hooked, these feisty fish often put on quite a battle with jumps, somersaults and blazing runs that are long remembered. Depending on the river conditions, baits lures and even flies can all prove very effective.

A relatively short coastal stream flowing about 30 miles westward from its upper reaches in Siskiyou National Forest to the Ocean at Cape Blanco, the Sixes River is popular for big late-run Fall Chinook and Winter Steelhead. Like its sister river the Elk, the Sixes is located very close to Port Orford where it helps diversify the local fishing choices. After high water events, the Sixes tends to stay murky longer, thereby offering a great alternative fishing option once the Elk River has dropped into a low and clear condition.

In early October, high tides and brief periods of heavy rain will pull the Fall Kings into the lowest holes between Hwy 101 and the Ocean. The fish can get kegged up in these deep holes waiting for more rain to raise the river level enough to allow fish further access upriver to spawning grounds. Tossing spinners, float fishing baits, and stripping in heavily weighted flies can all produce catches as the fish wait to move on up the river. Once regular rains arrive in themonths of November and December, drift boat fishing from Edson Creek Park all the way down to the Cape Blanco Park boat launch becomes the prevailing fishing method. Due to heavy logging in the upper drainage however, muddy water conditions following big rains can dirty up the river enough to prevent decent fishing for weeks on end. Wild Winter Steelhead begin to show up around mid-December and continue to arrive through March. Fishing for Chinook salmon is permitted from Edson Creek on down to the mouth, while steelhead fishing is allowed much further upriver.

While the neighboring Elk River tends to run swift and shallow, the Sixes has a slightly different feel to it, as it eases around large bends, meandering past lower river cattle ranches on down through Cape Blanco State Park. In contrast to the Elk River, though the Sixes river is not planted with any hatchery smolts, it is fairly common to catch stray Elk River hatchery Chinook that mistakenly took a wrong turn into the Sixes River. In low water years, fishing forthese big bright “Hawgs” can hold up through December Due to the relatively large size and super high quality of the Elk River salmon, many fishermen, some traveling great distances, come to Port Orford each year in late fall and winter to catch these amazing tackle-testing fish. The salmon begin to stage near the mouth in late September and early October, moving in and out with each tide while they wait for sufficient rain to result in enough rise in the river level to allow for passage up to spawning grounds. A long shallow area of tidewater along the sandy bluffs at the mouth can make these fish vulnerable and available to fishermen and seals alike sometimes for a month or two before the regular rains set in. By mid-November, the Elk River Chinook fishing is usually in full swing while in most other Oregon rivers salmon fishing has finished up. This can put a lot of attention and consequent fishing pressure on this beautiful little coastal stream during November and December.