One of the most popular rivers to fish in the West, the Deschutes River will remain open for steelhead fishing this fall, as enough unmarked steelhead have passed Bonneville Dam.  As of last Tuesday, 24,151 unmarked summer steelhead have passed Bonneville Dam since July 1.  At least 23,100 needed to pass between July 1 and August 31 to keep the Deschutes River open past September 14.  The John Day River is likely to be open for hatchery summer steelhead this fall as fishery managers predict the river will meet its threshold of 26,000 unmarked steelhead passing Bonneville between July 1 and August 31.  Most returns to the John Day are natural origin steelhead and recreational fishing is meant to target hatchery strays before they spawn.   Check the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s permanent regulations for season dates.  Historic data shows a strong statistical correlation between passage at Bonneville Dam and abundance in tributaries like the Deschutes and John Day.  Above these threshold numbers, populations are abundant enough to not be at risk from fishing pressure.  Anglers must release unmarked steelhead but there is some mortality from catch-and-release fishing.