What’s Fishin’ In Oregon

This season’s good springer fishing has spread to the Umatilla River while lakes across Oregon are getting fresh batches of stocker trout. Meanwhile, you can also catch steelies, walleye and even bull trout in parts of the Beaver State.

Here are highlights from ODFW’s weekly Recreation Report:

SOUTHWEST ZONE

• Trout fishing has been good in several Coos County lakes including Powers Pond, Empire Lakes and Tenmile Lakes.
• Steelhead fishing on the Rogue River has been good in the Grants Pass area, with all the standard techniques producing fish.

NORTHWEST ZONE

• Battle Lake was stocked last week. South Lake was also stocked, making up for a missed stocking earlier when snow blocked access. Sunset, Lost, and Coffenbury lakes, and Vernonia Pond are scheduled to be stocked the week of April 26. Fishing should be fair to good in many of the lakes and ponds that have been stocked this spring.
• A youth angling event is scheduled for Saturday, May 1 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Vernonia Pond. ODFW and volunteers will be available to assist young anglers wanting to learn about fishing. Adult anglers are encouraged to refrain from fishing the lake immediately before the event to ensure there are sufficient numbers of trout to provide good catch rates for the youngsters.
• Fishing in most mid coast lakes has been very good so far this spring and should continue to provide anglers with great opportunities well into June. Most water bodies have been stocked several times this spring and at least once with trophy sized trout. Check the online stocking report for specific weeks and lakes to be stocked.
• Hatchery winter steelhead have been released into Olalla Reservoir several times this spring. Hatchery steelhead are considered “trophy trout” and a hatchery harvest card is not necessary.

ODFW HAS BEEN LOADING TOWN LAKE, NEAR CAPE KIWANDA, WITH STOCKERS, BUT McKENZIE MOOREHEAD FOUND A WEE BIT BIGGER ONE THERE RECENTLY. (LAZER SHARP PHOTO CONTEST)

WILLAMETTE ZONE

• Spring chinook are now being taken on the Willamette River and in the Multnomah Channel.
• More than 9,000 spring chinook have crossed Willamette Falls and are moving into the upper Willamette and its tributaries.
• Steelhead fishing is good on the Clackamas River, with both summers and winters being caught. Spring chinook should be moving into the system as well.
• Detroit Reservoir will be stocked with 10,000 trout this week and Henry Hagg Lake will be stocked with 7,000 trout as the trout season gets into full swing across the region.

NORTHWEST SPORTSMAN READER DUSTIN SHARPE AND PAL JODO SMITH GAVE UP ON SPRINGERS AND WENT AFTER SMALLIES ON THE WILLAMETTE INSTEAD LAST WEEKEND, LANDING THIS 2.5-POUNDER. (LAZER SHARP PHOTO CONTEST)

CENTRAL ZONE

• Warmer days are bringing some good insect hatches on the Deschutes River.
• Good returns of winter steelhead to the Hood River have produced good fishing and it should continue into early May.
• Trout fishing is picking up on Lake Billy Chinook with reports of some legal-sized bull trout being caught.
  

NORTHEAST ZONE

• The Umatilla spring chinook season is under way with the area downstream of Threemile Dam producing good catches of spring chinook.

COLUMBIA ZONE

• Spring chinook are beginning to move upstream and should be available in the Bonneville, The Dalles, and John Day Pools.
• Walleye angling is good in The Dalles Pool.