Recreation Report

ODFW Weekly Recreation Report

Includes updates to fishing, hunting, crabbing, clamming, and wildlife viewing.

June 25, 2026 

Summertime fishing outlook:, ODFW biologists are monitoring drought and heat impacts on fish. Regulations may change in some areas, and access could be an issue in others. But there is always something to fish for and it could be a great summer to target Oregon's warmwater game fish. View the outlook for your favorite fishing zone this summer and good spots to target warmwater fish.

Columbia River sockeye season dates have changed due to low returns. Check action notices and the in-season regulations updates page for changes. Read the news release here.

Minus morning tides coming up on the coast. Check the tide chart and plan your next tide pooling or clam digging adventure!

New Sauvie Island Beaches Parking Permit: From June 15 - Labor Day, vehicles need a Sauvie Island Beaches Parking Permit ($10 daily) to park at Walton, Collins, and North Unit beaches on weekends and holidays. The traditional Wildlife Area Parking Permit will not be valid in these parking areas but can be used at other locations in the wildlife area (Willow Bar and Gilbert River boat ramp) and on summer weekdays. Purchase Sauvie Island Beaches Parking Permits online or through a license sales agent. Additional details about the permit are available at SauvieIslandParking.com.

Clean boats and other watercraft after each use to prevent transmission of non-native species. ODFW Ashland Boat Inspection Station found golden mussels on a boat and biologists recently found a quagga mussel at Prineville Reservoir. Mussels feed on food sources essential for native species and sport fish. They damage irrigation and hydropower systems and degrade water quality.

Drought impact on stocking schedules. Some areas are already too warm or shallow to support hatchery fish, which will be diverted to more suitable locations. Check local ODFW offices for the most updated stocking information.

Wildlife viewing is at it's peak this summer across Oregon! Find opportunities for wildlife viewing.

Catch-and-release techniques will reduce fish streess and increase survival.

• Land fish promptly to prevent over‑exhaustion and avoid beaching to minimize the time they spend out of the water. Rubberized nets prevent snagging and reduce injury.
• Keep fish in the water while removing hooks and wet your hands before handling fish to protect their slime layer.
• Barbless hooks and pliers or a hook remover tool make release quicker and less harmful.
• Gently support fish in the water until they swim away on their own.
• Avoid fishing during periods of high-water temperatures or poor water quality when fish are already stressed.

Wildfire season is here. Check access before you travel, and carry a fire extinguisher, shovel and water. Sign up for alerts and find the latest information on wildfire activity at the Oregon Emergency Management website.

Best bets for weekend fishing:

• Shad fishing will be hot until July 4, if you're new to shad fishing findshad fishing tips here.
• Bag limits are lifted for Thief Valley, Pilcher Creek, and Wolf Creek reservoirs. See the news release for more information: Bag limits lifted due to drought
• Fish for trout, see the zone reports for best bets.
• Low tides make it easier to dig razor, butter, cockle and gaper clams.

Northwest:

• Trout season opened May 22. See the regulation booklet for limits, open areas, and bait restrictions. Cutthroat trout are present in almost all areas open to angling and sea-run cutthroat are starting to come into tidewater.
• Spring Chinook are in the Lower Columbia Tributaries, catch them in Big Creek, Gnat Creek, and the Klaskanine River. Fishing is hit and miss, and these small tributaries are getting low.
• Find Spring Chinook throughout the Tillamook Bay, Nestucca Bay, the Trask River, Nestucca River, and Little Nestucca River fisheries. Fishing was slow this week but rain should move some fresh fish in and get some holding fish back on the bite.
• Summer steelhead fishing remains fair on the Nestucca and Wilson Rivers with nice fish dispersed throughout.
• Hebo lake got a late unscheduled stocking last week and fishing should still be good. Trout stocking in the lakes has been completed for the spring. The next stockings will be evaluated for fall. There are still plenty of hold-over trout from the spring stockings and most North Coast lakes will still provide opportunity.
• As summer temperatures warm the higher elevation lakes that stay cooler will provide the best chances of success. Lost lake, South Lake, Hebo Lake, Lake Tahoe, and Town Lake are all good options for summer trout fishing.
• Warm water fisheries for bass and sunfish are active and provide some good opportunity for weekend fishing. Cape Meares Lake, Coffenbury Lake, Cullaby Lake, and Vernonia pond all have decent populations of warm water species available for catching. Lake Lytle also has a good largemouth bass population, but it is very weedy making angling a challenge. Recent samplings showed that the population of bass in Cape Meares and Coffenbury are healthy with decent numbers and size of fish, however in Town Lake the population is down with low numbers remaining.
• The Siletz River has steelhead and fishing has been fair. Multiple batches of summer steelhead have been recycled to the lower river for additional angler opportunity since May. Recycled steelhead will have a colored tag at the base of the dorsal fin. Anglers are asked to please report tagged steelhead caught in the Siletz River to caleb.w.yann@odfw.oregon.gov with the date and general location where fish were caught to monitor recapture and harvest rates in the basin. Additional summer steelhead have been recycled to Olalla Reservoir to provide anglers additional opportunities.
• Warmwater fisheries can be a great option this time of year. Siltcoos and Takenitch lakes can be great places to target largemouth bass, yellow perch, and bluegill. Anglers can find success by targeting the margins as fish move in for spawning. Recent surveys indicate that largemouth bass are doing well at both locations.
• Many Mid Coast lakes have been stocked with hatchery rainbow trout this spring, but more are on the way. Big Creek Reservoir 1 and 2, Cleawox Lake, Devil's Lake, Thissel Pond, Woahink Lake, Carter Lake, Mercer Lake, Dune Lake, Alder Lake, Buck Lake, Sutton Lake, Olalla Reservoir, Siltcoos Lake, and Perkins Lake have all been stocked in April, May and June.

Southwest:

• Trolling at Lost Creek and Applegate Reservoirs continues to be very good.
• Howard Prairie and Hyatt Reservoirs have plenty of legal-size rainbow trout. Holdovers from last year are a good size.
• Spring Chinook are moving through the Middle Rogue, and a few anglers are reporting success. Try plugs or plunking along current seams on the inside bends of the river to intercept them. Early morning or evening when sunlight is not directly on the water will be the best time to intercept migrating springers.
• Cooper Creek Reservoir looks nice and clear. Go earlier in the morning or fish deeper for success.
• This is a good time of year to look for cutthroat in the Chetco River estuary. The estuary has very little bank access. Please be mindful of out-migrating salmon and steelhead smolt. If you catch these young salmonids, consider switching to barbless hooks and/or moving to a new location.

Willamette:

• Shad fishing is good in the Oregon City area.
• Several waterbodies will continue to be stocked with trout this week, however the upcoming hot weather will most certainly impact trout stockings. Many of the valley ponds are already too warm to receive their usual spring stockings. Check the stocking schedule for changes or try warmwater fishing.
• Catch Spring Chinook in the Willamette below St Johns Bridge and Kelley Point Park. Target these fish early in the morning and on incoming to high tides with 360 trolling methods.
• Detroit Reservoir was stocked with 4,000 trophy trout this week and will receive another 8,000 next week. Anglers report decent kokanee.
• Juvenile spring chinook are active this time of year, feeding and trying to figure out how to migrate downstream. Anglers need to be able to tell them apart from kokanee and release any chinook unharmed.

Columbia River:

• Steelhead fishing is fair downstream of Rainier. Shad fishing is still good for bank anglers at Bonneville Dam. For the latest regulations for the summer management season, see the fishing regulation update page.

Central:

• Spring Chinook fishing wraps up on June 30 in Hood River.
• Stonefly season is winding down but good reports of nymph fishing on the lower Deschutes
• Anglers report excellent trout fishing opportunities at Lava and Little Lava Lakes
• North and South Twin Lakes were stocked this week with trophy rainbow trout.
• Shevlin Park and Metolius youth and disabled fishing ponds were recently stocked
• Anglers report good trout and kokanee fishing at Crane Prairie Reservoir and Paulina Lake.
• Positive reports keep rolling in from East Lake with large numbers of rainbow trout in the 16-18-inch range, trophy brown trout over 24-inches, and kokanee 13-15-inches.
• The Crooked and Metolius Rivers continue to provide excellent angling opportunities for redband trout and mountain whitefish.
• Fall River was recently stocked, and anglers report good nymphing opportunities near the hatchery and the headwaters.

Northeast:

• Kokanee fishing has been good on Wallowa Lake.
• Perch fishing has been good at Phillips Reservoir with some large fish caught.
• Try Willow Creek Reservoir for trout, bass, and crappie.
• Smallmouth bass fishing on the John Day is currently very good

Snake:

• Bass and trout can be caught downstream of Hells Canyon Dam.
• Bass, perch, and crappie fishing will improve with warm weather in Hells Canyon Reservoirs
• Some large crappie are being caught in Brownlee Reservoir

Southeast:

• Catch and Release for Redband Rainbow Trout with no bait is now required through Ocotber 31 on all Upper Klamath Lake including Pelican Bay, Crystal Creek, Recreation Creek, Harriman Creek, Odessa Creek, Short Creek, Pelican Bay, Fourmile Creek, Thomason Creek, Fourmile Canal, and mouth of Williamson River.
• Willow Valley Reservoir is good for largemouth bass
• Black drake mayflies will be hatching in various rivers in the Klamath Basin.
• Lake of the Woods, Miller Lake and Fourmile Lake will be fair for hatchery rainbow trout
• The Wood River below Weed Road is fishing well for Brown Trout.
• Nice holdover trout in the Malheur River below Warmsprings right now.
• Crappie fishing in Owhyee Reservoir has been good.
• Perch fishing at Dog Lake has been good.
• Cascade Ramp at Hyatt is open.
• Deadhorse and Campbell Lakes have been producing a lot of good sized holdover rainbow trout.

Marine

• See season dates for Pacific Halibut
• Bookmark the Salmon 2026_Ocean_Sport_Salmon_Map.pdf for reference on your upcoming ocean fishing trips.

Refer to the zone reports for more details and possibilities.

Hunter Education: Hunter safety conventional courses and field days are available--Sign up now to get ahead of the game this fall, space is limited!

Shooting sports: Aim for a more successful hunt this season by attending one of the many skills events! Choose shotgun, rifle, or all of the above.

Are you planning to hunt in another state this year? Plan ahead and request your Replacement Hunter Safety Card now.