Wild spring Chinook harvest restrictions on Umpqua

Wild spring Chinook harvest will be closed on mainstem Umpqua, bag limit reduced on North Umpqua.

Winter steelhead restrictions on Illinois, Rogue rivers

Beginning Dec. 1, temporary wild winter steelhead harvest restrictions will be in affect on Illinois, Rogue rivers.

Razor clamming closed Cascade Head to CA border

Razor clam harvesting is now closed from Cascade Head to the California border the Oregon Department of Agriculture and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife announced today.

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Recreation Report

Northeast Zone

Recreation Report Regulation Updates

Table of Contents

Recreation Report

Wallowa County trout
"Fun Times" Trout, Wallowa County
-Photo by Sam Hulse-

May 8, 2025‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌

Best bets for weekend fishing

  • Trout fishing on the Wallowa River can be good throughout the spring months.
  • Boats can now launch on Wallowa Lake, and spring can be some of the best times for kokanee fishing.
  • Kinney Lake was stocked last fall and should have good numbers of trout going into the spring.
  • Spring Chinook fishing is good on the lower Umatilla River.

Trout stocking

Stocked week of April 28-May 2:

McNary Channel Ponds, Willow Creek Res, Anson Wright Pond, Morrow Co. OHV Park Pond #1, #2, #3, and #4, Cutsforth Pond, Hat Rock Pond, Bull Prairies Res.

Scheduled to be stocked the week of May 5-9:

Trout Farm Pond, Rowe Creek Res, Twin Ponds, Magone Lake, Holliday Park Pond, Seventh Street Pond.

Check out the 2025 stocking schedule.

Trout stocking maps

Check out the ODFW fishing and trout stocking maps to find nearby fishing locations, driving directions and descriptions of amenities.

Announcements

If your favorite fishing spot is no longer listed

It's probably because that river, lake or reservoir is closed for the season, inaccessible due to snow and bad roads, or offers limited fishing opportunities during the winter months. These waterbodies will re-appear in the Recreation Report when they re-open next spring, or when access and/or opportunity improves.

Sign up for the latest information on boater access

Marine Board's Opportunities and Access Report incorporates information from federal and state agencies, local facility operators and fellow boaters to provide up-to-date information so boaters can decide where to recreate and what to expect this season. Subscribe to receive email updates.

Updates by waterbody

ALDRICH PONDS (Roosevelt and Stewart Lakes): Trout (2 fish limit)

Access to the ponds closed on Dec. 1 for the annual mule deer and elk winter range closure. The access road will reopen on May 1, 2025. Fishing for large holdover trout in early spring is often excellent, with stocking scheduled for the end of May.

GRANDE RONDE RIVER: Trout, whitefish

Spring can be a great time of year to catch trout and whitefish on the Grande Ronde River when flows are not too high. Anglers should target areas near shore with slower moving water. Fly fishing with nymphs or streamers may work well as could casting spinners near likely holding areas.

The last day of steelhead fishing was April 30 and steelhead fishing will remain closed on the Grande Ronde River until September 1. Last updated 4/29/25.

HAT ROCK POND: Trout

Hat Rock Pond was stocked with rainbow trout the week of April 28. Anglers should find success using PowerBait, worms or spinners, and focusing their efforts in the mornings or evenings. Last updated 5/5/25.

IMNAHA RIVER: Trout, whitefish

Catch trout and whitefish in the Imnaha River throughout the spring. Like other locations, fishing near shore and in areas of slower flow will be best during periods of high flow. Steelhead fishing closed on April 30 and will reopen on September 1.

Although spring Chinook have started to arrive on the mainstem Columbia River, not enough fish have begun to make their way upstream to know whether a salmon fishing season on the Imnaha River can be opened this year. However, we will be monitoring returns closely over the coming weeks.

Anglers should remember they might encounter bull trout in the Imnaha River. They cannot be harvested and must be released. Last updated 4/29/25.

JOHN DAY RIVER: Steelhead, bass

The steelhead season closes on April 30th in several areas of the John Day Basin. While the river is running slightly high and turbid, this can be a good time of year to fish for smallmouth bass. The early spring season is a good time of year to focus on slow presentations targeting larger size class smallmouth. With the end of steelhead season, streams and some sections of the John Day River remain closed through May 22nd. Bass and steelhead fishing is open all year from Tumwater falls upstream to the North Fork John Day confluence at Kimberly, OR.

JUBILEE LAKE: Rainbow trout

Jubilee Lake was stocked the first week of July. Anglers have found success fishing in the morning and evening. While bank fishing on Jubilee is effective, anglers who fish from a watercraft seem to do better. Last updated 7/10/24.

MAGONE LAKE: Rainbow and brook trout

Magone lake is currently only accessible from the 395/NF-36 Rd. (East Fork Beech Creek). Magone is scheduled to be stocked during the first week of May, and fishing is often excellent in the spring through mid-summer.

McNARY PONDS: Walleye, bass and trout.

The McNary ponds were stocked with rainbow trout the week of April 28. Trout are likely to be the most active in the morning and late evening hours. Anglers should find success using PowerBait, worms or spinning lures. Last updated 5/5/25

McKAY RESERVOIR: Bass, perch, rainbow trout.

McKay Reservoir is about 90 percent full. Water temps are heating up and so if fishing. Anglers can expect to find bass and crappie in shallow waters. Last updated 4/28/25

MORGAN LAKE: Rainbow trout and bass

Morgan Lake opened for fishing on April 22. It will be stocked throughout the year and should provide some good trout fishing afterward. Follow this link for more information about recreation at Morgan Lake. Last updated 4/29/25.

UMATILLA RIVER: Fall Chinook, coho, summer steelhead, trout, bass, walleye

Spring Chinook are starting to push into the Umatilla River. While it is still early in the run, the number of spring chinook to reach Three Mile Falls dam is about double the five-year average. Anglers have found success float fishing with eggs and/or sand shrimp on the lower river. As a reminder, hatchery steelhead retention closed May 1 and spring Chinook retention opened April 16th.

There is now a new regulation in place with a hook gap size that may not exceed 3/8 inch in the section of the Umatilla River above the CTUIR reservation. This new regulation is to protect bull trout and decrease the chance of hooking mortality. As a reminder, if you catch a bull trout, recognized by its white spots, please keep it in the water and release it as quickly as possible. No targeting of bull trout is allowed in the Umatilla River. Last updated 5/5/25.

WALLOWA COUNTY PONDS: Rainbow trout

Stocked trout are available at local ponds including Marr Pond and Kinney Lake. Kinney Lake may be one of the best local trout fishing spots as it gets a healthy stocking of fish in the fall that grow all winter. Fishing will be good at local Wallowa County ponds throughout the spring with several locations being stocked multiple times.

Last updated 4/29/25.

WALLOWA LAKE: Rainbow trout, kokanee, lake trout

We are entering the prime time of the year for kokanee angling on Wallowa Lake. Water temperatures have started to rise, and some anglers are catching kokanee. Fish are distributed throughout the lake as deep as 180 ft. Trolling and jigging are both popular techniques for kokanee fishing in Wallowa Lake. Rainbow trout can be caught near the river mouth, and lake trout are dispersed throughout the lake. Last updated 4/29/25.

WALLOWA RIVER: Whitefish, trout, steelhead

Fishing the Wallowa River for trout and whitefish can be good in the spring especially when flows are moderate and water clarity is good. Trout and whitefish can be caught on a variety of baits, lures, and flies. Casting flies like wooly buggers and nymphs to pockets of slower moving water near shore can be good ways to catch trout and whitefish on the Wallowa River in the spring.

Like the Imnaha River, it's still too early to know if enough Chinook salmon will return to the Wallowa River watershed to allow for a salmon fishing season this year, but we will be monitoring returns closely in the coming weeks.

Steelhead fishing closed on April 30 and will reopen on September 1, 2024. Last updated 4/29/25.

WILLOW CREEK RESERVOIR: Trout, crappie, bass

Fishing on Willow Creek Reservoir is currently good with many rainbow trout and crappie being caught. This spring, district staff installed 10 artificial habitat structures. These structures were put in place to provide fish habitat when the reservoir is drawn down.

Last updated 4/15/25