Recreation Report

ODFW Weekly Recreation Report

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

May 7, 2026

Controlled hunt application deadline is May 15: Don't wait until the last minute to apply, especially for Eastern Oregon deer hunting as there are significant changes this year. Visit eastern-oregon-deer-hunt-areas-2026 to learn more. Apply online until 11:59 pm or at a license sale agent during business hours. Purchase tags and licenses here: big-game-hunting/licensing-info

Spring turkey hunting season open until May 31! Purchase your tag at huntfishoregon.com and view tips for your hunt area in the 2026 spring turkey forecast now available online.

Controlled spring bear hunting season open until May 31: Remember to check in and report your harvest. View tips for your hunt area in the 2026 spring bear forecast online.

Reminder: The lower Columbia River is now closed to spring Chinook fishing. More opportunity may be added after a run update expected mid-May.

New Sauvie Island Beaches Parking Permit: From June 15 - Labor Day, vehicles will need to have 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 on the wildlife area (Willow Bar, Gilbert River boat ramp, Warrior Rock) and on summer weekdays.

Sauvie Island Beaches Parking Permits will go on sale June 1 and can be purchased online or through a license sales agent. Additional details about the permit are available at SauvieIslandParking.com.

Clean boats and other watercraft after use to prevent transmission of non-native species. ODFW Ashland Boat Inspection Station found golden mussels for the first time on a watercraft that was being transported from the Sacramento River Delta to Oregon on April 4. 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. Fish intended for those waterways will be diverted to other suitable lakes, rivers, streams and reservoirs. Check with your local ODFW office for the most updated stocking information.

Wildlife viewing is a fun option with nice weather. Opportunities abound on the myodfw.com/recreation-report/wildlife-viewing-report

Best bets for weekend fishing:

• Grab a shovel, rake, and your shellfish license. Low tides make it easier to dig razor, butter, cockle and gaper clams.
• As a general reminder for Anglers: Maximize distance from bank anglers and other boats. Safely row or motor around anglers and other boats and avoid motoring nearshore and in shallow areas!

Northwest:

• Spring Chinook are starting to show up in the Lower Columbia Tributaries with a few fish being caught in Big Creek and Gnat Creek.
• Spring Chinook fishing has been slow in the Tillamook Bay and Nestucca Bay, but those fisheries should be picking up over the next couple of weeks.
• The Nestucca and Wilson Rivers should be getting summer steelhead back into them and we've heard rumors of a few being caught. Fishing should continue to improve through June.
• It's trout time! Most Mid-Coast and North Coast lakes received the first hatchery rainbow trout stocking in mid-March and more are on the way! Stocking will continue through summer. Check the zone report for more information.
• Winter steelhead season on the Mid Coast has just about wrapped up. The Siletz River remains open for steelhead on the Mid Coast. Steelhead fishing on the Siletz may be slow in the transition period between winters and summers, but there are some early summers around. Anglers have reported landing a few summer steelhead on the Siletz, but it is still early. The extended weather forecast is looking dry so this could slow fish movement.
• As a reminder, many streams are closed until May 22 for trout angling. Be sure to double check the regulations before heading out and be aware of seasonal angling closures.

Southwest: (No changes)

• Trolling at Lost Creek and Applegate Reservoirs should be very good this weekend.
• Howard Prairie and Hyatt Reservoirs will be full of legal-size rainbow trout and holdover trout should be good sized this year.
• Spring Chinook are being caught in the upper Rogue River.

Columbia River:

• The lower Columbia River is now closed to spring Chinook fishing. More opportunity may be added after a run update in mid-May. See the fishing regulations update page for current information or subscribe.

Willamette:

• Spring Chinook fishing was most productive this week below the St Johns bridge and in the Multnomah Channel.

Several waterbodies will be stocked with trout this week.

Central:

• Anglers that have been able to get on the water at Lava and Little Lava Lakes report excelling early season trout fishing for large holdover trout. See Announcements about access.
• Shevlin Park youth and disabled fishing pond, Prineville youth pond, and Pine Nursery Pond were recently stocked to provide excellent spring angling opportunities. The Metolius youth and disabled fishing pond reopened on May 1 with good numbers of large holdover trout.
• North and South Twin Lakes were recently stocked in late April with both legal and trophy rainbow trout.
• Wickiup Reservoir is 84% full and anglers report abundant kokanee in the 11-12" range this year.
• Recent ODFW sampling indicate good numbers of 17-22" holdover rainbow trout at Antelope Flat Reservoir
• Anglers continue to report excellent kokanee and bull trout fishing at Lake Billy Chinook. The Metolius Arm is fishing well with bull trout up to 31" being caught.
• The Crooked and Metolius Rivers continue to provide excellent early spring angling opportunities for redband trout and mountain whitefish.
• Fall River was recently stocked, and anglers report excellent nymphing opportunities near the hatchery and the headwaters.
• Low snowpack is allowing early access to lakes that are typically inaccessible in spring including North Twin and South Twin Lakes, Davis Lake, Crescent Lake, Cultus Lake, Little Cultus Lake, Lava Lake, Little Lava Lake, and Sprague and Century Gravel Ponds. The Lava Lake Campground and boat launch remained closed and access to Lava Lake is limited to small craft, kayaks and float tubes at this time.

Northeast:

• May and June are some of the best months to start targeting smallmouth bass and long-term weather forecasts look great predicting excellent conditions for smallmouth fishing on the John Day River.
• Kokanee fishing has been good on Wallowa Lake.
• Perch fishing has been good at Phillips Reservoir with some large fish caught.
• Some nice trout are being caught on Willow Creek Reservoir.

Snake:

• Bass and trout can be caught downstream of Hells Canyon Dam.
• As the weather warms, fishing for bass, perch, and crappie will get good in Hells Canyon Reservoirs
• Some large crappie are being caught in Brownlee Reservoir

Southeast:

• Best fishing for wild, native trout in the Klamath Basin will be the Klamath River.
• The Wood River below Weed Road is fishing well for Brown Trout.
• Crappie fishing is big hit or big miss in Gerber Reservoir with the warmer weather.
• Lake of the Woods was stocked this week with trophy Rainbow Trout
• Miller Lake was stocked with Trophy Rainbow Trout this week
• Nice holdover trout in the Malheur River below Warmsprings right now.
• Crappie fishing in Owhyee Reservoir has been good.
• Bank fishing for rainbow trout has been good at Ana Reservoir.
• The Cascade Ramp at Hyatt is open. This year at Howard Prairie, the Grizzly, Willow Point and Klum Landing ramps will be available for the first time in many years. Biologists expect a temporary boost in productivity at Howard and Hyatt as large stretches of inundation zone are rewatered and producing aquatic food items again. Trout should be fat and happy!
• Access to Fourmile Lake is closed due to bad road conditions.

Marine

• PFMC adopted ocean salmon seasons at their meeting in Portland. These proposals are pending final approval and U.S. Secretary of Commerce.
• The recreational all-salmon except coho season from Cape Falcon to the OR/CA border will continue through Oct. 31 from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain and through Aug. 31 from Humbug Mountain to the OR/CA border. The daily bag limit is two salmon.
• From Cape Falcon to the OR/CA border, mark-selective coho retention is allowed June 6 – Aug. 23 or until the 47,600 quota is reached. An all-salmon season will occur from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain for the month of September with a 27,500 non-mark-selective coho quota.

Refer to the zone reports for more details and possibilities.

Hunter Education: Hunter safety conventional courses and field days are available now--Sign up now and get ahead of the game for the 2026 season! *Youth - required hunter safety completion prior to hunting on own tag, not prior to controlled hunt application deadline.

Learn to hunt: Sign up now for a Bowhunter Skills class to improve your hunting success this season.

Learn to fish: Try fishing on the beach, register now for a Beginners Surfperch workshop.

Shooting sports: Challenge yourself to become a better hunter with a Rifle skills: Precision Hunter course.