Recreation Report

Includes updates to fishing, crabbing and clamming

Start something new in 2025

If your New Year's resolution is to spend more time outside in 2025, why not add hunting, fishing or wildlife watching to your outdoor pursuits? We've pulled together all the how-to and where-to information you'll need to get started in our Start… series of articles.

Report your big game hunt

Report your hunt by Jan. 31. If you bought a tag to hunt in 2024, you must report your hunt by Jan. 31, 2025 – even if you didn't hunt or harvest an animal. Here's information on who needs to report and how to do it.

Best bets for winter fishing

Things can be a little slow in January, but there are still some great winter fishing opportunities for hardy anglers.

• Winter steelhead seasons are underway along much of the coast. With recent dry weather and clear skies in the forecast, most rivers should be fishable for the weekend.
• Fishing for holdover hatchery trout can good in lower elevation lakes/reservoirs that were stocked in the spring and summer. Our biologists are liking Lost Creek Reservoir, Garrison Lake, Krumbo Reservoir and Chickahominy Reservoir in particular.
• Anglers wanting to chase native redband trout should check out the winter trout fisheries on the lower Deschutes, Fall, Metolius, Crooked and Blitzen rivers.
• Bay crabbing has been fair, but could pick up with the drier weather.