Central Zone

If there’s not a photo, it didn’t happen

Submit your fishing photo  to ODFW and we might use it here or elsewhere on MyODFW.com.

 

Send us your fishing report

We’d love to hear about your recent fishing experience. Send us your own fishing report through ODFW Fishing Reports―the information will be forwarded to the local biologist who may use it to update various ODFW resources such as the weekly Recreation Report.

LAKES, PONDS, RESERVOIRS

As of April 26, the Cascade Lakes Hwy from Forest Service Rd 40 south to Klamath County line in now OPEN. Cascade Lakes Hwy from Forest Service Rd 40 north is still CLOSED.

Bass and panfish anglers should start keeping an eye on water temperatures. Once they reach 50 degrees, you can expect these fish to become more active. Look for them to start moving into the shallows in anticipation of spawning.

Most of the reservoirs in the Deschutes Basin are well below maximum capacity. Ochoco is at 26 percent, Prineville is at 61 percent and Crescent is at 25 percent. If the dry weather continues, these low water levels will affect fishing and potentially trout stocking. Be sure to check back for updates as the season progresses.

Lakes and reservoirs to fish this week:

• Both North and South Twin have been stocked, and fishing should be good.
• Antelope Flat Reservoir has an excellent population of fish averaging 12 inches long and ranging up to 19 inches. It was also recently stocked. 4/28/21
• Prineville Reservoir has been stocked this week with 800 trophy trout. 5/5/21

RIVERS AND STREAMS

Many rivers and streams will reopen to trout fishing on May 22.

Although there are warmer temperatures in the forecast, water temperatures are still cold. Anglers should target trout during the warmest parts of the day when fish are most active.

Rivers and streams to fish this week:

• Anglers are reporting good fishing and active insect hatches during the warmest parts of the day on the Fall and Metolius rivers, and the Deschutes between Lake Billy Chinook and Benham Falls.

RECENTLY STOCKED

Scheduled to be stocked this week (week of May 3): Fall River, Sprague Pit Pond, Prineville Reservoir, South Twin Lake, Century Gravel Pond, Clear Lake, North Twin Lake

Stocked last week (week of April 26): Cottonwood Pit, Antelope Flat Reservoir, Pine Hollow Reservoir, Laurance Lake and Rock Creek Reservoir.

Check out the 2021 trout stocking schedule.

TROUT STOCKING MAPS: Find your place to fish

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

ANNOUNCEMENTS: closures, special events, etc.

ODFW email addresses to change

Beginning April 23, ___@ODFW.Oregon.gov will replace ___@state.or.us

For existing ODFW email addresses, all information before the "@" will remain the same. But the name will be followed by @ODFW.Oregon.gov.

Cascade Lakes Highway remains closed

The road from Forest Service Road 42 north to Mt. Bachelor is CLOSED. Please check the Deschutes County website for up-to-date information

New interagency map shows wildfire impacts on recreation

Hunters, anglers and wildlife viewers will be living with the impacts of the 2020 wildfire season for a long time. To help you navigate the status of popular recreation sites, natural resource management agencies in Oregon have released an interagency status map that shows open, closed and reduced service areas on a single map, regardless of reason for closure.

UPDATES BY WATERBODY

ANTELOPE FLAT RESERVOIR: rainbow trout

The 17 Road leading to the reservoir is clear of snow. Recent sampling indicates excellent overwinter survival. Fish averaged 12 to 19 inches long. The reservoir received 2,500 legal-size fish this week. Last updated 4/28/21.

BIKINI POND: rainbow trout

The pond has received a couple of spring stockings and should be good fishing. It is a great place to take kids. Last updated 4/28/21.

CRANE PRAIRIE RESERVOIR: rainbow trout, brook trout, largemouth bass, kokanee

Wild rainbow trout must be released unharmed. Last updated 4/21/21.

CRESCENT LAKE: rainbow trout, brown trout, lake trout and kokanee

Lake level is extremely low for this time of year and developed boat ramps are marginal for launching larger boats. Open to fishing all year. One lake trout per day, 24-inch minimum length. Last updated 4/21/21.

CROOKED RIVER: trout, whitefish

Irrigation season has started so the water level is higher, but will be lower than average for the summer. Only the section downstream of Bowman Dam to Lake Billy Chinook is now open, above the dam is closed until May 22.

As a reminder, any trout over 20 inches is considered a steelhead and must be immediately released unharmed. Steelhead are spawning so anglers are encouraged to avoid stepping on redds.

Crooked River anglers may encounter bull trout now that there is volitional passage at Opal Springs. Anglers who catch a bull trout should release it unharmed and report their catch to the US Fish and Wildlife Service at crookedbulltrout@fws.gov. Last updated 4/28/21.

DESCHUTES RIVER, mouth to Pelton Dam: steelhead, redband trout, whitefish   

Trout fishing has been good. Anglers are reporting good action on both dry flies and nymphs. The entire river is now open for trout fishing.

Steelhead fishing is essentially over for the 2020-21 run year due to most fish entering spawning grounds in closed waters. New steelhead from the 2021-22 run will begin entering the Deschutes fishery in July. Last updated 2/28/21.

DESCHUTES RIVER, Lake Billy Chinook to Benham Falls: rainbow trout, brown trout

Anglers report fair fishing and are reporting hatches coming out during the warmest part of the day. Open year-round for trout. Artificial flies and lures only. No limit on brown trout. Last updated 4/28/21.

DESCHUTES RIVER, Benham Falls to Little Lava Lake: rainbow trout, brown trout

Closed to fishing until May 22, 2021.

EAST LAKE: rainbow trout, brown trout, kokanee

Forest Service Rd. 21 remains closed at the 10-mile snow park gate. Open all year to fishing. Last updated 4/21/21.

FALL RIVER: rainbow trout, brown trout

River was stocked with rainbow trout the first week of April. Anglers report fair fishing and active hatches during the warmest part of the day. Open to fishing all year. Restricted to fly-fishing with barbless hooks only. Last updated 4/24/21.

HAYSTACK RESERVOIR:  rainbow trout, kokanee, black crappie, bluegill, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, brown bullhead

Trout fishing has been good and warmwater fishing will be picking up with the warming weather. The reservoir was recently stocked with 8,400 legal-size trout. Last updated 4/28/21.

HOOD RIVER: steelhead, spring Chinook

A few winter steelhead are still being reported in the lower Hood River even though the run is tapering off.

Spring Chinook season opens on May 1. Anglers should expect the peak of the run in late May. Anglers typically have the best luck in the Hood River with bobber and bait, or drift fishing bait. Last updated 4/28/21.

HOSMER LAKE: brook, rainbow and cutthroat trout

Snow gates west of Mt. Bachelor between Dutchman Flat and Deschutes Bridge remains closed. Open to fishing all year. Restricted to fly-fishing only with barbless hooks. Catch-and-release for all species. Last updated 4/21/21.

LAKE BILLY CHINOOK: bull, brown and rainbow trout, kokanee, smallmouth bass

Kokanee fishing has been excellent with fish averaging around 11 inches. Fishing for bull trout has been fair. 

Harvest is limited to 1 bull trout over 24 inches under the daily trout limit. Anglers can now keep 5 kokanee in addition to daily trout limit. No bag or size limits on brown trout and bass. Last updated 4/28/21.

LAURANCE LAKE: trout

Laurance Lake opened to fishing on April 22. No reports on success.

LAVA LAKE, Big: rainbow trout

Snow gates west of Mt. Bachelor between Dutchman Flat and Deschutes Bridge remain closed. Open to fishing all year. Last updated 4/21/21.

METOLIUS POND: rainbow trout

Opens to fishing on May 1. Youth (ages 17 and under) and disabled anglers only. Last updated 4/28/21.

METOLIUS RIVER: rainbow trout, bull trout

Anglers report good fishing with active hatches during the warmest part of the day. Catch-and-release for trout including bull trout. Fishing is restricted to fly-fishing only upstream of Bridge 99 (Lower Bridge).

Artificial flies and lures permitted below Bridge 99 (Lower Bridge). River is closed to fishing above Allingham Bridge until May 22, 2021. All public access to Wizard Falls Hatchery is closed until further notice. Last updated 3/24/21.

NORTH TWIN LAKE: rainbow trout

 USFS is conducting maintenance at the campground requiring anglers to walk in. No timeframe of when the road will be open to vehicular traffic. Open to fishing all year. Last updated 4/21/21.

OCHOCO RESERVOIR: rainbow trout, black crappie, smallmouth bass

Water level is extremely low and bank access is limited and walk-in only. The reservoir will still be stocked with fingerling trout, but the trophy sized fish that were going to be stocked will be moved to Prineville Reservoir where they will be more accessible to anglers and have better survival. Last updated 4/28/21.

ODELL LAKE: lake trout, kokanee, rainbow trout

Kokanee limit is 25 per day in addition to daily trout limit. One lake trout per day, 24-inch minimum length. Bull trout must be released unharmed. ODFW will be conducting a creel survey on the lake in 2021 so please provide your daily angling information to ODFW when asked. Both resort boat ramps are open in addition to Sunset Cove. Last updated 4/28/21.

PAULINA LAKE: brown trout, rainbow trout, kokanee

Forest Service Rd. 21 remains closed at the 10-mile snow park gate. Last updated 4/21/21.

PINE HOLLOW RESERVOIR: rainbow trout, largemouth bass, bluegill

No recent reports, however fishing is typically very good at this time.

Anglers are most successful at Pine Hollow using a boat. If you are fishing out of a boat, trolling small spinners or free drifting bait will work.

Bank anglers can also be successful near the boat ramp and on the dam. Last updated 2/28/21.

PINE NURSERY POND: trout, largemouth bass

Limit is 2 fish per day. Last updated 3/24/21.

PRINEVILLE RESERVOIR: rainbow trout, largemouth and smallmouth bass, crappie

This week, the reservoir will receive an additional 800 trophy trout originally intended for the Ochoco Reservoir. Last updated 4/28/21.

SHEVLIN YOUTH FISHING POND: rainbow trout

Pond was stocked with rainbow trout last week. Open to youth only (17 years and under) and disabled anglers. Limit is two fish per day. Last updated 3/24/21.

SOUTH TWIN LAKE: rainbow trout

Angers report good fishing. Open to fishing all year. Last updated 4/21/21.

SUTTLE LAKE: brown trout, kokanee

No recent reports. Open all year. 25 kokanee per day in addition to daily trout limit. No limit on the number or size of bass. Last updated 11/4/20.

TAYLOR LAKE (Wasco County): rainbow trout

No recent reports from anglers. However, the lake has been stocked a couple of times and should be good fishing. Last updated 4/28/21.

THREE CREEK LAKE: rainbow trout, brook trout

Snow gate remains closed for the winter. Contact the USFS in Sisters for updates on snow gate removal. Open to fishing all year. Last updated 4/21/21.

WALTON LAKE: rainbow trout

No recent fishing reports. Access is limited to walk-in only. Last updated 11/4/20.

WICKIUP RESERVOIR: kokanee, brown trout, rainbow trout, largemouth bass

North Wickiup boat ramp is open and docks have been installed. Gull Point boat ramp is open. The reservoir level is low but boats can be launched safely at this point. Five kokanee per day in addition to daily trout limit. Last updated 4/28/21.