Northeast Zone

NE Fishing

March 12, 2026

Best bets for weekend fishing

• Steelhead can be caught throughout the Wallowa and Imnaha Rivers.
• Kokanee fishing has been good on Wallowa Lake
• Perch fishing has been good at Phillips Reservoir with some large fish caught.
• Steelhead fishing is good on the Umatilla River.
• Trout can still be found on Willow Creek Reservoir.

Trout stocking

Scheduled to be stocked the week of March 16-20:

Tatone Pond, Hat Rock Pond, McNary Channel Ponds,

Check out the trout 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)

The Phillip Schneider Wildlife Area is closed during the annual winter range closure and will re-open April 15, 2026. Last updated 3/4/26

GRANDE RONDE RIVER: Trout, whitefish, steelhead

Steelhead fishing will likely slow throughout March and April as fish move upstream to the hatchery. However, trout fishing should still remain good. Trout can be caught casting flies and lures. Some whitefish will also be around. Periods of rain or warm weather may increase flows leading to difficult fishing. Last updated 3/10/26.

Links to the following river gauges:

Grande Ronde River Below Clear Creek, Near Starkey

Grande Ronde River, Near Perry

Grande Ronde River at Troy

HAT ROCK POND: Trout

Anglers should find success using PowerBait, worms or spinners, and focus their efforts in the mornings or evenings. Last updated 3/10/26.

IMNAHA RIVER: Trout, whitefish, steelhead

Fishing for trout and whitefish can be good throughout the year in the Imnaha. Both can be caught using a variety of methods.

Steelhead fishing has been good in the lower portion of the river. Anglers can find fish throughout the lower river using a variety of techniques including casting spinners, drifting jigs, and drifting bait. Fishing will continue to be good over the next couple weeks but may slow into April. Last updated 3/10/26.

JOHN DAY RIVER: Bass, trout

Steelhead fishing has been good lately but flows and water visibility have been highly variable. Anglers are catching steelhead higher in the system by timing fishing trips when river conditions are favorable. Fly fishing is much more challenging this time of year due to higher flows compared to fall, but spinners, spoons, crankbaits, and bobber jig fishing has been producing.

JUBILEE LAKE: Rainbow trout

Road access is closed for the season but anglers who walk in can find success. Expect ice to be on the lake this time of year. Last updated 3/10/26.

MAGONE LAKE: Rainbow and brook trout

Fishing is often good year-round.

McNARY PONDS: Walleye, bass and trout.

Trout will likely be most active in the morning and late evening hours. Bass fishing can also be good during the summer months. Last updated 3/10/26

McKAY RESERVOIR: Bass, perch, rainbow trout

McKay Reservoir opened on March 1. The reservoir is currently 37% full. Last updated 3/10/26

MORGAN LAKE: Rainbow trout and bass

Morgan Lake is closed for the season and will reopen April 22, 2026. Last updated 3/4/26

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

Steelhead fishing has been good on the Umatilla River. Anglers can expect to find fish throughout the river.

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. Targeting bull trout is NOT allowed in the Umatilla River.

Last updated 3/10/2026

WALLOWA COUNTY PONDS: Rainbow trout

Maintenance had to be completed on the dam for Kinney Lake, which prevented stocking fish there last fall. Few fish will be available in Kinney Lake until it can be re-stocked in the spring of 2026. Last updated 3/4/26.

WALLOWA LAKE: Rainbow trout, kokanee, lake trout

Kokanee fishing has been really good lately. Anglers are catching some large fish up to 5 lbs. Both jigging and trolling have been effective means of catching kokanee. Anglers can target rainbow trout near the head of the lake by the Wallowa River. Casting and retrieving nymphs or spinners can be effective. Some anglers have been catching lake trout by jigging large soft plastic baits. However, lake trout can be very finicky. Last updated 3/10/26.

WALLOWA RIVER: Whitefish, trout, steelhead

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 fish on the Wallowa River.

Steelhead are available throughout the Wallowa River. Steelhead fishing will remain good for a couple weeks then will probably start to drop off later in March and into April. Fishing jigs, beads, and flies can all be effective on the Wallowa River this time of year. Last updated 3/10/26.

WILLOW CREEK RESERVOIR: Trout, crappie, bass

Anglers have been catching trout from the shore near the boat launch. As a reminder, there is a 25 fish limit for crappie on Willow Creek Reservoir.

Last spring, district staff installed 10 artificial habitat structures. These structures were put in place to provide fish habitat when the reservoir is drawn down. Additionally, on June 3, district staff sampled Willow Creek Reservoir. Our catch was composed of primarily brown bullhead, bluegill, crappie, and smallmouth bass. The bluegill that we collected had an average length of 6 inches and a max length of 9 inches. The crappie that we collected had an average length of 7.5 inches and a max length of 10 inches. The smallmouth bass that we collected had an average length of 9 inches and a max length of 15.5 inches. Last updated 3/10/26