Northeast Zone

NE Fishing

May 14, 2026

Best bets for weekend fishing:

• 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.

Trout stocking

Scheduled to be stocked April17-May 8:

Weston Highway Pond, Brandon's Pond, Trout Farm Pond, Morgan Lake, Kinney Lake Wallowa Wildlife Pond (Weavers Pond), Roulet Pond, McNary Channel Ponds, Marr Pond, Ladd/Peach Pond, Morrow Co OHV Park Pond #1,2,3,4; Hat Rock Pond, Bull Prairie Res, Penland Lake, Anson Wright Pond, Cutsforth Pond, Rowe Creek Res.

Scheduled to be stocked May 11- 29:

Wallowa Wildlife Pond (Weavers Pond), Hunter Pond (Starkey Forest), Seventh St. Pond, Victor Pond, Umapine Pond, Honeymoon Pond, Marr Pond, Twin Ponds, Teepee Pond, Roulet Pond, Luger Pond, Holliday Park Pond, Honeymoon Pond, Umatilla Forest Ponds N and S, Walla Walla Forest Pond S, Wallowa Lake, Wildcat Pond, Kinney Lake, Hog Creek Pond, Morgan Lake, Aldrich Ponds, Anson Wright Pond, Bull Prairie Res, Cutsforth 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)

Access to the ponds is now open and while we haven't stocked either pond yet, there are some excellent quality holdover fish in both ponds with recent reports suggesting fishing is good.

GRANDE RONDE RIVER: Trout, whitefish, steelhead

Fishing for trout may be good when flows are not elevated. Anglers will do best by targeting areas near shore and sections of slower water. As spring progresses, more insects will emerge with the potential for anglers to catch fish on dry flies. Steelhead fishing is open through the end of April. However, most all steelhead have completed migrating to spawning areas and few are likely to be available to anglers. Last updated 4/24/26.

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 4/13/26.

IMNAHA RIVER: Trout, whitefish, steelhead

Flows will be higher throughout the spring months as mountain snowpack melts and spring rainstorms pass through. Trout and whitefish will be available throughout the river. When flows are up, anglers will do best by concentrating in slower water, especially near shore. Steelhead fishing is open through the end of April. However, most hatchery steelhead have moved through the river, and few fish are likely to be present for anglers. Last updated 4/24/26.

JOHN DAY RIVER: Bass, trout

Steelhead fishing closed at the end of April.

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. Slower presentations and fishing off the bottom generally do better when water temps remain cold.

JUBILEE LAKE: Rainbow trout

Road access is closed for the season but anglers who walk in can find success. Last updated 4/27/26.

MAGONE LAKE: Rainbow and brook trout

Fishing is often good year-round, and the lake has been stocked for 2026.

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 4/27/26

McKAY RESERVOIR: Bass, perch, rainbow trout

McKay Reservoir opened on March 1 and the fish are biting! The reservoir is currently 73% full. Last updated 4/27/26

MORGAN LAKE: Rainbow trout and bass

Morgan Lake opened for fishing on April 22. It is stocked with rainbow trout. Anglers have recently reported catching some nice largemouth bass. Last updated 4/24/26

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

Fishing for Spring Chinook is open and fishing for steelhead closed April 30^th. A few Spring Chinook have been caught on the lower 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 5/4/2026

WALLOWA COUNTY PONDS: Rainbow trout

Kinney Lake was just stocked for 2026. Additionally other ponds including Victor, Weaver, and Marr Pond have been stocked. These ponds should provide good fishing throughout the spring. Anglers can be successful using a variety of lures, flies, and baits. Last updated 4/24/26.

WALLOWA LAKE: Rainbow trout, kokanee, lake trout

Kokanee fishing has been very 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 4/24/26.

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. More aquatic insects will emerge as spring progresses. Fishing dry flies or nymphs under a bobber can be very productive this time of year. If flows are up casting near shore or toward pockets of slower moving water will be most successful.

Steelhead have largely completed migrating through the Wallowa River. Although steelhead fishing is open through the end of April, there are few fish available. Last updated 4/24/26.

WILLOW CREEK RESERVOIR: Trout, crappie, bass

Anglers have been catching some nice 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 4/27/26