Northeast Zone

Weekend fishing opportunities:

• Steelhead are have been entering the lower sections of the John Day.
• Persistent anglers have been catching some steelhead on the Grande Ronde and Wallowa rivers.

 

2018 STOCKING SCHEDULE AND STOCKING MAP

Ice fishing safety

With several water bodies beginning to ice over, anglers need to be cautious during first-ice conditions. Take the following precautions: use the “buddy system,” wear a PFD in case of thin ice, carry a throw-rope, and use a heavy metal staff to check for thin-ice. The Minnesota DNR has developed guidelines for ice thickness and other safety tips.

ALDRICH PONDS (Roosevelt and Stewart Lakes): trout

No recent fishing reports. The reservoir is froze over but ice conditions are unknown.

The access road to the ponds is closed to vehicles from Dec. 1 – April 15. Non-motorized access is still open but requires an 8 mile hike or horseback ride in snow conditions to the ponds. The Wildlife Area will be closed to all access from Feb. 1 – April 14 to protect big game wintering on the property.

To reach the ponds travel 5 miles east on Hwy 26 from Dayville to the Phillip Schneider Wildlife Area access point. Head south on the access road (high clearance vehicle required) for 6 mile to the parking area. Access to the lower lake (Roosevelt) from the parking area requires a 1.5 mile hike and an additional .25 mile to reach Stewart Lake.  A WMA parking permit is required.  Bag limit: 2 trout per day.

Check the 2018 stocking schedule.

BULL PRAIRIE RESERVOIR: rainbow trout

The reservoir is froze over but ice conditions are unknown. The access road is not maintained and will be covered in snow. A 2-mile hike in snow may be required to access the lake from Hwy 207. Fishing is likely good for stocked trout.

Check the 2018 stocking schedule.

GRANDE RONDE RIVER: trout, whitefish, steelhead

The daily bag limit of one hatchery steelhead will continue through Dec. 31. Bag limits were reduced to protect limited numbers of wild fish returning to the Snake River Basin and to ensure hatchery programs meet production goals.

Steelhead fishing has been difficult this year due to the low numbers of returning fish and low flows. Pressure tends to drop off heading into winter and persistent anglers that are willing to fight the cold can have a few fish to themselves. Currently, the river has a lot of ice forming and flowing down the river. In some areas, the river is frozen across.

Anglers should be aware that fall Chinook, bull trout, and coho are currently present in the fishery and should be released immediately and unharmed.

HOLLIDAY PARK POND: rainbow trout

The pond has been stocked. An ADA fishing dock is available.

Check the 2018 stocking schedule.

HUNTER POND: rainbow trout

The pond was stocked the last week of September with several one-pound rainbow trout. These fish should provide some good fall fishing. With winter approaching access will become difficult due to snow and the pond will become ice-covered.

From I-84 take Hwy 244 towards Ukiah. At the Blue Mtns summit, turn left onto USFS Rd 5160. Proceed for approximately 3 miles to the junction of roads 5160 and 5155. Stay on 5160. Just past this junction on the right take spur 710. The pond is just off 5160.

IMNAHA RIVER: trout, steelhead

The daily bag limit of one hatchery steelhead will continue through Dec. 31.  Bag limits were reduced to protect limited numbers of wild fish returning to the Snake River Basin and to ensure hatchery programs meet production goals.

Some reports of steelhead caught have been reported but overall angling has been slow.

Anglers should be aware that fall Chinook salmon and bull trout are in the system and may be caught while steelhead fishing.  These fish should be released immediately and unharmed.

JOHN DAY RIVER: steelhead

River flows have increased and steelhead are beginning to enter the lower river. Boating access is now possible, although flows remain low and sections will be challenging to navigate. Recent angler reports indicate 5 hours per fish when using fly gear and a few hatchery steelhead have been harvested.

Most steelhead will be wild and must be released. Safe catch-and-release methods are defined in the Oregon fishing regulations. Anglers are encouraged to keep up to three hatchery steelhead per day.

Fall Chinook salmon and bull trout are also present in the river but in low numbers. If caught they must be released unharmed.

Check river levels.

LONG CREEK POND, CAVENDER POND: rainbow trout, largemouth bass

Both ponds have been stocked with trout. The ponds are froze over but ice conditions are unknown.  

Check the stocking schedule for Long Creek & for Cavender.

LUGER POND: rainbow trout

The pond was stocked the last week of September with some one-pound rainbow trout. These fish should provide some good fall fishing. With winter approaching access will become difficult due to snow and the pond will become ice-covered.

Take the Palmer Junction Road north out of Elgin about 10 miles to USFS 63. Follow USFS 63 for about 9 miles, then left on USFS 6306. Luger Pond is 2.5 miles on the right, near Luger Springs campground.

Check the 2018 stocking schedule.

MAGONE LAKE: rainbow and brook trout

The reservoir is froze over and the access road is snow covered. Reservoir ice conditions are unknown. Magone has be stocked with trout and fishing is likely good. Trout can now be taken almost anywhere in the lake and range from 8- to 16-inches long.

Check the 2018 stocking schedule.

MORGAN LAKE: rainbow trout

The lake closed to fishing Nov. 1.

Check the 2018 stocking schedule.

PEACH (LADD) POND: rainbow trout

The pond was last stocked with rainbow trout the week of Oct. 8. With cold weather coming, the pond will ice over.

Construction of a new ADA accessible fishing platform is now complete.

Check the 2018 stocking schedule.

ROULET POND: rainbow trout

The pond was last stocked the week of Oct. 8 with one-pound rainbow trout.  With cold weather coming, the pond will ice over.

Construction of a new ADA accessible fishing pier is underway and soon to be complete.  Anglers are asked to provide plenty of room for construction activities when visiting the pond.

Check the 2018 stocking schedule.

ROWE CREEK RESERVOIR: rainbow trout

The reservoir has been stocked with rainbow trout

Check the 2018 stocking schedule.

TAYLOR GREEN POND: rainbow trout

The pond was stocked the last week of September with some one-pound rainbow trout. These fish should provide some good fall fishing. With winter approaching access will become difficult due to snow and the pond will become ice-covered.

From Hwy 203 at Union, turn left staying on Hwy 203 towards Medical Springs. At the summit between Union and Medical Springs, turn left onto USFS Road 7700 (opposite Snowpark area). Proceed East on 7700 road for about 9 miles to USFS Road 7740 on the right. There is a popular camping area just beyond the 7740 road on the right. Proceed on the 7740 road for about 1/4 mile. The rock pit and pond are on the right.

UMATILLA RIVER:

Steelhead fishing has been closed for the season (Oct. 15 to April 30,2019) with returns estimated at near historic low levels.

Anglers can access fish counts at Three Mile Dam fish counts. Find flow data.

WALLOWA COUNTY PONDS: rainbow trout

Kinney Lake has recently been stocked with legal-size rainbow trout. Fishing should be good into the fall. Once the lake freezes, good ice fishing is available.

Marr Pond repairs are complete and it has been stocked with legal and trophy trout. Drawing down the pond for repairs killed a lot of aquatic vegetation, which makes fishing easier.

Check the 2018 stocking schedules for these Wallowa County ponds: HONEYOON POND | KINNEY LAKE | MARR POND | MCGRAW POND | SALT CREEK SUMMIT POND | TEEPEE POND | VICTOR POND | WEAVER POND

WALLOWA LAKE: rainbow trout, kokanee, lake trout

Fishing typically slows during the fall and winter at Wallowa Lake. However, for the angler that is willing to tough it out, some large fish can be available. Stocked fish have now been in the lake long enough that they have keyed in on natural foods. Try fishing live worms, grubs, or flies that imitate midges, mayflies and crawdads.

Kokanee fishing has improved recently and large fish are being caught. A reduction in the population size has allowed for fish to grow larger and anglers are catching fish up to 20-inches with the average around 13-inches.

Check the 2018 stocking schedule.

WALLOWA RIVER: steelhead, mountain whitefish, trout

The Wallowa River is open for steelhead and we’ve received a few reports of anglers catching fish. Despite there being a few fish around, success rates will likely be low until fish have a little more time to move through the system. Due to an effort to adjust the run timing of hatchery steelhead, more fish have been available in the fall in recent years.

Trout and whitefish fishing can remain good through the winter. Fishing places away from the typical steelhead holes can result in some nice fish with good catch rates. During the cold months, fishing sub surface with smaller flies is most productive.

WILLOW CREEK RESERVOIR: trout

Trout fishing picks up as water temperatures cool; fish with night crawlers or PowerBait on the bottom.

Please report a caught tagged fish to the ODFW Pendleton office 541-276-2344.

Check the 2018 stocking schedule.