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Snake Zone
Table of Contents
Recreation Report
July 10, 2024
If there’s not a photo, it didn’t happen
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Best best for weekend fishing
- Lots of smallmouth bass can be caught throughout Brownlee Reservoir.
- Catfish fishing has been good in the upper portion of Hells Canyon Reservoir.
- Anglers have been catching spring Chinook on the Snake River below Hells Canyon Dam.
Announcements
Fish consumption advisories
The Oregon Health Authority has issued consumption guidelines for various waterbodies in Oregon including the Snake and Columbia Rivers due to high levels of mercury and/or PCBs. Fish with these chemicals look, act, smell and taste like any other fish, so caution is important.
- Statewide advisories
- Bonneville Dam fish advisory
- Safe fish choices for pregnancy and young children
E-tagging tips for anglers
It's important for anglers to tag their salmon and steelhead immediately, which means you'll need to know how to navigate the MyODFW app outside of cell phone range. Here are some tips for e-tagging in the field.
Updates by section
BROWNLEE RESERVOIR: crappie, bass, perch, catfish, bluegill, trout, carp
Bass fishing has been good especially for smallmouths, although many of them are small. Fishing for catfish can be good, and some large fish have been caught recently. Crappie fishing has been slow.
Brownlee Reservoir levels can fluctuate greatly affecting which boat ramps are usable. Follow the links below to get up-to-date information on access along Brownlee Reservoir. Last updated 6/12/24.
Call the Idaho Power Company's recording at 1-800-422-3143 to get information on access at recreational sites or see the following link for Reservoir level information.
OXBOW AND HELLS CANYON RESERVOIRS: trout, crappie, bass, catfish, sturgeon
Catfish fishing has been good in the upper end of Hells Canyon Reservoir with some nice channel catfish caught that can be as large as 20 inches or more. There are also a variety of other warmwater fish available in both reservoirs. Last updated 6/12/24.
SNAKE RIVER below HELLS CANYON RESERVOIR: trout, bass, sturgeon, Chinook salmon
Bass fishing will be good throughout the summer. Anglers can do well fishing jigs, flies, or lures near shore and in slower moving areas. Trout can be caught using similar techniques.
Some Chinook salmon continue to be caught below Hells Canyon Dam. However, salmon fishing will likely slow down as the summer progresses. See the 2024 fishing regulations for specific details on the spring Chinook salmon season in Hells Canyon.
Sturgeon fishing can be good in the Snake River downstream of Hells Canyon Dam. All sturgeon must be released unharmed and cannot be removed from the water. Last updated 6/26/24.
SNAKE RIVER (above Brownlee Reservoir): channel catfish, flathead catfish, smallmouth bass
There are some nice largemouth bass holding up in backwaters. Recent electrofishing turned up several smallmouth in the 16- to 20-inch range right through the town of Ontario. There are some high densities of channel cat in this section of the river. When the water is turbid, catfish can be found in some fairly shallow, slow moving water. There are some big flatheads out there as well, but they are not as numerous as the channel cats. Last updated 7/3/24.
Regulation Updates
Regulation updates as of October 9, 2023.
The following regulations reflect changes or additions to the permanent regulations listed in the current Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations. All other permanent regulations remain in effect. Please see e-regulations.
For more information contact your local ODFW office:
- Enterprise (541) 426-3279