Parts of Eagle Creek closed to fishing

The lowest reach of Eagle Creek on Clackamas River closed to angling Sept. 27 through Oct. 31

Razor clamming on Clatsop beaches opens Oct. 1

Razor clamming on the popular Clatsop County beaches reopens Oct. 1 after the annual conservation closure.

Coho fishing opens above Willamette Falls on Oct. 1

Several areas above Willamette Falls open to coho fishing on Oct. 1 -- including parts of the McKenzie, and mainstem, Coast and Middle Forks of the Willamette.

E-taggers, update your app

Update to the new version on or after Sept. 30. If you've already e-tagged this season, make sure you sync your phone to the app BEFORE Sept. 30.

Softshell clam advisory for Alsea estuary

ODFW recommends people avoid harvesting and consuming softshell clams from the Alsea Bay estuary due to biotoxin risks.

More fall salmon on Columbia River

Salmon fishing on the mainstem Columbia is now open through Sunday, Oct. 13.

Recreation Report

Snake Zone

Recreation Report Regulation Updates

Table of Contents

Recreation Report

Snake River channel catfish
"A great afternoon of catfishing!" Snake River channel catfish -Photo by Mike Miles-

Oct. 2, 2024‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌

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.

Best best for weekend fishing

  • Fishing for crappie, bass, and catfish in Brownlee Reservoir has been good for boat anglers.
  • Catfish fishing can be good in the upper portion of Hells Canyon Reservoir.

Announcements

E-taggers: Update your app

ODFW's Electronic Licensing System (ELS) and the MyODFW companion app got a major update on Monday, Sept. 30. Be sure to visit the Apple App Store or Google Play Store on your phone and update your MyODFW app to version 4.0.

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.

Updates by section

BROWNLEE RESERVOIR: crappie, bass, perch, catfish, bluegill, trout, carp

Crappie fishing has been good for boat anglers trolling or jigging. The schools are 20 – 25 ft deep right now. While trolling for kokanee, anglers also have been catching some good-size bass and catfish. Bank fishing has been slower.

Work is being completed near the Hewitt Park boat ramp which is inaccessible at times. Holcomb Boat Ramp is still open and usable although anglers should be sure to check reservoir levels before planning to launch a boat.

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. Hewitt Park in Baker County will be closed for construction until November. Last updated 9/25/24.

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 can be good in the upper end of Hells Canyon Reservoir with some nice channel catfish available that are 20 inches or more. There are also a variety of other warmwater fish available in both reservoirs. Last updated 7/17/24.

SNAKE RIVER below HELLS CANYON RESERVOIR: trout, bass, sturgeon, Chinook salmon, steelhead

Chinook salmon are distributed throughout the Snake River and can be caught up to the deadline at Hells Canyon Dam. Fishing for Chinook will probably be best in the coming weeks as they continue to move upstream into the Snake River. Steelhead fishing has been slow in the upper reaches of Hells Canyon although some steelhead have been caught downstream of the mouth of the Salmon River.

Sturgeon can be caught throughout the Snake River downstream of Hells Canyon Dam, and fishing should improve as the weather cools. All sturgeon must be released unharmed, and they cannot be removed from the water. Last updated 9/25/24.

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.