Snake Zone
Table of Contents
Recreation Report
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.
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