Southwest Zone

Oct. 23, 2024‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌

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Announcements

Temporary harvest restrictions on Illinois, Rogue rivers for winter steelhead season

Temporary wild winter steelhead harvest limits are in place for the Rogue-South Coast winter steelhead season (Dec. 1, 2024 – Apr. 30, 2025):

• Lower Rogue River (mouth of the Rogue to the confluence with the Illinois River: one wild steelhead may be kept during the winter steelhead season.
• Illinois River and the Rogue River between the Illinois River and Cole Rivers Hatchery: all wild winter steelhead must be released unharmed.

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.

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

Agate Lake is 17 percent full, and the boat ramp remains usable. Fishing for warmwater fish should be good for at least a few more weeks. Common carp were biting well in September and early October, and may still be available for anglers

Carp are an introduced fish that can harm water quality/clarity and productivity of waterbodies, so anglers are encouraged to harvest and remove any carp caught in the reservoir. Last updated 10/23/24.

APPLEGATE RESERVOIR: trout, landlocked spring chinook, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, black crappie, bluegill,

Applegate's reservoir level is currently at 1,895 feet or 16 percent full. Check up-to-date reservoir levels here, or call the Army Corps of Engineers at 800-472-2434 for flow and temperature information. Boat access is limited to the low water boat ramp at French Gulch.

Fishing should be good for bass and panfish and decent for trout. Trout anglers may want to try trolling with lures or bait fished behind dodgers/flashers and weights. Plunking with PowerBait or worms should also be effective.

There is a longstanding health advisory for consumption of resident species due to elevated levels of mercury. See Oregon Health Authority consumption guidelines or the 2022 sportfishing regulations for more information. Last updated 10/23/24.

APPLEGATE RIVER below Applegate Dam:

The Applegate River is open for trout fishing but NOT salmon fishing. The Applegate River is mainly a catch-and-release fishery for cutthroat trout this time of year. Anglers will find them hanging out in the deep pools spread throughout the river but they're more numerous upstream of the town of Applegate where the water is colder.

Only adipose fin clipped rainbow trout may be retained. All wild rainbow and cutthroat trout must be released unharmed. Consult the fishing regulations for more information. Last updated 10/23/24

BEN IRVING RESERVOIR: rainbow trout, bass, bluegill, yellow perch, crappie

No recent reports from anglers. With the recent weather change trout may be perking up, but warmwater may be slowing. Last update 10/23/24

CHETCO RIVER: Chinook

Rain last week brought a few Chinook into the lower river. The river is still very low, so early morning or late evening are the best times to find Chinook willing to bite. This is the time of year where anglers should pay attention to the predicted stream flows to help plan when to fish. The estuary continues to kick out a few Chinook. As soon as flows pick up, the estuary fishery will be over, and most anglers will want to fish the river. The wild Chinook bag limit is 1 adult per day and 5 for the period of Sept. 1 to Dec. 31. Anglers should always check for updated regulations prior to fishing.

Anglers are reminded that there is a bobber rule in effect from Sept. 1 – Nov. 3 from River Mile 2.2 to Nook Creek.

Anglers that see a game violation can report the violation to *OSP (*677) on a mobile device or call 1-800-452-7888. Anglers can also file complaints or potential violations concerning guides to the Oregon State Marine Board. Last updated 10/23/24.

COOPER CREEK RESERVOIR: rainbow trout, bass, bluegill, and coho smolts

With cooling weather trout fishing should improve for holdover trout. Warmwater anglers were doing well in the unseasonable warm weather, but that may slow down a bit with cooler temps. Last updated 10/23/24

COOS RIVER BASIN: bottomfish, cutthroat trout, salmon, surfperch

Anglers can catch rockfish around the jetties in the lower Coos Bay estuary. Best fishing is typically near slack tides with good fishing one day and fair fishing the next. A jig fished with a twister tail trailer is always a good option to catch bottomfish.

The 2024 daily general marine fish bag limit is 5 fish plus 2 lingcod with no retention of yelloweye or quillback rockfish. Anglers are allowed to harvest 1 cabezon per day as part of the general marine fish bag limit.

Salmon anglers are restricted to 2 wild adult Chinook per day and 10 for the season (July 1 – Dec. 31) in the Coos Basin. The wild coho season is open in the Coos Basin through Oct. 10. Salmon anglers are allowed 1 wild adult coho per day and 3 for the season (no more than 5 wild adult coho may be harvested per year in the Northwest and Southwest Zones with open wild coho salmon fisheries).

Salmon anglers are catching coho from Charleston up to Marshfield Channel. Chinook fishing has been slow with most of the harvest occurring in the Coos River near SOMAR and the Chandler Bridge. A few Chinook are being caught lower in the estuary by anglers trolling for coho salmon.

Boat anglers are catching walleye surfperch and pile surfperch using sand shrimp along old pilings or along the edges of eel grass beds.

Trout fishing is open in rivers and streams through Oct. 31. River temperatures are starting to drop and trout fishing will start to pick back up again, especially for sea-run cutthroat trout moving upstream into the larger rivers. Last updated 10/2/24.

COQUILLE RIVER BASIN: striped bass, smallmouth bass, cutthroat trout

The wild coho season on the Coquille River from the mouth upstream to the Highway 42S Bridge begins on Sept. 14 and goes through Oct. 15. Anglers are allowed 1 wild adult coho per day and 3 for the season (no more than 5 wild adult coho may be harvested per year in the Northwest and Southwest Zones with open wild coho salmon fisheries). The harvest of Chinook salmon (hatchery or wild) on the Coquille is prohibited. Coho salmon anglers are reporting success from the Hwy 101 Bridge to above Rocky Point Boat Ramp.

Striped bass anglers are having limited success fishing the lower mainstem Coquille River. Best fishing has been after dark and low light periods of the day.

Smallmouth bass are still active in the mainstem Coquille River, South Fork Coquille and Middle Fork Coquille. Smallmouth bass can be found throughout the mainstem Coquille but are in higher abundance above Johnson Mill Pond.

There are lots of smallmouth bass in the South Fork Coquille in the deep pools. Most of the fish are under 8 inches long so anglers should use smaller hooks. As water temperatures continue to decrease more smallmouth bass will move into the deeper holes.

The use of spears/spear fishing to harvest smallmouth bass was recently approved and is allowed from June 1 – Oct. 31. Anglers may also use bait in the mainstem Coquille and tributaries from June 1 – Oct. 31.

Trout fishing remains open through Oct. 31 in the rivers and streams. There are a decent number of sea-run cutthroat moving through the mainstem Coquille into the major forks of the river. Last updated 10/2/24.

DIAMOND LAKE: trout

Diamond Lake continues to be a good spot for trout fishing even with cooler weather. Rainbow trout seem to be in the deeper water, and the tiger and brown trout are often found in the shallower areas.

Diamond Lake has been stocked with tiger and brown trout. These fish were introduced to help control illegally introduced tui chub. These trout are catch-and-release only and need to be released immediately and unharmed if caught. Follow these catch-and-release tips for reducing fish mortality. Last updated 10/23/24.

ELK RIVER: hatchery Chinook

This is a good time of year to start looking around the mouth of the river for the first Chinook to start showing up. The best way to access the mouth of the river is through Cape Blanco State Park. Anglers will want to check the marine forecast as mouth of the river is affected by surf and tides. Anglers can only retain hatchery Chinook in the river. Last updated 10/16/24.

EMIGRANT LAKE: largemouth and smallmouth bass, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, catfish, rainbow trout

Emigrant is 6 percent full. The main boat ramp is no longer usable. Even without a usable ramp, anglers can enjoy fishing from inflatables or other small watercraft, or fishing from shore.

Don't let the low water fool you. Anglers continue to report very good success on bass and panfish at Emigrant, no doubt benefitting from higher concentrations of fish in a smaller reservoir pool. Look for rocks to find bass, fishing crankbaits or soft swimbaits. Black crappie have been caught on red and yellow crappie tubes fished three feet under a bobber. One angler fished a rooster tail and caught black crappie and a rainbow trout recently. Yellow perch have been biting nightcrawlers and crappie tubes. Fishing for bass and panfish should remain very good at Emigrant until cold weather starts, but even in winter some fish can be caught.

There is a longstanding health advisory for consumption of resident warmwater species in Emigrant for high levels of mercury. Consult the sportfishing regulations or the Oregon Health Authority for more information on consumption guidelines.

The most current elevations for Emigrant Reservoir and other Rogue Basin reservoirs can be found on the Bureau of Reclamation's website, here. Last updated 10/23/24.

EXPO POND: rainbow trout, largemouth bass, bluegill, black crappie

Expo Pond is the pond at the Jackson County Fairgrounds located directly adjacent to the access road at Gate 5, at the Southern Oregon RV Park.

Expo and nearby ponds are producing good catches of bass and panfish. Unfortunately catches of large carp are also being reported, mostly taken on corn. Carp are an introduced fish that can harm water quality/clarity and productivity of waterbodies, so anglers are encouraged to harvest and remove any carp from Expo Pond.

Please remember to park in the day-use parking area and walk into the RV park to access the pond. Do not park your vehicle within the RV park. A Jackson County parks day-use or season-long parking pass is required.

There are Chinese mystery snails in the most northern pond. They are highly invasive and were illegally dumped here. Please do not move these creatures and drain and dry any personal watercraft before using them in another waterbody. Last updated 10/16/24.

FISH LAKE: rainbow trout, brook trout, spring Chinook

Fish Lake is slowly filling and is now 52 percent full. Trout fishing is good despite the extensive weed beds. Many anglers are casting lures like small spoons or panther martins. Bank fishing with Powerbait has been productive. Trolling is still possible in the main channel, but spiking lures with Gulp worms instead of nightcrawlers will reduce the chance of tui chub nibbling on the bait. Anglers are reminded to remove all vegetation from gear, boots and boats before leaving Fish Lake.

Anglers are encouraged to report catches of tiger trout or any other fish stories to Rogue Fish District Staff 541-826-8774. Last updated 10/23/24.

GALESVILLE RESERVOIR: rainbow trout, bass

Galesville continues to produce some good warmwater fishing with reports of bullhead and bass. The reservoir has been lowered for winter storage which can concentrate fish. Anglers should also find some larger trout. Galesville holds trout well and anglers have reported some large fish. Last updated 10/23/24.

HEMLOCK LAKE & LAKE IN THE WOODS (Douglas County): trout

Hemlock and Lake in the Woods can be great places to check out before winter weather sets in. Some much cooler temperatures are in the forecast, but they should still be accessible and should have lots of trout leftover from the spring stockings. Last updated 10/23/24

HOWARD PRAIRIE: trout

Howard Prairie is 40 percent full. The resort boat ramp is usable by small boats, but the first 40 yards or so from the ramp is shallow with a lot of weeds. This access is scheduled to remain open through October 31.

An angler caught some 11- to 14-inch trout and a smallmouth bass trolling a red wedding ring spiked with a worm behind a small dodger recently, using two split shots for weight. Another angler caught a couple of trout last weekend fishing PowerBait from shore just north of the dam.

ODFW released over 100,000 fall fingerling rainbow trout at Howard this week. Anglers should handle these 6- to 7-inch fish gently if caught, immediately releasing them unharmed. This fish will be legal-size in 2025. Anglers are reminded to remove all vegetation from gear, boots and boats before leaving Howard Prairie. Last updated 10/23/24.

HYATT LAKE: trout, largemouth bass

Hyatt is currently 36 percent full. Hyatt is a bit lower than it was at this point last year.

Good sized rainbow trout continue to be caught at Hyatt by a fly-angler casting and retrieving streamer flies in the vicinity of the Orchard Hole at the upper end of the reservoir. The fish are reported to be healthy, fat and snail fed. Still fishing near the dam this time of year is usually productive for trout, and some largemouth bass were caught at Hyatt recently.

There is no boat ramp access currently, but anglers can launch personal watercraft and inflatables from shore. Anglers are reminded to remove all vegetation from gear, boots and boats before leaving Hyatt. Last updated 10/23/24.

ILLINOIS RIVER: trout

The Illinois River is closed to all angling from the signs at the former Pomeroy dam site to the 8 Dollar Bridge. The river is open for trout fishing downstream of the 8 Dollar Bridge. Only adipose fin clipped rainbow trout may be retained. All wild rainbow and cutthroat trout must be released unharmed.

Salmon fishing is NOT allowed on the Illinois River at any time of the year. Consult the fishing regulations for more information and locations open to fishing as the East Fork and West Fork Illinois are CLOSED to angling. Last updated 10/16/24.

LAKE MARIE: rainbow trout, yellow perch

Cooler weather should perk trout up. Anglers reported catching some trout a couple weeks ago and there should still be more leftover from the spring. Last updated 10/23/24

LAKE SELMAC (Selmac Lake): trout, largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie

Fishing for largemouth bass has been very good at Selmac in recent weeks. Anglers have also been catching bluegill with worms.

Lake Selmac has its share of non-native aquatic hitchhikers. Boat anglers are asked to do their part to remove as much vegetation as possible before leaving the ramp, as well as drain and dry their vessel before boating in another waterbody.

Please help stop the spread of Oregon's aquatic hitchhikers! Last updated 10/16/24.

LEMOLO RESERVOIR: brown trout, rainbow trout, kokanee

Anglers should check with the US Forest Service for seasonal closure of campgrounds. Anglers can also contact Lemolo Lake Resort at 541-643-0750 for weather/road conditions and additional information. Trout fishing should still be good, but cooler weather may be slowing the bite. Lemolo is being drawn down for winter storage.

Kokanee in Lemolo are considered trout and therefore fall under the daily limit for trout of five per day with only one of those measuring over 20-inches. Last updated 10/23/24.

LOST CREEK RESERVOIR: rainbow trout, landlocked spring chinook, bass

Lost Creek's current elevation is about 1,809 feet or 40 percent full and slowly dropping. The Takelma boat ramp is open but the Stewart/marina ramp is now closed. Crowds have thinned allowing anglers to enjoy the very good fall-winter trout fishery provided at Lost Creek.

Some very nice rainbow to 16 inches have been caught in the upper reservoir between the marina and the bridge in recent days.

Trollers can have very good success at Lost Creek using a variety of gear: Apex lures, Brad's cut plug lures with scent, red hoochies, and wedding rings. Trout can be caught at a variety of depths from the surface down to about 50 feet. Lures are often fish behind dodgers, and can be spiked with corn, worms or power worms. Copepods are often present. The fish are safe to eat when cooked, and the copepods can be scraped off. Bank fishing on both sides of the dam can be very effective using PowerBait.

Bass fishing should also be good.

Anglers can get the latest reservoir details by calling the US Army Corps Lost Creek Lake and Applegate Reservoir projects information line at 1-800-472-2434. Last updated 10/23/24.

PACIFIC OCEAN AND BEACHES: bottomfish, surfperch, salmon

Fishing for bottom fish is open to all-depths year-round. The 2024 daily general marine fish bag limit is 5 fish with no retention of quillback or yelloweye rockfish. As of July 1, anglers are allowed to harvest 1 cabezon per day as part of the general marine fish bag limit. Anglers are reporting good catches of rockfish and lingcod near Charleston and Bandon when the ocean swells are small.

Anglers may choose to fish the offshore longleader fishery outside of the 40-fathom regulatory line, which is open year-round. The longleader fishery daily bag limit is 12 fish made of only yellowtail, widow, canary, blue, deacon, redstripe, greenstripe, silvergray, chillipepper, and bocaccio rockfishes. No other rockfish or lingcod are allowed on an offshore longleader fishing trip. Find information about longleader setup and rules here.

Ocean salmon fishing is open from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mt. for Chinook salmon through Oct. 31. The non-mark-selective coho season is closed from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mt. Salmon fishing from Humbug Mt to the OR/CA Border is closed for the season.

The Central Coast Subarea (Cape Falcon to Humbug Mt) Summer All-Depth Halibut season is open seven days a week and has 48 percent of the quota remaining as of Sept. 22. The Southern Oregon Subarea (Humbug Mt to OR/CA border) Halibut season is open seven days a week with 8 percent of the quota remaining as of Sept. 22. Anglers may harvest 2 Pacific halibut a day in the Central Coast Subarea and Southern Oregon Subarea.

Surfperch anglers are still finding redtail surfperch along the ocean beaches like Horsfall Beach, Bullards Beach and near Cape Blanco. Surfperch anglers are also catching striped surfperch along rocky shorelines. Anglers have been catching surfperch when the ocean swells are calmer, using sand shrimp, mole crabs or artificial sand worms. Ready to try surfperch fishing? Here are some tips to get you started. Last updated 10/2/24.

2024 sport bottomfish seasons

PLAT I RESERVOIR: trout, bass

Fall bass fishing can be decent at Plat I. During the recent abnormally warm weather, anglers were finding a few. This reservoir is usually drawn down in the fall for winter storage. Last updated 10/23/24.

REINHART PARK POND: trout, bass

Reinhart remains a good spot to fish for bass and panfish through early fall. Anglers are aksi catching brown bullhead. Last updated 10/23/24.

ROGUE RIVER

Rogue River, lower: Chinook, coho, summer steelhead, half pounders

Slow. Only a handful of boats are trolling the bay. The lower river is low and clear, with fish scattered. As long as the river flows remain low, anglers should be able to catch Chinook and coho through the month of October.

ALL WILD COHO MUST BE RELEASED. Every angler should refresh their identification skills before fishing in an area where wild coho must be released. If in doubt, release the fish. Last updated 10/2/24.

Rogue River, middle: steelhead, trout, Chinook

Flow in Grants Pass remains in the 1,350 to 1,450 cfs range with a water temperature of around 50F. Rain is needed and it's in the forecast.

Coho salmon and summer steelhead are available. Only adipose fin-clipped coho and summer steelhead may be harvested, and all wild fish must be released unharmed.

Current flow, temp and turbidity conditions for the Rogue can be found at the USGS stream gauges here, or checking the City of Grants Pass water page's river data here. Last updated

10/23/24.

Rogue River, upper: steelhead, trout

The artificial fly season continues between Fishers Ferry boat ramp and Cole Rivers Hatchery. Between Sept. 1 and Oct. 31, anglers may only fish artificial flies on any type rod, reel; no added weights or attachments except a bubble. Coho salmon and summer steelhead are available, along with fishing for trout

The release from Lost Creek is 1,150 CFS. Anglers can call the Army Corps of Engineers at 800-472-2434 for an update on hatchery counts as well as flow and temperature information.

Make sure to check the Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations for each section of river before you head out.

For up-to-date river levels, check all the USGS Rogue gauges here. Last updated 10/23/2.4

Rogue River, above Lost Creek Reservoir: trout

The Rogue and tributaries above Lost Creek Reservoir remain open year-round, with a daily retention limit of 5 trout (no limit on brook trout). While trout stocking has ended for the year, fish are still available, especially around release sites in the upper portion of the river. Anglers should also consider moving around to catch fish that have moved out from release sites. Last updated 9/4/24.

SIXES RIVER: Chinook,cutthroat trout

The low water closure is in effect in the lower river. This is a good time of year to look for Chinook in the estuary downstream of the closure. Access is mainly by foot, but a few anglers will take small boats downstream from the Hughes House boat ramp. No motors are allowed on Sixes River.

New this year, a portion of the upper river, which is already closed to Chinook, will be closed to ALL fishing to protect Chinook staging to enter spawning tributaries. This area is normally open to steelhead fishing, but very few steelhead are in the system when the Chinook are around and this closure will keep anglers who are targeting steelhead from hooking fall chinook.

Anglers are always reminded to check the regulation updates for the low water closure period, wild Chinook bag limits, and fishing boundary changes. The low water closure will not be lifted until river flows increase and are expected to stay up to allow Chinook to migrate upstream. Last updated 10/23/24.

SMITH RIVER, Umpqua: Chinook, bass

Recent rains are like pushing Chinook upriver, but a few may be found near the head of tide. Wild coho is not open in Smith River.

The area above Spencer creek is closed to all fishing Sept. 16 to Nov. 30. Last updated 10/23/24

TENMILE LAKES/TENMILE CREEK: coho salmon, trout, bass, yellow perch

The wild coho season officially started on Oct. 1 in Tenmile Lakes and will continue until Dec. 31. There hasn't been enough rain to get coho from the ocean into the lakes yet.

Water temperatures continue to drop in Tenmile Lakes with more vegetation dying off for the season, which means largemouth bass will be transitioning off the weedlines and moving to submerged wood or other hard structures.

Topwater lures can still catch largemouth bass this time of the year in the early mornings, late evening and in shaded areas during mid-day. Spinner baits around submerged trees becomes a popular technique to use this time of the year. Drop shots, jigs, and wacky rigged Senkos will also produce bass throughout the day.

Yellow perch also transition away from the weedlines this time of the year but go to deeper mud flats in 15 feet of water or deeper. Use a small jigs or hooks with a worm fished near the bottom to catch yellow perch.

Trout fishing in rivers and streams is open through Oct. 31. Trout fishing in the lakes is open year-round. Last updated 10/2/24.

UMPQUA HIKE-IN LAKES AND FOREBAYS: trout

Fall can be a great time to check out these lakes. With cooler weather the fish should be biting. They should remain accessible over the weekend, but the higher elevation lakes may see some snow. For a map of lakes stocked in the SW check out the ODFW's trout stocking map.

The US Forest Service has lifted most of its fire closures, but it's always a good idea to check with them before venturing out.

Working with volunteers, stocking has been completed for this year with rainbow fry. Prospective volunteers for stocking in 2025 should contact Levi.m.simmons@odfw.oregon.gov for more information. Last updated 10/23/24.

UMPQUA RIVER, MAINSTEM: Chinook

The river remains open for hatchery Chinook and one adult wild chinook a day and five adult wild Chinook for the year from July 1 – Nov. 30. Under permanent rule you can retain up to 5 jacks (hatchery or wild Chinook jacks) Chinook should be pushing upriver and coho are being found throughout the river.

Wild coho closed October 15. The river is still open for hatchery fish. Last updated 10/23/24

UMPQUA RIVER, NORTH: steelhead

Fishing for Chinook on the North closed July 1. Summer steelhead numbers are around the 10-year average, but very few hatchery fish have returned this year. Anglers are targeting summer steelhead as the fish are getting active. Coho are moving through as well, but there is no retention of wild fish. Last updated 10/23/24.

UMPQUA RIVER, SOUTH: Closed

The South is closed to all fishing Sept. 16 to Nov. 30. Last updated 9/18/24.

WILLOW LAKE: rainbow trout, largemouth bass, black crappie, brown bullhead, yellow perch

The county reports that Willow Lake is without boat access. The water level is reportedly below the paved boat ramp, and dropping too quickly for anglers to launch easily across the drawdown zone, due to mud. So, I guess Willow is a bank fishing show for now, or fishable by personal watercraft or inflatables. Fishing for bass, panfish and rainbow trout should be good.

For more information on camping and day use please visit the Jackson County Parks website or call 541-774-8183.