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Thief Valley Reservoir bag limits lifted ahead of reservoir drawdown
Ethan Brandt (541) 805-0856, ethan.j.brandt@odfw.oregon.gov

LA GRANDE, Ore. – Effective Aug. 1 through Sep. 30, minimum and maximum size limits as well as the daily and possession bag limits for rainbow trout and bass are suspended for Thief Valley Reservoir (Southeast Zone) located in Union County. Harvest will be allowed by hand, dip net, or angling. A person with a valid Two-Rod Validation may use any number of rods.
Drought conditions in Eastern Oregon have prompted ODFW's fish biologists to make this temporary rule change and they hope that it will give anglers a better opportunity to harvest trout and warmwater fish before the reservoir is drained.
Thief Valley Reservoir, located near North Powder, is expected to be drawn completely down by the end of August. As the water level drops, any remaining stocked hatchery trout and warmwater game fish present in the reservoir will be trapped in isolated pools and die due to the warm and turbid water.
"Anglers can really help us put these fish to good use by getting out there and catching some of them," said Ethan Brandt, ODFW District Fish Biologist in La Grande. "It's unfortunate that the reservoir will go dry, but opening up the fishery is the best thing we can do in these situations."
Anglers are reminded that warm water conditions paired with low water can create blue-green algae blooms. Please visit the Oregon Health Authority website for updates on cyanobacteria blooms.
For the latest on Northeast and Southeast Oregon fishing in-season regulation changes, visit:
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Features: Butter clams have oval and oblong shaped shells with heavy, thick valves and hinge. Their shells have fine concentric rings. When the shell is open a little, you can see the pale ruffled mantle reminiscent of a tuxedo. Like the gaper clam, they have their two siphons fused together into one "neck." Average adult size is 3-4 inches but can range up to 5 inches. Butter clams can live more than 20 years. Habitat: Butter clams can be found in a wide variety of substrates but prefer sand and gravel/cobble beaches. They live approximately 6-12 inches deep and can

Features: Gaper clams have large "neck" housing the two siphons that protrude above the substrate surface when feeding. Protective leathery plates are found just below the siphon tips and feel rough to the touch. Gapers are unable to retract their neck entirely into the shell, producing a "gape" in the shell. It is common for algae to grow on their necks and gaper pea crabs to dwell inside the shell with the gaper clam. Habitat: Gapers can be found in high salinity sandy and/or muddy areas in most of Oregon's larger estuaries. Tillamook, Netarts, Yaquina, and Coos are favorite bays

Large and primarily white, the American white pelican has the longest wingspan of any bird in Oregon. It also has an enormous orange bill, and flies with neck withdrawn. During the breeding season the top of the bird's head becomes dusted with black and a horn grows on the upper mandible; this projection serves as a target for aggressive encounters to avoid injury to the essential bill pouch, but is shed after the eggs are laid. This pelican makes unusually long flights for feeding and migration, and at great distances, soaring flocks have been reported as UFOs. In Oregon, it

Secretive little birds, wrens creep through vegetation and take flight in erratic patterns. Kinglets are insectivores.

Although called warblers, many of these perching birds may not necessarily be closely related to one another. They are usually easier to hear than see.

Bitterns, herons, and egrets are all long-legged wading birds with long necks and pointed bills for spearing fish or other prey.

Fun little birds to watch, chickadees and nuthatches are common in Oregon. With short, strong bills, they feed on insects and seeds and are often seen in groups.

Towhees, sparrows, grosbeaks and buntings are ground-dwelling birds that are typically drab looking. They feed on insects in summer and seeds in winter.

These diving birds are built for living on the water, floating low on the surface with legs farther to the rear to help propel them underwater. Loons have webbed feet, grebes have lobed toes.

The common raccoon is a moderately sized, heavily furred mammal best characterized by its distinctive markings. The face has a dark brownish-black eye mask sharply separated from whitish nose patches, eyebrow lines, and exclamation points between the eyes. The inside of the ears is ringed with white, adding to the facial contrast. The tail is annulated with five to seven dark rings separated by light gray or tan rings. The hind legs are longer than the front; thus, in a walking gait, the rump is higher than the head. The common raccoon occurs in suitable habitats throughout Oregon; it does

Murres, auklets and puffins are all sea birds that only come ashore to nest. The most unique is the Marbled murrelet which flies inland - sometimes great distances - to nest in coastal coniferous forests.

The Greater sandhill crane is Oregon's tallest bird. This large majestic crane has a guttural gurgling or bugling call, and is easily noticed in flight by its profile, with long neck and head extending straight ahead and long legs trailing behind. The Greater sandhill crane is distinguished by its red crown and white cheek patches, contrasting with with a light gray body. Fledged young resemble adults, but have a feathered forehead, a lighter tawny plumage, and lack the red crown and white cheek patches during their first fall. Fledged young have a squeaky cheap call often heard in flight during

Free fishing weekend June 7-8 in Oregon, family-friendly fishing events held statewide
Yvonne Shaw, ODFW, Yvonne.l.shaw@odfw.oregon.gov (503) 383-6859
OR local coordinator from the list online
SALEM, Ore.—Everyone can fish, clam and crab for free in Oregon on Saturday and Sunday, June 7-8, 2025.
No fishing/shellfish licenses or tags (including a Combined Angling Tag or Columbia River Basin Endorsement or Two-Rod Validation) are required on these days. Both Oregon residents and nonresidents can fish for free. Oregon State Parks also offers free parking and camping on Saturday, June 7.
All other fishing regulations apply including closures, bag limits and size restrictions. See the Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations for regulations. Remember to check MyODFW.com for any in season regulation changes, especially for salmon and steelhead fishing.
The Recreation Report is updated weekly and features the best bests for fishing for the upcoming week. Expect lots of rainbow trout to be stocked in Oregon's ponds and lakes for the weekend; check out the trout stocking schedule for more information and stocking locations.
Crabbing and clamming
Free Fishing Weekend is also a great weekend to try clamming or crabbing. MyODFW.com has all the information you need to get started clamming or crabbing including maps of locations and how-to's.
The Oregon Department of Agriculture regularly tests shellfish and closes areas when naturally occurring biotoxins get to levels that make crabs and clams unsafe to eat. As of today, razor clamming is open from Cascade Head (just north of Lincoln City) to the Washington border but closed south of Cascade Head to the California border due to elevated levels of domoic acid. Crabbing is open coastwide.
Closures can happen quickly and may change before Free Fishing Weekend. Remember to call the ODA Shellfish safety hotline at 1-800-448-2474 or check their Shellfish page before you go. Harvesting status is available in English, Español, русский, 中国人, Tiếng Việt, 한국인 on the ODA website.
Free Fishing Weekend events
ODFW staff, volunteers, and a number of partner organizations will host events throughout the state on Free Fishing Weekend, bringing all the gear anglers need to get started. Staff and volunteers will hand out fishing equipment and be available to teach how to rig up, bait, cast, land, and clean your catch.
Events are being held at the following locations and times; see the Family Fishing Events page for more information.
Saturday, June 7
Clatskanie: Gnat Creek Fish Hatchery, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Estacada: Small Fry Lake at Promontory Park, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Eugene: Alton Baker Park, 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Florence: Cleawox Lake, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Gaston: Henry Hagg Lake, 7 a.m-3 p.m.
Hebo: Hebo Lake, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Lakeside: Eel Lake, Tugman State Park, June 7, 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Richland: Brownlee Reservoir, Holcomb Park, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Silverton: Silverton Marine Park, 8 a.m-3 p.m.
Sutherlin: Cooper Creek Reservoir, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Tualatin: Bass Pro/Cabela's on-site pond, 11 a.m-3 p.m. CANCELLED
Ukiah: Twin ponds, 9 a.m-12 p.m.
Sunday, June 8
Tualatin: Bass Pro/Cabela's on-site pond, 11 a.m-3 p.m. CANCELLED
Winchester Bay: Lake Marie, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Come out on June 7-8 to experience fishing, clamming and crabbing in Oregon and be sure to show us your catch. Submit your photos at MyODFW.com.
https://dfw.state.or.us/news/images/2025/Free-Fishing-Weekend-2025.jpg
Image: Free Fishing Weekend June 7-8,2025 in Oregon.
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A medium-sized hawk, the Red-shouldered hawk has bold black-and-white flight feathers and rusty shoulder patches. Seen in flight from underneath, especially when lit from the sun, its wings show a translucent 'window' near the tips. It relies on perches for hunting and is closely affiliated with wooded wetlands and riparian bottomlands. In the breeding season this hawk is found in moist woodlands with at least a few deciduous trees. It prefers riparian bottoms, especially those near shallow wetlands or open meadows. In winter, it may use more open lands such as found in the Rogue and Willamette valleys, depending on

Oregon has two species of pelicans, American white and the Brown pelican, and three species of cormorants. All are fish-eating water birds with four toes joined by webbing. Depending on the species, pelicans and cormorants inhabit the Oregon coast, rivers or interior waterbodies.

Features: Their eyed-side is greenish-brown to dark brown or black with lighter blotches. Their blind side is white to milky-white. They have a large, stout but flat body, shaped like an elongated diamond . Pacific halibut have been known to reach 500 pounds, but on average are 40 pounds. Habitat: Halibut are a large flatfish and so they spend much time near the bottom of the ocean looking above for food. They prefer chilly water and are primarily found in the Gulf of Alaska. Technique: Boat anglers use heavy rods to fish on or near gravel bottoms in water 150-500

The mottled petrel breeds in New Zealand and nearby islands, and ranges throughout much of the Pacific Ocean, mostly far from land. It is a common May to October visitant in the northern and eastern North Pacific, with non-breeding birds occurring during the winter months. Photo by Dominique, Flickr

Swans, ducks and geese belong to the Anatidae family and occur on all continents. Special oils let their feathers shed water, so they are adapted for swimming and floating, and some are even talented divers. For tips on discouraging geese from overwhelming your yard, check our Living with Wildlife, Birds page.

