Recreation Report

ODFW Weekly Recreation Report

Includes updates to fishing, hunting, crabbing, clamming, and wildlife viewing.

June 4, 2026

Free Fishing Weekend! Everyone can fish, clam, and crab anywhere in Oregon waterways, reservoirs, beaches and even the ocean for free on Friday and Saturday, June 6-7. No fish or shellfish licenses or tags required; no two rod or Columbia River or Ocean endorsements necessary! Family fishing events across the state and free parking at all Oregon state parks on Saturday! Details and event schedule here: Free fishing weekend news release.

New Sauvie Island Beaches Parking Permit: From June 15 - Labor Day, vehicles need a Sauvie Island Beaches Parking Permit ($10 daily) to park at Walton, Collins, and North Unit beaches on weekends and holidays. The traditional Wildlife Area Parking Permit will not be valid in these parking areas but can be used at other locations in the wildlife area (Willow Bar and Gilbert River boat ramp) and on summer weekdays. Purchase Sauvie Island Beaches Parking Permits online or through a license sales agent. Additional details about the permit are available at SauvieIslandParking.com.

Columbia River: The states held a hearing on Wednesday, June 3, to consider adding more days to the recreational spring Chinook fishery on the Columbia River. Check the Regulation Update Page for latest season details.

Clean boats and other watercraft after each use to prevent transmission of non-native species. ODFW Ashland Boat Inspection Station found golden mussels for the first time on a watercraft. Mussels feed on food sources essential for native species and sport fish. They damage irrigation and hydropower systems and degrade water quality.

Drought impact on stocking schedules. Some areas are already too warm or shallow to support hatchery fish, which will be diverted to more suitable locations. Check local ODFW offices for the most updated stocking information.

Wildlife viewing is a fun option with nice weather! Find opportunities for wildlife viewing.

Best bets for weekend fishing:

• Bag limits are lifted for Thief Valley, Pilcher Creek, and Wolf Creek reservoirs. See the news release for more information: Bag limits lifted due to drought
• Trout fishing is open on rivers and streams typically closed for native fish conservation. Angling in streams above tidewater is restricted to artificial flies and lures May 22 - Aug 31 unless otherwise noted in exceptions. Check the 2026 Fishing regulations.
• While trout fishing, please be mindful of out-migrating salmon and steelhead smolts. If you catch these young salmonids, consider switching to barbless hooks or moving to a new location.
• Low tides make it easier to dig razor, butter, cockle and gaper clams.
• Maximize distance from bank anglers and other boats. Safely row or motor around anglers and other boats and avoid motoring near shore and in shallow areas!

Northwest:

• Mid Coast STEP will host a free fishing event at Olalla Reservoir in Toledo on Saturday June 6 from 10am-2pm. No angling license required, ODFW staff and volunteers will be onsite to hand out equipment, provide instructions on gear rigging, casting, and cleaning your catch.
• Cutthroat trout are present in most areas and sea-run cutthroat will start coming in this month.
• Spring Chinook are in the Lower Columbia Tributaries: Big Creek, Gnat Creek, and Klaskanine R.
• Spring Chinook fishing is in full swing on Tillamook Bay, Nestucca Bay, the Trask River, Nestucca River, and Little Nestucca River. Bays, tidewater, and lower rivers are fishing the best so far.
• Summer steelhead fishing is improving on the Nestucca and Wilson Rivers.
• North Coast and Mid Coast lakes are stocked with rainbow trout. Many will be stocked just in time for free fishing weekend on June 6^th-7^th!
• Warm water fisheries for bass and sunfish are picking up. Cape Meares, Coffenbury, and Cullaby lakes, Lake Lytle and Vernonia pond all have decent populations of warm water species available.
• Summer steelhead are on the move in the Siletz River! Tagged summer steelhead have been recycled to the lower river for additional angler opportunity. Please report tags from Siletz River fish to caleb.w.yann@odfw.oregon.gov to monitor recapture and harvest rates in the basin.
• Siltcoos and Takenitch lakes have largemouth bass, yellow perch, and bluegill. Target the margins as fish move in for spawning. Largemouth bass are doing well at both locations.

Southwest:

• Free fishing event Saturday at Cooper Creek Reservoir!
• Trolling at Lost Creek and Applegate Reservoirs continues to be very good.
• Howard Prairie and Hyatt Reservoirs have plenty of legal-size and holdover rainbow trout.
• Spring Chinook are moving through the Middle Rogue! Try plugs or plunk along current seams on the inside bends of the river to intercept them, early morning or evening.
• Cooper Creek Reservoir looks nice and clear. Go earlier in the morning or fish deeper for success.
• Rain and cooler temperatures should make for good fishing conditions in Elk River.
• This is a good time of year to look for cutthroat in the Chetco River estuary.
• If winds are light, Winchuck River and Sixes River estuary can be good places to target cutthroat.

Willamette:

• Shad fishing will continue to be excellent through June in the Oregon City area.
• Fishing for spring Chinook and steelhead was good in the Clackamas River last week. Milo McIver State Park is a great place for bank anglers to try their luck targeting these fish!
• Freeway Lake received about 500 hatchery trout last week and Foster Reservoir got 4,800.
• Detroit Reservoir was stocked with 11,0000 trophy trout in the last two weeks. Anglers report decent kokanee catch. Juvenile spring chinook are active this time of year, feeding and trying to figure out how to migrate downstream. Anglers need to be able to tell them apart from kokanee and release any chinook unharmed.

Columbia River:

• Check the Regulation Update Page for latest season dates on salmon and steelhead fishing.
• Shad fishing is good downstream of Bonneville Dam. Walleye fishing is good in The Dalles and John Day pools.

Central:

• Hood River spring Chinook season is at its peak!
• The salmon fly hatch on the lower Deschutes is underway! Great fishing and lots of anglers
• Excellent early season fishing at Lava and Little Lava Lakes for large holdover trout.
• Shevlin Park youth and disabled fishing pond, Prineville youth pond, Metolius youth and disabled fishing pond and Pine Nursery Pond are stocked up and provide excellent angling opportunities.
• Anglers report abundant rainbow trout in the 12-16-in size at Crane Prairie Reservoir.
• Anglers report good trout fishing and excellent kokanee fishing at Paulina Lake. Kokanee at Paulina Lake are amongst the largest in Central Oregon this year averaging 13-14 inches.
• East Lake has large numbers of rainbow trout in the 16-18-inch range and kokanee 13-15-inches.
• Recent ODFW sampling indicates lots of 17-22" holdover rainbow trout at Antelope Flat Reservoir
• The Crooked and Metolius Rivers provide excellent redband trout and mountain whitefish.
• Fall River was recently stocked, and anglers report excellent nymphing opportunities near the hatchery and the headwaters.

Northeast:

• Kokanee fishing has been good on Wallowa Lake.
• Try perch fishing at Phillips Reservoir; there are some large fish!
• Catch nice trout on Willow Creek Reservoir.
• Catch Spring Chinook on the lower Umatilla River.
• Smallmouth bass fishing on the John Day is good at the moment

Snake:

• Bass and trout can be caught downstream of Hells Canyon Dam.
• Bass, perch, and crappie fishing will improve with warm weather in Hells Canyon Reservoirs
• Some large crappie are being caught in Brownlee Reservoir

Southeast:

• Willow Valley Reservoir is good for largemouth bass. Crappie fishing in Owyhee Reservoir is good.
• Find Brown Trout in the Wood River below Weed Road.
• Black drake mayflies will be hatching in various rivers in the Klamath Basin. Salmonflies and golden stoneflies are hatching in the Klamath River.
• Lake of the Woods, Miller Lake and Fourmile Lake will be excellent for hatchery rainbow trout
• Nice holdover trout in the Malheur River below Warmsprings right now.
• Perch fishing at Dog Lake has been good. The Cascade Ramp at Hyatt is open. Howard Prairie, the Grizzly, Willow Point and Klum Landing ramps are available for the first time in years.

Marine

• See season dates for Pacific Halibut
• Bookmark the Salmon 2026_Ocean_Sport_Salmon_Map.pdf for reference for your upcoming ocean fishing trips.

Refer to the zone reports for more details and possibilities.

Hunter Education: Hunter safety conventional courses and field days are available --Sign up now to avoid the summer rush, space is limited!

Register for Bowhunter Safety Education to receive certification that may be required in several surrounding states before hunting season begins.

Learn to hunt: Strengthen your game spotting skills, attend one of the Observation & Glassing courses for pre-season scouting tips.

Shooting sports: Register now for a Bowhunter Skills class and improve your archery hunting success this year.