Fishing
Southeast Zone
Wide open spaces, wild windy places, and extreme temperatures characterize Oregon’s largest, most remote fishing zone. Redband trout are native to its rivers and streams, including the Williamson, Malheur and Chewaucan. Brown and hatchery rainbow trout can grow to trophy-size in many of its lakes and reservoirs, many of which also feature crappie, yellow perch and bass.
Visit e-regulations
Regulation highlights
These are the zone-wide regulations for the zone, but there are exceptions to these rules. Always check the current Sport Fishing Regulations to see if where you want to fish has any exceptions to these rules. In-season regulation changes in the SE Zone can be found here.
Trout
Lakes and ponds: five fish per day, 8-inch minimum length, open all year
Rivers and streams: two fish per day, 8-inch minimum length, no limit on size or number of brook or brown trout, open all year
Kokanee
25 per day in addition to trout limits, 8-inch minimum length
Crappie
No limits
Popular species
Trout
Here anglers can target any one of four different kinds of trout:
- Hatchery rainbows are stocked in ponds, reservoirs and lakes throughout the zone.
- Native redband trout can grow to 24-inches long in Upper Klamath Lake but may max out closer to 16-inches in rivers like the Klamath, Chewaucan and Blitzen.
- Brook trout are no longer stocked but remnant populations naturally reproduce in many small creeks as well as some lakes.
- Brown trout can be found in waterbodies throughout the zone, including destination fisheries like Miller Lake near Crescent.
Crappie
Historically, crappie fishing in this zone has been some of the best in the state – the current state record fish for both black and white crappie came from this zone. However, years of drought have been tough on traditional crappie strongholds like the Warner Lakes, and Gerber and Owyhee reservoirs. However, a few good water years like the one in 2017 should help these fisheries rebound.
Other warmwater fish
Warmwater fishing opportunities are abundant throughout the zone. Many waterbodies like Dog Lake and Lake of the Woods are beginner-friendly with a variety of warmwater species that are pretty easy to catch with a simple worm and bobber. On the other hand, Ana Reservoir is stocked with hybrid bass called wipers (cross between white and striped bass) that are hard to catch but reach prodigious sizes. The state record hybrid bass (19 pounds, 12 ounces) was caught in Ana in 2014.
Where to fish
- Easy angling Oregon – SE Zone, features 17 family-friendly fishing locations.
- Trout stocking map, locate nearby stocking locations, and find your way there, using these interactive Google maps. Combine with the weekly trout stocking schedule to plan for a successful fishing trip.
- Weekly Recreation Report, read up on the latest conditions where you want to fish. This is also the place to learn about great bass and warmwater fishing locations not listed on the trout stocking map.
Check out the Latest Recreation Report
Current conditions and opportunities to fish, hunt and see wildlife. Updated weekly by fish and wildlife biologists throughout the state.