General Fish Reports from ODFW

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These are some general fishing reports from around the state. They are listed by territories and subcategorized by each fishing area in that territory. Please scroll down to fined the area that interests you.
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NEHALEM BAY AND RIVER: Coho salmon have entered the river with recent rains. Angling is fair to good. Catch-and-release fishing for sea-run cutthroat trout should be good.
NORTH FORK NEHALEM RIVER : A few coho salmon have entered the river with recent rains, but angling is slow. Catch-and-release fishing for sea-run cutthroat trout should be good.
NESTUCCA RIVER AND THREE RIVERS : Summer steelhead fishing is fair good. Catch-and- release fishing for sea-run cutthroat trout should be good. Some fall chinook have entered the lower river, making angling fair.
NORTH COAST LAKES : Trout stocking is complete for this year.
OLLALA CREEK RESERVOIR: The reservoir has been stocked with rainbow trout.

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SALMON RIVER : Fall chinook angling has been fair. A few fish have passed the hatchery. Coho angling is slow.
SILETZ RIVER : Summer steelhead angling is good. Anglers are reminded that there is no retention of non-fin-clipped steelhead. Good numbers of summer steelhead have been recycled to Moonshine Park near Logsden. Recycled summer steelhead will be tagged with colored floy tags. ODFW would like anglers who catch tagged summer steelhead to call Casey Deckard or Derek Wilson at 541-867-4741 to report the color of the tag, date caught and location. Fall chinook fishing is fair to good. Some fish have moved up river.
SUISLAW RIVER : Fall chinook angling is fair to good in the bay. Some fish have moved into the Siuslaw River and Lake Creek.
TILLAMOOK AREA LAKES : Angling for bass should be good in Cape Meares and Lytle lakes. Trout stocking is complete for this year. Cape Meares Lake and Town Lake have been stocked.
TILLAMOOK BAY : Angling for fall chinook is improving. Chinook are being caught throughout the bay and tidewaters. Angling for adipose fin-clipped coho salmon is fair. Many coho have moved through the bay already. Angling for sturgeon has been slow. Best fishing will be in upper tidewater areas, such as the Tillamook River tidewater.

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WILSON, TRASK AND KILCHIS RIVERS: Summer steelhead fishing is fair to good. Catch-and-release fishing for sea-run cutthroat trout should be good. Angling for fall chinook is fair, and will improve as more fish enter the rivers. Angling for adipose fin-clipped coho salmon is fair to good in the Trask River . Many bright fish have entered the river with recent rains.
YAQUINA RIVER : Fall chinook angling is fair to good. Bright fish have been caught as far up river at Cannon Quarry boat ramp.

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SHELLFISH
All northwest coastal areas are open for shellfish except razor clams. The razor clam season at Clatsop County beaches ( Seaside north to the Columbia River ) is closed to razor clam harvest through Sept. 30. Call the Oregon Department of Agriculture’s shellfish hotline at 503-986-4728 for updates. No oysters may be taken.

A recreational shellfish license is now required for everyone over 14 when harvesting marine abalone, clams, crabs, mussels, piddocks, scallops, shrimp and sand shrimp, and other marine invertebrates with shells. No license is needed to harvest crayfish or freshwater clams.

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VIEWING
Brown pelicans are on the north coast in good numbers. They are common in the lower Columbia estuary, and can be seen in many estuaries along the north coast. Also watch for them on offshore rocks like Three Arch Rocks, where they commonly roost when not out feeding in the estuaries and ocean.
The Twilight Eagle Sanctuary, located off of Highway 30 between Astoria and Svensen, is an excellent place to observe the large variety of birds that use the lower Columbia River estuary. Not only are eagles found in the area, but waterfowl, shorebirds, and songbirds associated with wetlands abound. There is a great viewing platform located along the river that allow for some excellent viewing opportunities.
Local ducks, like mallards, are starting to stage and group up in larger flocks. Some early migrating waterfowl have also been seen on the lower Columbia River and north coast estuaries.

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DIAMOND LAKE : The lake has been stocked with legal rainbows. Angling is fair to good for legal rainbows at the south end of the lake.
EMIGRANT RESERVOIR: Fishing is slow. A few crappie and smallmouth bass have been caught recently. Smallmouth bass, crappie, yellow perch and rainbow trout are available. Crappie must be over eight inches long or they must be released unharmed
FISH LAKE : Effort has been slow because of poor weather conditions and daily maximum temperature hovering around 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
GALESVILLE RESERVOIR: The reservoir has been stocked with legal rainbows.
GOLD RAY DAM: The 2004 count as of Sept. 20 was 6,558 fall chinook and 6,670 summer steelhead.

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HOWARD PRAIRIE: Trollers are doing best in the early evenings while late morning is the best time for still fishing. Bass fishing is said to be fantastic with many over two pounds being taken. More information can be obtained by looking at the Howard Prairie Resort
HYATT: Fishing should be fair for rainbow trout.

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PACIFIC OCEAN AND BEACHES: The sport fishery for major groundfish species, including all rockfish, lingcod, and greenling, is closed due to the harvest target being reached. This closure applies to angling from the shore, in estuaries and the ocean. The sport fishery for cabezon closed Aug. 18. Anglers may continue to fish for tuna, flounder, sole, sand dabs, perch, herring, anchovy and striped bass . The ocean selective coho fishery from Cape Falcon to OR/CA border is closed. The ocean remains open for all salmon except coho through Oct. 31. Anglers may use no more than two single point, single shank, barbless hooks. The minimum size for chinook retention is 20 inches. The recreational Pacific halibut fishery between Cape Falcon and Humbug Mountain remains open inside the 40-fathom curve seven days a week (legal waypoints are available in the 2004 Oregon Ocean Salmon and Halibut Sport Fishing Regulation book). This fishery will remain open through Oct. 31. The daily bag limit is the first fish 32 inches or longer with an annual limit of six fish. Heavy bar conditions kept most halibut anglers off the ocean on Sept. 17 and 18. The next all-depth halibut openers are Oct. 1 and 2. Open dates for all-depth halibut openers can be confirmed on the NMFS hotline 1-800-662-9825. Boaters planning offshore trips need to be cautious of ocean and bar conditions.

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ROGUE RIVER , LOWER: Fall chinook fishing in the lower Rogue has been good. Anglers have been successful trolling the bay and side drifting or trolling the deep holes up river. Coho have started to move into the lower river. Angling for adult steelhead and half-pounders has been good. Check the 2004 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations.
ROGUE RIVER , MIDDLE: Reports state that the fall chinook are present in good numbers and the angling is good. Lots of salmon and steelhead are being caught. The harvest will increase as more arrive.
ROGUE RIVER, UPPER (Gold Beach): The Upper Rogue River from Gold Ray Dam to Cole Rivers Hatchery is closed to angling for chinook salmon. Anglers are reminded that starting Sept. 1 this section is restricted to angling with artificial flies only. Reports state that steelhead fishing in this area is starting to pick up However, pressure is low. Cooler weather in the last three or four days appears to have improved fishing.

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SELMAC LAKE : The lake is closed to all access at this time. A public health advisory has been issued for algae toxins: contact [url "http://www.dhs.state.or.us/news/2004news/2004-0819.html"][#006699]www.dhs.state.or.us/news/2004news/2004-0819.html[/#006699][/url].
SODA SPRINGS DAM: Angling for brown trout is fair.
SOUTH COAST LAKES AND PONDS: Legal-sized trout were stocked in Garrison Lake and Libby Pond this last spring. Late summer fishing in these lakes and ponds typically slows down due to warm weather and poor water conditions. Libby Pond is located just outside of Gold Beach eight miles up the Rogue River . Garrison Lake is located in Port Orford.

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UMPQUA RIVER , MAINSTEM: Steelhead angling is slow. Smallmouth bass angling is good. Sturgeon angling is slow. Chinook angling is fair in the Elkton area and around the Highway 101 bridge. Coho angling is good in the estuary and fair in the lower river.
UMPQUA RIVER , SOUTH: Smallmouth bass angling is good. Closes to all angling Sept.16 – Nov.15.
UMPQUA RIVER , NORTH: Steelheadfishing is fair in the all-angling section and in the fly-only section. Chinook angling is closed. The first coho crossed Winchester Dam on Aug. 31.
WINCHESTER DAM: As of Sept. 4, there have been a total of 7,484 summer steelhead, 15,148 spring chinook and seven coho.

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SHELLFISH
All recreational and commercial shellfish harvesting south of the jetties at Coos Bay to the California border has been closed by the Oregon Department of Agriculture due to elevated levels of paralytic shellfish poisoning. This closure includes clams and mussels on the beaches, rocks and jetties. All bays in Coos and Curry counties remain open to clamming, except for the harvest of razor clams which remains closed on the Oregon coast. Always check for health advisories by calling the Oregon Department of Agriculture’s shellfish hotline at 503-986-4728 for updates.
Crabbing from public piers in Port Orford and Brookings should be good when ocean conditions are fair.

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DETROIT RESERVOIR : Success has been fair for rainbow trout, particularly in the arms and around the island.
EAGLE CREEK: Coho have shown up in the creek, particularly from Eagle Fern Park down to Bonnie Lure Park . Effort has also picked up in the past few days. The creek is in good shape right now and very fishable. Eagle Creek is sensitive to rainfall so it tends to come up quickly. It also tends to drop just as quickly. The slightest rise in flows can bring the coho in from the Clackamas River . Anglers need to remember that much of Eagle Creek runs through private property so be sure of where you are before you step foot on the stream bank.
E.E. WILSON POND: The pond recently was stocked with a few rainbow brood trout. Angling is allowed only with a free, self-service permit, available at the E.E. Wilson Pond check station.

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FOSTER RESERVOIR: Angling pressure has been light, but fair numbers of trout are still being caught by boaters who can get a little deeper.
GREEN PETER RESERVOIR : Kokanee fishing is still good at depths of about 40-50 feet. Fish are in the nine-to-11 inch range.
HIGH LAKES : There are many lakes available in the area for day use or overnight camping that require only a short hike in to them. These lakes have been aerial stocked and provide an angling experience unlike the more crowded, close-in waters. Bank fishing or float-tubes are the way to fish on these small mountain lakes. Maps should be available at the local U.S. Forest Service office. Make sure to inquire about camp fire regulations.

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SANDY RIVER : The Sandy is getting a good run of coho right now with several thousand already into the hatchery. It looks like another excellent year for coho returning to the Sandy River . There are also still bright summer steelhead available. Recent rains in the mountains have left the river a little high but the color is still good and the water is very fishable. With little precipitation in the forecast conditions should remain favorable.
Access for anglers exists from the many parks along the river including Lewis and Clark, Dabney, Oxbow, or Dodge. Another popular spot is the Cedar Creek area near the hatchery.
This has been a banner year for the Sandy Hatchery with record numbers of returning spring chinook and summer steelhead. Now an additional opportunity exists with this big surge of coho.
Collection/recycling receptacles for discarded or lost fishing gear have recently been placed at boat ramps along the Sandy River . Any tangled fishing line or old gear found can be collected and disposed of in these canisters as an aid in efforts to maintain a healthy, clean Sandy River . Look for them near boat ramps at Lewis and Clark , Dabney, and Oxbow parks. There is also one in Dodge Park . Additional sites will be added soon. Please use nearby garbage cans for any other types of trash.

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SANTIAM RIVER , NORTH : Flow in the North Santiam has come up a little since Labor Day weekend. Few steelhead are being caught, but there also is little effort. There are lots of fish in the river. The boat ramp at Fisherman’s Bend Park is closed for the season due to construction in the park.
SANTIAM RIVER , SOUTH: Success has been somewhat better on the South Santiam , primarily in the reach between Pleasant Valley and Foster.
SAUVIE ISLAND : The Gilbert River Boat Ramp and Disabled Person Fishing Dock as well as the Columbia River beaches are open.

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WALTER WIRTH LAKE ( Salem ): The lake still holds some trout, as well as bass and sunfish, which should provide good opportunity for anglers.
WILLAMETTE RIVER : The Willamette flows have come up with recent rainfall. As of Sept. 20 flows were at 12,800 cfs, the water temperature was down to 60 degrees, and the visibility decreased to 5.3 feet. The official end of spring chinook passage counting took place on Aug. 15. The final cumulative count for 2004 was 95,968 spring chinook. This is a record passage number for the Willamette Falls Fishway, surpassing the previous record by over 10,000 chinook. The summer steelhead counts have been slow but steady lately with the cumulative passage through Sept. 15 totaling 33,078. This number is the third best summer steelhead passage count on record for the Willamette Falls Fishway. The first coho of the season passed through the fishway on Aug. 26. Daily coho passage remains slow but will increase in the coming days.
Salmon and steelhead angling effort has ended on the mainstem Willamette River . The best opportunities for angling are likely to be for steelhead in Willamette tributaries above the Falls. Look for coho angling to steadily improve in the Oregon City area now that they are entering the system in catchable numbers. Most of these fish will be heading up the Clackamas River so fishing near or below the Clackamas mouth will likely be the best spots.
Sturgeon angling has been slow throughout the river with the Oregon City/Milwaukie area and the St. Johns area producing some catch. The Willamette is now closed to sturgeon retention until Oct. 1, but you are allowed to fish on a catch-and-release basis.

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CRANE PRAIRIE: Anglers report that the bite is picking up. Rainbow trout eight-to 12-inches are showing up in the creel. Some nice larger rainbows trout also are available for the diligent angler. There also is good opportunity for nice sized brook trout and largemouth bass. The Crane Prairie brook trout will challenge the angler, but are well worth the effort. Hatchery rainbow trout are 100 percent marked with an adipose fin clip or left ventral clip, so please voluntarily limit your harvest of wild trout to protect this fishery. Recent illegal introductions of black crappie and bluegill have occurred. There is no limit on size or number of crappie or bluegill.
CROOKED RIVER BELOW BOWMAN DAM: Angling for eight-to 14-inch redband trout with the occasional larger fish is fair.
CRESCENT LAKE : Anglers are reporting nice brown trout being caught, along with a few lake trout. The kokanee bite has picked up, and nice catches are being reported.
CULTUS LAKE : Angling for lake trout is still reported to be fair.

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DAVIS LAKE : Angling is reported to be slow.
DESCHUTES RIVER (LOWER): Chinook fishing is slow. The lower 100 miles is open for trout and adipose fin-clipped steelhead. Trout fishing remains good throughout the river.
DESCHUTES RIVER ( LAKE BILLY CHINOOK TO BENHAM FALLS): Anglers are reporting some success on both brown trout and rainbow trout. The best fish populations are upstream from Bend to Benham Falls and downstream of Steelhead Falls .
DESCHUTES RIVER (WICKIUP RESERVOIR DAM DOWNSTREAM TO BENHAM FALLS): Good reports are coming in of nice brown and rainbow trout action.