Fish Report for 1-13-2021

Juvenile spring Chinook. Chinook have fine spots along the dorsal surface, forked tail, but tail lobes are rounded; mouth larger with mandibles extending past the eye.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of ODFW

Detroit Reservoir anglers reminded to release Chinook salmon

1-13-2021
OR Department of Fish & Wildlife Staff

SALEM, Ore.—Anglers are having some success catching kokanee in Detroit Reservoir lately, thanks in part to the new bonus bag limit of 5 kokanee. But ODFW is also hearing from anglers that targeting kokanee is resulting in quite a few inadvertently hooked juvenile Chinook salmon too.

Chinook salmon must be gently released back into the water, not kept. To prevent and minimize injuries to Chinook, ODFW encourages anglers to pinch down the barbs on your hook to safely release the fish, or see this page for more tips, https://myodfw.com/articles/catch-and-release-tips-reduce-fish-mortality

Anglers fishing in Detroit Reservoir should to be aware of the physical differences between Chinook salmon and kokanee. Kokanee have no spotting on the dorsal surface, a deeply forked tail with each tail lobe ending at a point; the mouth is smaller, with the mandible usually not extending past the eye; and are very silvery and small-scaled. Chinook have fine spots along the dorsal surface, forked tail, but tail lobes are rounded; mouth larger with mandibles extending past the eye  (see this page and photos below for images, http://www.eregulations.com/oregon/fishing/fish-species-identification/

Most Chinook caught by anglers are smaller than kokanee (4-7 inches versus 10-14 inches) but occasionally larger Chinook are caught. 


Kokanee caught in Detroit Reservoir. Kokanee have no spotting on the dorsal surface, a deeply forked tail with each tail lobe ending at a point; the mouth is smaller, with the mandible usually not extending past the eye; and are very silvery and small-scaled.

Upper Willamette spring Chinook are listed as Threatened on the federal Endangered Species list, so all harvest is prohibited in the reservoir and above. ODFW traps Chinook adults below Detroit in the North Santiam River at the Minto Fish facility and takes them above the reservoir to release them in the river to spawn. Juveniles then migrate downstream into the reservoir and spend some time rearing. Most eventually migrate through the dam and out to the ocean. 

New for 2020, the bag limit for Detroit Reservoir is 5 kokanee per day in addition to the daily trout limit of 5 trout. That means anglers can now keep a total of 10 fish daily—only 5 can be rainbow trout though all 10 can be kokanee. (Kokanee are defined as trout in most cases including Detroit Reservoir, see the regulations for exceptions).



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More Reports

OR Department of Fish & Wildlife Reports
for Thursday, January 7th, 2021

ODFW Recreation Report
Ana River: Fly-Fishing Reports Indicate Fishing Has Been Slow
Krumbo Reservoir: Likely Some Surface Ice
Phillips Reservoir: Fishing Well Through The Ice
Pilcher Reservoir: Good Numbers of Trout
Warm Springs Reservoir: Still Some Open Water
Coos River: Coos River Basin Report
Coquille River: Steelhead rivers in the Coquille Basin are currently high and muddy
Fish Lake : Ice is About 6 Inches Thick
Illinois River: The river is expected bump up again after recently cresting
Lost Creek Lake: Lost Creek Reservoir Fishing Report
Rogue River - Middle: The periodic bumps in rain should be as good of conditions as the Rogue has seen in January for a few years
Rogue River- Upper: Upper Rogue River Report
Kilchis River: Should Drop into Prime Condition Late This Week
Necanicum River: Still High and Off Color As of Tuesday
Nehalem River: Should Be Dropping Into Good Condition Late This Week
Nestucca River: Nestucca River Report
Trask River: Should Drop Into Good Conditions By The Weekend
Wilson River: Winter Steelhead Season Got Off to A Decent Start
Clackamas River: Clackamas River Report
McKenzie River: Hendricks Bridge Boat Ramp is Now Open!
Sandy River: Sandy RIver Report
Santiam River ( North Fork) Above Detroit Lake: River is Running Aroudn 9,800 CFS
Santiam River (South Fork): River is in Flood Conditions At This Time
Willamette River: Willamette River Report
Hood River: Recent Rains Have Brought Above Average Flows
Grande Ronde River: Fishing will be very weather dependent over the next two months
Imnaha River: Imnaha River Report
Wallowa River: Steelhead season is open and a few anglers have reported catching fish
ODFW Commercial Dungeness Crab Fishery Update


1-4-2021
CLACKAMAS, Ore. – The recreational sturgeon season in The Dalles Pool (The Dalles Dam upstream to John Day Dam) will close...... Read More