Long Range Fish Report
From Sportfishing

Fish Report for 3-25-2022

ODFW Recreation Report

3-25-2022
OR Department of Fish & Wildlife Staff

Spring bear season opens April 1

Things to know this season

For hunters who drew a tag:

  • The deadline to buy your tag is March 31.
  • If you bought a Sports Pac, you still must redeem the bear tag voucher for an actual bear tag.
  • Check out 9 tips to being a better bear hunter.
  • All successful hunters are required to present the skull to an ODFW office within 10 days of harvest. In 2022, successful bear hunters must check in their harvest at ODFW offices in person. See page 62 of the 2022 Big Game Regulations for more details.
  • Check out the 2022 spring bear hunting forecast. 

Mandatory reporting for 2022 hunts

If you purchased a tag for a late-season 2022 hunt, you must report your hunt by April 15. Even it you were unsuccessful or didn’t hunt. Ways to report.

Register your child for hunter education 

If your child hasn’t completed hunter education and wants to hunt for spring turkey, check to see where and when classes are available.

Best bets for weekend fishing

  • Steelhead are still being caught daily in the Nestucca and Wilson rivers.
  • Trout anglers should consider one of the many waterbodies that have been stocked recently. Check the trout stocking schedule for locations. 
  • Bass should be getting fired up in Platt I Reservoir – along with many other locations -- and there should be good numbers to fish on.
  • Lakes and ponds in Curry County have been stocked and offer a great opportunity for young anglers as most see little pressure in these rural communities. 
  • The Middle Rogue is seeing regular steelhead action. Fresh winter and down runners have been caught. There are also half-pounders available.  
  • Applegate is finally churning out some steelhead. Best bet is to fish below Murphy.  
  • Illinois River has very little angler pressure but fish are still being caught. Target deep pools with spoons.
  • Anglers are still catching steelhead in the North Umpqua.
  • This can be an excellent time of year of fish the Ana River, a great match-the-hatch fly-fishing river with good hatches throughout the year.
  • The herring are still schooling in Newport. If you’ve never been herring fishing, here are nine reasons you should try it.


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More Reports

OR Department of Fish & Wildlife Reports
for Thursday, March 24th, 2022
Ana Reservoir: The reservoir is currently filling up
Chewaucan River: Fishing will start picking up as the water warms this spring
Phillips Reservoir: The ice is beginning to melt, and there now is a substantial amount of open water
Pilcher Reservoir: The reservoir is mostly covered by slush
Thief Valley Reservoir: Thief Valley Reservoir is now ice-free
Thompson Valley Reservoir: Access is available and the water is very low
Unity Reservoir: The ice has begun to melt at Unity Reservoir
Wolf Creek Reservoir: There is still ice over much of Wolf Creek Reservoir
Brownlee Reservoir: Anglers in the Powder River arm have recently had good catches
Imnaha River: Mid-March through mid-April often is one of the best periods for steelhead
Umatilla River: The flows in the Umatilla have come up in the last week
Detroit Reservoir: Water level is about 75 feet above the bottom of Mongold boat ramp
EE Wilson Angling Pond: Will be stocked this week
Green Peter Reservoir: This reservoir is slowly filling again
Santiam River ( North Fork) : Next run of spring Chinook and summer steelhead won’t arrive until late April/early May
Santiam River (South Fork): Trout harvest is now closed until May 22
Alsea River: Winter steelhead fishing is starting to slow down on the Alsea
Kilchis River: The Kilchis River is a little on the low side
Necanicum River: The Necanicum will be low and clear this week but should still be fishable
Nehalem River: The Nehalem is a little on the high side but is still green and is on the drop
Nestucca River: The Nestucca is in good shape and still dropping
Siuslaw River: Winter steelhead fishing is starting to slow down for the season on the Siulsaw
Trask River: The Trask is in prime condition and dropping
Wilson River: The Wilson is in decent shape and dropping
Ben Irving Reservoir: Ben Irving remains cloudy for a long time after rains
Chetco River: As the flows drop, anglers will have a good shot at some steelhead
Diamond Lake: People are still ice-fishing at Diamond
Elk River: Later season steelhead fishing can be excellent on the Elk
Emigrant Reservoir: Water temperatures are increasing and warmwater fishing should be picking up
Galesville Reservoir: The boat ramp is just usable and anglers are taking advantage of it
Hyatt Lake: Open water is available but the reservoir still extremely low
Illinois River: There are still some good-looking winter steelhead to be caught
Pistol River: With clear water conditions anglers will want to use small baits and light line
Rogue River- Lower: Fishing conditions are low and clear
Rogue River - Middle: Anglers are catching steelhead regularly from Grants Pass to Robertson Bridge
Rogue River- Upper: Winter fish are being caught on a more regular basis in the upper Rogue
Winchuck River: Current conditions are low and clear

Commission further protects sea stars, increases harvest limit of non-native European green crabs

3-19-2022
SALEM, Ore.—The Fish and Wildlife Commission today voted to change shellfish regulations to prohibit harvest of sea stars and increase...... Read More