Fish Report for 4-5-2024

ODFW Recreation Report

4-5-2024
OR Department of Fish & Wildlife Staff

Includes updates to fishing, crabbing and clamming

 

Best bets for weekend fishing

Hardy anglers won't let the cooler temperatures keep them off the water. Not when there are so many great options for spring fishing. Here's just a sampling:‌

  • Winter steelhead are still being caught in North Coast and north Willamette Valley rivers like the Nestucca, Wilson, Sandy and Clackamas.
  • The spring Chinook season is underway on the Columbia but also Rogue, Umpqua and ocean near Charleston and Winchester Bay.
  • Some striped bass have been biting on the Coquille.
  • Anglers are catching smallmouth bass on the mainstem Umpqua and largemouth on Tenmile Lakes.
  • Conditions are looking really good for steelhead fishing on the Hood River, where the run is just about at its peak.
  • Wallowa Lake can be a good early season bet for kokanee.
  • Trout stocking continues with thousands for fish headed for waterbodies near you.
  • Look for surfperch to start gathering near river mouths in April and May.
  • Negative tides on Friday and Saturday will create great conditions for clamming.

These examples are for demonstration purposes only. Check the zone reports for details and more options.‌

Learn more, including how to register.‌

Spring bear hunting opened April 1

With green up coming early in many parts of the state, it's not too soon to start planning your spring bear hunting trip.‌ See what to expect in the 2024 spring bears hunting forecast.‌

Catch more kokanee

We're starting to see the first kokanee references of the season in this week's Rec Report. These fun-to-catch, delicious-to-eat fish are found in waterbodies throughout the state. Here are some tips for catching them.‌



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More Reports


4-5-2024
SALEM, Ore. – April Fool’s Day was no joke for Oregon angler Rebecca Jones when she caught a monkeyface prickleback...... Read More

OR Department of Fish & Wildlife Reports
for Wednesday, April 3rd
Agate Lake: Redband trout are moving around
Campbell Reservoir: Catch rates for largemouth bass should be improving
Fourmile Lake: The Lake is blocked by snow and is currently 33 percent full
Gerber Reservoir: The reservoir is 41 percent full
Upper Klamath Lake: Fishing from shore at Howard Bay and Shoalwater Bay is improving slightly
Klamath River - Upper - OR: Klamath River Fishing Report
Lake Of The Woods: The lake is open water
Phillips Reservoir: Phillips held a good bit of water over winter and is now over half full
Pilcher Reservoir: Both reservoirs should fill throughout the spring
Thief Valley Reservoir: Over winter and throughout the spring, fishing has been good at times
Unity Reservoir: Unity Reservoir can be one of the most consistent trout fisheries in eastern Oregon
Applegate Reservoir: The reservoir is high enough now that Copper Boat Ramp is usable along with French Gulch
Arizona Pond: ODFW placed aquatic weed mats in the pond so anglers will see buoys indicating their presence
Ben Irving Reservoir: This should be a good time to fish Ben Irving
Cooper Creek Reservoir: No recent reports, but there should be some good trout fishing now
Coquille River: There are still a few hatchery and wild steelhead in the North Fork Coquille and South Fork
Diamond Lake: No recent reports from Diamond Lake. Ice conditions were decent for the past couple of weeks
Emigrant Reservoir: Emigrant is 53 percent full
Empire Lake Lower: Trophy trout were stocked in mid-March into Lower and Middle Empire lakes
Expo Pond: Fishing for warmwater fish should start picking up this weekend
Galesville Reservoir: No direct reports from anglers, but stories that some of the trophy trout have been being caught
Lake Marie: Lake Marie was recently stocked
Lake Selmac: Selmac will be stocked again this week
Lemolo Lake: Conditions remain the same for Lemolo
Lost Creek Lake: The Takelma and Stewart boat ramps are available for access by trailered boats
Rogue River - Middle: There are currently great conditions in the middle Rogue for fishing
Rogue River- Upper: Winter steelhead continue to move into the upper Rogue
Umpqua River: The mainstem has decent water conditions this week
North Umpqua River: Steelhead season is winding down quickly
South Umpqua River : Steelhead runs have slowed quickly this past week
Willow Lake: Willow is now 100 percent full
Alsea River: The Alsea River has been fair the past few weeks
Kilchis River: The Kilchis is getting low and clear but is still fishable
Nehalem River: The Nehalem has good catch-and-release opportunities for wild steelhead
Nehalem River- North Fork: The North Fork is getting low and clear
Nestucca River: The Nestucca River is in great condition for steelhead angling
Salmon River: The Salmon River is now closed for steelhead
Siletz River: The Siletz has been remaining fair and steady throughout March
Siuslaw River: The Siuslaw is now closed for steelhead
Three Rivers: Three Rivers should be fishable throughout the week
Trask River: The Trask River is in good shape for steelhead angling
Wilson River: The Wilson is getting a little low and clear
Yaquina River: Steelhead fishery is now closed on the Big Elk
Clackamas River: Winter steelhead can currently be found throughout the system
EE Wilson Angling Pond: The pond is stocked with trout from February through May
Foster Reservoir: The reservoir water level is near low pool
Green Peter Reservoir: The reservoir is usually stocked with trout in the spring
Junction City Pond: This pond has reopened to the public
Sandy River: Winter steelhead can currently be found throughout the system
Santiam River ( North Fork) : Fishing is slow this time of year
Santiam River (South Fork): Currently flows are around 2,850 cfs at the Waterloo gauge
Walter Wirth Lake: Stocked this week
Willamette River: Willamette River Report
Crooked River: The Crooked continues to fish well this spring
Fall River: Fly-anglers continue to report productive and consistent spring fishing in the Fall River
Haystack Reservoir: Haystack is currently at 75 percent full
Hood River: Conditions are looking really good for steelhead fishing on the Hood River
Ochoco Reservoir: The reservoir is 86 percent full
Prinevile Reservoir: Prineville Reservoir at 97 percent full
South Twin Lake: Roads to the Twin Lakes are not plowed and anglers may encounter snow