Bulletin staff report

Here is the weekly fishing report for selected areas in and around Central Oregon, provided by fisheries biologists for the Bend office of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. The ODFW’s complete report is available at its Web site (www.dfw.state.or.us). Click on ”Recreation Report.”

CENTRAL ZONE

CROOKED RIVER BELOW BOWMAN DAM: Opportunities for 8-16 inch rainbow trout and whitefish are good. Early morning and evenings continue to produce the best results. Nymphing with midge and scud patterns is effective. Fishing a hopper pattern with a dropper is also producing success.

LAKE BILLY CHINOOK: Kokanee are in pre-spawning condition resulting in limited fishing opportunities. A Tribal fishing permit is required for the Metolius Arm, as well as a State license.

LAKE SIMTUSTUS: Angling for 8-14 inch rainbow trout, with the occasional larger fish, is excellent. Kokanee are also present in the reservoir with fish up to 16 inches available. A Tribal fishing permit is required, as well as a State license.

OCHOCO RESERVOIR: Reservoir level is approximately 50 percent full. Boat ramp is operational and angling for rainbow trout should be good with cooler weather.

PRINEVILLE RESERVOIR: Opportunities for 12-16 inch rainbow trout should be improving with the cooler weather. Reservoir level is approximately 60 percent full.

WALTON LAKE: Opportunities for 8-15 inch rainbow trout are fair.

NORTHEAST ZONE

JOHN DAY RIVER: Smallmouth bass and channel catfish angling is fair. There are a few steelhead in the very lower reaches of the John Day River, although flows are still too low to start a significant migration upstream. River flows are about 100 cubic feet per second, which will limit floating access to small pontoon boats and other small inflatables. Flows in the 1,000 to 2,000 cubic feet per second range are best for drift boats and large rafts between Service Creek and Cottonwood Bridge. Extended periods of dry, hot weather have resulted in very low streamflows throughout the John Day River basin. Many tributaries have sections of dry streambed and where water is present, water temperatures are abnormally high. Anglers are urged to practice catch and release procedures outlined on page 33 of the angling synopsis for those fish not being kept.

LADD POND: Fishing is slow, but may get better with lower temperatures.

MORGAN LAKE: Fishing is fair to slow, but may get better with lower temperatures.

NORTH POWDER PONDS: Fishing is slow, but may get better with lower temperatures.

SOUTHEAST ZONE

ANTHONY LAKE: Trout fishing has been good.

BALM CREEK RESERVOIR: Good sized rainbows are being caught.

BEULAH RESERVOIR: The reservoir level continues to drop. It was down to 19 percent full on Sept. 19. Water level is below the bottom of the boat ramp. Trout angling is slow.

BLITZEN RIVER: Angling should be good for redband trout using small nymphs, small woolly buggers, elk hair caddis or hopper imitations. River flow was approximately 39 cfs on Sept. 19. Remember, special regulations are in effect. Catch and release for trout from Nov. 1 through May 27. Anglers may keep two trout per day from May 28 through Oct. 31.

BULLY CREEK RESERVOIR: The reservoir is 39 percent full and the boat ramp is accessible. Angling for warm water fish is fair.

BURNS POND: Angling is fair to good for rainbow trout using worms, Powerbait or spinners. Angling is fair to good for bass using a variety of gear.

CHICKAHOMINY RESERVOIR: Good angling for rainbow trout with recent cooler weather. Bait anglers have done fairly well with Powerbait on the bottom. Boats have done well trolling.

DELINTMENT LAKE: Angling has been fair to good for 10 to 14 inch rainbow trout. Bait anglers should have success with Powerbait on the bottom. Spinners have also worked well.

EAGLE AND WEST EAGLE CREEK: Fishing is fair.

FISH LAKE (Baker County): Angling for brook trout and rainbow is fair.

FISH LAKE (Steens Mountain): Angling is fair to good for rainbow trout. Anglers are doing best with worms or Powerbait on the bottom, or with flies.

GERBER RESERVOIR: Crappie, yellow perch and brown bullhead catfish are available and scattered throughout the lake.

GRANDE RONDE LAKE: Trout fishing should be good.

HARNEY COUNTY BLM STOCK PONDS: Most ponds were nearly full last spring and should have held fish over the winter. Trout angling should be good for ponds that held water over the summer.

HIGGINS RESERVOIR: The landowner has put a gate about ?223-179? mile from the reservoir, which allows foot access only into the reservoir. Only artificial flies and lures are allowed. Trout fishing should be good. Angler success will slow as water temperatures rise.

JUNIPER LAKE: The lake has been dry for the last few years, but has a little water this year. Unfortunately, there is not enough water to release fish.

KLAMATH AND AGENCY LAKES: Boat and bank angling for wild redband trout has been good. Anglers have had good success with bait, flies and lures at spring areas.

KLAMATH RIVER: Angling for wild redband has been fair on flies and lures.

KRUMBO RESERVOIR: Fair angling for rainbow trout. Bank anglers are doing best with Powerbait or worms. Fly anglers are picking up some fish using leech imitations. Midge imitations may also work. Heavy aquatic vegetation makes angling difficult on much of the lake.

LAKE OF THE WOODS: Angling for perch and bass has been good throughout the lake. Rainbow and brown trout angling has been good in the daytime. Night angling has been good.

LOST RIVER: Angling has been fair for warm water game fish and bullfrogs.

LONG CREEK RESERVOIR: Trout fishing is fair but the reservoir is mossy.

MANN LAKE: Angling has been slow for cutthroat trout.