Fishing report
Published 8:56 am Thursday, August 17, 2017
- Surrounded by freshly snow covered Cascade Mountains, a fly fisherman casts his line while fishing Lava Lake. (Ryan Brennecke / The Bulletin)
ANTELOPE FLAT RESERVOIR: (rainbow trout) Anglers are reporting good catches of both stocked and carryover rainbow trout from 12 to 18 inches. Anglers should target the deeper water near the dam.
BEND PINE NURSERY: (rainbow trout, bluegill, bass) Anglers may keep two fish per day.
BIKINI POND: (rainbow trout) The pond has warmed past best fishing opportunities for trout. Good opportunity will return in late summer or early fall as temperatures cool.
CLEAR LAKE: (rainbow trout) The lake was stocked late this year, and should be in perfect shape for the weekend.
CRANE PRAIRIE RESERVOIR: (rainbow trout, brook trout, largemouth bass, kokanee) Anglers report fair fishing in the mornings. Wild rainbow trout must be released. Only one trout longer than 20 inches per day.
CRESCENT LAKE: (rainbow trout, brown trout, lake trout and kokanee) Open to fishing all year. One lake trout per day, 24-inch minimum length.
CROOKED RIVER: (redband trout, mountain whitefish) Angling opportunities for redband trout and whitefish are improving. Recent surveys indicate the trout population has rebounded considerably from 2016. Most fish are in the 8- to 12-inch range, with the occasional larger trout. We are excited to see this popular fishery coming back.
CULTUS LAKE: (rainbow trout, lake trout) Open to fishing all year.
DAVIS LAKE: (largemouth bass, redband trout) Open to fishing all year. Restricted to fly-fishing only with barbless hooks. Catch-and-release for trout. No limits on warm-water fish.
DESCHUTES RIVER, MOUTH TO THE PELTON REGULATING DAM: (redband trout, summer steelhead, whitefish) Special regulations are in effect for the Deschutes from Moody Rapids downstream to the Columbia River. For the period from June 16 to Aug. 31, 2017, only one hatchery steelhead is allowed in the adult salmon daily bag limit. Unfortunately, due to expected low returns of spring Chinook in the Deschutes basin, spring chinook fishing will remain closed in 2017. By permanent rule, Chinook fishing has re-opened Aug. 1. Steelhead are numbers are low to date, but a few should be available in the lower river. Anglers who catch a tagged hatchery steelhead with an orange anchor tag, are encouraged to report catch information to ODFW at 541-296-4628. Anglers catching a tagged wild fish should release it immediately without recording any information. Counts at the Sherars Falls salmon and steelhead trap. The trap is only in operation from July to the end of October. Trapping has ended at Sherars Falls for the season.
LAKE BILLY CHINOOK TO BENHAM FALLS: (rainbow trout, brown trout) Open for trout all year. Fishing restricted to artificial flies and lures. No size or limits on brown trout and no harvest of bull trout.
BENHAM FALLS UPSTREAM TO LITTLE LAVA LAKE: Wild rainbow trout must be released. Two trout per day (including brook and brown trout, kokanee, and hatchery rainbow trout.
DEVILS LAKE: (rainbow trout) Open to fishing all year.
EAST LAKE: (rainbow trout, brown trout, kokanee) Angler report good fishing for trout. Open to fishing all year. Wild rainbow trout must be released.
ELK LAKE: (brook trout, kokanee, cutthroat trout) Open to fishing all year. Twenty-five kokanee per day in addition to daily trout limit. No size limits on kokanee.
FALL RIVER: (rainbow trout) River will be stocked with rainbow trout this week. Open to fishing all year. Restricted to fly-fishing only with barbless hooks.
HAYSTACK RESERVOIR: (rainbow trout, kokanee, largemouth bass, black crappie, bluegill) Fishing should be good this year. The reservoir was stocked with 9,500 legal-size trout and 75 brood fish. Warm-water fish are plentiful but tend to be on the smaller side.
HOOD RIVER: (Summer steelhead) Anglers are reminded that spring Chinook angling closed on the Hood River on June 30, 2017. Anglers will find a few summer steelhead available in the river. Water temperatures may limit fishing opportunity, as glacial melt will limit water clarity.
HOSMER LAKE: (brook, rainbow and cutthroat trout) Open to fishing all year. Restricted to fly-fishing only with barbless hooks. Catch-and-release for all species.
KINGSLEY RESERVOIR: (rainbow trout) The lake has been stocked and should be good fishing. Bank anglers are having success along the dam.
LAKE BILLY CHINOOK: (bull, brown and rainbow trout, kokanee, smallmouth bass) Opportunities for 10-13 inch kokanee are excellent. Best success has been reported in the Metolius Arm. Bull trout are beginning to move toward the upper end of the Metolius Arm prior to spawning. Harvest limited to one fish more than 24 inches. Tribal permit required for Metolius Arm.
LAKE SIMTUSTUS: (bull trout, rainbow trout, smallmouth bass) Opportunities for 12-16 inch rainbow trout are good. The reservoir has been recently stocked. Tribal permit required.
LAVA LAKE (BIG): (rainbow trout) Open to fishing all year.
LAVA LAKE (SMALL): (rainbow trout, brook trout) Open to fishing all year.
LOST LAKE: (rainbow trout) The lake has been stocked and should be good fishing. Additionally, Lost Lake received an extra stocking of trophy trout.
METOLIUS RIVER: (redband trout, bull trout) Fishing is restricted to fly fishing only upstream of Bridge 99. Catch-and-release for trout including bull trout.
NORTH TWIN LAKE: (rainbow trout) Open to fishing all year.
OCHOCO CREEK UPSTREAM TO OCHOCO DAM: (rainbow trout) There are usually some nice-size trout in the creek during the spring. Fishing is restricted to artificial flies and lures only; two trout per day with an 8-inch minimum length. Trout 20-inches and greater must be released unharmed.
OCHOCO RESERVOIR: (rainbow trout, black crappie, smallmouth bass) Opportunities for both wild and hatchery rainbow trout continue to be very good. Average size is 12-16 inches. Trout will be moving into the deeper water with the warm weather. Black crappie and smallmouth bass are also available.
ODELL CREEK: (rainbow trout) Catch-and-release for trout including bull trout.
ODELL LAKE: (lake trout, kokanee, rainbow trout) Open to fishing all year. All tributaries to Odell Lake are closed to fishing. All bull trout must be released.
PAULINA LAKE: (brown trout, rainbow trout, kokanee) Open to fishing all year. Wild rainbow trout must be released.
PINE HOLLOW RESERVOIR: (rainbow trout, largemouth bass) The lake has been stocked and fishing has been good, especially for trophies.
PRINEVILLE RESERVOIR: (rainbow trout, largemouth and smallmouth bass, crappie) Anglers are reporting much better rainbow trout fishing than the last few years with fish averaging 16 inches. Despite a die-off earlier this year, opportunities for black crappie continue to be excellent. The reduction in numbers will increase growth and size of remaining fish.
PRINEVILLE YOUTH FISHING POND: (rainbow trout and largemouth bass) Fishing should be good for the recently stocked trout.
ROCK CREEK RESERVOIR: (rainbow trout) No recent reports. Lake levels are likely dropping from irrigation withdrawals.
SHEVLIN YOUTH FISHING POND: (rainbow trout) Open to youth only (17 years and under) and disabled anglers. The limit is two fish per day.
SOUTH TWIN LAKE: (rainbow trout) Open to fishing all year.
SPARKS LAKE: (cutthroat trout) Open to fishing all year. Fly fishing only, barbless hooks required.
SPRAGUE POND: (rainbow trout) Turn at Cow Meadow sign off Forest Road 40. Take first left at first dirt road and follow road to pond.
SUTTLE LAKE: (brown trout, kokanee) Open to fishing all year. Twenty-five kokanee per day in addition to daily trout limit. No size limits on kokanee.
TAYLOR LAKE: (rainbow trout, largemouth bass) Recent warm temperatures will limit success on rainbow trout, the lake should continue to offer good bass opportunity.
THREE CREEK LAKE: (rainbow trout, brook trout) Open to fishing all year.
WALTON LAKE: (rainbow trout) Angling for rainbow trout is excellent with both boat and bank anglers reporting good catches of 12-18 inch rainbow trout. All gear types are producing good results. Anglers are reminded no boat motors are allowed on Walton.
WICKIUP RESERVOIR: (kokanee, brown trout, rainbow trout, largemouth bass) Twenty-five kokanee per day in addition to daily trout limit. No size limits on kokanee.