Bulletin staff report

Here is the weekly fishing report for selected areas in and around Central Oregon, provided by fisheries biologists for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife:

CENTRAL ZONE

COLUMBIA RIVER from BONNEVILLE RESERVOIR to JOHN DAY DAM: Retention for sturgeon opened Jan. 1, in Bonneville and The Dalles reservoirs. Anglers are encouraged to read the 2006 fishing regulation changes on this Web site for updated sturgeon regulations and seasons.

CRESCENT LAKE: Resort ramp is open. Weather permitting Crescent Lake provides good opportunity for lake trout, brown trout, rainbow trout and kokanee.

CROOKED RIVER BELOW BOWMAN DAM: Opportunities for 8-16 inch rainbow trout and whitefish are fair to good. The high river flows are anticipated to drop through the week. By the weekend flows should be near 200 CFS . Angling should improve considerably once fish adjust to the lower flows.

DESCHUTES RIVER: Flows on the Deschutes River are currently very high and unfishable. If these high flows subside, the area around Maupin should the best opportunity for catching summer steelhead. Prior to the high water, fly fishermen were having success with large nymphs and indicators. Those tactics will likely yield the most success when the high water subsides. Although trout fishing can be slow during this time of the year, some fish can be found by fishing slow water and back-eddies with an indicator and nymphs. On warm gray days blue-winged olives should begin to hatch. Anglers are reminded that fishing is now closed until April 22 on the Deschutes from the nothern boundary of the Warm Springs Indian Reservation to Pelton Dam.

FALL RIVER: Angler reports are that the bite can be good one day and off the next. There is good opportunity for rainbow trout in the upper river.

HAYSTACK RESERVOIR: Opportunities for 14-20 inch brown and rainbow trout are fair to good.

HOOD RIVER: Winter steelhead have started to enter the lower Hood River. Visibility is good this week and anglers are reporting catch of bright winter steelhead.

LAKE BILLY CHINOOK: The Metolius Arm is closed to angling until March 1. Opportunities for rainbow, brown and bull trout and kokanee in the Deschutes and Crooked Arms are good to excellent.

METOLIUS RIVER: No recent reports on angling activity. The Metolius River provides catch and release opportunity for rainbow trout and bull trout though there have been no recent reports from anglers. Please consult angling regulations for regulations specific to various reaches of river.

OCHOCO RESERVOIR: Opportunities for 10-16 inch rainbow trout are good. Boat ramp may not be operational due to ice.

PRINEVILLE RESERVOIR: Opportunities for 12-16 inch rainbow trout are fair to good. No recent reports.

TAYLOR LAKE: Taylor Lake, near The Dalles, has been stocked with legal sized rainbow trout and should offer good angling opportunities.