The Oregon Fish & Wildlife Report
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ODFW Recreation Report
April 24, 2019
Family fishing events for April 27
ODFW will be hosting free Family Fishing Events at Devil’s Lake (Lincoln City), Empire Lake (Coos Bay) and Trojan Pond (Rainier) on Saturday, April 27. ODFW staff and volunteers will show you everything you need to know to go fishing – from baiting the hook to landing your catch. Heck, we’ll even loan you the gear you need. No pre-registration is required.
Find details for each event here.
Take aim at fish
ODFW will be hosting a free Family Bow Fishing Event on Saturday, May 19 at Fern Ridge Lake. This unique style of fishing offers anglers a new take on fishing and archers a new way to put their skills to work. Gear and instruction will be available. Or, bring your own gear if you have it.
Best bets for weekend fishing
There’s spring Chinook, steelhead, trout (rainbow and brown) and warmwater species on the radar for this weekend. Here are just a few possibilities:
- The first spring Chinook of the season has been caught on the Trask, and success on Tillamook Bay will not be far behind.
- Spring Chinook fishing also has been hot on the lower Rogue, and some of these fish already have made their way to the middle sections of the river.
- Look for striped bass in the lower Smith River.
- Trout fishing should be good in Howard Prairie Reservoir, Hyatt Lake and Fish Lake, all of which will be stocked again this week. And don’t overlook Applegate and Lost Creek reservoirs, both of which have been stocked recently.
- Anglers are finding a mix of winter and summer steelhead in the Sandy and Clackamas rivers.
- Bass and bluegill fishing should be good in Cooper Creek Reservoir and Loon Lake.
- Crane Prairie and Wickiup reservoirs opened to fishing on April 22 and early reports have been good.
- The Wood, Sprague and Upper Williamson rivers also opened on April 22, and anglers have been catching brown trout on the Wood.
- If recent ice fishing success is any indication, fishing for holdover trout should be good on Wolf Creek and Unity reservoirs.
- After a few days of warm weather, warm water fishing in the Owyhee Reservoir can be good.
- Roulet Pond has been stocked with 1,100 legal-size and 125 trophy-size rainbow trout. A new fishing pier was constructed last fall and anglers with disabilities will enjoy excellent fishing access at this pond.
Find more details about all the weekend opportunities in the zone reports.
Skip the line, apply online
Apply early for 2019 big game tags
There’s always a mad rush just before the May 15 application deadline. Why put yourself through that? Whether you’re applying online (have you verified your account?) or at an ODFW office or license agent, apply now for your 2019 hunts.
2019 spring turkey hunting forecast
ODFW wildlife biologists offer the latest intel on current conditions and opportunities in their local areas. For in-season updates, be sure to check the weekly Recreation Report.
Check out the turkey forecast.