The Oregon Fish & Wildlife Report
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ODFW Recreation Report
May 15, 2019
One week left to apply for “Premium” hunt of a lifetime and other controlled hunts:
Ladd Marsh Bird Festival May 17-19
Catch the height of spring migration and nesting in the Grande Ronde Valley
With an exceptionally diverse bird population, Ladd Marsh Wildlife Area is hosting the 14th annual Ladd Marsh Bird Festival May 17-19, 2019. The festival offers an uncrowded, family-friendly birding opportunity for expert and novice birders.
Introduction to Big Game Hunting
This first class in ODFW’s new Learn to Hunt Big Game series will cover reasons for hunting, and the what, where and when of hunting for big game in Oregon. Evening classes are scheduled in Tualatin (May 22 and 23) and Albany (May 29).
Learn more and register here.
Best bets for GREAT weekend fishing
It will be cooler and wetter this weekend, but the fishing will still be hot. Here are some highlights:
- Warmwater fisheries are improving in several lakes around the Florence area including Siltcoos, Tahkenitch, Mercer, and Munsel.
- Hopefully this bit of rain and cooler temps will get more spring Chinook moving in the Nestucca River and Tillamook Bay.
- Shad have been on the bite in the Umpqua River.
- Now would be a good time to get out to the higher elevation lakes in the Umpqua district for some early season trout fishing.
- Detroit Reservoir is scheduled to receive 5,000 trophy-size rainbows this week so that’s a destination definitely worth considering if a beautiful backdrop and husky trout sound appealing.
- Antelope Flat Reservoir and Walton Lake near Prineville are accessible and recent sampling indicates lots of fish in the 8- to 18-inch range.
- In the Southeast Zone, crappie fishing has been excellent on Gerber, Campbell, and JC Boyle reservoirs.
- Smallmouth bass anglers should hit the miles (and miles) of rocky shoreline along the Columbia River. Remember, the shallow bays warm first!
- Wallowa County ponds on the forest and in the valley received a fresh batch of stocked trout this week and fishing should be good.
Find more details about all the weekend opportunities in the zone reports.
May 18 – a busy Saturday for Family Fishing Events
The Saturday there will be free Family Fishing Events in Waldport, Powers, Parkdale and Hermiston. At each event, ODFW staff and volunteers will show you everything you need to know to go fishing – from baiting the hook to landing your catch. We’ll even loan you the gear you need. No pre-registration is required.
Find details for each event here.