Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife Recreation Report

The Oregon Fish & Wildlife Report

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March 5, 2020

Highlights from this week’s Recreation Report:

Register now for April turkey hunting clinics

There are clinics for both youth and adults. At all of them, participants will learn about scouting, calling and camouflage, and get some hands-on coaching in archery and shotgun skills. These popular clinics fill fast, so register soon.

• Youth Turkey Hunting Clinics, April 4 at White River Wildlife Area near Tygh Valley and at Denman Wildlife Area at Central Point.
• Adult Turkey Hunting Clinics, April 10 and 11 (sign up for one) at EE Wilson Wildlife Area near Monmouth.

Learn more and register.

Best bets for the weekend fishing

There’s something for almost every angler this weekend – trout are being stocked, steelhead is still around, lingcod catches are good on the south coast and even warm water fishing is picking up. Here are just a few options, check the zone reports for more.

• Water levels in north coast rivers are a bit low to be “prime,” but there is plenty of steelheads around and still being caught. The Nestucca and Wilson Rivers are angler’s best bets for hatchery fish this time of year. The mainstem Nehalem offers the best opportunity for wild steelhead (catch-and-release only).
• With the continued unseasonably nice weather, local reservoirs such as Emigrant and Selma in the SW Zone would be great places to try for the bass bite. Applegate Reservoir has even produced some bass as of late.
• March can be a great month for trout fishing in the Holy Water, the stretch of the upper Rogue between the hatchery and the Lost Creek Lake spillway.
• Anglers continue to catch some steelhead in the mainstem Umpqua, in spite of unseasonable low water levels.
• Kokanee anglers have reported some early season activity deep in Green Peter Reservoir.
• The Deschutes, Crooked, Fall and Metolius rivers have good spring fishing for native redband trout.
• Fishing in lakes, reservoirs, and ponds can be fabulous immediately after ice-off. Holdover trout are hungry and willing to bite. With the onset of warmer spring temperatures, many waterbodies in the SE Zone already are ice-free – see Warm Springs, Pole Creek, Krumbo and Big Rock reservoirs — and fishing should be good.
• Early spring is a good time of year to target trout on Willow Creek Reservoir.
• Steelhead returns to the Umatilla increased substantially in February, and river conditions are perfect.

Shed hunt responsibly

It’s that time of year when people head to the woods looking for antlers that have been shed by Oregon deer and elk. It’s also a critical time for big game animals coming through the winter, so shed hunting responsibly can help protect vulnerable animals.

Apply for your 2020 big game hunt

Every year you say you’re going to apply early to avoid the last-minute rush. Time to make it happen, though technically you have until May 15.

There are several ways to apply.

Add a Premium Hunt application to your shopping cart

You could draw an additional deer, elk or pronghorn tag

Premium Hunts are your chance to draw a second tag in addition to your controlled or general season tag. The application deadline is May 15, but you don’t have to wait ‘til then to apply.

LEARN MORE ABOUT PREMIUM HUNTS.

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