ODFW Recreation Report


by OR Department of Fish & Wildlife Staff
10-20-2022
Website

Elk hunters: Look for CWD check stations

This year, successful elk hunters have a new reason to stop at ODFW check stations on their way home. ODFW is testing elk for the presence of chronic wasting disease (CWD), a fast-spreading neurological disease that could impact Oregon’s elk and deer populations. Getting your animal tested will help ODFW detect, monitor and manage CWD. Learn more about CWD and the dates and locations of check stations.

Turn in wings and tails

Grouse and mountain quail hunters, please turn in your bird’s wings and tails – our biologist use them to help assess bird populations and set seasons. Use this map to find blue collection barrels where you hunt.

Best bets for weekend fishing

Looks as if we’re in for some cooler, wetter weather, which should be good news for anglers.

  • Rains predicted for the end of this week and early next week may be enough to move salmon into the North Coast rivers.
  • Salmon fishing in the estuary of the Chetco has been good, and anglers have been picking up a few in the lower river as well.
  • There have been rumors of good striped bass fishing in the Smith River.
  • More than 15,000 coho salmon have been counted at Willamette Falls. Enough rain could start pushing them into tributary rivers such as the Yamhill, Mollala, Rickreall, Luckiamute and the Santiam. 
  • Fall can be a great time for trout fishing in locations as diverse as the North Fork Santiam above Detroit Reservoir, Foster Reservoir, the McKenzie River, the Fall River, Crane Prairied Reservoir, and the Grande Ronde, Umatilla and Wallowa rivers.
  • Anglers are still catching kokanee in the Metolius arm of Lake Billy Chinook.
  • High elevation, hike-in lakes are usually snowed in by late October/November. Fish them now while you still can.
  • Crabbing is still open in bays and estuaries. Crabs have hardened and are full of meat.

Get legal shooting hours online

Bird hunters can check legal shooting hours on their phone. Bookmark this page.




More Reports

ODFW Recreation Report

10-13-2022
Learn how to duck hunt ODFW will be offering two two-day duck hunting workshops on Nov. 12-13 in the Portland area...... Read More

OR Department of Fish & Wildlife Reports
for Wednesday, October 12th, 2022

Campbell Reservoir: There are likely no fish in the reservoir
Upper Klamath Lake: Upper Klamath Lake Report
Klamath River - Upper - OR: Klamath River Report
Lake Of The Woods: Fishing for yellow perch remains a good bet
Sprague River: Best fishing is near the town of Beatty
Williamson River: The river is exceedingly clear and flows are low
Wood River: Fishing for brown trout and redband trout should be good this week
Agate Lake: Agate remains at 13 percent full at the end of irrigation season
Coos River: The wild coho season in the Coos Basin closes on Oct. 15
Coquille River: Anglers have been catching striped bass in the lower Coquille River
Emigrant Reservoir: Emigrant remains at 4 percent full at the end of irrigation season
Fish Lake : Fish Lake is filling with the input of various springs and is now at 21 percent full
Rogue River - Middle: Middle Rogue River Report
Rogue River- Upper: Artificial fly season is in place through Oct. 31
Tenmile Lakes: The wild coho salmon fishery opened in Tenmile Lake on Oct. 1
Alsea River: Cutthroat trout are abundant and can be found throughout the Alsea basin
Nehalem River: Fall Chinook fishing has improved on Nehalem Bay
Salmon River: Fall Chinook fishing continues to be slow on the Salmon River
Siletz River: Fall Chinook fishing has slowed down on the Siletz
Yaquina River: Fall Chinook fishing and coho fishing has been steady on the Yaquina
Fall Creek Reservoir: Fall Creek Reservoir is currently being drawn down
Foster Reservoir: The drawdown of the reservoir for winter storage capacity has started
Gold Lake: Not accessible at this time
Hills Creek Reservoir: Hills Creek Reservoir was last stocked the week of Oct. 3
Salmon Creek: Salmon Creek Update
Santiam River ( North Fork) : Fishing for Chinook is now closed through Oct.15
Santiam River ( North Fork) Above Detroit Lake: Flows are currently around 430 cfs
Crane Prairie Reservoir: Reservoir water level is moderate at 69 percent full
Hood River: Turbidity due to glacial melt
Laurance Lake: Anglers have had success bank fishing throughout the reservoir
Metolius River: The Metolius River continues to fish well
Ochoco Reservoir: The reservoir is very low
Wickiup Reservoir: The reservoir is very low at 3 percent
Deschutes River: 16.4 lb. Steelhead
Imnaha River: Imnaha River Report
Snake River- Below Hells Canyon Reservoir: Fishing for fall Chinook salmon has started to improve