March 19, 2026

Includes updates to fishing, crabbing and clamming, and wildlife viewing

It’s Spring Break!

We’ve been out trout stocking lakes throughout Oregon for your vacation week. Find the weekly trout stocking schedule here.

Spring Whale Watching Week

A spring break tradition in Oregon since 1978! Volunteers set up at locations along the coast to help people glimpse gray whales as they migrate off the Oregon coast this time of year. Last year, a rare, endangered orca was spotted from a Depoe Bay charter! And if you want to know more about orcas, stop by the Depoe Bay Whale Watching Center March 21 or 22, ODFW will be there.

2026 spring bear: Draw results are available and the spring bear forecast is also online now, check your hunt areas and start scouting to prepare before the season opening on April 1.

2026 spring turkey forecast coming next week.

Reminder to report your late season 2025 big game tags by April 15.

Trappers remember to submit your Furtaker Harvest Report by April 15.

Check ODOT Trip Check online for statewide road conditions, closures and updates before you go.

Some wildlife areas remain closed to the public or closed to vehicles until April 15. Check Wildlife viewing on the weekly recreation report.

Reminder that a Rogue-South Coast Steelhead Validation is required for all winter steelhead anglers fishing in the Rogue Basin or on the South Coast from Dec. 1-April 30. A wild steelhead harvest tag is required to keep wild winter steelhead in this area.

Best bets for weekend fishing:

• As a general reminder for Anglers: Maximize distance from bank anglers and other boats. Safely row or motor around anglers and other boats and avoid motoring nearshore and in shallow areas!
• Check the zone in which you intend to fish before you head out. Access can change quickly with flooding, snow and ice conditions.
• Grab a shovel or rake and your shellfish license. Butter, cockle and gaper clams are waiting to be dug.

Northwest:

• Most of the North Coast rivers completely blew out last week with many at or above flood stage. They’re currently dropping back into shape and should be in great condition for winter steelhead fishing by the weekend. The freshet put fish on the move. Expect good fishing over the next week. The Nestucca, Wilson, and North Fork Nehalem will be the best choices for finding hatchery fish while other basins (including the Little Nestucca, Trask, Kilchis, Nehalem, and Necanicum Rivers) all have catch and release opportunities for wild steelhead.
• It’s trout time! Most North Coast lakes will receive the first stocking of hatchery rainbow trout this week. Water conditions are good in lakes and trout will be hungry and ready to bite. See the stocking schedule link below for which lakes are being stocked. (South Lake in Tillamook County will not be stocked this week due to numerous downed trees on the access road. We will get these fish in as soon as the road is open.)
• Coffenbury Lake, Vernonia Pond, Lost Lake, and Sunset Lake have all been stocked with hundreds of surplus hatchery winter steelhead (over 600 in Coffenbury) to provide additional angler opportunity. Catching a steelhead in still water can be a fun and unique experience and offer a chance for steelhead when the conditions on the rivers aren't good.
• Winter Steelhead is off to a strong start on our midcoastal systems. After the rains we got the past few weeks, lots of fish have pushed in and up into our systems. The Alsea and Siletz have had a decent number of fish being caught, and the Siuslaw is doing well!

Southwest:

• Applegate, Chetco, Rogue and Umpqua South rivers may show an increase in winter steelhead activity with the recent rains.
• Trout stocking has opened opportunities for early success!

Columbia River:

• Regulation updates are now posted for the 2026 sturgeon fishery, and regulation changes for the 2026 spring Chinook fishery. See the fishing regulations update page.

Willamette:

• Check the Family Fishing event schedule weekly to plan your next outdoor adventure this spring.
• Dust off your gear for the season on one of the local ponds, trout fishing is fun for the whole family.

Central:

• Shevlin Park youth and disabled fishing pond received its first trout stocking of the year this week. This should provide an excellent spring break angling opportunity.
• Broodstock rainbow trout were stocked into Haystack Reservoir, Ochoco Reservoir, Pine Nursery Pond, North Twin Lake and South Twin Lakes in January and February. This is a rare and exciting opportunity to catch trophy trout from Wizard Falls Hatchery, many in the 4-8 lbs. range. As a reminder, to allow everyone a chance at catching one of these fish, only one fish over 20 inches long can be harvested each day.
• Anglers continue to report excellent kokanee and bull trout fishing at Lake Billy Chinook. Anglers had positive reports from the Metolius Arm of Lake Billy Chinook following the March 1 opener.
• The Crooked and Metolius Rivers continue to provide excellent winter angling opportunities.
• Anglers report excellent nymphing opportunities on Fall River.

Northeast:

• McKay Reservoir is open as of March 1.
• Steelhead are throughout the Grande Ronde, Umatilla, Wallowa, and Imnaha Rivers. The best steelhead fishing is traditionally through March.
• Anglers continue to catch trout from the shore near the boat launch at Willow Creek Reservoir.

Snake:

• Sturgeon are in exciting fish to catch. No retention is allowed; they must be released unharmed and without removing from the water.

Southeast:

• A few holdover Rainbow Trout are being caught in Lake of the Woods.
• Best fishing for wild, native trout in the Klamath Basin will be the Klamath River.
• The Upper Williamson River above Kirk Road Bridge is now open year-round. Access remains available.
• Nice holdover trout in the Malheur River below Warmsprings right now.
• Crappie fishing in Owhyee Reservoir has been good.
• Bank fishing for rainbow trout has been good at Ana Reservoir.
• The Cascade Ramp at Hyatt is open. This year at Howard Prairie, the Grizzly, Willow Point and Klum Landing ramps will be available for the first time in many years. Biologists expect a temporary boost in productivity at Howard and Hyatt as large stretches of inundation zone are rewatered and producing aquatic food items again. Trout should be fat and happy!

Marine

• Good report of anglers landing rockfish and lingcod around Newport, Depoe Bay, Charleston.
• Crabbing in Newport and Waldport has been slow. Crab quality is good as shells have hardened and are full of meat.
• Grab a shovel or rake and your shellfish license. Butter, cockle and gaper clams are waiting to be dug.

Refer to the zone reports for more details and possibilities.

Hunter Education:

Hunter safety conventional courses and field days are available now--Sign up early and get ahead of the game for the 2026 season!

Learn to Hunt:

Register now for Spring Turkey Hunting Workshops—build the knowledge and confidence to pursue wild turkeys before the season opens.

Angler Education:  

• Plunking Workshop—springers have sprung, sign up for a fun day of fishing on the Columbia.
• Fly-Fishing Workshop is open for registration, learn the basics to break into the world of fly-fishing.https://vem.myodfw.com/eventprofile/649https://vem.myodfw.com/eventprofile/643

View the report