Best bet fishing spots from the ODF&W
By Shannon McKone on Thursday, July 15th, 2021 in Eastern/Southeast Oregon News More Top Stories
BAKER COUNTY – The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife recently implemented emergency regulations that begin in several angling zones. The new rules were issued due to the severe drought that is putting the state’s salmon, steelhead, trout, and sturgeon at risk. The regulations are in effect until Sept. 30 but could be lifted early or extended further depending on conditions.
The ODF&W has released their Recreation Report which includes some of their “Best bets for fishing.” Those locations are as follows:
- Summer steelhead fishing is an option in the Nestucca, Three Rivers, Wilson, Siletz and upper Roque rivers. The first summer steelhead should be hitting the Deschutes any time now.
- Anglers have been catching resident cutthroat trout in most coastal rivers and streams. And look for the larger, more aggressive sea-run cutts to start entering the rivers later this month.
- Lost and Hemlock lakes offer trout anglers reasonable fishing throughout the summer.
- Eel and Selmac lakes have been fishing well for warmwater species such as bass and bluegill.
- Salmon anglers fishing the Coos between the jetties may be able to pick up a Chinook salmon following baitfish into the Coos estuary.
- Spearfish anglers have been reporting some success harvesting smallmouth bass in the South Fork Coquille River.
- Quartzville Creek and North Santiam above Detroit have been stocked recently and are in excellent shape.
- Fishing for trout and warmwater fish at Lake of the Woods should be good. The lake is getting additional stocked trout originally intended for Fourmile Lake.
- Trout fishing has been good at Unity and Thief Valley reservoirs, where water levels remain good.
- Upper Deep Creek and tributaries in Lake County should be great right now. The streams should be cool and there are a lot of average-size redbands and brookies to be caught.
- July and August are the time to for bass in the lower reaches of the Grande Ronde and Imnaha rivers.
- Wallowa Lake has been stocked with trout. Fishing for both trout and kokanee has been good.
