ODFW Recreation Report

Photo Credit: COURTESY OF ODFW

by OR Department of Fish & Wildlife Staff
8-20-2020
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Big game hunters: Are you ready?
 

We’ve got information to help you plan your hunt

It’s not too soon to start thinking of your upcoming fall hunts. Be sure to check out MyODFW.com for resources to help with your planning, including the 2020 big game hunting forecast, the Big game hunter’s checklist7 things to consider if you didn’t draw a tagand the ODFW Recreation Report for big game hunting, which resumes this week.

High lakes fishing: A class where the teacher tells you to take a hike

Join ODFW for a hike-in fishing class to Shellrock Lake near Mt. Hood on Friday, Aug. 28. Experienced ODFW anglers will lead this hike and will be there to share their favorite fishing techniques and how they prepare for a hike-in fishing trip. Learn more and register.

Best bets for fishing this weekend

We’re still waiting for coho and Chinook to show up in a big way, so in the meantime trout and warmwater opportunities remain top picks:

  • Coffenbury Lake in Fort Stevens State Park near Astoria was sampled earlier this summer and had some nice largemouth bass that should be catchable. 
  • Cedar Creek Hatchery has started recycling summer steelhead on the Nestucca.
  • Bass have been biting at Cooper Creek Reservoir.
  • Anglers continue to do well on the South and Main Umpqua rivers for smallmouth. There is no limit on this species here and fishing can be fantastic.  
  • Half-pounder steelhead numbers are picking up every day on the lower Rogue.
  • Most boat ramps at Detroit Reservoir are open and anglers have been reporting excellent fishing.
  • Willamette River from Albany down to Salem for smallmouth and largemouth bass, fish with lures or streamer flies especially early or late in the day.  Largemouth bass are most common in slack-water areas while smallmouth bass hang out on the edges of the faster current.
  • Spaulding Reservoir was again great fishing this week. Rainbow trout from 12-16 inches were biting lures and flies very aggressively. The reservoir continues to drop so get out to harvest trout! 
  • The Chewaucan River should be fishing well. This is a great place to fish and swim late in the summer. 
  • Fishing has been great on the Owyhee River below the reservoir. Anglers may have success using hopper or other terrestrial fly patterns, in addition to mayflies and nymphs. 

Nothing listed seems quite the thing for you? Then check out the zone reports for a myriad of additional opportunities. 

Clamming, and some crabbing, remains closed to nonresidents

Clamming and mussel harvest remain closed to nonresidents along the entire Oregon coast. Crabbing is open to nonresidents from Cape Falcon (between Seaside and Tillamook) south to the CA border.

Download the latest MyODFW app

Version 2.3 will prompt you to update your app whenever a new version is available, and provides an easier way to access the ‘forgot username or password’ feature directly from the app. Learn more about other changes in this new release.

This newest version of the MyODFW app is now available in the Apple and Google Play stores.

Sign up for a hunter education class

Upcoming hunter education field days and traditional classes have resumed and are now being posted. Check out the list of upcoming classes.




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