Willamette Valley
Oregon
Editor’s Note: This report is reprinted from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife recreation reports. ActiveLifestylesNW.com focuses on a different fishing zone of Oregon each week. Fishing zones include the southwest, northwest, Willamette, central, southeast, northeast, Snake, Columbia and marine areas of Oregon. For more information, go to http://www.dfw.state.or.us/rr/
Winter steelhead are moving into the Willamette River basin and fishing conditions are good on the Clackamas, Molalla, Sandy, and Santiam rivers.
Walling, Waverly and Junction City ponds, as well as Walter Wirth Lake, were stocked with large brood and other in mid-December, and some of those fish should still be available.
New salmon, steelhead, sturgeon endorsement
Anglers fishing for salmon, steelhead or sturgeon in the Columbia River and its tributaries are now required to have a Columbia River Basin endorsement. See a map of the Basin and get more information.
If your favorite fishing spot is no longer listed
It’s probably because that river, lake or reservoir is closed for the season, inaccessible due to snow and bad roads, or offers limited fishing opportunities during the winter months. These waterbodies will re-appear in the Recreation Report when they re-open next spring, or when access and/or opportunity improves.
ALTON BAKER CANOE CANAL: trout
Alton Baker Canoe Canal will be stocked next in late January. Some holdover hatchery fish may continue to be available from upper Canal releases. Summer steelhead are occasionally caught in this system and anglers are reminded they will need a combined angling tag and a Columbia River Basin Endorsement to legally target or harvest a steelhead. It is legal to fish with two rods in the Alton Baker Canoe Canal, provided the Two-Rod Validation has been purchased.
The canal is located within Alton Baker Park and can be accessed off of Club Road in Eugene. The Canoe Canal is located in downtown Eugene behind Autzen Stadium. A 4-acre pond at the midpoint of the canal is a good spot but it can be fished all along its 2-mile length from Day Island Road in Eugene to Aspen Street in Springfield.
BLUE RIVER: trout, steelhead
Blue River both above and below Blue River Reservoir is closed to fishing until April 26, 2014.
BLUE RIVER RESERVOIR: trout, warmwater species
Blue River Reservoir is located east of Eugene near the town of Blue River, north of Highway 126 and is open to year-round fishing.
CANBY POND: rainbow trout
Canby Pond is a 1-acre pond located on the south end of Canby in Canby City Park. The park is south of Hwy 99E and adjacent to the Molalla River. Angling restricted to youth age 17 and under or holders of one of the Disabled Anglers permits.
CARMEN RESERVOIR: trout
Carmen Reservoir is accessed via FS Road 750 off Hwy 126, about 2 miles south of Clear Lake, and is open all year. Motor boats are prohibited on Carmen Reservoir.
CHEADLE LAKE: bass, bluegill
This 60-acre former mill pond in Lebanon provides an excellent warm water fishing experience for the beginner as well as the seasoned angler. Largemouth bass up to 16 inches and panfish up to 9.5 inches were reported in mid-June. To get there take Russell Road east off Main Street about a mile. There is a small boat ramp and ADA fishing dock at the parking lot and foot access most of the way around the pond.
CLACKAMAS RIVER: winter steelhead
After a weekend of heavy rain the Clackamas came up some but not as much as expected and should be in ideal angling condition by mid-week. There was some effort over the weekend with reports of an occasional fish caught, both hatchery and wild, between Gladstone and Barton. Fish were landed all the way up to the McIver Park so the winters appear to be spread throughout the river now.
Monday hydrological data shows flows up to 6,480 cfs, a gauge reading in Estacada of 14.46 ft., and the water temperature near 42°.
CLEAR LAKE: trout
Clear Lake is open to angling all year. Naturally reproducing brook trout are also available. The lake is accessed from Highway 126 approximately 70 miles east of Springfield. Cabins and row boats are available for rent from Clear Lake Resort.
COAST FORK WILLAMETTE RIVER: trout
The Coast Fork of the Willamette River is open to catch-and-release fishing for trout.
COTTAGE GROVE POND: trout, warmwater species
Cottage Grove pond will be stocked again in February. To access the pond, travel east from Cottage Grove on Row River Road. Cottage Grove Pond is located behind the truck scales and may be accessed via an asphalt pathway. Only the pond with the dock is stocked with hatchery trout.
COTTAGE GROVE RESERVOIR: trout, warmwater species
Cottage Grove Reservoir will next be stocked in late February. Holdover trout are also available to anglers. The reservoir is south of Cottage Grove and is open to angling all year.
NOTICE: The Oregon Health Authority has issued a health advisory updating information about eating fish caught in Cottage Grove Reservoir. Under the advisory issued June 5, 2012 people can safely consume up to nine meals per month of hatchery-grown rainbow trout month that are 12 inches in length or less. People can distinguish hatchery-grown rainbow trout by the absence of the adipose fin, which is clipped before hatchery fish are released into streams and reservoirs. Despite the new exception for rainbow trout, mercury contamination for resident warm-water fish, including bass, bluegill, crappie and bullhead continues to be a concern. Women of childbearing age, particularly pregnant or breastfeeding women, children under six years of age and persons having liver or kidney ailments should avoid eating any fish from this reservoir other than rainbow trout. Healthy women beyond childbearing age, other healthy adults and healthy children six years of age and older should eat no more than one 8-ounce meal of fish other than rainbow trout per month.
CRESWELL POND (GARDEN LAKE): trout, warmwater
Creswell Pond will next be stocked in February. The pond is located in Garden Lake Park on the east side of I-5 in Creswell and is open to fishing all year.
DETROIT RESERVOIR: trout, kokanee
Located 50 miles east of Salem, this large lake (approximately 3,600 acres at full pool) receives over 100,000 trout throughout the year. The reservoir was stocked in mid-October with 7,000 legal-sized rainbow trout. The water elevation has dropped below the toe of most boat ramps but Mongold State Park Low Water Ramp is still barely available. Check with local outfitters in the town of Detroit to find out more.
DEXTER RESERVOIR: trout
Dexter Reservoir will next be stocked in late February. The reservoir is adjacent to Highway 58 near Lowell and is open all year.
DORENA RESERVOIR: trout, warmwater
Dorena Reservoir will next be stocked in March. The reservoir is east of Cottage Grove on Row River Road and is open all year.
DORMAN POND: trout
Stocked the week of April 29 with 2,000 legal-sized rainbow trout. This is an 8-acre pond west of Forest Grove at the junction of Hwy. 8 and Hwy. 6.
EAGLE CREEK: winter steelhead
A weekend of rain has resulted in perfect fishing conditions on the creek, a bit off color and dropping. Increased effort observed on both this past Sunday and Monday would typically be an indication that anglers are having some success or anticipating it. Those giving it a shot are reminded that reduced smolt release numbers in recent years have resulted in lower returns of winters to the creek.
Long stretches of Eagle Creek run through private property, particularly up near the hatchery and from an area below the lower ladder on down past Bonnie Lure to the mouth. Anglers are advised to pay close attention to where you fish and we encourage you to ask permission prior to accessing or crossing private lands on your way to your favorite fishing hole. See Page 15 of the Oregon Sport Fishing Regulation pamphlet for more information on “Your Rights to Use the Surface, Bed, and Banks of Oregon’s Rivers and Lakes.”
FARADAY LAKE: trout
Stocked the week of Sept. 2 with 1.200 legal-sized rainbow trout. Faraday Lake is located one mile southeast of Estacada at the Faraday Hydroelectric Project.
FERN RIDGE RESERVOIR: largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead
This 9,000 acre lake just 12 miles west of Eugene is the Willamette Basin’s largest water body. Two of the boat ramps are currently open, Orchard Point and Richardson Park. For local information regarding the lake, contact the Lane County Parks Department at 541-682-2000.
This lake is mostly shallow with a band of deep water from the original channel of the Long Tom River. The reservoir produces crappie over 12 inches and bass angling has been very good in recent years. Best time of year for crappie is in spring after the water temperature reaches the mid-50s, but fish can still be found in deeper water year round. July and August are peak months for largemouth bass. Fish the shoreline along the southern part of the reservoir, especially the sloughs and inlets where there is underwater structure.
FOSTER RESERVOIR: trout, bass, perch, catfish
This scenic 1,200-acre reservoir on the South Santiam River is located just 30 minutes from Interstate 5. There is good bank access at several rest stops and campgrounds, and three seasonal boat ramps. It was stocked in September with 10,000 rainbow trout. Please remember that kokanee and only adipose fin-clipped trout may be taken and there are no limits on size or number of bass. Sunnyside Park and Gedney boat ramps are available at this time. From I-5 take US 20 east from Albany to the town of Sweet Home. The reservoir is 3 miles past the town on the left.
GREEN PETER RESERVOIR: kokanee, trout, bass
This large reservoir east of Sweet Home is a premier kokanee fishery with a bag limit of 25 fish per day. It also supports stocked rainbow trout and a good population of smallmouth bass. Reservoir levels have dropped to winter low levels but Thistle Creek boat ramp is open.
HIGH MOUNTAIN LAKES: trout (rainbow, brook, cutthroat)
Cold weather has arrived and most of our high mountain lakes are freezing up. Anglers interested in ice fishing in these lakes are advised to be very cautious as ice consistency can be extremely variable. Lists of stocked Willamette basin high cascade lakes are available on-line – see Willamette Zone, North and South Willamette High Lakes.
HILLS CREEK RESERVOIR: trout, warmwater fish
Hills Creek Reservoir is open to fishing all year. All non-adipose fin-clipped trout and salmon must be released unharmed. This reservoir is stocked annually with 100,000 adipose fin-clipped spring Chinook fingerlings and 200,000 adipose fin-clipped rainbow trout fingerlings. These fish grow to catchable size within a year.
HILLS CREEK above HILLS CREEK RESERVOIR: Closed to fishing until April 26, 2014.
JUNCTION CITY POND: trout, crappie
Junction City is a popular stocked trout fishing pond located about 2 miles south of Junction City on 99W on the west side of the highway. There is excellent access around the entire 8-acre pond. The pond was stocked before Christmas with 54 extra-large brood trout averaging about 10 pounds each along with 350 larger fish in the 14-inch range. It was stocked again last week with 2,250 legal, 150 larger and 350 two-pound rainbow trout. As a reminder, zone regulations apply: five trout daily may be kept and only one over 20 inches. The steelhead stocked are considered ‘trout’ and the only-one-over-20-inches regulation applies.
LEABURG LAKE: trout
Leaburg Lake is closed to fishing until April 26, 2014.
MCKENZIE RIVER below Leaburg Lake: trout, salmon, steelhead
The McKenzie River below Leaburg Lake is currently open to catch-and-release fishing for trout and fishing for harvest for steelhead. Gear use is restricted to flies and lures. Some steelhead should still be available in the river, although pressure has been light. A Columbia River Basin Endorsement is required for anglers targeting salmon and steelhead in the McKenzie.
MCKENZIE RIVER above Leaburg Lake: trout, steelhead
The McKenzie River above Leaburg Lake is closed to fishing and will re-open April 26, 2014.
MOLALLA RIVER: winter steelhead
The Molalla flows are looking much improved now after the weekend rains and once we see decent numbers of winters passing Willamette Falls anglers can bring out the steelhead gear, if they haven’t already.
Since most of the steelhead passing the falls this time of year are wild winters, anglers should be aware that a majority of fish entering the Molalla will be unmarked wild fish resulting in a predominantly catch and release fishery.
MT HOOD POND: trout
Stocked the week of Oct. 7 with 1,500 rainbow trout ranging in size from 8-13 inches. The pond also offers angling for several different species of warm water fish including crappie, bluegill, and catfish. Anglers are reminded that from April 1 through Aug. 31 fishing at Mt. Hood Pond is restricted to youths 17 and under as well as individuals who possess a valid Oregon Disabilities Fishing Permit.
