

Recreation Report
March 26, 2025
ACCESS A REPORT
Includes updates to fishing, crabbing and clamming
Spring hunting forecasts
Bear opens on April 1, turkey on April 15
The 2025 spring black bear and wild turkey hunting forecasts are now online. See what our local wildlife biologists are saying about the upcoming seasons.
Let baby wildlife stay wild
Young animals are rarely orphaned, so leave them where you find them. Chances are, mom is nearby watching and waiting for you to go away before she rejoins her young. Learn more.
Enjoy shed hunting responsibly
Late winter/early spring is a popular time for deer and elk shed hunting. It's also a critical time for big game animals still recovering from winter. Follow these rules and guidelines to help protect these animals.
We'll stock millions of trout this year
And some will be for you! Each year, ODFW stocks millions of trout in the state's ponds, lakes and reservoirs for anglers to catch and keep. Check the trout stocking schedule and maps for locations near you.
Best bets for weekend fishing
With high water, steelhead fishing this weekend might be tough. But early spring trout fishing for holdover or stocked fish could be excellent.
- Winter steelhead runs are winding down in several coastal locations and, on some, this will be the last weekend to fish before the season closes. Be sure to check the regulations before heading out.
- The ice has continued to melt on several SE Zone reservoirs – like Beulah, Chickahominy, Malheur and Pole Creek – and fishing the open water for holdover trout should be very good.
- There's also plenty of open water on Howard Prairie, Hyatt Lake and Fish Lake, where early spring fishing for holdover trout can be good.
- At Haystack Reservoir anglers report good fishing for both trophy-size excess brood hatchery trout and holdover trout in the 16 to 17-inch range.
- Boats can now launch on Wallowa Lake – good news for trout and kokanee anglers.
- Redband trout fishing from bank and boat is fair on Upper Klamath and Agency lakes.
- Anglers are catching spring Chinook on the Columbia, Willamette and Lower Rogue rivers.
- Kokanee fishing continues to be excellent on Lake Billy Chinook with fish averaging 13 inches. Tips for catching more kokanee
These examples are for demonstration purposes only. Refer to the zone reports for more details and possibilities.