Central Zone
Weekend fishing opportunities:
- While some popular fisheries like Crane Prairie and Wickiup closed for the season on Oct. 31, many water bodies remain open to fishing year-round. Fall can be an excellent time for trout fishing, so check out the options below.
- Pine Hollow, Bikini Pond and Taylor Lake were stocked recently with both legal-size and larger trout.
- North and South Twin Lakes have been stocked with 1,000 rainbow trout each.
ANTELOPE FLAT RESERVOIR: rainbow trout
The water is dirty, but anglers are reporting good catches of both stocked and carryover rainbow trout from 12-18 inches. Water levels are still good, the water is just below the paved portion of the ramp.
BEND PINE NURSERY: rainbow trout, bluegill, bass
Open to fishing all year. Anglers may keep two fish per day.
BIKINI POND: rainbow trout
The pond has been stocked and there should be good fishing before the winter weather sets in.
CENTURY POND: rainbow trout
The pond is located ¼ mile west of the junction of USFS Rd 46 (Century Drive) and USFS Rd 4635.
CLEAR LAKE: rainbow trout
No recent reports, the lake is likely getting low due to irrigation withdrawals.
CRANE PRAIRIE RESERVOIR: rainbow trout, brook trout, largemouth bass, kokanee
Closed to fishing for the season. Will reopen April 22, 2018.
CRESCENT LAKE: rainbow trout, brown trout, lake trout and kokanee
Open to fishing all year. One lake trout per day, 24-inch minimum length.
CROOKED RIVER: redband trout, mountain whitefish
Fishing opportunities for redband trout and whitefish are improving. Recent surveys indicate the trout population has rebounded considerably from 2016. Most fish are in the 8- to 12-inch range, with the occasional larger trout. We are excited to see this popular fishery coming back.
CULTUS LAKE: rainbow trout, lake trout
Open to fishing all year.
DAVIS LAKE: largemouth bass, redband trout
Open to fishing all year. Restricted to fly-fishing only with barbless hooks. Catch-and-release for trout. No limits on warmwater fish.
DESCHUTES RIVER, MOUTH TO THE PELTON REGULATING DAM: redband trout, summer steelhead, fall Chinook, whitefish
Recent rains have brought flows up in the Deschutes. This could make fishing for steelhead in the lower river challenging until flows subside.
Anglers are reminded that fall Chinook season closes to harvest on the Deschutes on Oct. 31, 2017.
Anglers who catch a tagged hatchery steelhead with an orange anchor tag, are encouraged to report catch information to ODFW at 541-296-4628. Anglers catching a tagged wild fish should release it immediately without recording any information.
Counts at the Sherars Falls salmon and steelhead trap. The trap is only in operation from July to the end of October. Trapping has ended at Sherars Falls for the season.
Lake Billy Chinook to Benham Falls: rainbow trout, brown trout
Open for trout all year. Fishing restricted to artificial flies and lures. No size or limits on brown trout and no harvest of bull trout.
Benham Falls upstream to Little Lava Lake:
Closed to fishing for the season. Will reopen May 22, 2018.
DEVILS LAKE: rainbow trout
Open to fishing all year.
EAST LAKE: rainbow trout, brown trout, kokanee
Open to fishing all year. Wild rainbow trout must be released. Cooler weather should bring excellent fishing, particularly for brown trout along the shoreline.
ELK LAKE: brook trout, kokanee, cutthroat trout
Open to fishing all year. 25 kokanee per day in addition to daily trout limit. No size limits on kokanee. Fall is an excellent time to target brook trout along the shoreline.
FALL RIVER: rainbow trout
Open to fishing all year. Restricted to fly-fishing only with barbless hooks.
HAYSTACK RESERVOIR: rainbow trout, kokanee, largemouth bass, black crappie, bluegill
Fishing should be good this year. The reservoir was stocked with 9,500 legal-size trout and 75 brood fish. Warmwater fish are plentiful but tend to be on the smaller side.
HOOD RIVER: Summer steelhead, coho salmon
Recent rains have brought the river up considerably, a few summer steelhead and coho are around if the flows subside to fishable conditions.
HOSMER LAKE: brook, rainbow and cutthroat trout
Open to fishing all year. Restricted to fly-fishing only with barbless hooks. Catch-and-release for all species.
KINGSLEY RESERVOIR: rainbow trout
No recent reports.
LAKE BILLY Chinook: bull, brown and rainbow trout, kokanee, smallmouth bass
Bull trout are concentrated in the upper end of the Metolius Arm prior to and following spawning. Harvest limited to one fish over-24 inches. Tribal permit required for Metolius Arm. Opportunities for kokanee are poor. Brown trout opportunities in the upper part of the Deschutes Arm are excellent.
LAKE SIMTUSTUS: bull trout, rainbow trout, smallmouth bass
Opportunities for 12- to 16-inch rainbow trout are good. Tribal permit required.
LAVA LAKE (BIG): rainbow trout
Open to fishing all year.
LOST LAKE: rainbow trout
No recent reports.
METOLIUS RIVER: redband trout, bull trout
Closed to fishing above Allingham Bridge. Fishing is restricted to fly-fishing only upstream of Bridge 99 (Lower Bridge). Catch-and-release for trout including bull trout. Artificial flies and lures permitted below Bridge 99 (Lower Bridge). No bait allowed.
NORTH TWIN LAKE: rainbow trout
Open to fishing all year.
OCHOCO CREEK UPSTREAM TO OCHOCO DAM: rainbow trout
Fishing is restricted to artificial flies and lures only; two trout per day with an 8-inch minimum length. Trout 20-inches and greater must be released unharmed.
OCHOCO RESERVOIR: rainbow trout, black crappie, smallmouth bass
Opportunities for both wild and hatchery rainbow trout continue to be very good. Average size is 12-16 inches. Trout are widespread throughout the reservoir. Black crappie and smallmouth bass are also available. The boat ramp is unusable now.
ODELL LAKE: lake trout, kokanee, rainbow trout
Open to fishing all year. All tributaries to Odell Lake are closed to fishing. All bull trout must be released unharmed.
PAULINA LAKE: brown trout, rainbow trout, kokanee
Open to fishing all year. Wild rainbow trout must be released. Fall angling for brown trout should be good.
PINE HOLLOW RESERVOIR: rainbow trout, largemouth bass
Lake levels are low but fishing has continued to be fairly good. Pine Hollow has been stocked and fishing should be good.
PRINEVILLE RESERVOIR: rainbow trout, largemouth and smallmouth bass, crappie
Anglers are reporting much better rainbow trout fishing than the last few years with fish averaging 16 inches. Despite a die-off earlier this year, opportunities for black crappie continue to be excellent. The reduction in numbers will increase growth and size of remaining fish. The Powderhouse Cove boat ramp may be unusable but the State Park ramp is good.
PRINEVILLE YOUTH FISHING POND: rainbow trout and largemouth bass
Trout stocking will resume when the water temperature is suitable.
ROCK CREEK RESERVOIR: rainbow trout
No recent reports. The Lake level is low.
SHEVLIN YOUTH FISHING POND: rainbow trout
Open all year. Open to youth only (17 years and under) and disabled anglers. Limit is two fish per day.
SOUTH TWIN LAKE: rainbow trout
Open to fishing all year. Fall fishing should be good.
SPARKS LAKE: cutthroat trout
Open to fishing all year. Fly-fishing only, barbless hooks required.
SPRAGUE POND: rainbow trout
Turn at Cow Meadow sign off USFS Rd 40. Take first left at first dirt road and follow road to pond.
SUTTLE LAKE: brown trout, kokanee
Open to fishing all year. 25 kokanee per day in addition to daily trout limit. No size limits on kokanee.
TAYLOR LAKE (Wasco County): rainbow trout, largemouth bass
No recent reports, but fishing should improve with cooling temperatures. The lake has been stocked and anglers are reporting good fishing.
THREE CREEK LAKE: rainbow trout, brook trout
Open to fishing all year. Opportunities for rainbow and brook trout are good.
WALTON LAKE: rainbow trout
Angling for rainbow trout is excellent with both boat and bank anglers reporting good catches of 12-18 inch rainbow trout. All gear types are producing good results. Anglers are reminded no boat motors are allowed on Walton.
WICKIUP RESERVOIR: kokanee, brown trout, rainbow trout, largemouth bass
Closed to fishing for the season.