FISHING

As the weather warms up so does fishing for warmwater species such as trout, largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead and yellow perch. And opportunities still exist for catching spring chinook and sea-run cutthroat trout.

Warmwater Fishing

FISHING HOT SPOTS

North Coast Rivers and Bays

North Coast Lakes and Ponds

Mid Coast Waterbodies

NORTH COAST RIVERS AND BAYS

Necanicum River: Cutthroat Trout

Open for catch and release trout fishing. Expect angling to be fair for resident cutthroat trout. Sea-run cutthroat will arrive later in the summer. Flies and small lures will produce the best results. Access to the river is available along Hwy 101 and Hwy 26 south and east of Seaside.

Nehalem River: Cuttthroat Trout, Spring Chinook

Open for catch and release trout fishing. Expect angling to be fair to good for resident cutthroat trout. Sea-run cutthroat will arrive in better numbers later in the summer. Flies and small lures will produce the best results. Trolling or casting lures or streamer flies could produce a few early sea-runs in tidewater areas. Access on the North Fork is available off Hwy 53 near Nehalem Hatchery (at about milepost 11), and the mainstem can be accessed along Nehalem River Road between Hwy 26 and Mohler.

Nehalem Bay: Chinook Salmon

Angling for chinook salmon in Nehalem Bay is slow during June. Expect a few fish to be caught trolling herring near the mouth late in the month. Boat access to the bay is available along Hwy 101 south and north of Wheeler.

Tillamook Bay: Spring Chinook, Sturgeon

Spring chinook salmon are still available in Tillamook Bay. Expect angling to slow down as most fish have passed through the bay to upriver areas. The best action should be in the upper bay and river tidewater areas. Trolling spinners, plugs, or herring are the most productive techniques in the upper bay, with bobber and eggs/shrimp producing fish in tidewater stretches. Boat access is available at Garibaldi, the 5th Street ramp in Tillamook, or at Memaloose boat ramp on Bayocean Road west of Tillamook. Bank access is limited. A disabled angling platform is available along Hwy 131 west of Tillamook (just west of Bayocean Road).

Sturgeon fishing is generally slow this time of year. Concentrate on the upper bay and Tillamook River tidewater. Crabs and other bait robbers are a problem in the lower bay. Sand shrimp or mud shrimp fished on the bottom are the preferred baits. Some bank access is available at the disabled angling platform along Hwy 131 or along Frasier Road on the Tillamook River tidewater. Boaters may also access the Tillamook River tidewater at the Burton Bridge launch just south of Tillamook at the intersection of Frasier Road and Tillamook River Road.

Trask River: Spring Chinook, Summer Steelhead, and Cutthroat Trout

Spring chinook, summer steelhead, and cutthroat trout angling should be fair to good. The river is likely to be low and clear unless substantial rains come. Fish will be concentrated in the deeper holes, and hatchery fish tend to stay in the lower river, although a few are available in the upper reaches. Bobber and eggs/shrimp are the most productive. Boaters should use caution?low flows will make drifting the lower river difficult due to numerous shallow riffles.

Summer steelhead will be scattered throughout the river up to the deadline at Trask County Park. Plan to fish small baits or lures on light line in faster moving water or pools.

The Trask River and the North, South and East forks are open for catch and release trout fishing. The forks all close June 15. Expect angling to be fair to good for resident cutthroat trout. Sea-run cutthroat will arrive in better numbers later in the summer. Flies and small lures will produce the best results.

The Trask River can be accessed off Long Prairie and Trask River roads near Tillamook. Forest roads follow the forks upstream of Trask County Park. Boat launches are available near Hwy 101 on Long Prairie Road, at Lorens Drift and the Cedar Creek slide along Trask River Road. Launches are also available at Stones Road and Peninsula Park on the upper river, however low flows make these upper stretches extremely hazardous this time of year and should be avoided.

Wilson River: Spring Chinook, Summer Steelhead, and Cutthroat Trout

Spring chinook, summer steelhead, and cutthroat trout fishing should be fair. The river is likely to be low and very clear unless substantial rains come. Fish will be concentrated in the deeper holes. Bobber and eggs/shrimp are the most productive. Boaters should use caution- low flows will make drifting the lower river difficult due to numerous shallow riffles. A pontoon boat is best for this river in the summer.

Summer steelhead will be scattered throughout the river up to the deadline at the South Fork Wilson River. For best results fish small baits or lures on light line in faster moving water or pools.

The river is open to catch and release trout fishing. Expect angling to be fair for resident cutthroat trout. Sea-run cutthroat will arrive in better numbers later in the summer. Flies and small lures will produce the best results.

The Wilson River can be accessed along Highway 6 from Tillamook east to the angling deadline at the South Fork. Boat launches are available at Sollie Smith (on Wilson River Loop), Donaldson bar (end of Donaldson Road off Hwy 6), and Mill Bridge gravel bar. Launches are also available at Siskeyville and Vanderzanden slides, however low flows make these upper stretches extremely hazardous this time of year and should be avoided.

Nestucca River: Spring Chinook, Summer Steelhead, and Cutthroat Trout

Spring chinook, summer steelhead, and cutthroat trout should be fair to good. The river is likely to be low unless substantial rains come. Fish will be concentrated in the deeper holes. Most hatchery fish will be available in Three Rivers and the mainstem Nestucca River below Beaver. Bobber and eggs/shrimp is the most productive. Diver and bait or plugs is productive for boaters if there is enough flow.

Summer steelhead will be scattered upstream to the deadline at Elk Creek and in Three Rivers. Try fishing small baits or lures on light line in faster moving water or pools. Anglers are reminded that no bait is allowed above Moon Creek at Blaine.

The river is open to catch and release trout fishing. Expect angling to be fair for resident cutthroat trout. Sea-run cutthroat will arrive in better numbers later in the summer. Flies and small lures will produce the best results.

The Nestucca River can be accessed along Hwy 101 from Cloverdale to Beaver, and long Nestucca River Road east to the angling deadline at Elk Creek. Boat launches are available at Cloverdale, Hansen Rd in Hebo, Farmer Cr. Wayside, and 1st Bridge above Beaver. Upper river launches are available at 4th Bridge and 6th Bridge, however low flows make these upper stretches extremely hazardous this time of year and should be avoided.

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NORTH COAST LAKES AND PONDS

Coffenbury Lake: Rainbow Trout

ODFW will stock with rainbow trout the week of June 4, prior to Free Fishing Weekend. A fishing event at the lake is scheduled for June 9 at Fort Stevens State Park from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Disabled access is available.

Angling for warmwater fish, especially largemouth bass, should be improving as the lake warms up. Fish the edges of the lake, particularly around woody structure.

Coffenbury Lake is located in Fort Stevens State Park west of Warrenton.

Sunset and Cullaby Lakesand Vernonia Pond: Rainbow Trout, Largemouth Bass, Panfish, Carp

ODFW’s trout stocking in these lakes is complete for 2007. Angling is likely to be slow to fair as many fish have been caught and others will be scattered. Fishing bait off the bottom or under a bobber is the most common technique.

Fishing for warmwater fish should be fair to good. Both lakes have largemouth bass up to several pounds. A few panfish are available also. Target weeds or woody debris around the lake shores. Sunset Lake has a high population of carp also.

Sunset and Cullaby Lakes can be accessed off Highway 101 between Seaside and Warrenton. Vernonia Pond is located on the north end of the town of Vernonia.

Lost Lake: Rainbow Trout

ODFW stocked with rainbow trout the week of May 14. Fishing should be fair. The next scheduled stocking is the week of June 18. Most people fish bait off the bottom or under bobbers. Casting small lures will produce some fish also. A small boat may be launched at the lake.

The lake is accessible off forest roads leading from Nehalem River Road near Spruce Run Campground, or off Highway 26. Active logging is occurring around the lake this summer. Travel restrictions may be in effect. Contact the Oregon Department of Forestry in Astoria at (503) 325-5451.

Cape Meares, Hebo, and Town Lakes: Rainbow Trout

ODFW will stock with rainbow trout the week of June 4 prior to Free Fishing Weekend. A free fishing day event hosted by the U.S. Forest Service will be held June 9 at Hebo Lake from 8:00 a.m. to noon. Disabled access is available.

Town and Cape Meares lakes offer fair fishing for largemouth bass.

Town Lake is located on Sandlake Road near Pacific City, Hebo Lake is located on Forest Rodd 14 northeast of Hebo, and Cape Meares Lake is located on Bayocean Road west of Tillamook.

Lytle, Smith, Spring, South, North, Battle and Tahoe Lakes: Rainbow Trout, Largemouth Bass, Yellow Perch

ODFW’s trout stocking is complete for the year. Expect angling to be slow to fair as many of the trout have been caught.

Lake Lytle offers the best warmwater fishing opportunity. Good numbers of largemouth bass are available, with some up to 5 lbs. Some yellow perch are also available. Smith Lake also has some yellow perch but most are very small. Boat access is available at Lytle.

Lytle, Smith and Spring Lakes are located just off Hwy 101 near Rockaway Beach. North and South Lakes are located off Forest Road 14 northeast of Hebo (just a few miles from Hebo Lake). Battle Lake is a walk-in lake. Access to the trailhead (blocked road) is off forest roads leading from E. Beaver Creek Road near Hemlock. Tahoe Lake is located in the headwaters of the South Fork Trask River. Follow South Fork Trask River Road from Trask County Park (approximately 8 miles).

Nedonna Pond and Trask Hatchery

Free Fishing Weekend events will be held at these locations for youths on June 9. Nedonna Pond’s event will run from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. for young anglers 12 and under. Trask Fish Hatchery’s event will run from 8 a.m. until noon for anglers 12 and under and all ages from noon until 3 p.m. Contact ODFW in Tillamook, (503) 842-2741, for more information.

Nedonna Pond is located just north of Rockaway Beach. Trask Hatchery is located at 15020 Chance Road in Tillamook.

Lake fishing guides for Clatsop and Tillamook counties are available at the Tillamook ODFW office and on the ODFW website. The pamphlets highlight the major lakes in the areas, and include driving directions to each lake.

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MID COAST WATERBODIES

Siletz River: Summer Steelhead

The summer steelhead run peaks in July but has good returns by early June. The run is monitored three days per week at a fish trap in the mainstem Siletz River. Returning hatchery fish are recycled back down river and released at Moonshine Park. Run status can be checked by calling the Newport Office, (541) 867-4741. Best fishing opportunities are from the bank located near Moonshine Park, river mile 52.5 and up river to the fishing deadline, river mile 64.5 and/or road mile 12.5. Public and private roads run along the river from Moonshine Park up to the fishing deadline. A variety of spoons, spinners or jigs can be effective, and bait is allowed. Best fishing typically occurs in the morning and late afternoon hours. Only adipose clipped steelhead may be retained. Cutthroat trout angling can also be good in this area using similar methods. Fishing conditions will remain the same through June.

Public driving access above the 1 mile marker on the gravel Gorge Logging Road is limited to weekend only but walking and/or bike riding is allowed during weekdays. Caution should be taken on the Gorge Road because of logging activity in the area. To reach Moonshine Park, travel approximately 7 miles east of the town of Siletz along the Logsden Road to the town of Logsden and turn north after crossing the Siletz River and go approximately 4 miles directly to Moonshine Park.

Big Creek Reservoirs 1&2: Rainbow Trout

Both reservoirs are stocked on multiple occasions through May and early June with legal-sized rainbow trout. Fishing will remain productive through the month of June. Good road and bank access runs along the north side of both reservoirs. Casting small spoons and spinners, bait and bobber sets and/or sinkers 18 inches up from a piece of power bait are all effective techniques. Small boats may be used (no actual launch) but no gasoline motors are allowed.

The reservoirs are located on the north end of Newport. Head north on Hwy 101, turn east (left) onto 31st and then turn right onto Harney Drive and left on Big Creek Road.

Olalla Reservoir: Rainbow Trout, Returning Hatchery Steelhead and Large Mouth Bass.

Olalla Reservoir is privately owned by Georgia Pacific Lumber Company. Public access is allowed during daylight hours only. A small boat launch exists but no gasoline motors are allowed. The reservoir is stocked by ODFW on multiple occasions in May through early June with legal-sized rainbow trout. Periodically excess steelhead trout are released into the reservoir. In addition, a variety of warmwater species inhabit the reservoir such as yellow perch, bullhead and large mouth bass but at lower levels.

From Newport, travel east along Hwy 20 to approximately Mile Post 7. Turn north on Olalla Road and continue a few miles to the road ends at the reservoir.

Siltcoos and Tahkenitch Lakes: Large Mouth Bass, Perch, Bluegill, Cutthroat Trout, Crappie, Brown Bullhead

Each of these large lakes has one or more day-use parks and boat launch as well as a seasonal campground. The lakes are known for producing good numbers of large mouth bass, yellow perch, blue gill, crappie and brown bullhead. The best fishing opportunities will be from a boat. However, there are a few docks associated with the day-use parks and campgrounds as well as other private camp locations along the lakes. Both lakes have numerous fingers full of shoreline vegetation and log structures ideal for many of these species. Also, there are numerous weed beds in deeper sections of the lake ideal for perch as well as numerous railroad trestles which are good structure to key in on. Casting or trolling lures can be very effective for bass and trout. Using a variety of small jigs and/or bait set ups works well near shoreline structure.

Siltcoos and Tahkenitch Lakes are large lakes located south of Florence along Hwy 101 between the Siuslaw River to the north and Umpqua River to the south. Signs along Hwy 101 mark the lakes.