Flows continue to drop but are still very fishable

OR Department of Fish & Wildlife Staff

Report Date:

http://www.dfw.state.or.us

With water conditions continuing to drop and water gin clear, smaller presentations are best to fish. Jigs under a sliding bobber and yarn balls dipped in scent are good bets. Spoons produced for some anglers this last weekend, as did glowbugs for fly anglers. 

Anglers are reminded that no bait is allowed on the Illinois River, and soft plastic imitations of eggs or worms are considered bait. Hence, leave your rubber pink worms or soft beads at home.

Illinois downstream of Pomeroy Dam is open to fishing for steelhead and trout, but closed year-round to salmon fishing. Upstream of Pomeroy Dam and all tributaries are also closed year-round. All fishing is closed from Fall Creek to 400 feet above Illinois Falls (just above Swinging Bridge). If you suspect illegal activity, please call OSP or the local ODFW District Office.

Trout fishing is mostly catch-and-release for wild trout as there is no hatchery on the Illinois system. 

Wild steelhead may be retained between Klondike Creek to Fall Creek and from 400 feet above Illinois Falls, upstream to Pomeroy Dam. Wild steelhead must be at least 24 inches long to harvest and the bag limit is 1 per day/3 per year in aggregate for the Southwest Zone rivers where wild steelhead harvest is allowed (consult SW Zone regulations).  

There is also good bank access along the Illinois River Rd. outside of Selma, all the way downstream to Miami Bar and Briggs Creek. Expect to hike to some of the better fishing spots. Please park outside of the white lines to keep roads clear. Do your part and pack out what you pack in, as well as someone else’s trash. There is trash service available at the Siskiyou Field Institute outside of Selma. 8-dollar road, just north of Kerby, also has good public access, but make sure not to leave valuables in your vehicle.

Much of the publicly accessible reaches of the Illinois River fall under the USFS Wild Rivers Ranger District. More information can be found on their website.

Flows continue to drop but are still very fishable.  The water is very clear.  Flows on Wednesday morning were 793 cfs/4.81 feet at Kerby. Check the USGS Kerby guage, which provides up to date river flow information.

More Reports


OR Department of Fish & Wildlife Reports
for Thursday, January 27th, 2022
Ana River: This can be an excellent time of year to fish Ana Rivers
Malheur Reservoir: The no bag limit emergency regulation on this reservoir is no longer in effect
Owyhee Reservoir: Anglers may have some success targeting redband trout and crappie this winter
Thief Valley Reservoir: Thief Valley Reservoir was very low throughout much of last year
Agate Lake: This is mostly a crappie and bluegill fishery with some bass in the mix
Applegate River: Applegate River Report
Ben Irving Reservoir:  New habitat structures in the upper reservoir may produce some good bass
Diamond Lake: Anglers are catching a few out on the ice
Emigrant Reservoir: Don’t expect much for fishing success out here
Expo Pond: Expect very cold mornings with very limited success
Fish Lake :  Anglers were still catching fish through the ice this past weekend
Galesville Reservoir: The boat ramp is just usable and anglers are taking advantage of it
Lake Selmac: Bass fishing should remain fair
Lemolo Lake: Trout should be hungry for those willing to try fishing
Lost Creek Lake: The lake is still well below average
Plat I Reservoir: Plat I is a great place to fish for warmwater fish this time of year
Rogue River - Middle: Winter fish are being caught from Galice to Rogue River
Rogue River- Upper: For the week of Jan. 19, 56 new summer steelhead entered the ladder bringing the year’s total to 3,128 fish
Umpqua River: Good number of fish in the main
Kilchis River: The Kilchis will be getting very low and clear this week
Clackamas River: Winter steelhead can now be found throughout the Clackamas River
Henry Hagg Lake: Hagg Lake continues to receive regular stocking
Sandy River: Winter steelhead can now be found throughout the Sandy River
Santiam River ( North Fork) :  For the next few months things are going to be fairly quiet as far as fishing on the river goes
Santiam River (South Fork): Currently flows are around 4,800 cfs at the Waterloo gage
Timber Linn Lake: Will be stocked this week with about 1,000 hatchery trout
Walling Pond: The pond was stocked last week
Waverly Lake: This lake was stocked last week
Crooked River: Anglers report fair fishing with the recent warm weather
Fall River: Anglers report good fishing in Fall River with the recent warm weather
Hood River: Winter steelhead are currently returning to the Hood River basin
Metolius River: Anglers report hit and miss blue wing olive hatches
Grande Ronde River: Last week, the Grande Ronde River rose about six inches and turned slightly murky
Brownlee Reservoir: Fishing will likely improve later in the year as the weather warm


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