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ODFW weekly recreation report

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ODFW weekly recreation report

free fishing dayODFW Weekly Recreation Report

Includes updates to fishing, hunting, crabbing, clamming, and wildlife viewing.

February 5, 2026

Come visit us at the Pacific Northwest Sportsmen’s Show Feb. 11-15 at the Portland Expo Center. Stop by our booth to chat about your hunt plans for 2026 or let us help you plan. Join the ODFW Passport activity and participate in magnet fishing at the entrance and win prizes. Enter the Trip of a Lifetime raffle to join ODFW on a fishing research trip in Oregon’s marine reserves or on a Rocky Mountain goat survey in northeast Oregon. Join one of our seminars to hear more about fishing and hunting opportunities from our biologists. ODFW in partnership with the Sportsmen Shows is offering free admission to 2026 Pioneer license holders; show your 2026 Pioneer license and photo ID at the door to get in free. We’ll see you there!

 

Check ODOT Trip Check online for statewide road conditions, closures and updates before you go.

Some wildlife areas closed to the public or closed to vehicles from Feb 1- April 15. Check Wildlife viewing on the weekly recreation report.

It’s your last chance to hunt geese in the NW Permit Zone as season ends in mid-February.

NEW turkey hunting opportunity: now through February 28, 2026, hunters may obtain a beardless turkey permit to allow the harvest of three hen wild turkeys or turkeys without a visible beard. See page 26 of the Game Bird regulations. This is a private land only hunt with separate regulations from the standard fall turkey hunt.

 

Complete your Spring Bear controlled hunt application by Feb. 10. Season opens April 1; look for our annual hunting forecast in late March.

Reminder that a Rogue-South Coast Steelhead Validation is required for all winter steelhead anglers fishing in the Rogue Basin or on the South Coast from Dec. 1-April 30. A wild steelhead harvest tag is required to keep wild winter steelhead in this area.

Find the weekly trout stocking schedule here.

Best bets for weekend fishing:

  • As a general reminder for Anglers: Maximize distance from bank anglers and other boats. Safely row or motor around anglers and other boats and avoid motoring nearshore and in shallow areas!
  • Check the zone in which you intend to fish before you head out. Access can change quickly with winter flooding, snow and ice conditions.

Northwest:

  • Winter steelhead fishing has picked up on the North Coast this past week and has been fair to good. The Nestucca River, Wilson, and North Fork Nehalem Rivers have all been fishing well and will provide some of the best opportunity to catch hatchery steelhead.
  • Coffenbury Lake, Vernonia Pond, Lost Lake, and Sunset Lake are stocked with surplus hatchery winter steelhead. Catching a steelhead in still water can be a fun and unique experience when the conditions on the rivers aren’t good.

Southwest:

  • This is good time of year for Chinook anglers to check wild Chinook bag limits for the locations they are planning to fish.
  • Lost Creek Reservoir has had great reports by folks trolling for rainbow trout.
  • Ice fishing has started at Diamond Lake and some other areas.

Willamette:

  • Several waterbodies will be stocked with trout Through February and March. .

Central:

  • Broodstock rainbow trout were stocked into Haystack Reservoir, Ochoco Reservoir, Pine Nursery Pond, North Twin Lake and South Twin Lakes the last week of January. This is a rare and exciting opportunity to catch trophy trout from Wizard Falls Hatchery, many in the 4-8 lb range. As a reminder, to allow everyone a chance at catching one of these fish, only one fish over 20 inches long can be harvested each day.
  • The Crooked and Metolius Rivers continue to provide excellent winter angling opportunities. Excellent dry fly and nymphing opportunities on Fall River.

Northeast:

  • Trout and whitefish fishing should be good through winter on the Wallowa River.
  • Steelhead are throughout the Grande Ronde, Wallowa, and Imnaha Rivers.
  • Kokanee fishing has been good on Wallowa Lake.
  • Perch fishing has been good at Phillips Reservoir with some large fish caught.
  • Steelhead fishing is good on the Umatilla River.
  • Trout can still be found on Willow Creek Reservoir.

Southeast:

  • Best fishing for wild, native trout in the Klamath Basin will be the Klamath River.
  • The Upper Williamson River above Kirk Road Bridge is now open year round. Access remains available.
  • There are some nice holdover trout in the Malheur River below Warmsprings.
  • Crappie are abundant in Wolf Creek Reservoir with some nicer fish around 8 inches available. Crappie fishing in Owhyee Reservoir has been good.
  • Channel catfish are a popular option. Find them in the Snake River and Owyhee Reservoir throughout the summer and early fall.
  • Biologists expect a temporary boost in productivity at Howard and Hyatt as large stretches of inundation zone are rewatered and producing aquatic food items again.  Trout should be fat and happy!
  • Anglers have been catching good numbers of perch and some nice sized tiger muskies in Phillips Reservoir.

Marine

  • Crabbing is slow in Newport, good in Florence. Crab quality is good with lots of meat.

Refer to the zone reports for more details and possibilities. 

Angler Education:

Steelhead 101 and other angler education opportunities are available.  Check the schedule at Angler workshops and events.

Hunter Education:

Hunter safety conventional courses and field days are offered in-person or choose an online course plus attend a live fire field day. Find a course in your area and get ahead of the game for the 2026 season!

Turkey hunting and Rifle Skills now available in workshops and events. Prepare for the hunt season, learn new skills or refresh for a more successful harvest. Plan your outdoor seasonal calendar now.

Oregon Parks Department seek ATV committee nominations

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oregon state parksSALEM, Oregon— Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) is seeking one volunteer to serve on the All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) Advisory Committee and ATV Grant Subcommittee and two volunteers on the ATV Highway Access Committee.

The ATV Advisory Committee opening is for “at-large ATV user”. The ATV Highway Access Committee positions are for “ATV User” and “member of the public”. All positions are four-year terms.

The seventeen-member ATV Advisory Committee meets once or twice a year. Duties include reviewing accidents and fatalities resulting from ATV recreation; reviewing changes to statutory vehicle classifications as necessary for safety considerations; reviewing safety features of all classes of ATVs; and recommending appropriate safety requirements to protect child and adult ATV operators.

The ATV Grant Subcommittee is responsible for reviewing and recommending grant funding in support of ATV recreational activities throughout the state. The grants support operations and maintenance, law enforcement, emergency medical services, land acquisition, safety/education, planning and development.

The Grant Subcommittee holds up to four public meetings per year that may be conducted either in-person or remotely. Computer access and experience is mandatory.

The ATV Highway Access Committee meets on demand, based on applications submitted. Duties include evaluating proposed ATV use on sections of State Highway rights-of-way and submitting a report to the Oregon Transportation Commission with a recommendation. Short sections of State Highways are proposed by local communities in order to make connections to ATV recreation areas.

Ideal candidates representing the interests of ATV trail users can live anywhere in Oregon with experience in at least one of the following areas:

  • Land management
  • Recreation planning
  • Trail planning or design
  • Recreation related volunteerism, or
  • A trail enthusiast who is uniquely qualified to evaluate statewide project proposals through other experience and involvement.

Strong candidates may also demonstrate an awareness of statewide recreational trail needs, other broad recreational issues and the importance of providing accessible recreational opportunities.

To apply for one of the open positions, go to the ATV-AC webpage and click the “Committee Interest Form” link at the bottom of the section. Applications will be accepted until 5 p.m. March 2, 2026.

For more information, contact Jeff Trejo, OPRD ATV Safety Education Coordinator, at [email protected] or 503-586-9622.

 

 

 

Another text scam claims you owe ODOT or DMV money – don’t fall for it

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“If you receive an unsolicited text message claiming to be from ODOT or DMV saying you owe money for an unpaid traffic fine or toll balance, it’s a scam. Do not click any links or provide payment or personal identifying information,” said Oregon DMV Public Information Officer Chris Crabb. “These are fake messages designed to steal your personal and financial information. We recommend you delete the message and block the sender.

”The latest scam messages are sent from an unknown phone number and typically begin with urgent language such as, “Evasion Notice for Oregon Traffic Court” or “Final Notice – Toll Violation (Oregon). The messages claim you have an unpaid traffic fine or toll balance and demand payment by a certain date to avoid enforcement actions and penalties. The texts may cite a phony Oregon State Administrative Code and urge you to click on a fraudulent URL that may seem valid because it includes ODOT, DMV or oregon.gov.

  • How to protect yourself
  • Do not click on links or respond to unsolicited messages claiming to be from ODOT or DMV.
  • Be cautious of any text message that demands immediate action or asks for personal information or payment.
  • Do not provide personal, financial or vehicle information through unknown websites.
  • Ignore and delete the text message and block the number to prevent further potential harm.
  • Report scams and suspicious communications to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission​. Include the sender’s phone number and any links included in the text.

What to do if you clicked on a link or provided personal information

ODOT and Oregon DMV will never request payment through an unsolicited text message, email, phone call or third-party website. You can always verify a message’s legitimacy by contacting ODOT directly at 1-888-Ask-ODOT and DMV directly at 1-855-540-6655. For more information about fraud prevention, visit oregondmv.com.

Siletz Tribal Council elects officers,

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Siletz Tribal Council elects officers,


Loraine Butler, Alfred “Buddy” Lane, IV, and Selene Rilatos were elected to the Tribal Council of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians in an election held Saturday, Feb. 7.
Butler, from Siletz, Ore., was elected with 375 votes; Lane, from Siletz, Ore., was elected with 464 votes; and Rilatos, from Toledo Ore., was elected with 469 votes. Seven candidates ran for the three open positions and the three who received the most votes were elected.
These individuals will serve alongside Delores Pigsley, Alfred “Bud” Lane III, Judy Muschamp, Robert Kentta, Reggie Butler, Jr., and Gerald Ben. Term of office is three years for each position on the nine-member council.
Enrolled members of the Siletz Tribe who are age 18 and older are eligible to vote in tribal
elections. The tribe has more than 5,700 enrolled members.
The swearing-in ceremony for the newly elected council members took place Feb. 8. Officers are elected on an annual basis and those selected for 2026 include:
• Delores Pigsley, chairman • Bud Lane III, vice chairman
• Robert Kentta, treasurer • Judy Muschamp, secretary
Pigsley currently has served 40.5 years as tribal chairman out of 47 years on the council, while Bud Lane has 28; Loraine Butler, 21; Robert Kentta, 20 years; Selene Rilatos, 6 years; Gerald Ben, 5 years; Buddy Lane, 3 years; and Judy Muschamp, 3 years; Reggie Butler, 1 year.

The Siletz Tribe has spent the last 48 years rebuilding its government and economic structure. The signing of Public Law 95-195 in 1977, which restored government-to-government relations between the Siletz Tribe and the federal government, started this process. The Siletz Tribe was the second in the nation – and the first in Oregon – to achieve restoration.
The Siletz Tribe was among the first to become a self-governance tribe, giving tribal government more control over services provided to enrolled members. Under self-governance, the U.S. government provides general funding to the tribe (rather than to specific programs), then tribal employees and the Tribal Council decide how funds will be spent.

For more information on the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, the tribal government, or the history of the tribe, you can visit the website at ctsi.nsn.us.

Ambulance Service Review Committee vacancy

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Ambulance Service Review Committee vacancy

Lincoln County is seeking volunteers to serve as Public Member,
Position 1 representative on the Ambulance Service Review Committee
The Ambulance Service Review Committee (ASRC) shall have the following powers
and duties (Lincoln County Code 7.840):
(a) Provide a review process for a regular random sampling of ambulance services
rendered in Lincoln County by each ambulance service provider.
(b) Provide a forum for review of complaints by consumers and others concerning the
quality of ambulance services provided in Lincoln County.
(c) Make recommendations to the Board of Commissioners in accordance with LCC
7.832(1) for revocation or suspension of an ambulance service area assignment, when
such recommendation appears appropriate pursuant to LCC 7.832.
(d) Periodically review the Lincoln County Ambulance Service Area Plan and make
recommendations to the Board of Commissioners concerning proposed updates and
amendments to the plan.
The committee meets quarterly, or when called upon by the Board of Commissioners or
its chair
The application and additional details can be found at
https://www.co.lincoln.or.us/570/Ambulance-Service-Review-Committee
For more information, contact Emergency Manager Samantha Buckley, Lincoln County
Courthouse, Room 103, 225 W. Olive Street, Newport, OR 97365. Phone: 541-265-
4199; Email: [email protected].
Completed applications may be delivered in person/mailed to, Lincoln County
Courthouse, 225 W. Olive Street, Room 110, Newport, OR 97365 or emailed to
[email protected]

MidCoast Watersheds Council presentation

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MidCoast Watersheds Council presentation

Join the MidCoast Watersheds Council for a presentation by Tyler Clouse from the Lincoln Soil and Water Conservation District and Llew Whipps from the Institute for Applied Ecology to learn about Oregon Silverspot Butterfly habitat restoration efforts at Cascade Head and surrounding areas for their February Community Meeting night.
Community members can join either in-person at the Pacific Maritime Heritage Center OR
online via Zoom by registering at the link below:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/NqrcE3_0SMmQMMB6hajqgw
To learn more about the event, visit their website:
https://www.midcoastwatersheds.org/events/2026/feb/tylerllew

WHEN:
Thursday, February 5, 2026
6:30 PM – 8 PM
WHERE:
Pacific Maritime Heritage Center
333 SE Bay Blvd., Newport, OR 97365

Commisssioner Claire Hall passes away

Don Williams
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Commisssioner Claire Hall passes away
Commissioner Hall passed away late Sunday night.

According to a press release from County Commission spokesperson Ken Lipp: “Commissioner Claire Hall passed away late Sunday evening, January 4, 2026, at
Providence Hospital in Portland after a brief illness.”

Details to follow.

Siletz River flood warning

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Siletz River flood warning
Siletz River 12/18/25 Photo by Don Williams, publisher

Lincoln County Community Members,

The National Weather Service has issued a Flood Warning for the Siletz River in effect from Thursday, December 18 to Friday, December 19. Current estimates show the Siletz River reaching 24.3 ft this evening, December 18. Additionally, significant rainfall in Lincoln County may cause hazardous conditions in other parts of the county including local flooding and possible landslides.

What – Moderate flooding is forecast.


Where – Siletz River
When – This afternoon to early tomorrow afternoon
Impacts – Above 25.0 feet, expect major flooding, with evacuations of residences and areas along the Siletz River between mile post 2.5 and mile post 5 on State Highway 229 near Sunset Landing downstream to Coyote Rock. Stay tuned to local media sources and law enforcement information for details.
Read the NWS Alert here: iNWS Alert


Additional Details:

At 9:30 AM PST Thursday the stage was 7.9 feet.
Bankfull stage is 12.0 feet.
Forecast …The river is expected to rise above flood stage this evening and crest around 24.3 feet late this evening. It will then fall below flood stage Friday morning.
Flood stage is 16.0 feet
http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood
If you live in the area, please take action now to prepare:

Allow for extra driving time, check ODOT Trip Check or 511 before you go in the affected area
Turn around, don`t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles.
Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize the dangers of flooding.
Motorists should not attempt to drive around barricades or drive through flooded areas.
Check on vulnerable neighbors, friends and family that may be affected
Periodically check your property, stream banks, buildings for effects from the storm event
Use sandbags to reroute water away from structures
Stay informed:
Monitor National Weather Service information and updates (website or Facebook)
NWS Watches/Warnings for Lincoln County
Check current conditions page on County EM website
Check specific river levels on County EM Website
Check your Lincoln Alerts profile if you want to receive alerts specifically for the Alsea, Salmon, Siletz, Yachats, and Yaquina rivers co.lincoln.or.us/alerts
Those with addresses in the FEMA flood plains are pre grouped to receive flood notification messages based on their location.
Resources – Lincoln County EM Website

Flooding and River Levels
Current Conditions (Alerts and Warnings)
NWS Weather Information
Lincoln County Sandbag Station information available here.
Road Conditions – Trip Check or dial 5-1-1
Utility Power Outages

Gale warnings through Monday 12/15

Don Williams
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Gale warnings through Monday 12/15
Gale warning through 12/15. Image by Grok AI

The Northwest Weather Service (NWS) issued a Gale Warning (a serious alert for strong storm-level winds at sea) on December 13. It covers ocean waters off the northern Oregon coast and southern Washington coast.

Affected area: The Pacific Ocean waters along the coast from Cape Shoalwater (near the southern Washington coast, just north of the Columbia River mouth) down to Cape Foulweather (near Depoe Bay on the central Oregon coast). This includes: Close to shore (out to about 10 nautical miles).
Farther offshore (10 to 60 nautical miles out).

Timing: Small Craft Advisory (caution for smaller boats): Starts tonight (December 14) around 7 PM and lasts through Sunday night (December 14) around 10 PM.
Gale Warning (more dangerous conditions): Kicks in Sunday night around 10 PM and continues until Monday afternoon (December 15) at 4 PM.

Expected conditions: During the Small Craft Advisory: Waves 6–9 feet high, combined with south winds blowing steadily at 17–29 mph (gusts up to 34 mph). This is rough enough to make boating tricky or unsafe for smaller vessels.

During the Gale Warning: Much worse – waves building to 13–18 feet tall, with strong south winds of 34–46 mph (gusts up to 57 mph). These are gale-force winds, creating very hazardous, choppy seas.

Why it’s dangerous: Strong winds and big waves can flip or damage boats (especially smaller ones), make steering nearly impossible, and drastically cut visibility due to spray and rough water. The NWS says these conditions are hazardous for most vessels – even experienced boaters should stay off the water if possible. 





ODFW sets new groundfish regulations

Don Williams
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ODFW sets new groundfish regulations



free fishing daySALEM, Ore.— Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) set 2026 groundfish regulations during their meeting in Salem today.

The daily catch limit for lingcod will increase from 2 to 3 fish next year, since, in their words, “Lingcod populations are healthy and bycatch of yelloweye rockfish (a protected species) is still low”.

The daily limit for general marine bag limit (rockfish, greenlings, cabezon, etc.) would stay at 4 fish all year in 2026, with a sub bag limit of 2 canary rockfish (up from 1 fish last year). The 4-fish daily limit is necessary due to continued high effort and catch rates for rockfish. In 2025, a planned 5-fish summertime bag limit had to be reduced back to 4 in August and then to 3 fish in September as the popular fishery approached the harvest guideline much earlier than expected.

ODFW says it continues to work with coastal anglers to understand their preferences for managing black rockfish which are the main driver of the general marine bag limit and season. Some are now leaning toward higher daily limits, even if it means a shorter season — which could influence future rules. The black rockfish harvest guideline for 2026 is slightly higher than last year but remains well below levels prior to 2024.

After hearing an informational briefing from staff on Columbia River hook requirements and from anglers in favor of a change, Commissioners directed staff to continue talks with Washington about mainstem hook regulations.

Commissioners acknowledged that changing the rule could impact complex joint fisheries management with Washington and reduce fishing days. They also discussed the timing and staff capacity for an additional workload while staff are involved in ongoing agency priority tasks, on top of day-to-day fisheries management.

Barbless hooks have largely been required since 2013. Some believe that switching to barbed hooks could make it easier for anglers to land fish and align regulations between the mainstem and tributaries. However, it could also shorten fishing seasons due to more fish being landed and retained.

“As commissioners, we seek to understand and respond thoughtfully when constituents bring forth these recommendations,” said Commissioner Labhart.

“I want our constituents to know we heard them— we are having this conversation because we did,” said Commissioner DeFrees. “But this issue isn’t simple.”

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