Recreation Report for June 20, 2019 - Big Game Workshops

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Highlights From The Week's Recreation Report

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Fishing

Three cures for summer trout doldrums
Is trout fishing slowing down at your favorite pond? As water temperatures heat up in valley and other low elevation ponds, trout fishing can taper off. Here are a few ideas to keep you on the water:

  • Head to the hills. Mountain and other high elevation lakes and reservoirs will stay cool, and continue to be stocked, well into the summer.

  • Catch a bass, any bass. Smallmouth and largemouth, stripers and wipers are all available in Oregon waters. Also check the zone reports for updates on other warmwater species like crappie, bluegill and yellow perch.

  • Go to the beach. Fish for surfperch from the beach. Climb aboard a rockfish charter. Or join the central coast all-depth halibut fishery Thursday, Friday or Saturday.

Take the Trout Challenge and help native fish
Take the Western Native Trout Challenge and challenge yourself to catch at least six native trout species in four different states. At the same time, you’ll be helping protect, restore and recover 21 native trout and char species in 12 states.

Weekend Fishing Opportunities:

  • Black drake mayflies are still hatching on the Sprague River and flows are perfect for fishing.

  • Best bet for fishing in the Klamath Basin continues to be Lake of the Woods for stocked rainbow trout, Upper Williamson River for native redband trout, Wood River for brown trout and Gerber Reservoir for crappie.

  • Fishing has been excellent for redband trout on the upper Williamson near the Rocky Ford area.

  • Holbrook and Lofton Reservoirs have been stocked with trophy trout three times in the last few months.

  • Campbell Lake is now accessible and fishing should be good for rainbow and brook trout.

  • Water levels in the Chewaucan are dropping – expect fishing for redband trout to start getting really good.

  • The Owhyee River was stocked last week with rainbow trout.

  • Holbrook Reservoir, Lake of the Woods, North Fork of Pine Creek and Lofton Reservoir are all scheduled to be stocked this week.

Game

How to check your controlled hunt draw results
You can check your draw results online (here’s how), by visiting a license agent, or by calling ODWF licensing at 503-947-6101. You can’t see your results in the MyODFW app, but there’s a link in the app that will take you right to the licensing system login site.

Big Game Hunting workshops
This first class in ODFW's new Learn to Hunt Big Game series will cover reasons for hunting, and the what, where and when of hunting for big game in Oregon. Evening classes are scheduled for June 27 in Tualatin and Tigard. Learn more and register here.

Birding

Klamath County
Spring migration is in full swing. There’s excellent viewing for greater white-fronted geese and snow geese in the Klamath Basin. Geese can be found foraging on private agricultural lands. The migratory geese will spend the next month here prior to finishing their migration back to arctic nesting areas. Other species to keep an eye out for are sandhill cranes, American avocets, black-necked stilts, white pelicans and white-faced ibis.

Bald eagle nesting is well underway. Bald eagles generally nest near the top of very large conifer trees. Nests are usually found in close proximity to waterbodies.

The Tule Lake and Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuges offer excellent viewing opportunities during the late winter and spring. An auto tour route is available on the Lower Klamath NWR just south of Stateline Road. 

The Link River trail below Upper Klamath Lake is an excellent place to view many species of wildlife including deer, river otter, muskrat, mink, buffleheads, goldeneye, great-blue heron and great egret.

Mule deer migration is complete for the season and deer can be found concentrated on lower elevation winter ranges. Some key migration corridors and wintering areas are under restricted motorized access to protect the integrity of those areas during this critical time of year. Use caution driving near wintering areas, and please respect seasonal road closures.

Read more

Information provided by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

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The Recreation Report is brought to you by the Klamath County Fair.

Midland, Jon Wolfe, and Lonestar all perform at the 2019 Klamath County Fair. TICKETS ON SALE NOW.