Most serious bull trout anglers troll crankbaits in pursuit of the trophy-sized fish. Lake Billy Chinook is perhaps best known for its bull trout fishery. Oregon Resources (800) 720-6339. Maggots, Pautzkes Kokanee Fire Corn and worms can be effective. Dig holes into the hard ice and fish for fresh trout as part of this hundred-year-old tradition. For boat launch information seePerry South Boating Site.Three Rivers Marina, Cove Palisades Restaurant & Marina, Deschutes arm, and Crooked River arm. These naturally reproducing salmon can range from 12 to 16 inches and be as big as 1 lb. All other permanent regulations remain in effect. Soft plastics and crankbaits imitating prey such as smaller fish and crayfish are good bets. In addition to being the premiere location to catch bull trout and kokanee, there are also rainbow trout, smallmouth bass and other species in the lake. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, which supports our community. Oct 31. If you do plan to fish for trout other than the bulls, the rainbows and browns are distributed throughout the reservoir but seem to be most commonly caught near the river mouths, where the incoming water is cool and delivers food. Lake Billy Chinook is the largest reservoir in Central Oregon, covering nearly 47 square miles. The flies we've listed below are some of the locals favorites for this section of the water. Houseboat rentals offer a luxurious overnight stay right on the water. Billy Chinook is among the lowest-elevation kokanee fisheries in Central Oregon and is known for its large population of these land-locked sockeye, which find ideal spawning conditions in the Metolius River. incorporates information from federal and state agencies, local facility operators and fellow boaters to provide up-to-date information so boaters can decide where to recreate and what to expect this season. Subscribe to receive email updates. Best to check current and forecasted flows on the river prior to fishing. Billy Chinook Lake that covers 3,997 acres, has a 72 miles of shoreline with average depth of 102 ft., a maximum depth of 415 ft and each arm of the lake is 6 to 12 miles long. When jumpers are spotted, casting to the school and employing a jigging retrieve is often a great approach. As the river leaves Bend, it passes the last man-made obstruction for 40 miles and becomes a wild, canyon river. Anglers who catch a bull trout should release it unharmed and report their catch to the US Fish and Wildlife Service at. LockA locked padlock Madras, Oregon 97741 One is pet-friendly. Accessable year round, 1 mile in length each way, moderatel difficulty, the trailhead is located at the Ranger booth in the Croooked River Campground and makes its way up to a scenic overlook along Mountain View Drive. There also are day-use facilities and non-fishing activities such as hiking within the state park. connected to the .gov website. There's nothing better than community based reports from people that are on the water! Three deluxe cabins are located near the marina with lake views. We don't have any fishing reports for Lake Billy Chinook yet. Open to fishing all year. When hiking at The Cove, remember to always take water, check the weather before you go, wear sturdy hiking shoes, dress in layers, stay on the trail at all times, keep dogs on leash and have a great time! These were just what I had on. Be sure to check out nearby fishing spots, they're less than 15 miles away from Lake Billy Chinook! More information: Bass Fishing: Simple How-To Techniques and Tips. Theres a lot of fish out there go catch some. Crayfish are common. Tyler James. ODELL LAKE: lake trout, kokanee, rainbow trout. The Deschutes River from the re-regulating dam downstream to the mouth is open for trout fishing. Winter steelhead are still biting in the Hood River. Last updated 4/26/23. How to get to Lake Billy Chinook. Last updated 4/19/23. This would be a tough week on Lake Billy Chinook with the strong winds. The original park land in the Crooked River Canyon was acquired by lease agreement with the U. S. Department of Agriculture in 1940. The IMAX screen closes in on the insects with a childlike intensity, but the . With fish transitioning to the shallows, this is a good time of year to catch the biggest bass in the lake. The west bank of the river along the Warm Springs Reservation is closed to fishing and access, but certain sections are accessible to anglers if they purchase a tribal angling permit. LAKE BILLY CHINOOK, Ore. (AP) After a month of looking at weather forecasts, postponing, rescheduling and stalling, we finally made a plan to fish the reservoir in mid-January. (1)Trout 5 trout, 8-inch minimum length, no more than 1 fish over 20 inches. Lake Billy Chinook is a large Central Oregon reservoir best known for its huge bull trout and plentiful kokanee. Reservoir levels are above the state park, Jasper Point, and Powderhouse Cove boat ramp elevations. Central Oregons best fishing lakes north of Bend, Bass Fishing: Simple How-To Techniques and Tips. Last updated 10/5/22. It is a preferred area for fly-fishing, this section is not open to bait fishing; however, lures are permitted. All stocking dates and numbers of fish are approximate. EAST LAKE: rainbow trout, brown trout, kokanee. If you have a blog that covers fishing reports for this please contact us! The world record from Lake Pend Oreille, Idaho in 1949 tipped the scales at 32 lbs. SNOWYLAND Welcome to the only and unique Winter in Vivaldi Park, the SnowyLand! Sign up for monthly emails full of local travel inspiration and fun trip ideas. Open seasonally (mid-May through mid-Sep), 3 group tent sites overlook Crooked River arm of the lake (25 people max in each site), Fenced, off-leash pet exercise area is in Deschutes Campground. LAKE BILLY CHINOOK: bull, brown and rainbow trout, kokanee, smallmouth bass. Besides the states recreational facilities, the U.S. Forest Service operates Perry South Campground on the western end of the reservoir, with access to the Metolius Arm. C606906B-5271-4A61-9F9D-4C756EC69951_1610760074627.jpg. Everyone they showed the photos to was amazed by the size of that fish. Boating is not possible due to low flows and frequent waterfalls farther downstream. Cove Palisades State Park surrounds a large portion of the lake. Thank you for the reply. Map, https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/ochoco/recreation/fishing/recarea/?recid=72023&actid=43, Ochoco National Forest & Crooked River National Grassland. 3160 NE Third Street The river is open to fishing all year above Fall River Falls and open to fishing May 22 Sep 30 below the falls. 3160 NE Third Street Fishing is best in between and around the boulders. See the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs information. DAVIS LAKE: largemouth bass, rainbow trout. Flat water, sun came out, eager biters, and a quick limit. Learn more. Today was rough. Official websites use .gov A .gov That is good to know that they plow it. A reminder to anglers that new regulations are now in effect for Fall River. Begin in the Deschutes Campground (6 miles round-trip) or the Upper Deschutes day-use area boat trailer parking lot (7 miles round-trip). Mejaski wondered if he might have caught a state record, or even world record, fish right after he released it. Before fishing, check the ODFW website linked below for definitions of where the Metolius Arm is located, where river regulations take effect at the top of the arms, and other important details. (541) 416-6500 Open to fishing all year, anglers should still expect some ice coverage at North and South Twin lakes. A bull trout caught on a crank bait is brought to the boat while fishing the Metolius Arm of Lake Billy Chinook in 2019. Braid and Buzz Bomb jigs are also good producers. Metolius Arm of Lake Billy Chinook (Area 4). Lava Lake was last stocked with legal-size rainbow trout in June. North and South Twin were stocked with trout in mid-August and trophy trout in late August. Crane Prairie will reopen April 22, 2023; however, reports of deep snow drifts and ice coverage may delay access. But I never go unless temp is going to get over 40 and little or no wind. If all that has been accomplished, then you may be able to get in earlier than 4 p.m. There will be no spring Chinook season on the Deschutes River this year due very low forecasted returns of wild spring Chinook to the river. Share sensitive information only Mejaski said they continued fishing that day and caught a second massive bull trout only slightly smaller than the one they had released. Most of the public land is included in the Deschutes River Recreation Area within the Crooked River National Grasslands, administered by the Ochoco National Forest. Last updated 11/16/22. kokanee count as trout. Also see: Best Kokanee Fishing in Central Oregon Best Kokanee Fishing in Oregon (Outside Central Oregon) Lake Billy Chinook is fed by three rivers, the Crooked, Deschutes and Metolius.. Billy Chinook is among the lowest-elevation kokanee fisheries in Central Oregon and is known for its large population of these land-locked sockeye, which find ideal spawning conditions in the Metolius River. on official, secure websites. Studio |. 2021 Lake Billy Chinook. Ryan quickly adjusted his drag to let the fish run, but they had to follow it in their boat. Not sure color made any difference. If a lure set-up has not produced a fish in over 30 minutes and fish are being marked, change things up. Thanks, Can you fish any of the Metolius arm without a tribal permit, or do you even need to bother with that arm? Rainbow trout, brown trout, kokanee, bull trout, smallmouth bass The only place in Oregon where you can keep a bull trout. We don't have any guide or fly shop sponsored reviews for Lake Billy Chinook. Thanks. United States. Prineville Reservoir is filling quickly and is 61 percent full. Sign up for the latest information on boater access. Fishing conditions on the mainstem and North Umpqua are looking good this week, and a few Chinook are being caught. Additional vehicles may not be allowed in the park overnight. METOLIUS RIVER: rainbow trout, bull trout. Crooked River Rim Trail: Along this 2-mile trail that begins near the Crooked River Campground, enjoy spectacular views of the Cascades and the Crooked River arm of the reservoir, with glimpses of the Deschutes arm in the distance. See our Recreation Guide for a map of the park including hiking trails and paddling routes. Dozens of waterbodies in the Willamette Zone are being stocked with trout this week, and several more were stocked last week. Fernan Lake - 6,800 rainbow trout. Season and multi-day permits allows families to fish in Areas 1, 3 and 4 and camp within designated campgrounds in Areas 1 and 2. Last updated 4/26/23. Access to the lake through deep snow from the campground gate or Walton Sno-Park may require a to 1 mile trek on snowshoes or skis. Some sites are first-come, first-served in spring and fall. Fish were willing biters on my 5 month old tuna and garlic shoepeg corn! Last updated 4/26/23. ODFW is not stocking Lake Billy Chinook at this time. That makes a lot more sense! Due to lingering winter conditions that limit vehicle access into some locations, not all stocking may occur as scheduled. If there is snow the road will get plowed. This pretty reservoir near Parkdale (south of the city of Hood River) offers good fishing for stocked rainbow trout. Crooked River anglers may encounter bull trout now that there is volitional passage at Opal Springs. As always, anglers are encouraged to use caution and evaluate ice conditions before venturing onto frozen lakes. No bag or size limits on brown trout and bass. For more information on stocking schedules for Oregon rivers and lakes, please visit the ODFW Trout Stocking website. The season for the Metolius Arm of Lake Billy Chinook is reopened March 1; tribal angling permits are required. Varying the amount of line let out will change the fishing depth. Open seasonally (March through October). More of the riverbanks are public land. 9324). Anglers report good trout fishing near the dam. The island is day use only and no anchoring or mooring is allowed from 9:00 PM to 7:00 AM. Click on the link above for more information. The water level remains extremely low, and it may be difficult to launch a bigger boat. These fish provide a rare opportunity for anglers to catch a trophy-size rainbow trout. The marina also includes a caf and store that sells fuel and ice. Pine Nursery was recently stocked with rainbow trout and anglers report excellent fishing. Fish between 10 and 11 1/2 inches, fat and had copepods. The reservoir is low at 39 percent full. The key to catching kokanee is to be flexible. ! (C)Chinook Island is for day use only, from 7:00 a.m. 9:00 p.m. Houseboats & recreational boats are prohibited from landing, anchoring and mooring at Chinook Island from 9:00 p.m. 7:00 a.m. No anchoring or mooring on log boom. Billy Chinook Lake nautical chart. View points and rest stations are featured at various locations. Fishing has been fair near Ochoco Dam with reports of nice size rainbow trout. Be sure to check the Fishing Regulations and Emergency Rules for this area. Do you want to enter your opinion about a specific issue into the public record? Popular Fishing Methodsat Billy Chinook Lake include: Shoreline, trolling and still-fishing. The hike is a total of six miles round trip from the campground or seven miles from the Upper Deschutes day-use area trailhead. The season for the Metolius Arm of Lake Billy Chinook is reopened March 1; tribal angling permits are required. It looks like Friday will be a pretty decent day weather and wind wise. Prineville, Oregon 97754 Now that biologists are attempting to reintroduce ocean-going sockeye above the reservoirs, the limits have been reduced. A couple of guys were pulling out as I was launching. Rain on snow events cause dynamic flows on the Hood River throughout winter and spring. If you are coming from 3 hours away you will be going over roads much more likely to have bad conditions than the drop down to the lake. Last updated 4/19/23. LAKE BILLY CHINOOK: bull, brown and rainbow trout, kokanee, smallmouth bass. Billy Chinook Lake offers great fishing for Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Kokanee Salmon, Bull Trout, Black Crappie and Whitefish. With less than a week to go for several trout openers some lakes are still snowed in and frozen, including Wickiup, Crane Prairie, North and South Twin, Laurance Lake, Lost Lake, Clear Lake, Kingsley Lake, Frog Lake, many others in the Mt. Have never caught one in Oregon! 25-28) Lake Billy Chinook, Culver - 46 mi., 75 min. Taylor Lake was stocked the week of April 17 with 1,208 legal-size rainbow. Bikini Pond was stocked March 23 with 350 legal size and 25 trophy trout. Find more fishing spots in Jefferson County. The Tam A Lau Trail is an expierence of a lifetime. Open to fishing all year. It is currently 10 percent full. We have a full-length article featuring an experts tips about Lake Billy Chinook kokanee fishing. This is a great spot for angling, and weve included it on our collection ofCentral Oregons best fishing lakes north of Bendand also on our list of best kokanee fishing lakes in Oregon. Watch for the wind forecast before you decide to go. Laurance Lake. On April 8, Ryan Mejaski and Joe Wilhite were fishing for kokanee on the Deschutes arm of Lake Billy Chinook without much luck when they decided to move spots. This diverse fishery affords anglers the opportunity to catch catfish, bass, perch, crappie and a variety of trout species. Take first left at first dirt road and follow road to pond. Steelhead Falls is about 5 miles below Lower Bridge. They were good smoked! Lake Billy Chinook Kokanee Fishing Tips. Crooked River arm right off the boat ramp as soon as the water got deep. Catch-and-release for trout including bull trout. Metolius Arm: Closed to all angling from the cable car crossing on the Metolius River to a signed point approximately 350 yards downstream. PAULINA LAKE: brown trout, rainbow trout, kokanee, PINE HOLLOW RESERVOIR: rainbow trout, largemouth bass, bluegill. HAYSTACK RESERVOIR: rainbow trout, kokanee, black crappie, bluegill, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, brown bullhead. Bull Trout fishing has been good on Streamers. Map, Crooked River National Grassland I feel sorry for the guy that has never been loved by a dog! -. (B)Houseboats and recreational boats are prohibited from landing, anchoring and mooring along the Reservation side (north) of Lake Billy Chinook and on other tribal lands. White shoepeg corn in the most popular bait, but Berkley Gulp! There aren't many places in Oregon where you can specifically target Bull Trout - but this is one of them. The lake's name honors Billy Chinook a Wasco Indian who joinedthe John C. Fremont expedition in 1843. Visitors who had paid admission to the fishing reservoir are also invited to watch the free circus performance offered. Crooked River anglers may encounter bull trout now that there is volitional passage at Opal Springs. Also see:Best Kokanee Fishing in Central OregonBest Kokanee Fishing in Oregon (Outside Central Oregon). For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Its vast storehouse of mountain-fed river water helps provide the fairly consistent water source that helps nourish the amazing Deschutes River trout, steelhead and salmon fishing below the dams. In some spots the river is wadable, and in other areas bank fishing is the rule. Map, https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/ochoco/recreation/fishing/recarea/?recid=71990&actid=42, Ochoco National Forest & Crooked River National Grassland, Physical Characteristics: Size: 3997 acres; Depth: Max 415'; Elevation: 1945'. Last updated 4/19/23. Be sure to check the Oregon State Fishing Regulations for the most current seasons and restrictions. Open. You also can catch tons of smallmouth bass and a modest number of rainbow and brown trout here. Anglers continue to report good bull trout fishing and fair kokanee fishing on Lake Billy Chinook. During summer low flows, it swirls slowly past the same rocks. However, the roads remain snow-covered and the lake is frozen. Fly-anglers continue to report good spring fishing in the Fall River although recent snowfall has made access challenging in some locations. Water Temperature. Ryan later chatted with Fish Biologist Jerry George from the ODFW Bend office, and they agreed the trout couldve been a record breaker but was now free to spawn and grow even bigger. An official website of the This time of year, most anglers at Lake Billy Chinook are . Lake Billy Chinook Fishing Regulations. Smallmouths, especially the little ones, are easily caught with worms and nightcrawlers. For the remainder of the reservoir, harvest is limited to 1 bull trout over 24 inches under the daily trout limit. Very few spring Chinook are currently in the Hood River, and the majority of fish are generally caught mid-May through June. The Deschutes River from Benham Falls to Little Lava Lake closed to fishing for the season on Sept. 30. However, in this reservoir the bull trout do well enough that the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife allows anglers to specifically target them and even to take one home per day, as long is the fish is at least 24 inches in length. Is the limit only 5 Kokanee? Anglers setting out to catch bull trout on the Metolius arm of Lake Billy Chinook or who are planning to catch rainbow trout on the Lower Deschutes later this spring now have a new way to buy a . So you can keep 10 kokanee, or 9 kokanee and 1 bull trout (I believe that's how they count). Lake Billy Chinook also is known as Oregons best fishery for bull trout, a large native char that is strictly protected in most state waters. Tam-A- Lau translates to big rocks on teh ground. will remain closed to ocean salmon fishing through May 15. More than three miles of hiking trails are available around the campground and day-use areas near the Deschutes River. Mejaski wondered if he might have caught a state record, or even world record, fish right after he released it. Expect stocking to be delayed until things thaw out. Lake Billy Chinook holds largemouth, and Smallmouth bass, rainbow, brown and bull trout, kokanee salmon, whitefish, and a handful of suckers, minnows and dace. Billy Chinook Lake is a reservoir located in Jefferson County in the U.S. state of Oregon. Metolius Arm: Tribal angling permits are required. Lake and Pond Fishing. 2021 was the final release for hatchery winter steelhead smolts in the Hood River. No limit on size or number of warmwater fish. It is roughly two and a half hours southeast of Portland and less than an hour north of Bend. Do you have a question or comment for ODFW? Coordinates: 44.57480254, -121.32957766. Prineville, Oregon 97754 It is easily accessible from Highway 97 or Highway 26. No recent reports. Ill be in an open black Jetcraft sled. Small spoons, such as Luhr-Jensens Needlefish or Shasta Tackles Cripplure can be effective as times. The Metolius Arm opens to fishing on March 1 and requires a Warm Springs . Copyright 2023 Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, Get the Central Zone Fishing Report in your inbox. I am wanting to go myself but I am forcing myself to do those chores on the boat and the camper that need to be done. Anglers report good winter kokanee and excellent bull trout fishing. See the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs information. Youll find lots of noise-producing and wake-making activity here, especially during the warmer parts of the day. Last updated 4/19/23. Instream structure in the form of rocks, woody debris, and occasional weedbeds are plentiful throughout the canyon. Billy Chinook Lake fishing reports offers a wide variety of fish for Anglers such as Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Kokanee Salmon, Bull Trout, Black Crappie and Whitefish. The Crooked River Rim Trail offers fantastic views of Crooked River, The Island formation and views of the Cascade Mountains to the west and Round Butte to the north. (541) 416-6640 Limit is 2 fish per day. The reservoir is named after a Native American, Billy Chinook, of the . Check the regulations regarding the sport angling boundary on the west fork Hood River. Popular set-ups without a downrigger include the use of flashers such as Luhr-Jensens Ford Fenders or Cowbells or Macks Flash Lite as attractors. Open to fishing all year, anglers should stillexpect some ice coverage at North and South Twin lakes. If kokanee are schooled up near the bottom, vertical jigging is very effective. The current state record bull trout was caught in 1989 from Lake Billy Chinook and weighed 23 lbs., 2 ounces. Last updated 4/12/23. A $108 million selective water withdrawal (SWW) tower started up in December 2009. Last updated 3/29/23. EV charging stations will be available soon at the main day-use parking area. Open March 1- October 31. They said they got their 20 fish in about an hour and a half. The lake is closed to all fishing from the signed point upstream, approximately 350 yards, to the cable . Within these three large arms is 72 miles of shoreline surrounding 3916 acres, average depth of 102 ft., with a maximum depth of 415 ft. Lower Deschutes Day-use Area closes in the winter. The increased flows may temporarily affect water clarity and fishing. Cocolalla Lake - 3,300 rainbow trout. The Cove does not currently offer wifi in the campgrounds or dayuse areas.