Deschutes River fishing guide

Public access & launches

Extensive public bank access along the Deschutes River, computed from public land ownership and hydrography.

• Harper Bridge River Access
  Boat launch
• BIG RIVER
  Boat launch
• Aspen Day Use Area
  Boat launch
• Big River Boat Ramp
  Boat launch
• Brooks ParkBend Park and Recreation District
  Boat access
• Drake ParkBend Park and Recreation District
  Boat access
• Harmon ParkBend Park and Recreation District
  Boat access
• Riverbend ParkBend Park and Recreation District
  Boat access
• LaPine State ParkOregon Parks and Recreation Department
  Boat access
• Cline Falls State ParkOregon Parks and Recreation Department
  Boat access
• Wayside - Tumalo State ParkOregon Parks and Recreation Department
  Boat access
• Meadow Camp Day Use AreaBend/Fort Rock Ranger District
  Boat access

Regulations

• Central Zone

  I-84 bridge to Sherars Falls Open all year for trout and hatchery steelhead. 2 rainbow trout per day, 10 inch minimum and 13 inch maximum length. Open for Chinook salmon Aug 1 - Oct 31. Open for coho salmon Aug 1 - Dec 31. Bait allowed only from Sherars Falls downstream to upper trestle (approx. 3 Mi). No angling from a floating device. Closed from Sherars Falls downstream to Buck Hollow Cr (approx. 1 Mi) Apr 1 - Jul 31. Sherars Falls to Northern Boundary of the Warm Springs Reservation (including White River upstream to first falls) Open all year for trout and hatchery steelhead. 2 rainbow trout per day, 10 inch minimum and 13 inch maximum length. Open for coho salmon Aug 1 - Dec 31. No angling from a floating device. Northern Boundary of the Warm Springs Reservation to the Pelton Regulating Reservoir. Open Apr 22 - Dec 31 for trout and hatchery steelhead. 2 rainbow trout per day, 10 inch minimum and 13 inch maximum length. Open for coho salmon Aug 1 - Dec 31. No angling from a floating device. See Lake Simtustus. Closed from Pelton Regulating Dam downstream approx. 600 ft to ODFW markers. Lake Billy Chinook to Benham Falls Open all year for trout. No harvest of rainbow trout over 20 inches. Benham Falls to Little Lava Lake Open May 22 - Sep 30. 2 trout per day, 8 inch minimum length Wild rainbow trout must be released. Other regulations See the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs information.

• Salmon and steelhead

  Season

  Effective August 15, 2026 through December 31, 2026

  Closed to angling for and retention of salmon and steelhead.

• Steelhead

  Season

  Effective August 15, 2026 through December 31, 2026

  Closed to angling for and retention of steelhead.

• Salmon and SteelheadColumbia River Zone

  Season

  June 16 – July 14: See rules for Columbia River mainstem: The Dalles Dam upstream to the Oregon/Washington border (upstream of McNary Dam). July 15 – September 15: Closed to angling. September 16 – December 31: See rules for Columbia River mainstem: The Dalles Dam upstream to the Oregon/Washington border (upstream of McNary Dam).

  Area definition: The mainstem Columbia River adjacent to the mouth of the Deschutes River from the Interstate 84 Bridge (west bound) north to a line projecting from the flashing red navigation marker #2 located approximately 1.5 miles downstream of the Deschutes River mouth on the Oregon shore, upstream to the red navigation marker #4, then to the lower South Channel Range 'B' marker located on the Oregon shore approximately 0.7 mile upstream of the Deschutes River mouth. Deschutes River thermal angling sanctuary.

• All species

  Season

  Effective July 15, 2026 through September 15, 2026

  Closed to angling.

• BassCentral Zone

  Season

  Lakes: Open all year. Streams: Open during trout, salmon or steelhead seasons only, except portions of Columbia River tributaries flooded by Bonneville and The Dalles dams are open all year.

  Bag

  Lakes: 5 per day, 3 daily limits in possession unless noted under Exceptions . Streams: No limit.

  Gear

  Angling restricted to artificial flies and lures in streams

  No more than 3 over 15 inches in length in lakes. No minimum length in streams. Angling restricted to artificial flies and lures in streams. See Exceptions where use of bait is allowed.

As of 2026-09-01.Guidance, not legal advice — always confirm current rules with the state.Official Oregon regulations

What’s in it

Recorded in/near this water. Occurrence-based unless a higher-confidence source is shown — see it per-species in the app.

More Oregon fishing

Oregon field notes

Portland, OR

Forest Park Is 5,200 Acres and the Gorge Is 40 Minutes. Here's How to Use Both.

One of the largest urban forest reserves in the United States sits inside the city limits, with a 30-mile trail running its length. Forty minutes east, a river gorge cuts through the Cascades with more waterfalls per mile than anywhere else in the country. Most people use one and ignore the other.

Portland, OR

Urban Fishing in Portland: Salmon in the Willamette, Smallmouth Under the Bridges, and Sturgeon Past the Skyline

Portland is one of the only major cities in America where you can catch salmon and steelhead inside city limits. The Willamette River runs through downtown holding spring Chinook, smallmouth bass, sturgeon, and walleye. The Columbia River forms the northern border. No boat needed for most of it.

Portland, OR

Birding Portland: The Island Where Half the Units Close in October

Portland has a 5,200-acre forest inside the city, one of the largest protected wetlands in any American city, and an agricultural island twenty minutes north where several of the best units close on October 1 and do not reopen until spring. Knowing which is which is the whole trick.

Bridal Veil, OR

The Multnomah-Wahkeena Loop After the Fire: What Grew Back and What Didn't

Five miles, six waterfalls, and 1,600 feet of climbing on the most famous stretch of the Columbia River Gorge, through forest that burned in 2017 and is still visibly recovering. It is the best short hike in Oregon and it now requires a timed permit in season, which almost nobody realizes until they arrive.

Government Camp, OR

The Timberline Trail: 41 Miles Around Mount Hood, and the River Crossing That Stops People

A loop entirely around an 11,000-foot volcano, 41.5 miles with 10,000 feet of climbing, and a free permit you pick up at the trailhead. The permit is the easy part. The hard part is a glacial river with no bridge that has turned back more parties than the elevation ever has.

Bend, OR

South Sister Without a Rope: Oregon's Easiest Big Summit Is Still a Long Day

A 10,363-foot volcano you can walk up, 26 miles from Bend, with a trail the whole way and no technical climbing. That accessibility is exactly why it catches people out: 12.6 miles and nearly 5,000 feet of gain on volcanic cinder is a mountaineering day wearing hiking clothes.

Deschutes River fishing — FAQ