Deschutes River
The rule for this water, with the receipt.
Exceptions to the Central Zone rules, as the regulations word them
Central Zone · River · OR
Synced from the state's in-season reports. Open the report for its exact terms.
The rules for this water, verbatimOfficial text
Straight from OR's official regulations. Rules in force today lead; out-of-season rows are dimmed. Nothing is paraphrased. Not legal advice: verify the posted rules at the water.
- Open all year for trout and hatchery steelhead.
- 2 rainbow trout per day, 10 inch minimum and 13 inch maximum length.
- Bait allowed only from Sherars Falls downstream to upper trestle (approx. 3 Mi).
- No angling from a floating device.
- Apr 1-Jul 31Closed from Sherars Falls downstream to Buck Hollow Cr (approx. 1 Mi) Apr 1 - Jul 31.
- Aug 1-Oct 31 (out of season today)Open for Chinook salmon Aug 1 - Oct 31.
- Aug 1-Dec 31 (out of season today)Open for coho salmon Aug 1 - Dec 31.
- Open all year for trout and hatchery steelhead.
- 2 rainbow trout per day, 10 inch minimum and 13 inch maximum length.
- No angling from a floating device.
- Aug 1-Dec 31 (out of season today)Open for coho salmon Aug 1 - Dec 31.
- Apr 22-Dec 31Open Apr 22 - Dec 31 for trout and hatchery steelhead.
- 2 rainbow trout per day, 10 inch minimum and 13 inch maximum length.
- No angling from a floating device.
- See Lake Simtustus.
- Closed from Pelton Regulating Dam downstream approx. 600 ft to ODFW markers.
- Aug 1-Dec 31 (out of season today)Open for coho salmon Aug 1 - Dec 31.
- Open all year for trout.
- No harvest of rainbow trout over 20 inches.
- May 22-Sep 30Open May 22 - Sep 30.
- 2 trout per day, 8 inch minimum length
- Wild rainbow trout must be released.
- See the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs information.
Central Zone rules (base layer)
The Central Zone is all waters draining into the Columbia River from Bonneville Dam up to and including the Deschutes River.
- Angling for all species is restricted to artificial flies and lures in streams. See Exceptions where use of bait is allowed.
- A valid Columbia River Basin Endorsement must be in possession when fishing for salmon, steelhead, or sturgeon in the mainstem Columbia River from Buoy 10 upstream and in all the rivers and their tributaries that flow into the Columbia River.
- The lower reaches of Eagle Creek, Herman Creek and the Deschutes River have been designated as thermal angling sanctuaries and may have additional regulations in place during Jul 15 - Sep 15. Check the Central Zone Fishing Report for the most current information.
- See Health Advisory .
| Species | Bag limit | Size and specifications | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trout | Lakes: 5 per day, 3 daily limits in possession. Streams: 2 per day, 3 daily limits in possession. | Angling restricted to artificial flies and lures in streams. See Exceptions where use of bait is allowed. 8 inch minimum length. Only 1 trout over 20 inches in length may be taken per day. Rainbow trout over 20 inches are considered steelhead in streams. Salmon under 15 inches are considered trout, except coho salmon, which are always considered salmon regardless of size. No limit on size or number of brook or brown trout in streams unless noted under Exceptions . Closed to angling for bull trout unless noted under Exceptions . | Lakes: Open all year. Streams: Open May 22 - Oct 31, unless noted under Exceptions . |
| Kokanee | 10 per day unless noted under Exceptions. | No size limit | Open all year. |
| Salmon and Steelhead | In the aggregate: 2 adult salmon or steelhead per day, 20 per year. 5 jack salmon per day, 2 daily jack limits in possession, with the exception that one additional hatchery steelhead may be retained per day for a total aggregate of 3 adult fish harvested daily. | Closed for coho salmon, except as listed under the Deschutes River and hatchery coho salmon as listed under Eagle Creek, Herman Creek and Hood River. Only hatchery steelhead may be taken. See Exceptions in Central Zone under Deschutes or Hood River basins to determine where harvest of Chinook and coho salmon is allowed. Harvest of wild steelhead is not permitted in the Central Zone. There is no annual limit on hatchery salmon or hatchery steelhead so long as the appropriate number of Hatchery Harvest Tags have been purchased to record the catch. Angling restricted to artificial flies and lures in streams. See Exceptions where use of bait is allowed. Note: Changes to salmon regulations for the Columbia River system are available on the MyODFW website . Be sure to check for updates before you fish. | Closed in all waters unless noted by species under Exceptions . |
| Sturgeon | Catch-and-release only. | Sturgeon may not be removed from the water and must be immediately released unharmed. Only one single-point, barbless hook may be used for sturgeon. Angling restricted to artificial flies and lures in streams. See Exceptions where use of bait is allowed. | Lakes: Open all year. Streams: Open during trout, salmon or steelhead seasons. |
| Bass | Lakes: 5 per day, 3 daily limits in possession unless noted under Exceptions . Streams: No limit. | 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. | 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. |
2026 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations - Central Zone · Captured in the state's own words; checked against the source July 2, 2026.
How this answer was assembled
- StatewideStatewide river rules are the base layer: default season, gear, bait, and limits.
- This waterSpecial rules written for this exact water replace the statewide defaults where they speak.
- Emergency orderEmergency orders in effect today override everything else. They sync quietly when the phone has coverage and never lock you out of the app.
Where this stretch begins and ends
The drawn shape is the named water, matched from the official list against OpenStreetMap and accepted only because the name resolved to a single feature in this water's zone.
Different sections of this water can have different rules. The exact section boundaries are not marked on the map yet; each rule above describes in plain words where it starts and ends, and that written description is the authoritative boundary. Map boundaries come water by water, never as a guess.
Season at a glanceDerived
Next change: partially changes Oct. 1, 2026.
Sampled mid-month from the dated rows; short windows can slip between samples. The rows above are authoritative.
At the water nowContext
Streamflow: 448 cfs at deschutes r bl wickiup res nr la pine, or (1991-09-30 23:30)
Forecast: National Weather Service. Flow: nearest active USGS gauge in this water's area, which may sit on a different reach. Conditions are context, not rules.
What are you fishing for here?Advice
Pick from the species named in Deschutes River's rules. Setups are checked against the gear rules in force today, and your picks are remembered on this device only. These are rule-aware suggestions, not a claim about what is biting; advice, not law, and the rules above govern.
You also need (Oregon)
- Angling license. Everyone 12 and older needs an Oregon angling license.
- Combined Angling Tag. Required at every age to angle for salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, or halibut. One per year, covering up to 20 salmon or steelhead combined; hatchery fish can go on a separate Hatchery Harvest Tag.
- Columbia River Basin Endorsement. Required at every age when angling for salmon, steelhead, or sturgeon in the mainstem Columbia from Buoy 10 upstream and in all rivers and tributaries flowing into the Columbia.
- Two-Rod Validation. Allows two rods on standing waters (lakes, ponds, reservoirs; five lines when ice fishing). Not valid in rivers, bays, estuaries, or the ocean.
Checked against 2026 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations - license information on July 2, 2026.
Receipts
Local services near Deschutes River
Tackle shops, guides, and boat launches that serve this water will appear here - a separate lane below the rules, so a local business can reach you without ever getting between you and the regulation.
Run a shop or guide service on Deschutes River? Get listed.