John Day River, Middle Fork
The rule for this water, with the receipt.
Exceptions to the Northeast Zone rules, as the regulations word them
Northeast Zone · River · OR
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.
- Use of bait allowed.
- Jan 1-Apr 30 (out of season today)Open for hatchery steelhead Jan 1 - Apr 30 and Sep 1 - Dec 31.
- Use of bait allowed.
- Hook-gap size may not exceed 3/8 inch.
- Closed from Hwy 7 to Summit Cr.
Northeast Zone rules (base layer)
The Northeast Zone is all waters draining into the Columbia River east of the Deschutes River and all waters draining into the Snake River system up to Hells Canyon Dam. This zone does not include any portion of the mainstem Columbia and Snake rivers. Regulations for the Columbia River can be found in the Columbia River Zone , and regulations for the Snake River can be found in the Snake River Zone .
| 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 in lakes. Rainbow trout over 20 inches are considered steelhead in streams. No limit on size or number of brook or brown trout. Closed to angling for bull trout. See exceptions for catch-and-release angling under Exceptions for Imnaha and Wenaha rivers. | 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. |
| 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. | Lakes: Open all year. Streams: Open during trout, salmon or steelhead seasons only, except portions of Columbia River tributaries flooded by John Day and McNary dams are open all year. |
2026 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations - Northeast 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
Sampled mid-month from the dated rows; short windows can slip between samples. The rows above are authoritative.
At the water nowContext
Streamflow: 11.9 cfs at mf john day river abv camp creek, nr galena, or (2026-07-29 00:30)
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.
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 John Day River, Middle Fork
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 John Day River, Middle Fork? Get listed.