Upper middle fork of the Willamette

[vmxracer]

Does anyone know if there are decent numbers of fish upstream from Hills Crk Resv. on the Middle Fork of the Willamette River into the Daimond Peak area???..I Want to do some moto camping on my dual sport DR650 next year, probably late spring and would like to do some trout fishing while I'm in the area. Thanks for any help.

 

[O. mykiss]

Yes, there are healthy populations of both hatchery and wild rainbow trout. There are some coastal cutthroat and bull trout in the mix as well. Make sure to check the regs, I believe is fly fishing only up there.

 

[troutdude]

Ditto to the above. In addition...Bull Trout are an endangered and protected specie. So please know how to identify them; and safely release them unharmed back into the water.

And...let us know how you do up there!

P.S. Mosquito's might be vicious, so be prepared.

 

[hobster]

I have done a bunch of flyfishing there in the past, it can be excellent. As far as I know, all wild fish must be returned to the waters. Pretty sure it’s flyfishing only as well.

 

[troutdude]

I believe that these are the regs that apply:

2023 OREGON SPORT FISHING REGULATIONS49
Above Lookout Point Reservoir (including
above Hills Creek Reservoir)
• Open all year for trout.
• 5 hatchery trout per day, no minimum
length.
• Wild trout must be released, including
brook trout.
• See Hills Creek and Hills Creek Tributaries,
Salmon Creek and Tributaries, Salt Creek
and Tributaries.

Willamette River, North Fork
Middle Fork and Tributaries
• Open all year.
• 2 trout per day, 8 inch minimum length.
• Fly fishing only, barbless hooks required.

 

[olshiftybiscuits]

I know this is an older thread, but wanted to provide some clarification here on the regs for the original poster. The section of river they're referring to (the Middle Fork Willamette) is not restricted to fly fishing only. The North Fork Middle Fork is a different stream, a tributary of the Middle Fork that joins the river just downstream of Oakridge well below Hills Creek Reservoir. It's the North Fork Middle Fork that is restricted to fly fishing only. Hope this helps!