Fishing in Gilliam County, Oregon
County seat: Condon. Population 1,995.
- 2lake pages
- 12open launches
- 1river pages
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Gilliam County fishing at a glance
County business for Gilliam County happens in Condon; the 2020 Census found 1,995 residents. ODFW names no zone for the waters here; the regulations index settles which table applies. Lake Umatilla is shared with a neighbouring state.
Of the 2 lake guides tied to Gilliam County, Lake Umatilla covers the most surface. The Marine Board layer shows 12 open launches inside the county, 6 for trailers.
Census 2020 population; BLM Oregon NHD lake outlines; OSMB Boating Access Sites; DLCD and ODFW shore access layers; 2026 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations zone lists; read November 2, 2026.
Pinning the fishing access in Gilliam County
OSMB launch points, DLCD and ODFW shore sites, NHD lake points, PMEP estuary points; read November 2, 2026.
Lake guides for Gilliam County
| Lake | Acres | Kind | OSMB launches | Fish mapped |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Umatilla | 50,097 (outline), 44% in Oregon | lake | 12 | black crappie, channel catfish, chiselmouth |
| Willow Lake (Gilliam County) | 307 (outline) | lake | 1 | rainbow trout |
From Condon the next paged lakes lie beyond Gilliam County, closest first.
| Lake | From Condon | Acres | Kind | OSMB launches | Fish mapped |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rowe Creek Reservoir | 30 miles south | 18 (outline) | reservoir | 0 | rainbow trout |
| Bull Prairie Lake | 31 miles southeast | 28 (outline) | lake | 1 | brook trout, rainbow trout |
| Willow Creek Reservoir (Morrow County) | 32 miles east | 154 (outline) | reservoir | 1 | brown bullhead, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed |
| Mays Reservoir | 37 miles southwest | 22 (outline) | reservoir | 0 | rainbow trout |
| Cutsforth Pond | 42 miles east | 0 (outline) | lake | 0 | rainbow trout |
| Lake Penland | 43 miles east | 62 (outline) | lake | 1 | rainbow trout |
BLM Oregon hydrography lake outlines (NHD), summed by GNIS name (layer), read November 2, 2026. Species: ODFW Fish Habitat Distribution layers (ODFW ArcGIS), read November 2, 2026; a mapped species is habitat use ODFW records, not a catch report. ODFW publishes no lake depths in these layers.
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Out to 40 miles from Condon, rainbow trout appears on more water pages than any other species.
Species from ODFW Fish Habitat Distribution layers, booklet exceptions and ODFW records, counted per water page within 40 miles; habitat mapping, not a catch survey.
Streams that cross Gilliam County
- John Day River18 OSMB launches, 3 USGS gauges, 20 booklet exceptions
ODFW Fish Habitat Distribution stream names and runs, OSMB launches, booklet exceptions and USGS gauges; read November 2, 2026.
Launches listed for Gilliam County
- Blalock Canyon boat ramp on Lake UmatillaLake Umatilla, trailered launch
- Earl Snell Memorial Park Paddle Launch on Lake UmatillaLake Umatilla, 1 lane, hand carry launch
- JS Burres Park on John Day RiverJohn Day River, 2 lanes, trailered launch
- McDonald Crossing boat ramp on John Day RiverJohn Day River, 1 lane, trailered launch
- Philippi Park on John Day RiverJohn Day River, hand carry launch
- Port of Arlington Hand Launch on Lake UmatillaLake Umatilla, 1 lane, hand carry launch
- Port of Arlington Marina on Lake UmatillaLake Umatilla, hand carry launch
- Port of Arlington Ramp on Lake UmatillaLake Umatilla, 1 lane, trailered launch
- Rock Creek launch on John Day RiverJohn Day River, 1 lane, hand carry launch
- Starvation Lane Boat Ramp on John Day RiverJohn Day River, 1 lane, trailered launch
- Thirtymile Launch on John Day RiverJohn Day River, 1 lane, hand carry launch
- Willow Creek AccessWillow Lake, 1 lane, trailered launch
OSMB status is shown as published: closed launches are listed without a page.
Oregon State Marine Board Boating Access Sites layer (OSMB ArcGIS), read November 2, 2026; status as OSMB publishes it. Oregon Coastal Management Program (DLCD) Shoreline Access Inventory (layer) and the ODFW shore access map, read November 2, 2026.
Bait a drive from Gilliam County
- Gorge Outfitters Supplybait and tackle shop, Rufus, 41 miles
- Deschutes Angler Fly Shopfly shop, Maupin, 44 miles
- Deschutes Canyon Fly Shopfly shop, Maupin, 44 miles
- Bi-Mart (The Dalles)sporting goods store, The Dalles, 57 miles
- Irrigon Park & Marinamarina, Irrigon, 57 miles
Yellow Pages and store-locator listings; straight-line miles from Condon.
Keeper rules across Gilliam County
The zone rows apply across Gilliam County wherever no water exception steps in. Annual angling runs $50 for residents of Oregon and $138 for everyone else in 2026. Keep a salmon or steelhead and you need the Combined Angling Tag too, $69 for residents.
| Species | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Trout | Lakes: 5 per day, 3 daily limits in possession. Streams: 2 per day, 3 daily limits in possession; 8-inch minimum | Lakes: Open all year. Streams: Open May 22 – Oct 31, unless noted under Exceptions. |
| Kokanee | 10 per day unless noted under Exceptions. | 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. | Closed in all waters unless noted by species under Exceptions. |
| Sturgeon | Catch-and-release only. | 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. | Lakes: Open all year. Streams: Open during trout, salmon or steelhead seasons only, except portions of Columbia River tributaries flooded by Bonneville and The. |
| Bluegill, Catfish, Crappie, Other Sunfish, Walleye, Yellow Perch, Whit. | No limit. | Lakes: Open all year. Streams: Open during trout, salmon or steelhead seasons only, except portions of Columbia River tributaries flooded by Bonneville and The. |
Special rows reaching Gilliam County (20)
| Water | Species | Rule | Booklet |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Day River (Clatsop Co.) | hatchery steelhead, chinook, salmon | Open all year for hatchery steelhead and hatchery Chinook salmon. | p. 28 |
| John Day River (Clatsop Co.) | Use of bait allowed. | p. 28 | |
| John Day River (Mainline railroad bridge to North Fork) | hatchery steelhead | Open for hatchery steelhead Jan 1 – Apr 30 and Sept 1 – Dec 31. | p. 59 |
| John Day River (Mainline railroad bridge to North Fork) | bass, catfish, warmwater | Open all year for bass, catfish, and other warmwater fish. | p. 59 |
| John Day River (Mainline railroad bridge to North Fork) | Use of bait allowed. | p. 59 | |
| John Day River (Mainline railroad bridge to North Fork) | Closed from ODFW marker ¼ mi below Tumwater Falls to 200 ft above the falls near the head of John Day Arm. | p. 59 | |
| John Day River (Mainline railroad bridge to North Fork) | steelhead, salmon | Closed to Salmon and Steelhead angling from Sep 1 – Dec 31 from Mainline railroad bridge to ODFW marker 1/4 mi below Tumwater Falls. | p. 59 |
| John Day River (North Fork to Indian Cr) | hatchery steelhead | Open for hatchery steelhead Jan 1 – Apr 30 and Sep 1 – Dec 31. | p. 59 |
| John Day River (North Fork to Indian Cr) | Use of bait allowed. | p. 59 | |
| John Day River (Above Indian Cr) | Use of bait allowed. | p. 59 | |
| John Day River, Middle Fork (Mouth to Hwy 395 bridge) | hatchery steelhead | Open for hatchery steelhead Jan 1 – Apr 30 and Sep 1 – Dec 31. | p. 60 |
| John Day River, Middle Fork (Mouth to Hwy 395 bridge) | Use of bait allowed. | p. 60 | |
| John Day River, Middle Fork (Above Hwy 395 bridge) | Use of bait allowed. | p. 60 | |
| John Day River, Middle Fork (Above Hwy 395 bridge) | Hook-gap size may not exceed 3/8 inch. | p. 60 | |
| John Day River, Middle Fork (Above Hwy 395 bridge) | Closed from Hwy 7 to Summit Cr. | p. 60 | |
| John Day River, North Fork (Mouth to Hwy 395 bridge) | hatchery steelhead | Open for hatchery steelhead Jan 1 – Apr 30 and Sep 1 – Dec 31. | p. 60 |
| John Day River, North Fork (Mouth to Hwy 395 bridge) | Use of bait allowed. | p. 60 | |
| John Day River, North Fork (Hwy 395 bridge to USFS North Fork Campground) | Use of bait allowed. | p. 60 | |
| John Day River, North Fork (Hwy 395 bridge to USFS North Fork Campground) | Hook-gap size may not exceed 3/8 inch. | p. 60 | |
| John Day River, North Fork (Above North Fork Campground) | Use of bait allowed. | p. 60 |
Limits as printed in the 2026 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations (ODFW, eRegulations edition) (Central Zone page), read November 2, 2026. Water exceptions as printed in the 2026 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations (ODFW, eRegulations edition) (booklet PDF; printed page shown), read November 2, 2026. In-season changes from ODFW override them. Fees as printed on the ODFW license, tag and permit fee page of the 2026 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations (ODFW, eRegulations edition) (fees page), read November 2, 2026.
State records from water by Gilliam County
Neighbouring waters, all within 80 miles of Gilliam County, hold these records.
| Species | Weight | Water | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brook Trout | 9 lb 6 oz | Deschutes River | 1980 |
| Mountain Whitefish | 5 lb 12 oz | Deschutes River | 2021 |
| Channel Catfish | 36 lb 8 oz | McKay Reservoir | 1980 |
| Bull Trout | 23 lb 2 oz | Lake Billy Chinook | 1989 |
Oregon record fish as listed by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (record fish article, dated March 4, 2026), read November 2, 2026.
In range of Gilliam County
Counties next to Gilliam County
- Sherman County20 miles west
- Morrow County33 miles east
- Wasco County46 miles west
- Wheeler County46 miles south
What Piscifun sells for a day spent on Gilliam County
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Shorelines and riffles near Gilliam County, photographed
Photo: Bureau of Land Management Oregon and Washington, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Bonnie Moreland, Public domain
Photo: Bureau of Land Management Oregon and Washington, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Oregon Department of Transportation, CC BY 2.0
Your Gilliam County fishing questions, answered
How many boat launches are open in Gilliam County?
12 open launches on the OSMB layer, 6 of them for trailers.
Which reservoir or lake tops Gilliam County by size?
Lake Umatilla, about 50,097 acres on its mapped outline.
Which fish lead the water pages near Gilliam County?
Rainbow trout lead the count of water pages within 40 miles, then largemouth bass, black crappie and brook trout.
Which Gilliam County stores stock salmon and trout tackle?
The listings show no shop in the county.
Is there a drift-boat or fishing guide listed in Gilliam County?
No guide gives an address here.
Which town is the administrative centre for Gilliam County?
It is Condon.
Do I need a license for water in Gilliam County?
Oregon residents pay $50 for the annual angling license, visitors $138. Salmon, steelhead, sturgeon and halibut also go on a Combined Angling Tag ($69 resident).
Which counties touch Gilliam County?
Start with Sherman County, Morrow County and Wasco County.
What zone table do Gilliam County waters use?
No water in this county appears in the booklet zone tables, so look each one up in the regulations.
Which Gilliam County waters get their own booklet rows?
The 2026 booklet prints 20 water exceptions reaching this county, starting with John Day River (Clatsop Co.); the table above shows each.
Plan a day on the water in Gilliam County
Every launch page opens with directions.