Fishing in Wasco County, Oregon
County seat: The Dalles. Population 26,670.
- 8lake pages
- 16open launches
- 2river pages
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Water in Wasco County in figures
Wasco County has its county offices in The Dalles and counted 26,670 people in 2020. The ODFW Central Zone rows cover most of the listed water in Wasco County; a drainage that crosses the line can carry another zone. Part of Lake Bonneville and Lake Celilo lies in a neighbouring state.
8 lakes with a page of their own touch Wasco County; Lake Bonneville has the biggest mapped outline. Count 16 open launches on the OSMB map for the county, 8 trailered.
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.
The Wasco County water map
OSMB launch points, DLCD and ODFW shore sites, NHD lake points, PMEP estuary points; read November 2, 2026.
Choosing a lake in Wasco County
| Lake | Acres | Kind | OSMB launches | Fish mapped |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Bonneville | 19,452 (outline), 54% in Oregon | lake | 18 | channel catfish |
| Lake Celilo | 8,763 (outline), 44% in Oregon | lake | 4 | channel catfish |
| Clear Lake (Wasco County) | 521 (outline) | lake | 1 | brook trout, rainbow trout |
| Pine Hollow Reservoir | 227 (outline) | reservoir | 2 | bluegill, brown bullhead, largemouth bass |
| Rock Creek Reservoir (Wasco County) | 88 (outline) | reservoir | 1 | bluegill, brown bullhead, largemouth bass |
| Taylor Lake | 25 (outline) | lake | 1 | bluegill, largemouth bass, rainbow trout |
| Frog Lake | 19 (outline) | lake | 1 | rainbow trout |
| Boulder Lake (Wasco County) | 14 (outline) | lake | 1 |
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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Tallying pages within 40 miles of The Dalles by species puts rainbow trout first.
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.
Smaller named still water in Wasco County
These 15 named lakes of Wasco County have an outline but no guide yet.
| Water | Acres (outline) | Nearest place |
|---|---|---|
| McClure Lake | 54 | Hood River |
| Currant Creek Reservoir | 39 | Madras |
| Blue Lake (Wasco County) | 28 | Madras |
| Crow Creek Reservoir | 26 | Hood River |
| Tooley Lake | 22 | The Dalles |
| Potters Ponds | 21 | Madras |
| Twin Lakes | 18 | Mount Hood Villages |
| Happy Valley Reservoir | 16 | Madras |
| Ketchum Reservoir | 13 | Hood River |
| Schoolie Flat | 12 | Madras |
| Cody Ponds | 10 | The Dalles |
| Merrell Reservoir | 10 | The Dalles |
| Miller Reservoir | 9 | Mount Hood Villages |
| Camp Baldwin Lake | 5 | The Dalles |
| Catalpa Lake | 3 | Mount Hood Villages |
BLM Oregon hydrography lake outlines (NHD), summed by GNIS name (layer), read November 2, 2026.
Rivers to fish across Wasco County
- Warm Springs RiverODFW maps spring chinook and summer steelhead runs, 1 USGS gauge
- White RiverODFW maps summer steelhead runs, 1 USGS gauge, 2 booklet exceptions
Unpaged rivers crossing Wasco County (1)
- South Fork Warm Springs RiverODFW maps spring chinook and summer steelhead runs
Live river flow in Wasco County
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia River At The Dalles, Or | 101,000 cfs, 76.65 ft gage height | Nov 11 9:15 pm |
| Deschutes River At Moody, Near Biggs, Or | 4,410 cfs, 2.89 ft gage height | Nov 11 8:45 pm |
| Warm Springs River Near Kahneeta Hot Springs, Or | 221 cfs, 1.05 ft gage height | Nov 11 8:45 pm |
| White River Below Tygh Valley, Or | 126 cfs, 1.60 ft gage height | Nov 11 9:00 pm |
| Beaver Creek Below Quartz Creek, Nr Simnasho, Or | 31 cfs, 2.07 ft gage height | Nov 11 8:45 pm |
| Mosier Creek Near Mosier, Or | 3 cfs, 2.37 ft gage height | Nov 11 8:30 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 11, 2026 9:33 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
ODFW Fish Habitat Distribution stream names and runs, OSMB launches, booklet exceptions and USGS gauges; read November 2, 2026.
Putting in around Wasco County
- Blackberry Beach launch on Lake BonnevilleLake Bonneville, hand carry launch
- Celilo Park Boat RampLake Celilo, 1 lane, trailered launch
- Celilo Park Hand LaunchLake Celilo, hand carry launch
- Frog Lake Day Use Area launchFrog Lake, hand carry launch
- Harpham Flat boat ramp on Deschutes RiverDeschutes River, 1 lane, trailered launch
- Heritage Landing State Park on Deschutes RiverDeschutes River, 2 lanes, trailered launch
- Herman Creek Cove launch on Lake BonnevilleLake Bonneville, hand carry launch
- Maupin City Park on Deschutes RiverDeschutes River, 1 lane, trailered launch
- Mayer State Park on Lake BonnevilleLake Bonneville, 1 lane, trailered launch
- Nena Boat Ramp on Deschutes RiverDeschutes River, trailered launch
- Port of The Dalles Marina on Lake BonnevilleLake Bonneville, 2 lanes, hand carry launch
- Port of The Dalles Ramp on Lake BonnevilleLake Bonneville, 2 lanes, trailered launch
- Riverfront Park (The Dalles) on Lake BonnevilleLake Bonneville, 1 lane, hand carry launch
- Rowena launch on Lake BonnevilleLake Bonneville, hand carry launch
- Sandy Beach Recreation Site boat ramp on Deschutes RiverDeschutes River, trailered launch
- Taylor Lake Paddle AccessTaylor Lake, hand carry launch
- Clear Lake Campground boat rampClear Lake, closed per OSMB
- Pine Hollow North Shore boat rampPine Hollow Reservoir, closed per OSMB
- Pine Hollow South Shore boat rampPine Hollow Reservoir, closed per OSMB
- Rock Creek Reservoir CG boat rampRock Creek Reservoir, closed per OSMB
The list follows the OSMB layer, including its closed and restricted flags.
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.
Hatchery releases around Wasco County
Wasco County has 1 water on the ODFW stocking schedule, with 12 planned releases totalling 28,500 trout.
- Pine Hollow Reservoir12 releases planned, next listed: Oct. 25, 2027 – Oct. 29, 2027: 1,600 legal-size, 375 trophy trout
ODFW weekly trout stocking schedule (planned releases; ODFW prints size classes, not species), myodfw.com, read November 2, 2026.
Fish an angler can carry home from Wasco County
Unless the booklet names a water, the zone table settles limits in Wasco County. The 2026 fee page lists the yearly angling license at $50 resident, $138 nonresident. For salmon and steelhead the booklet adds the Combined Angling Tag at $69 resident.
| 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. |
Where the Wasco County limits change by water (2)
| Water | Species | Rule | Booklet |
|---|---|---|---|
| White River and Tributaries (Mouth to first falls) | Deschutes River regulations apply. | p. 55 | |
| White River and Tributaries (Above first falls) | trout | Open all year for trout. | p. 55 |
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.
Oregon record fish near Wasco County
Nothing on the ODFW record list comes from Wasco County, but nearby waters hold some.
| Species | Weight | Water | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brook Trout | 9 lb 6 oz | Deschutes River | 1980 |
| Mountain Whitefish | 5 lb 12 oz | Deschutes River | 2021 |
| Bull Trout | 23 lb 2 oz | Lake Billy Chinook | 1989 |
| White Catfish | 15 lb 0 oz | Tualatin River | 1989 |
Oregon record fish as listed by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (record fish article, dated March 4, 2026), read November 2, 2026.
Tournament dates around Wasco County
Wasco County appears in 3 published events, with 0 upcoming.
| Date | Event | Water | Organizer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 29, 2026 | Cascade Bass Masters club tournament, The Dalles 2026 | Columbia River | Cascade Bass Masters |
| June 13, 2026 | CBM bass club tournament, Celilo Park 2026 | Columbia River | CBM (club name as printed) |
| June 7, 2025 | Walleye Willie Shootout Memorial Benefit 2025 | Columbia River | Walleye Willie Shootout (Adventist Health Columbia Gorge benefit) |
Organizer schedule and results pages (ODFW publishes no tournament calendar), checked November 2026.
Buying bait in Wasco County
Shops in Wasco County
- Deschutes Angler Fly Shopfly shop, Maupin
- Deschutes Canyon Fly Shopfly shop, Maupin
- Bi-Mart (The Dalles)sporting goods store, The Dalles
Guides listed in Wasco County
- B & B Worldwide Fishing Adventurescharter, The Dalles, (541) 296-3962
- Deshutes River Fly Fishingcharter, Maupin, (541) 395-2731
- Fly By Nyte Guide Servicecharter, The Dalles, (541) 298-2770
- Young's Fishing Service Inccharter, The Dalles, (541) 296-5371
Yellow Pages and store-locator listings, guide and charter business listings (county of the business), read November 2, 2026.
Not far from Wasco County
Towns in Wasco County
- The Dallespop. 16,010
Next door to Wasco County
- Sherman County29 miles northeast
- Hood River County34 miles northwest
- Jefferson County36 miles south
- Gilliam County46 miles east
Rods, reels and braid from Piscifun for Wasco County
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Picture key to the fish of Wasco County
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: Thomas Quine, CC BY 2.0
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters, CC BY 2.0
Photo: kmitschke, CC BY 2.0
Questions about lakes and streams in Wasco County
Which launches does the Marine Board map in Wasco County?
16 open launches; 8 are trailered ramps.
What is the biggest still water touching Wasco County?
Lake Bonneville, about 19,452 acres on its mapped outline.
Which fish are mapped near Wasco County?
Rainbow trout lead the count of water pages within 40 miles, then brook trout, largemouth bass and steelhead.
Where do I restock tackle in Wasco County?
Deschutes Angler Fly Shop is one of 3 shops here.
Could I book a guided day out of Wasco County?
4 guides and charters list the county.
Which Oregon town houses Wasco County offices?
Government sits in The Dalles.
Which license covers a trip to Wasco County?
ODFW prices the 2026 annual angling license at $50 for Oregonians and $138 for nonresidents. Add the Combined Angling Tag, $69 resident, before keeping salmon or steelhead.
Which Oregon county pages adjoin Wasco County?
By distance: Sherman County, Hood River County and Jefferson County.
Which ODFW zone covers Wasco County?
The ODFW Central Zone table governs most named water in Wasco County, but watershed boundaries decide each zone.
Do clubs fish tournaments in Wasco County?
3 events on file from organizer pages, none ahead yet.
Which Wasco County waters carry their own rules?
The 2026 booklet prints 2 water exceptions reaching this county, starting with White River and Tributaries; the table above shows each.
Are trout plants planned in Wasco County?
Yes: 1 water on the ODFW schedule, such as Pine Hollow Reservoir; releases are planned, not confirmed.
Work the waters of Wasco County
Read the exception table before keeping fish.