Cutthroat Trout in Oregon
cutthroat trout: Oregon bag rows, records and waters.
- 5 a daybag
- 9 lb 8 ozrecord
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Quick notes on Oregon cutthroat trout
The booklet row covering cutthroat trout reads "Trout". For the Northwest Zone, ODFW wrote: Lakes: 5 per day, 3 daily limits in possession. Streams: (including tidewaters and bays): 2 per day, 3 daily limits in possession; 8-inch minimum
Oregon record book: 9 lb 8 oz by Phillip Grove (1986, Malheur River). It turns up on 106 lake, river or bay pages, Fern Ridge Lake, Detroit Lake and Siltcoos Lake among them. Exceptions change the rule on 5 waters, including Applegate River and Illinois River.
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| Zone | Row as printed | Bag and size | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest Zone | Trout | Lakes: 5 per day, 3 daily limits in possession. Streams: (including tidewaters and bays): 2 per day, 3 daily limits in possession; 8-inch minimum | Lakes: Open all year Streams: (including tidewaters and bays): Open May 22 – Oct 31, unless noted under Exceptions. |
| Southwest Zone | Trout | Lakes: 5 per day, 3 daily limits in possession. Streams: (including tidewaters and bays); 2 per day, 3 daily catch limits in possession; 8-inch minimum | Lakes: Open all year Streams: (including tidewaters and bays): Open May 22 – Oct 31 unless noted under Exceptions. |
| Willamette Zone | Trout | Lakes: 5 per day, 3 daily limits in possession. Streams: catch-and-release only, unless noted under Exceptions; 8-inch minimum | Lakes: Open all year. Streams: Open May 22 – Oct 31 unless noted under Exceptions. |
| Central Zone | 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. |
| Northeast Zone | 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. |
| Southeast Zone | 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 all year, unless noted under Exceptions. |
| Snake River Zone | Trout | 6 per day, 3 daily limits in possession. | Open all year. |
| Columbia River Zone | Trout | 2 per day, 3 daily limits in possession; 12-inch minimum | Closed in all waters unless noted by species under Exceptions. Additional salmon and steelhead seasons are determined on an. |
| Marine Zone | General Marine Species: Rockfish ("sea bass", "snapper"), Gr. | Bag limits are set after this book is printed. Check current regulations before fishing on the Sport Bottomfish Seasons page. Retention of yelloweye and quillback rockfishes is prohibited. | Waters are open 24 hours per day. The offshore long-leader fishery is limited to fishing seaward of the 40-fathom regulatory. |
Limits as printed in the 2026 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations (ODFW, eRegulations edition) (eRegulations), read November 2, 2026.
Water-by-water cutthroat trout rules in the booklet
| Water as printed | Zone | Rule as printed | Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applegate River (Mouth to Applegate Dam) | Southwest | Wild rainbow trout and cutthroat trout must be released. | p. 34 |
| Illinois River | Southwest | Wild rainbow and cutthroat trout must be released. | p. 34 |
| North Umpqua River | Southwest | Catch-and-release for rainbow and cutthroat trout May 22 – Oct 31. | p. 38 |
| Rogue River | Southwest | Wild rainbow trout and cutthroat trout must be released. | p. 34 |
| Columbia River (A line projected from Rocky Point on the Washington bank through Red Buoy 44 to the navigation light at Tongue Point on the | Columbia River | Open for hatchery cutthroat trout Jan 1 – Mar 31 and May 22 – Dec 31. | p. 72 |
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.
Oregon record-book cutthroat trout
| Listed as | Weight | Angler | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trout, Cutthroat | 9 lb 8 oz | Phillip Grove | Malheur River | 1986 |
Oregon record fish as listed by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (record fish article, dated March 4, 2026), read November 2, 2026.
Where Oregon cutthroat trout turn up
Impoundments mapped with cutthroat trout
- Fern Ridge Lake6,576 acres
- Detroit Lake3,590 acres
- Siltcoos Lake3,286 acres
- Lost Creek Lake2,522 acres
- Fall Creek Lake1,764 acres
- Dorena Lake1,662 acres
- Timothy Lake1,399 acres
- Cottage Grove Lake1,075 acres
- North Tenmile Lake829 acres
- Blue River Lake813 acres
- Woahink Lake784 acres
- Barney Reservoir342 acres
- Triangle Lake304 acres
- Big Lake236 acres
- Elk Lake (Marion County)66 acres
- Trail Bridge Reservoir63 acres
- Aaron Mercer Reservoir56 acres
- Breitenbush Lake55 acres
- Acorn Woman Lakes55 acres
- Silver Creek Reservoir (Marion County)45 acres
- Hult Log Storage Reservoir41 acres
- Scott Lake36 acres
- Carmen Reservoir28 acres
- Bradley Lake26 acres
Currents that hold cutthroat trout
- Willamette RiverMultnomah County
- Rogue RiverJackson County
- Columbia RiverClatsop County
- McKenzie RiverLane County
- Alsea RiverLincoln County
- Clackamas RiverClackamas County
- Siuslaw RiverLane County
- Siletz RiverLincoln County
- South Umpqua RiverDouglas County
- North Santiam RiverLinn County
- North Umpqua RiverDouglas County
- Coquille RiverCoos County
- Nestucca RiverTillamook County
- Tualatin RiverClackamas County
- Chetco RiverCurry County
- Middle Fork Willamette RiverLane County
- South Fork Coquille RiverCoos County
- South Santiam RiverLinn County
ODFW Fish Habitat Distribution layers (ODFW ArcGIS), read November 2, 2026; a mapped species is habitat use ODFW records, not a catch report.
Species ODFW groups with cutthroat trout
- Brook Troutfreshwater
- Brown Troutfreshwater
- Bull Troutfreshwater
- Golden Troutfreshwater
- Lake Trout (Mackinaw)freshwater
- Rainbow Troutfreshwater
- Steelheadfreshwater
Shorelines and riffles near Cutthroat Trout, photographed
Photo: Bonnie Moreland, Public domain
Photo: Mitch LeClair, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Bonnie Moreland, Public domain
Photo: Bonnie Moreland, Public domain
cutthroat trout under Oregon rules: short answers
What does ODFW allow per day for cutthroat trout?
The Northwest Zone reads Lakes: 5 per day, 3 daily limits in possession. Streams: (including tidewaters and bays): 2 per day, 3 daily limits in possession; 8-inch minimum The table above shows every zone.
When was the Oregon cutthroat trout record set?
ODFW lists 9 lb 8 oz, Phillip Grove, 1986, Malheur River.
Which water pages on this site name cutthroat trout?
106 Oregon pages, Fern Ridge Lake, Detroit Lake and Siltcoos Lake first.
Where does the cutthroat trout rule change in Oregon?
The rule shifts on 5 waters, Applegate River among them.
Can I fish for cutthroat trout all year in Oregon?
Season in the Northwest Zone: Lakes: Open all year Streams: (including tidewaters and bays): Open May 22 – Oct 31, unless noted under Exceptions. ODFW posts in-season changes online.
Which Oregon license do I need for cutthroat trout?
An Oregon angling license ($50 resident, $138 nonresident for 2026) covers anglers 12 and older; salmon, steelhead, sturgeon and halibut go on a Combined Angling Tag ($69 resident).
How is a record cutthroat trout checked in Oregon?
Send the claim to ODFW, which keeps the official record list.
What do Oregon anglers call cutthroat trout?
ODFW uses Trout, Cutthroat and Cutthroat Trout.
Pick Oregon water for cutthroat trout
Every water listed above has launches and limits on its own page.