Rainbow Trout in Oregon
Oregon zone limits, the ODFW record and water pages for rainbow trout.
- 5 a daybag
- 28 lb 0 ozrecord
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Oregon rainbow trout in brief
The zone tables group rainbow trout into a row titled "Trout". The Northwest Zone version 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 Oregon record stands at 28 lb 0 oz, caught by Mike McGonagle in 1982 on Rogue River. Try Goose Lake, Upper Klamath Lake and Brownlee Reservoir, three of the 331 pages that list it.
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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.
Oregon state-record rainbow trout
| Listed as | Weight | Angler | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trout, Rainbow | 28 lb 0 oz | Mike McGonagle | Rogue River | 1982 |
Oregon record fish as listed by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (record fish article, dated March 4, 2026), read November 2, 2026.
Oregon water ODFW maps for rainbow trout
Reservoirs with rainbow trout
- Goose Lake94,292 acres
- Upper Klamath Lake62,057 acres
- Brownlee Reservoir13,880 acres
- Crater Lake13,202 acres
- Agency Lake10,312 acres
- Wickiup Reservoir10,170 acres
- Crump Lake8,482 acres
- Hart Lake7,211 acres
- Waldo Lake6,061 acres
- Drews Reservoir4,694 acres
- Crane Prairie Reservoir4,380 acres
- Warm Springs Reservoir4,136 acres
- Lookout Point Lake4,083 acres
- Lake Billy Chinook3,852 acres
- Crescent Lake3,824 acres
- Gerber Reservoir3,811 acres
- Detroit Lake3,590 acres
- Odell Lake3,416 acres
- Siltcoos Lake3,286 acres
- Diamond Lake3,038 acres
- Davis Lake3,017 acres
- Prineville Reservoir2,861 acres
- Hills Creek Lake2,590 acres
- Lost Creek Lake2,522 acres
Moving water for rainbow trout
- Willamette RiverMultnomah County
- Rogue RiverJackson County
- Deschutes RiverSherman County
- Columbia RiverClatsop County
- McKenzie RiverLane County
- Umpqua RiverDouglas County
- Clackamas RiverClackamas County
- South Umpqua RiverDouglas County
- North Santiam RiverLinn County
- North Umpqua RiverDouglas County
- Coquille RiverCoos County
- Tualatin RiverClackamas County
- Chetco RiverCurry County
- Middle Fork Willamette RiverLane County
- Smith RiverDouglas County
- Grande Ronde RiverWallowa 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.
Fish sharing a row with Oregon rainbow trout
- Brook Troutfreshwater
- Brown Troutfreshwater
- Bull Troutfreshwater
- Cutthroat Troutfreshwater
- Golden Troutfreshwater
- Lake Trout (Mackinaw)freshwater
- Steelheadfreshwater
Scenes of the rivers and lakes by Rainbow Trout
Photo: Rick Obst, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Bureau of Land Management Oregon and Washington, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, Public domain
Photo: Bonnie Moreland, Public domain
Oregon rainbow trout, answered
Which booklet row limits rainbow trout?
ODFW prints this for the Northwest Zone: 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 Rows differ from zone to zone.
How heavy is the Oregon rainbow trout record?
Mike McGonagle caught it: 28 lb 0 oz in 1982 on Rogue River.
Which Oregon waters are good bets for rainbow trout?
Goose Lake, Upper Klamath Lake and Brownlee Reservoir lead 331 pages that list it.
Which Oregon waters change the rainbow trout rule?
The zone rows apply to it on every water.
Is rainbow trout open now in Oregon?
The Northwest Zone season reads Lakes: Open all year Streams: (including tidewaters and bays): Open May 22 – Oct 31, unless noted under Exceptions. MyODFW carries any in-season change.
What do out-of-state anglers buy before fishing for rainbow 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).
What does an Oregon rainbow trout record need?
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife certifies records and lists the rules in its record article.
How does the booklet name rainbow trout?
The ODFW names are Trout, Rainbow and Rainbow Trout.
Set out for Oregon rainbow trout
Pick a lake or bay above, then check its zone table before the drive.