DAVID BLOOD PHOTO
Float trips provide a
relaxing experience
OUTDOORS
Fishing
IN GRANT COUNTY
Grant County contains miles of rivers, creeks and countless other bodies of water that offer avid anglers
a multitude of casting options. You can try your luck with steelhead, trout, kokanee, bass and other species.
Special fishing regulations apply in some waterways, as the John Day Basin is home to protected and
recovering fish species. State wildlife officials continue to increase the amount of fish stocked in Grant
County ponds and lakes.
For regulations, check the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Northeast Zone for the waters in
the John Day Drainage; in the southern part of the county the upper Malheur River system falls in the
ODFW’s Southeast zone. For further information, check the Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations booklet,
available where sporting licenses are sold and online at www.dfw.state.or.us.
STREAM FISHING
Fishing for adipose fin-clipped steelhead is permitted during various seasons on various segments of the
John Day River.
LAKES AND PONDS
In 2014, ODFW crews stocked ponds and lakes with nearly 20,000 legal-sized rainbow trout, 12,500
fingerlings, and 2,700 trophy rainbows. In 2015 anglers had more than 3,000 trophy fish, plus 10,700 sub-
legal fish and 21,600 legal keepers, introduced to the waterways.
For information on fishing the Forrest Conservation Area: Call 541-820-4521.
38 | OFFICIAL GRANT COUNTY VISITOR GUIDE 2016 | MyEagleNews.com
If you’re planning a trip to Grant County, you might want to
consider a float trip on the John Day River.
It offers a real family excursion that will reacquaint you with
the majestic beauty of nature, with a new panorama unfolding
around each bend in the river.
There are sheer cliffs, rippling waters, smooth runs, some
rapids, a variety of wildlife, historical and archeological sites and
most important — an inner peace and serenity.
The John Day River was named for a fur trapper and hunter
who arrived in the Oregon country in 1812. Lewis and Clark
had named it The LePages in 1805 after one of their French
boatsman.
For most of its length, the John Day River is simply water
moving by gravity through Class 1 and Class 2 rapids and rifles.
Rapids should be scouted before “running.” At high water,
eddies can be turbulent, and at low water, rocks can present
problems.
The river is ideally suited for the novice, but your party
should include someone with experience in river running.
The high, semi-arid desert country can produce cold nights,
or even cloudy, cold, windy days that can be contrasted with
sunburn weather or wind-burn conditions.
River travelers should be prepared with light and heavy
jackets — and plenty of suntan lotion.
Carry a shovel, life jackets, spare oars and one gallon of
water per person per day.
Also include a wide-brimmed hat that can be tied down,
sunglasses, chapstick and tennis shoes or old foot gear.
Pack camping equipment and personal gear in containers
with some kind of handle. It makes them easier to carry to the
campsite and then back to the craft.
A primary factor on the river is wind. In addition to the water
depth and speed of the flow, if the wind blows, it’s usually
upstream and will come up in the afternoon, after 1:30-2 p.m.
Try to get on the river early and make your campsite
location decision later in the day, depending on the weather.
There are plenty of primitive campsites along the bank for
the length of the river trip.
The best time to run the John Day River is from March
through June, depending on the weather and water level.
The recommended water level is a flow of between 2,000
and 6,000 cubic feet per second. Flow measurements may be
checked in advance by calling the Grant County Watermaster
at (541) 575-0119.
Rapids and campsite conditions can change due to
changes in the water level. Normally, the trip will be made at
between two to four miles per hour depending on the type of
craft used. The John Day River, for the most part, is a gently
flowing waterway.
The river has several access points, including a convenient
river access park at Monument, at about the confluence of the
North Fork of the John Day and its main stem.
For further information, contact either the Bureau of Land
Management’s Prineville office at (541) 447-4115 or the Oregon
State Parks and Recreation Division at (503) 378-6500.
Information is also available through the Grant County
Chamber of Commerce office at (541) 575-0547.