Fishing for Everybody -- The Crappie of Brownlee Reservoir, Oregon (and Idaho)

How would you like to take your kids or grandkids where they can catch so many good eating, hard fighting fish in a day that they become lifelong fisherman based on that one experience? Sound interesting? Well, I have just the place for you -- if you have a boat. It is a difficult fishery unless you have a boat or float tubes.

This fishery is not just for kids. Many, many adults and retirees wouldn't miss this Spring fishery in Oregon (and Idaho) for anything. The fish are crappie: black crappie (pomoxis nigromaculatus) ; and white crappie (pomoxis annularis).

Black Crappie ↓

White Crappie ↓

The location is the Brownlee Reservoir on the Snake River near Richland, Oregon (not Richland, Washington). The crappie fishery here is widely considered one of the best in the World, both for numbers of fish and size of fish.

Normally we focus on trophy fish, but it just seems proper to clue you in on a wonderful fishery for kids, and for filling your freezer with tasty fish without feeling you are harming the fishery. Believe us, this is a strong fishery, and is not being hurt by stupendous sport catches.

May and early June are the prime times for this fishery. This is because the crappie move into shallow water to spawn, and they are very aggressive and easy to catch. Hundreds of thousands of crappie are harvested each Spring, and the fishery continues to be exceedingly strong.

Fishermen are not the main control on the crappie population here. Water fluctuations due to water releases from Brownlee Reservoir are the biggest determining factor in the viability of this fishery. In years when there is a heavy snowpack in the mountains, Brownlee Reservoir is drawn down before the Spring runoff; it is drawn down so far that the launch ramps are unusable, and the spawning beds of the crappie are dewatered. Millions upon millions of crappie eggs dry out and that year's "crop" of juvenile crappie are wiped out -- and yet this remarkable fishery will come back very strongly the next year.

In years when the snowpack is not excessive, the Reservoir's water levels are not drawn down too much, and the crappie fishing in Brownlee Reservoir can be spectacular. If you are content with 25 fish per day, even bad years will please you -- if you can get your boat launched. In good years, 200 fish days per person are not unusual. And there is no catch limit.

The crappie are large here. At times only 40 fish will fill a 5-gallon bucket. In many other crappie fisheries, it would take 160 crappie to fill that same bucket. And these fish are white fleshed, firm, and mild. Great eating.

Besides crappie, the Reservoir has good populations of smallmouth and largemouth bass, rainbow trout, catfish, bluegill, and perch. My thing is crappie, but there are many avid anglers who do nothing but seek out the trophy size catfish here.

So what is the catch? There really isn't any. There are a few things you should know, however:

It is a long way from any major metropolitan area, so services are limited -- but far from nonexistent; the little town of Richland, Oregon can provide basic supplies such as gas, food, lodging, and fishing gear.
It can be really hot in this arid region in May and June. Take a good hat and sunscreen.
When it isn't hot, it can be cold and wet. We tent camped one year in such heavy rains that we had to dry out our sleeping bags every day. It is best if you have a travel trailer, but tent camping is still very viable if the Spring rains don't occur while you are there.
As said before, the country is arid; so don't expect forested hillsides. They aren't. But you will travel through some gorgeous forest and farmlands on your journey from Portland to this fishing wonderland. Be sure to take some time and visit the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center in Baker City, Oregon.

The launch ramp to this water wonderland is Richland, Oregon, under 45 miles by Hwy 86 east of Baker City, Oregon; right near the Oregon-Idaho border. Baker County's Harry M. Hewett Memorial Park, off Robinette Road is an excellent launch point. Click <here> to see a map from Richland, Oregon to the launch ramp. There are, of course, several other access points, but the Richland access is the closest from Portland. You can find the other access points on one of the other websites I reference below.

If you want more information about the fishery, visit www.anglerguide.com/idaho/brownlee.html and www.eou.edu/~mmustoe/richland.html.

-- Marvin Fretwell, 2010