LA GRANDE — Wintry weather is persisting in Northeastern Oregon, but a sign of spring — the state stocking rainbow trout in local ponds, lakes and streams — is also underway.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife started its seasonal stocking campaign a few weeks ago, and thousands of legal-size rainbow, along with hundreds of trophy fish, longer than 15 inches, have been released.

Legal rainbows are at least 8 inches long, and thus legal for anglers to keep.

The trout stocking schedule:

Week of March 20-24

• Haines Pond: 900 trophy

Week of March 27-31

• North Powder Pond: 2,000 legals, 750 trophy

• Highway 203 Pond: 2,250 legals

• Peach Pond: 1,000 legals, 75 trophy

Week of April 3-7

• Thief Valley Reservoir: 10,000 legals, 500 trophy

• Highway 203 Pond: 825 trophy

• Roulet Pond: 1,100 legals, 125 trophy

Week of April 10-14

• Morgan Lake: 500 trophy (reminder: Morgan Lake opens for fishing on April 22)

• Murray Reservoir: 2,000 legals, 900 trophy

Week of April 17-21

• Marr Pond: 250 legals, 75 trophy

• Roulet Pond: 200 trophy

• Weavers Pond: 250 legals, 75 trophy

Week of May 1-5

• Peach Pond: 1,000 legals, 75 trophy

• Morgan Lake: 1,750 legals

• Highway 203 Pond: 2,250 legals, 825 trophy

Fishing reports Grande Ronde River

Anglers have been catching steelhead on the river. Anglers can try using flies or casting jigs under bobbers. Trout and whitefish can also be caught when the flows are not too high. Anglers are reminded that wild steelhead and bull trout cannot be harvested and must be released.

Imnaha River

Through the end of April, fish will be moving through the lower Imnaha River up from the Snake River. Fishing can be good throughout the open section and fish can also be caught as they move up the lower portion of Big Sheep Creek. The best public access is downstream of Horse Creek. Anglers fishing upstream of Horse Creek to the town of Imnaha need to make sure they are aware of land ownership boundaries and always ask for permission before fishing on private lands. Anglers should remember that wild steelhead and bull trout may be encountered in the Imnaha River. They cannot be harvested and must be released.

Wallowa County ponds

As the ice melts, bank angling will be a good way of fishing Kinney Lake. Fishing at Marr Pond may also be good throughout the spring, and it will be stocked with trout in April. Surplus steelhead have recently been stocked in Marr Pond and releases will continue throughout the spring as extra steelhead are available.

Wallowa Lake

The lake was stocked with rainbow trout throughout 2022, and some of these fish should continue to be available. Anglers may find good success fishing for trout near the mouth of the Wallowa River on the south end of the lake.

Boat anglers have been out recently and have reported catching both kokanee and lake trout. The kokanee have generally been small, less than 14 inches, but some boats have caught about a dozen in a day of fishing. The boat ramps are now accessible, but the docks have yet to be installed.

Wallowa River

Steelhead fishing has been quite good, and should continue through the spring before the flows increase from snow melt. Drifting jigs under bobbers can be an effective way of catching steelhead. Fishing for trout and mountain whitefish can be good all year in the Wallowa River. Drifting flies or casting spinners are effective ways to catch trout in this river. Anglers are reminded that wild steelhead and bull trout cannot be harvested and must be released.