River Open — summer low / warm

John Day River (Service Creek to Kimberly)

Service Creek / Fossil, OR · about 2 hours from Maupin (typical, off-peak)

Smallmouth in a long public canyon.

Salt River / stream Lake / pond Shop (desk) Guide only Parking Stay State access Private — ask first

Season

Legal on many waters. West-side streams drop and warm. Fish dawn. Confirm ODFW. Official rule

License

Oregon angling license (ODFW)

Park

BLM Service Creek, Clarno, and Kimberly accesses.

Walk in

Short walk from the public lot.

Wading

Warm in summer. Watch rattlesnakes and the push.

Usual window

Confirm ODFW for this week.

Friday conditions

Skinny water. NW 6 mph around dawn. Fine to go.

Sky: ☁️ 90° cloud
Sun and moon: Rise 9:08 · 🌔 Waxing gibbous · Set 10:58
Wind at dawn: NW 6 mph · Cloudy · 90°F
Wind later: dawn: NW 6 mph

10am: NW 6 mph

2pm: NW 6 mph

dusk: NW 6 mph
Flow: 30 cfs · skinny · 1.2 ft · 6:30 pm · John Day at Service Creek · USGS gauge · wadable band is a sketch, not a safety rating
Next dawn (Saturday): Skinny water. W 2 mph around dawn. Fine to go. · W 2 mph

A setup that belongs here

6-wt, poppers and clousers.

Notes

Easy Angling Northeast. Named public BLM. Confirm ODFW.

Overnight plan: Friday evening and Saturday dawn. Book two nights if you want the morning. Drive time is to the stay, then a few minutes to the water.

Maps Call shop

Log this trip

Stays on this phone only. Nobody else sees it.

Shops

Deschutes Angler

504 Deschutes Ave, Maupin, OR 97037
Seasonal — call

Lower Deschutes desk. Ask them where you can stand.

Call Website

Stay

Hand-checked, not a hotel scrape. Check dates on their site. Default two nights.

Clyde Holliday State Recreation Site

Campground · 15 min to the water · Seasonal — confirm Oregon State Parks

On the John Day. Legal camp if you want dawn in the canyon.

Dogs: Yes, on leash — confirm park rules

Check dates Call

Dreamers Lodge

Motel · 20 min to the water · Year-round — call

Indoor bed in John Day. Service Creek is the morning drive.

Dogs: Ask

Check dates Call

Cabins and rentals (you leave Local Waters):

Cabins on Airbnb Cabins on Vrbo

Guides

Shop desks, plus a few independents who fish public water. We do not take a cut. Call them.

No desk pinned yet. Ask the shop above who they trust here.