Grande Ronde River steelhead anglers urged to sign up for free contest

LA GRANDE — Steelhead anglers on the Grande Ronde River can help biologists learn more about the fish, and potentially win prizes. The free event, through the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and with several regional sponsors, started in early October and continues through Jan. 3, 2027. The event expands on creel surveys from previous years that helped biologists show that anglers fishing for hatchery steelhead have minimal harmful effects on wild steelhead, Kyle Bratcher, fish biologist at ODFW’s Enterprise office, wrote in an email encouraging anglers to sign up for the contest. Categories in the contest include longest hatchery steelhead, most fish and most species caught, most days fished and most fin checks. Hatchery steelhead have a clipped adipose fin (the fin between the dorsal fin and the tail), while wild steelhead have an intact adipose fin. To sign up, go to facebook.com/SteelQuest or www.anglersatlas.com/event/933/. The Facebook page has weekly updates.

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