How to use our fishing calendar
Planning your next fishing trip in Pendleton, United States ? Today is a excellent day for fishing. Our comprehensive fishing almanac combines our popular solunar tables, moon times, sunrise and sunset times, and a 7-day fishing calendar so you always know the best fishing times in your area. We analyse major and minor solunar bite times, rate each day on a five-star scale, and pair it with localized weather forecasts so you can quickly tell whether today is a good day to fish without juggling multiple tabs. Be sure to bookmark this page so you never miss a bite. view bite times...
- Check our unique Solunar Clock for precise solunar tables and the best moon phases.
- Use the forecast calendar section to sync bite times with major weather changes.
- Analyze the forecasted weather conditions, such as wind, barometric pressure and rain to plan your fishing session.
- Jump to the 7-Day Fishing Calendar for an extended fishing forecast, then explore nearby fishing spots on the interactive map.
Fishing near Pendleton, Oregon centers on the famed Umatilla River and surrounding high-desert reservoirs, offering strong opportunities for trout, smallmouth bass, and seasonal steelhead. Anglers base out of Pendleton to access productive stretches of the Umatilla, Cold Springs Reservoir, McKay Reservoir, and nearby mountain lakes for a diverse Eastern Oregon fishing experience. read more...
Sun and Moon Times
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Nautical Twilight begins:Sunrise:
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Sunset:Nautical Twilight ends:
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Moonrise:
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Moon over:
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Visibility:1%
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New Moon
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Distance to earth:363,859 kmProximity:98.2 %
Moon Phases for Pendleton
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excellent Day
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major Time:12:00 am - 02:00 am
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minor Time:
04:09 am -
06:09 am
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major Time:12:39 pm - 02:39 pm
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minor Time:09:09 pm - 11:09 pm
Current Fishing Weather
Wind Speed and Direction
Wind Direction:
Wind Speed:
Wind Direction and Speed are one of the most important aspects for choosing a fishing spot. An offshore wind can help land-based anglers with longer casting distances, while an onshore wind will make kayak fishing safer. Often fish will also move to certain feeding areas depending on the wind direction. Check out the long term wind forecast at the charts below.
Fishing Barometer
Atmospheric Pressure:
Change since midnight:
Trend for next 6 hours:
Atmospheric or Barometric Pressure affects fish activity. The best fishing can be had on a rising barometer and also the time just before it is falling. A steady barometer in the higher ranges can also mean good fishing. A falling or low barometer reading without much change is usually not a very good time for fishing.
UV Effect on Fishing
As a rule of thumb, the higher the UV index, the deeper fish will move. Shallow water fishing is best done at times with a low UV index. When the UV is high, stick to early mornings, late evenings and shaded areas. The effect is less noticable in deeper water, but often a higher UV index can produce good results in the deep.
7 Day Fishing Weather
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Fishing Overview Pendleton
Pendleton, Oregon fishing revolves around the Umatilla River corridor and a network of nearby reservoirs that give anglers options almost every month of the year. The town sits at the juncture of high-desert and foothill country, so you can chase river steelhead one day and target warmwater species like bass and crappie the next. Focus your efforts on the Umatilla River, McKay Reservoir just south of town, and Cold Springs Reservoir to the north for the most consistent action.
Seasonal patterns drive how you fish around Pendleton. Late fall through early spring is prime time for Umatilla River steelhead; cooler water pushes fish into deeper slots, boulder fields, and soft seams. In early spring, as flows stabilize and water clears, steelhead become more responsive to swung flies and hardware. From mid-spring into early summer, attention often shifts to rainbow and redband trout in the upper Umatilla and nearby tributary streams, with good action on small to mid-size lures and flies. Summer brings warmwater opportunities: McKay and Cold Springs reservoirs heat up, turning on smallmouth and largemouth bass, crappie, perch, and panfish. Early fall is often the best blend of all worlds—stable weather, active reservoir fish, and cooling river temperatures that re-energize trout.
The Umatilla River near Pendleton features riffle-run-pool sequences, cut banks, and cobble-bottom glides. Steelhead and trout hold along current seams, the heads and tails of deeper runs, and behind midstream boulders. Prioritize structure: shade lines from overhanging brush, outside bends, and any pocket where fast water dumps into softer flow. In reservoirs, key habitat includes rocky shorelines, submerged timber, brushy coves, and riprap along dams and access points. During low light, bass and panfish often push shallow; as the sun rises, they slide to breaklines, weed edges, and submerged humps in 8–20 feet.
Effective techniques depend on target species. For Umatilla River steelhead, drift fishing with pencil lead and yarnies, soft beads, or bait under a sliding rig remains highly productive. Side-drifting small clusters of bait or pegged beads through long runs also works well. Hardware anglers do well with 1/4–1/2 oz spoons and spinners in silver, copper, or bright chartreuse/orange during off-color conditions. Fly anglers should swing intruders and leech patterns on sink-tips in higher water, switching to smaller, sparse flies or nymph rigs as flows drop and clear.
For trout in the Umatilla and nearby creeks, keep it simple: small spinners, 1/16–1/8 oz spoons, and drifted worms or eggs through riffles and tailouts. On the fly side, nymphing with stonefly, mayfly, and caddis patterns under an indicator is reliable, with dry-dropper rigs effective during warmer months when fish move into shallower riffles to feed.
On McKay and Cold Springs reservoirs, bass anglers should start shallow with topwater plugs, buzzbaits, and weightless plastics at first light, then transition to Texas-rigged worms, jigs, and crankbaits around rock and wood as the sun gets up. Smallmouth relate strongly to rock; work parallel to rocky banks and points, especially where they drop quickly into deeper water. For crappie and panfish, target brush piles, flooded willows, and dock edges with small jigs tipped with soft plastics or natural bait under a fixed or sliding float. Slow presentations and vertical jigging around visible structure often out-fish faster-moving tactics.
Throughout the Pendleton area, tactical details matter. Use fluorocarbon leaders in clear water, downsize baits and lures when the river drops and clears, and adjust your presentations to match flow and light conditions. Cover water methodically on the Umatilla—give each seam a few quality passes, then move. On reservoirs, let wind and structure dictate your boat or bank positioning, always working from shallow to deeper water until you dial in the depth fish are using that day.
Interactive Fishing Map for the greater Pendleton area
We found a total of 40 potential fishing spots nearby Pendleton. Below you can find them organized on a map. Points, Headlands, Reefs, Islands, Channels, etc can all be productive fishing spots. As these are user submitted spots, there might be some errors in the exact location. You also need to cross check local fishing regulations. Some of the spots might be in or around marine reserves or other locations that cannot be fished. If you click on a location marker it will bring up some details and a quick link to google search, satellite maps and fishing times. Tip: Click/Tap on a new area to load more fishing spots.
Patawa Creek - 2.05225836913km , Tutuilla Creek - 2.28882895085km , North Coyote Creek - 5.16516903482km , South Patawa Creek - 6.74928415577km , South Coyote Creek - 7.32215895218km , McKay Dam - 7.38362672717km , McCormmach Creek - 12.30629995334km , Little Greasewood Creek - 14.37613070447km , Greasewood Creek - 15.47522811144km , West Fork Greasewood Creek - 15.94072767805km , Moonshine Creek - 17.53450692964km , Coonskin Creek - 18.81797461818km , Oregon Fibre Products Dam Number One - 18.9523574749km , East Birch Creek - 21.08274780682km , Calamity Creek - 22.26504256178km , Gerking Creek - 22.3122023596km , Darr Creek - 22.63916352482km , Lost Pin Creek - 22.69478348693km , North Fork McKay Creek - 22.72558190484km , Bell Cow Creek - 22.76959400651km , West Fork Spring Hollow Creek - 23.09884760408km , Thorn Hollow Creek - 25.53453775497km , Buckaroo Creek - 25.65758515348km , East Fork Spring Hollow Creek - 26.6640940799km , Little Sevenmile Creek - 27.03960600809km , Bill Howell Dam - 27.27272248538km , Little Isqúulktpe Creek - 29.10927893731km , Little Rail Creek - 29.13229565307km , Isqúulktpe Creek - 30.31188966129km , Bassey Creek - 30.5426293175km , Cold Springs Diversion Dam - 30.66225512741km , Little Pearson Creek - 31.84891027575km , Westland Dam - 32.10841847752km , Owings Creek - 32.24445518737km , Little Johnson Creek - 32.61824525051km , Poplar Springs Dam - 32.68824311979km , Meacham Lake - 33.46225352557km , Meacham Creek - 33.68904127896km , Tod Creek - 34.30208112317km , Coe Dam - 34.62591836284km
Harbours and
Marinas
Beaches
Bays
Wharfs
Points,Reefs,etc
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