The Rogue River has dropped significantly from past weeks and is near normal.

On Thursday, flows just below Lost Creek Lake stood at 2,560 cubic feet per second, compared with the long-term median flow of 2,270 cfs, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The flow two weeks earlier was a heavy 4,190 cfs.

Releases out of the reservoir have dropped as flows into the lake have lessened, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The agency operates the William L. Jess Dam, which impounds the lake, which stood at 95% full Thursday.

The river temperature Tuesday below the dam was a cold 51 degrees, according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. The river temperature at Dodge Bridge near Eagle Point was in the mid-50s.

Past the site of the former Gold Ray Dam near Gold Hill, the flow was 2,980 cfs Thursday, compared with historic flows of 3,040 cfs.

At Grants Pass, the flow was 3,040 cfs Thursday, compared with the median long-term flow of 3,150 cfs. As of Tuesday, the river temperature at Grants Pass was a cool 59.4 degrees.

Flows on the Applegate and Illinois Rivers remain above normal.

The Applegate River at Applegate was flowing at 679 cfs Thursday, compared with 520 historically. And the Illinois River near Kerby was flowing at 679 cfs, compared with the median long-term flow of 442 cfs.

Free Fishing Weekend is June 3-4 in Oregon, with no license, tag or validation needed to fish, crab or clam anywhere in the state. Trout season opened May 22 on rivers in the region. Only hatchery trout may be harvested. Wild and cutthroat trout must be released.

ODFW publishes a recreation report online weekly. Much of the fishing information below is from the latest report, with additional information from federal, state and local agencies.

RIVER OUTLOOK

ROGUE RIVER: Above Lost Creek Lake, trout stocking was scheduled to take place the weeks of May 22, May 29 and June 5, with 2,515 legal trout stocked each week. Stocking is set to continue weekly for the rest of the summer.

The flow of the river is about 2,500 cfs above Prospect, where the river fishes well below 1,600 cfs, so it may be a few weeks until the fishing is good. There is still a lot of snow melting.

In the upper Rogue, winter steelhead should be around for a few more weeks. During the week of May 22, nine new winter steelhead showed up to the hatchery, where the swim-in season total stood at 1,201 as of Tuesday. Wild steelhead harvest is closed for the season.

During the week of May 22, 78 new spring Chinook swam into the hatchery, bringing the season total to 744. No wild spring Chinook harvest is allowed upstream of Dodge Bridge.

Early summer steelhead are in the upper river and several people have been catching them on dry flies. Last week, one summer steelhead swam in at the hatchery, bringing the season total to two.

Salmon flies are starting to hatch in good numbers. Several anglers have been getting good numbers of trout and a few early summer steelhead on dry flies. Avoid wading in and fishing near salmon and steelhead redds.

APPLEGATE RIVER: The temperature of water flowing out of Applegate Dam was 46 degrees Tuesday.

CHETCO RIVER: The flow of the river near Brookings was 512 cfs Thursday, compared with the median long-term flow of 568 cfs.

UMPQUA: Fishing conditions on the mainstem Umpqua are looking good this week. Chinook fishing has slowed as fish are moving upstream. Some anglers have been targeting shad, but there have been no reports to verify if they are being successful. With the late snowmelt, the peak of the shad run may be later than typical.

Chinook are finally moving up the North Umpqua, but the bite has been slow. River conditions look good for fishing the North Umpqua this week.

The flow of the South Umpqua at Brockway was 512 cfs Thursday, compared with the normal historic flow of 568 cfs. The flow of the North Umpqua at Winchester Thursday was 2,180 cfs, compared with the median long-term flow of 2,740 cfs. The flow of the river at Elkton Thursday was 2,890 cfs, compared with the historic normal of 4,079 cfs.

KLAMATH: The flow of the river below John C. Boyle power plant near Keno Thursday was 1,640 cfs, compared with the median long-term flow of 1,040 cfs.

LAKE OUTLOOK

AGATE LAKE: Anglers may want to consider fishing for brown bullhead with chicken livers fished off the bottom in the early morning or late evening. Anglers are also encouraged to target and harvest carp. The lake is 99% full.

APPLEGATE LAKE: With cool-moderate temperatures, trout fishing should be decent throughout the reservoir. All boat ramps should be usable. The lake was last stocked with 15,000 legals and 500 trophy trout the week of May 15-19.

The reservoir was 95% full Thursday, up from 94% the previous week. The elevation of the reservoir is close to the 1,982-foot mark, and the surface temperature was 66 degrees Tuesday.

DIAMOND LAKE: Fishing is improving and the lake is ice free. The lake has been stocked with tiger and brown trout, which are intended to assist in controlling illegally introduced tui chub and are catch-and-release only.

EMIGRANT LAKE: The reservoir is 72% full. All boat ramps are usable. Legal trout were stocked several times this spring.

EXPO POND: The pond was due to receive 1,000 legal trout the week of May 22. There are invasive Chinese mystery snails in the most northern pond. Do not move them. Drain and dry any personal watercraft after use.

FISH LAKE: The lake was scheduled to be stocked the weeks of May 29 and June 5, with 3,500 and 2,500 legal-sized fish, respectively. The reservoir was 60% full Wednesday. Catches have been good for folks using spinners from shore. Aquatic vegetation may make trolling difficult. Any tiger trout caught should be released unharmed. Both ramps are open.

GALESVILLE RESERVOIR: Fishing should be good for trout and warmwater fish. All landlocked salmon are considered trout and are part of the five-per-day trout limit, with only one trout over 20 inches allowed for harvest.

HOWARD PRAIRIE LAKE: Boats can be launched on the concrete boat ramp at the main marina for the first time in several years. Small boats can be launched at Klum boat ramp. Jackson County park campgrounds have started to open. Spring fishing has been productive by the dam with PowerBait fished a foot or two off the bottom. Trolling has also been effective. Anglers are catching both recently stocked trout and larger holdovers up to 20 inches. The reservoir is 52% full. The lake was last scheduled to be stocked the week of May 22, with 7,450 legals.

HYATT LAKE: The reservoir was 59% full Wednesday, up from 58% a week earlier. The lake was last due to get stocked the week of May 22, with 7,450 legal-sized trout. Boat ramps should be open. Access is also available for small watercraft near the dam.

LAKE OF THE WOODS: The lake was last due to be stocked the week of May 15, with 667 legal trout.

LAKE SELMAC: Warmwater fish are starting to be caught, including some largemouth bass of 8-9 pounds. The lake was last due to be stocked with 1,000 legals the week of May 22. Boat anglers are asked to remove as much vegetation as possible before leaving the ramp, as well as drain and dry their vessel, in order to control invasive species.

LEMOLO LAKE: The lake was last due to be stocked the week of May 15, with 5,000 legal trout. The main road is open.

LOST CREEK LAKE: Trout are readily available and there are plenty of holdover trophy trout that were stocked last fall. Many are in the 14- to 18-inch range. There have been been lots of soft bites, so be attentive. Bank anglers have had good access on either side of the dam recently with PowerBait and spinners. The lake surface temperature was 66 degrees Tuesday. The lake elevation Thursday was 1,867.71 feet. All ramps should be open at this point. The courtesy dock at the Takelma boat ramp is out of service indefinitely.

MEDCO POND: The pond was last due to be stocked the week of May 22, with 2,000 legals.

WILLOW LAKE: The lake is full and was last due to be stocked May 15, with 4,000 legals and 1,500 trophy trout.

OREGON COAST

SALMON: The selective coho season from Cape Falcon to the California border runs June 17 through Aug. 31, or when the 110,000 coho quota is reached.

Ocean Chinook salmon fishing from Cape Falcon to the California border is closed due to severely low forecasts for Chinook salmon in the Sacramento and Klamath rivers.

RAZOR CLAMS: As of June 1, the recreational harvest of razor clams is closed from Tillamook Head just south of Seaside to Seal Rock, and from the south jetty of the Siuslaw River to the California border due to elevated levels of domoic acid.

MUSSELS, BAY CLAMS and CRABS: Recreational harvest is open. Call the Oregon Department of Agriculture shellfish safety hotline at 1-800-448-2474 for any updates.

Size and abundance of crabs will usually start to increase by late June and into July. It is recommended to gut crabs and discard the viscera prior to cooking. Check the ODFW website for season dates, rules and licensing requirements. Before going clamming or crabbing, call the shellfish hotline at 541-867-4741.