streams are not stocked and much more fragile bio-mass, requiring time to rebound, also most upper tributary creeks and streams are the spawning grounds of native steelhead and salmon, in their weakened state catching them could kill them, and they are easy targets and easy to snag in small water... so no one gets to fish there.... and odf is not against you... as a matter of fact, they are in your favour to a fault.. so if you can't catch a fish blame Bill Hertzog.. or buzz, or Jed... but fish and game actually put over a million stockers and smolt out there for you to work with... and there is still the ones god made also. oh.. and to answer the question... trout are usally more difficult to catch in the winter in streams that are snow fed as the water temp drops their metabolism and many back out of the rivers and into lakes, spring fed rivers and creeks tend to be an exeption to this rule.- Good fishin-Think of it like this, if it helps catch fish in Oregon, it's usually illegal, so considering (most) Streams are closed after Oct. 31st, I would suspect that ODFW believes this is a prime time.
I would have to say Trout fishing is better when the water is clearer, atleast thats my personal experience. It's a bit harder when the water is stained/muddy.
Is fishing for stream trout in the winter easier or harder than summer?
Im dying to get some fish on the fly