The river is open to trout fishing. Only hatchery trout may be retained, 2 per day. All wild rainbow trout and cutthroat trout should be immediately released unharmed. Anglers are reminded that the Applegate River is closed to salmon fishing. Trout anglers should target waters further upstream with cooler water temperatures. The river gauge at Wilderville can still reach the high 60s. Anglers are also encouraged to catch and remove non-local pikeminnow. Areas such as Fish Hatchery County Park have lots of pikeminnow. 

There is good bank access around the Hwy 199 bridge, Fish Hatchery Park, Cantrall Buckley Park, upstream of Murphy, and near McKee Bridge. There are also scatterings of BLM lands in the upper river around McKee Bridge. In-flows to Applegate Lake have dropped significantly, and outflow from the dam is 149 cfs and 56 degrees F. You can check the flows on the Applegate when planning a trip.