ODFW Articles
Need to figure out controlled hunts, find a place to clam, learn how to fish or get directions to a wildlife area? We've got information on all that and more, straight from ODFW biologists and other accomplished hunters, anglers and wildlife watchers.
Header image by Dave Budeau
Where to fish
Lane County offers so much to explore — from coastal lakes and rivers to mountain lakes and streams. The Willamette...
Where to fish
The north Willamette area includes the Columbia River from Bonneville downstream to St. Helens and the lower Willamette Basin north...
How to fish
More fish are probably lost because of improperly tied knots than any other single reason. Yet anglers who spend hours...
How to fish
And for more than just bait
To most anglers, herring and anchovies are best known as bait. But they also can be fun to catch and...
Where to fish
The central area follows the Deschutes River Basin along the eastern slope of the Cascades, and includes the middle reaches...
How to fish
Drought stresses fish and wildlife out
Where to fish
The southeast area covers the high desert country of Harney and Malheur counties and is the most arid region of...
How to fish
Water conditions, gear and flexibility all matter
Some anglers think coho are more aggressive and easier to catch while they’re still in the open waters of the...
Where to fish
Salmon, steelhead and smallmouth bass offer world-class fishing here year-round. Rainbow trout are stocked in the upper Rogue and in...
Where to hunt big game
Public access to lands suitable to hunt can be a challenge. That's why we have the Oregon Hunting
Access Map to help...
Where to fish
Wide open spaces, wild windy places, and extreme temperatures characterize Oregon’s largest, most remote fishing zone. Scarcity makes water especially...
How to hunt big game
Check for access and understand point reinstatement/refund policy
As early season hunters know, dry conditions and the associated wildfire danger can have a large impact on your hunting...
How to hunt big game
Cougar season and hunting information, including information about cougar conflict target areas.
Resuming in 2022, successful cougar hunters must appear...
Tips for avoiding problems
Cougars currently occupy most of the available cougar habitat in the state and are expanding into lower quality habitats that...
How to fish
Two commonly caught species of salmon are coho and Chinook. Fishing regulations require anglers to correctly identify salmon species as restrictions...
How to hunt game birds
Dove hunting seasons open earlier than many others and offer one of the first opportunities to go afield each year...
How to hunt game birds
Oregon supports diverse waterfowl populations, from sea ducks in coastal saltwater to puddle ducks in the alkali basins of southeast...
Where to fish
Trout are Oregon's most popular game fish but there are several species and not all are open to fishing. Learn...
Opportunity for kids
A few waterbodies in Oregon are set aside just for younger anglers and those with disabilities—offering everything from warmwater and...
How to fish
Where-to and how-to fish in Oregon
Fishing isn’t hard, but it can be confusing to know how to begin. Here’s the information you’ll need to get...
Where to clam and crab
The areas around Bandon, on the Coquille River, have productive softshell beds. The areas near Bandon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge...
How to fish
Dedicated fly-anglers don’t stop fishing in the winter, instead they adjust their tactics to the colder conditions.
Binoculars? Check. Field guide? Check. Now what? Learn the basics for bird watching.
Where to fish
Whether it's a 6-inch bluegill or a trophy-size bass, Oregon's warmwater fish offer anglers of all ages a variety of...