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Article
Long-leader gear is used to target midwater species like yellowtail rockfish, canary rockfish and widow rockfish, while avoiding bottom-dwelling species like yelloweye rockfish.
Article
In 2025, the Oregon Legislature established the Ocean Endorsement through House Bill 2342 to generate dedicated funding for marine fish research and assessments. Funds will support critical surveys for popular marine species like black rockfish and build on survey techniques pioneered by ODFW's Marine Fisheries Research Team.
March 12, 2026
Press Release
SALEM, Ore.—ODFW will host a series of online public meetings in July with district wildlife biologists presenting proposed changes to next year's big game regulations and getting feedback. Each meeting will include a presentation on 2026 proposed regulations, a Q&A and opportunity for public comment. Proposed 2026 tag numbers and…
July 3, 2025
Article
Spring Chinook season on the Columbia River is like a football game with a low-scoring start to the game. Although there is tremendous anticipation and excitement related to reports of the first springer of the year being caught, that's just the kickoff. As the game continues, both teams (fish and anglers) get warmed up and start putting bigger numbers on the board.
March 4, 2026
Article
Rabbit hunting is the third most popular type of hunting activity in the U.S., behind wild turkey and deer hunting. Few people take advantage of it in Oregon, but they should—rabbits and hares are abundant and there is no closed season or bag limit. Plus, they taste good!
Article
Eulachon smelt are a small but culturally and ecologically significant fish found in the Pacific Northwest. Listed for protection under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 2010, the southern Distinct Population Segment of eulachon (which includes Columbia River eulachon) was classified as federally threatened due to a decline in abundance. Since then, improved ocean conditions have helped boost their numbers; however, poor ocean conditions are likely to occur again in the future. See the 2017 recovery plan from the National Marine Fisheries Service for more information. In 2023, ODFW and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife finalized the…
March 9, 2026
Article
Commission materials have moved to MyODFW.com: Commission materials have a new look. ODFW is working to transition its older odfw.com site to a new web platform. Some Commission pages that used to be on the older site have been moved over to MyODFW.com during this transition period. View the agenda Meeting : Friday, January 16, 2026 - 8:00 AM Oregon Dept of Fish and Wildlife Virtual Meeting Viewing Room: Classroom 4034 Fairview Industrial Dr SE Salem, OR 97302
January 16, 2026
Article
The John Day – Umatilla area includes the John Day River and Umatilla River basins, and Oregon’s upper reaches of the Columbia River. The John Day Pool and McNary Pool of the Columbia offer outstanding fishing for bass and walleye, and many fishing tournaments are held here. Anglers also will find good fishing for bullhead catfish, crappie and other panfish in McKay Reservoir near Pendleton and Willow Creek Reservoir just outside of Heppner. For those who enjoy fishing for smallmouth, the John Day River offers one of the finest bass fisheries in the country and a unique opportunity for an…
Article
The southwest area follows Interstate 5 from Drain south to the Oregon-California border and includes the communities of Grants Pass, Medford and Ashland. In this area, anglers can fish the famed lower Umpqua River, which offers one of the finest smallmouth bass fisheries in the country. Outstanding warmwater fishing for bass and panfish can also be found in the area's many lakes and reservoirs including Cooper Creek, Galesville and Emigrant Reservoirs, and Selmac Lake. Smaller ponds near Sutherlin, Grants Pass and Medford including those at ODFW's Denman Wildlife Area are also good bets, particularly for families or young anglers.
Article
Rockfish must be released when retention is prohibited or when an angler has reached the daily bag limit, but continues to fish for other species. However, releasing rockfish isn’t as simple as just dropping them back into the water. Some rockfish need help to get back down to deeper water to recover from a condition called barotrauma.
Article
Summer is a great time to be on the Pacific chasing ocean salmon. Whether you captain your own ship or book a commercial charter, there is an ocean salmon of fishing opportunity for you.
Press Release
CLACKAMAS, Ore. – Sturgeon retention in Bonneville Pool and The Dalles Pool will open for one day on Monday, Feb. 16. These retention fisheries had not opened on the traditional date of Jan. 1 as in previous years. Due to warmer-than-normal winter water temperatures, increased angling effort, and high catch…
February 11, 2026
Press Release
CLACKAMAS, Ore.—Following an in-season assessment of the upriver spring Chinook return, fishery managers from Oregon and Washington added more recreational spring Chinook fishing days on the mainstem Columbia during a joint state hearing yesterday. Six additional fishing days downstream of Bonneville Dam and five additional fishing days upstream of Bonneville…
May 13, 2026
Article
Commission materials have moved to MyODFW.com: Commission materials have a new look. ODFW is working to transition its older odfw.com site to a new web platform. Some Commission pages that used to be on the older site have been moved over to MyODFW.com during this transition period. View the agenda Meeting: Friday, August 15, 2025 - 8:00 AM Oregon Dept of Fish and Wildlife Commission Room 4034 Fairview Industrial DR SE Salem, OR 97302
August 15, 2025
Article
The south Willamette area covers the upper Willamette Basin south of Salem and includes the communities of Albany, Corvallis, Eugene, Springfield and Cottage Grove. Fishing for bass and panfish can be outstanding in the Willamette River and its many sloughs, but you'll need a boat for most locations because much of the banks are privately-owned. There also is good warmwater fishing in the area’s larger lakes such as Cottage Grove, Dorena, Foster, and Fern Ridge reservoirs, where crappie and large bass attract both seasoned and causal anglers. There are many smaller ponds inside and near the urban communities that offer…
Article
Most warmwater anglers traveling to the northeast area are probably heading to Brownlee Reservoir, a huge 15,000 acre waterbody located along the Oregon-Idaho Reservoir on the Snake River. Brownlee offers outstanding fishing for bass and catfish, but might be best known for its crappie fishery which attracts anglers from throughout the country. However, anglers shouldn't overlook the other fishing opportunities located further downstream below Brownlee in Oxbow and Hells Canyon Reservoirs, and in the Snake River itself. Even in the lower Grand Ronde, a river better known for trout and steelhead, anglers will find good smallmouth bass fishing during the…
Article
Wide distribution, an aggressive nature and willingness to take bait, flies or lures, makes cutthroat trout a popular target in western Oregon rivers and streams. Here are some tips for catching them.
Article
Each year, thousands of fish are harvested illegally in Oregon. Anglers who wait all year for their favorite salmon or steelhead run shouldn’t face reduced opportunity because of poaching. To report poaching call *OSP or 1-800-452-7888
July 31, 2020
Site Sections
Spring, fall and winter are the seasons when most big game hunters will be in the woods or on the grasslands. Visit e-regulations
Article
Coos Bay is Oregon’s largest bay. The lower bay (areas from the ocean entrance to the airport) is “marine dominated”, meaning there is little freshwater influence, and offers some of Oregon’s most productive shellfishing opportunities.
