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Article
Each year over 9 million Oregonians and visitors head to hills – and the desert, and the beach – to enjoy the outdoor beauty Oregon offers. But with that many people actively appreciating the hills (and the desert and the beach) it’s becoming even more important that we learn to enjoy our fragile ecosystems today while also protecting them for tomorrow’s visitors.
February 14, 2020
Article
Some anglers think coho are more aggressive and easier to catch while they’re still in the open waters of the ocean. Here are some tips for targeting coho on big water.
Article
This newsletter provides a summary of Oregon's 2023 sport bottomfish fishery.
March 26, 2024
Press Release
NEWPORT, Ore. – The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is hosting a public meeting on July 29 from 6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. to get input on the 2026 recreational Pacific halibut season. The meeting is being held in the conference room of the ODFW office, 2040 SE Marine…
July 17, 2025
Article
Known for its high desert climate, sage-covered canyons, glacial peaks and mountain lakes, this zone is defined by the reach of Oregon’s finest trout stream. The Deschutes River is no bigger than a creek when it passes close by South Twin Lake on its way toward Wickiup and Crane Prairie reservoirs. But it soon gains power enough to grow athletic rainbow trout. The considerably tamer Crooked River offers good practice if you’re just learning how to keep your footing in a slippery freestone stream.
Article
A dozen great rivers pour out of the Coast Range Mountains into tidal bays that welcome runs of salmon and the sea-going rainbow trout called “steelhead.” Bays are the year-round home to marine perch, rockfish, crabs and clams, while other species come and go with the seasons and the tides. In the Northwest Zone a handful of ponds dot the forested slopes, and there are dozens of dune lakes— many stocked with plump rainbow trout, and some that grow their own largemouth bass, perch, crappie and brown bullhead.
Article
"I was out hunting near a reserve, and I shot a white-tailed deer. I didn’t know it was a white-tailed deer. The rules don’t say what kind of deer to hunt, they just say a deer, and I shot a deer, but I guess it’s a white-tail. What do I do now?" "Do I have to turn myself in to OSP?" -- recent call to ODFW
December 8, 2020
Article
Learn to fish, hunt, shoot or cast at an ODFW workshop or event, offered year round throughout the state. You'll find Hunter and Bowhunter Safety Education courses and field days here. Upcoming classes and workshops
December 12, 2025
Article
Many of the more popular fishing locations across the state are accessible to anglers with disabilities. ODFW tries to keep the information on this map current but it's always best to check with the waterbody manager for the latest information before going fishing.
Article
Salmon, steelhead and smallmouth bass offer world-class fishing here year-round. Rainbow trout are stocked in the upper Rogue and in lakes nestled in settings as varied as fir forest and wind-swept dune. Big reservoirs provide fishing for trout and for thriving populations of largemouth bass, catfish, perch and crappie. Coastal bays serve as gateways to rich offshore reef fisheries, and miles of public beach welcome anglers to fish for surfperch against a backdrop of rugged capes.
Article
Wide open spaces, wild windy places, and extreme temperatures characterize Oregon’s largest, most remote fishing zone. Scarcity makes water especially precious here, providing welcome oases in an often rugged, but spectacular landscape. Rainbow trout are native to its streams, including the Williamson, Malheur and Chewaucan rivers. And stocked rainbow and brown trout grow to trophy size in many of its lakes and reservoirs.
Article
Abundant rainfall feeds the massive Willamette River watershed, tamed by a system of reservoirs stocked annually with hundreds of thousands of rainbow trout. Some of these reservoirs also grow trophy-size largemouth and smallmouth bass, and lots of bluegill, brown bullhead and crappies. Salmon and steelhead navigate the Willamette and its productive tributaries, many of which are also home to rainbow and cutthroat trout.
Article
Begun in 2014, the Tag Team Program helps ODFW fish biologists better understand the effectiveness of stocking efforts. It’s also a chance for anglers to participate in fishery management and, perhaps, come away with up to $50.
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
The granite peaks of Oregon’s Blue and Wallowa Mountains form the backdrop for many of this zone’s glacier-carved lakes and crystalline streams. Pack trains are a common sight on steep backcountry trails. Bull trout thrive in this zone’s cold, clear rivers, which also sustain rainbow trout and welcome returning runs of hatchery-reared steelhead. Warmwater fisheries are few, but the John Day River offers world-class fishing for smallmouth bass.
Article
Dedicated fly-anglers don’t stop fishing in the winter, instead they adjust their tactics to the colder conditions.
Press Release
CLACKAMAS, Ore.—Oregon and Washington fishery managers have finalized preseason planning for 2025 Columbia River summer and fall recreational salmon and steelhead fisheries. Forecasts for summer steelhead, sockeye, fall Chinook, and coho will allow opportunity for anglers to target these fish. The planned 2025 fall-season fisheries are primarily limited by the…
June 3, 2025
Article
We've asked our fish biologists throughout the state to pick their favorite family fishing locations. These spots are great for novice and experienced anglers alike.
Article
Due to customer demand for a more modern, easier-to-navigate website, ODFW is introducing MyODFW.com. This new mobile-friendly website was designed with the hunting, fishing and wildlife viewing customer in mind.
September 19, 2017
