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Article

7 reasons to take a class or workshop with ODFW

Take a look at what's available this year! ODFW connects people to Oregon's great outdoors by offering a multitude of workshops and events throughout the year. Education programs cover Hunter Safety certification courses and field days, ability level and age specific workshops, and events for the entire family. Upcoming classes and workshops

February 4, 2026

Article

Easy angling in the Central Zone

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

Easy angling in the Northwest Zone

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

Avoid "accidental" poaching: Know your target

"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

photo of a white-tailed deer doe standing in a shrubby field

Article

Disabled angler access map

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. ‌

March 26, 2026

Article

Easy angling in the Southwest Zone

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.

Press Release

Catch-and-release only for native redband trout in Klamath Basin June 15-Oct. 31

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – ODFW is taking steps to protect native redband trout by requiring catch-and-release fishing for them and flies and artificial lures only (no bait) for all species from June 15 to Oct. 31 on Upper Klamath Lake and spring-fed creeks that feed into it. The waterbodies impacted…

June 10, 2026

Article

Easy angling in the Southeast Zone

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

Easy angling in the Willamette Zone

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

ODFW Tag Team reporting

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

Easy angling in the Northeast Zone

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

Rockfish recompression

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

7 tips to catch more trout this winter

Dedicated fly-anglers don’t stop fishing in the winter, instead they adjust their tactics to the colder conditions.

photo of two anglers, dressed for winter, each holding a nice trout

Press Release

Columbia River 2025 summer/fall salmon and steelhead seasons announced

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

Columbia Walleye Check all the Boxes

January 5, 2026

Article

Easy angling in Oregon, Introduction

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.

Press Release

Commission sets 2026 groundfish seasons

SALEM, Ore.— The Commission set 2026 groundfish regulations during their meeting in Salem today. The daily catch limit for lingcod will increase from 2 to 3 fish next year, since lingcod populations are healthy and bycatch of yelloweye rockfish (a protected species) is still low. The daily limit for general…

December 12, 2025

Press Release

Critical survey underway to inform management of Oregon’s black rockfish fishery

ODFW Marine Resources Program's Alex Copeland monitors scientific fish finders on board the research vessel. ODFW photo. NEWPORT, Ore. – Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife's Marine Fisheries Research team is conducting a nearly 10-week at-sea survey to better understand the population status of black, blue, and deacon rockfish—three species…

August 29, 2025

082925_Alex_Copeland_monitors_scientific_fish_finders_on_board_the_research_vessel_2025.jpg

Press Release

Steelhead angling on the North Umpqua River is closed Aug. 10 – Nov. 30

ROSEBURG, Ore. – North Umpqua River steelhead angling will close at 12:01 a.m., Aug. 10 through Nov. 30, 2026 from the mouth upstream to the marker below Soda Springs Dam. Low numbers of returning wild summer steelhead prompted state fishery managers to enact this targeted angling closure. The current count…

August 6, 2026

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Angler Education Program

Sport fishing offers youth and adults alike a healthy and fun recreational activity that can be shared for a lifetime with friends and family. Workshops are offered statewide throughout the year. View and register for an upcoming event: Classes and W or kshops.

February 05, 2026