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The south coast area extends along the Oregon coast from Yachats south to the Oregon-California border. The area offers some of the most productive and scenic warmwater fishing in the state with excellent fishing for bass and panfish available in large waters such as Mercer Lake, Siltcoos Lake, and Tahkenitch Lake.

The north Willamette area includes the Columbia River from Bonneville downstream to St. Helens and the lower Willamette Basin north of Salem. The Columbia and Willamette both offer outstanding warmwater fishing for bass and a variety of panfish including crappie. Good fishing is also available in the area's lakes and reservoirs such as Henry Hagg Lake which has produced state record smallmouth bass and brown bullhead catfish.

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

Oregon's Klamath and Lake counties offer outstanding warmwater fishing in the region's lakes and reservoirs, and even in the lower reaches of some of the rivers and streams. The area covers the Upper Klamath Basin and extends east to include the Chewaucan and Warner Lakes Basins.

The central area follows the Deschutes River Basin along the eastern slope of the Cascades, and includes the middle reaches of the Columbia River from Bonneville upstream to the mouth of the John Day River. The warm and dry summer months help to create productive warmwater fisheries in the area's larger reservoirs including Crane Prairie Reservoir, a consistent producer of sizeable largemouth bass, and Prineville Reservoir which is renowned for its crappie. In the Columbia River, outstanding fishing for bass and walleye can be found in Bonneville Pool and The Dalles Pool.

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

The southeast area covers the high desert country of Harney and Malheur counties and is the most arid region of Oregon. Extended dry periods or droughts can affect the warmwater fisheries in this area, but these can be quick to rebound when water returns. The area’s most popular warmwater fishery is found in Owyhee Reservoir, a huge nearly 14,000 acre reservoir located on the Owyhee River south of Ontario that offers outstanding fishing for bass, crappie and catfish. There are few roads to and along Owyhee, but those with a boat will be rewarded with remote and spectacular scenery. Other

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.

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.

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.

Upper and Lower Bennett Dams are located southeast of the town of Stayton on the North Santiam River. Upper Bennett Dam is on the south side of Stayton Island and Lower Bennett Dam is on the north side.

Wallowa began operation in 1920 as a resident trout hatchery. In 1985, the hatchery was renovated as part of the Lower Snake River Compensation Program (LSRCP) – a program to mitigate for spring Chinook and summer steelhead losses caused by the four federal dams constructed on the lower Snake River. Wallowa Hatchery is used for adult collection, spawning, acclimation and release of summer steelhead.

In 1925 the first fish hatchery on the South Santiam River began operations about 5 miles upstream from today’s present site, rearing annually approximately 100,000 spring Chinook in dirt ponds for release into the South Santiam River. The present site came about with the construction of Foster Dam. In 1968 the facility was dedicated for the rearing of spring Chinook and summer steelhead. This facility was built and annually funded in part by the US Army Corps of Engineers to compensate for the loss of spawning and rearing areas above the dams on the South Santiam River.

Irrigon Hatchery began operation in 1984 as part of the Lower Snake River Compensation Program (LSRCP)—a program to mitigate for spring Chinook and summer steelhead losses caused by the four federal dams constructed on the lower Snake River. This facility serves as an egg incubation and rearing facility for summer steelhead destined for the Grande Ronde and Imnaha river systems and egg incubation for 575,000 Umatilla coho eggs for transfer to Cascade Hatchery. Irrigon Hatchery also rears 1.4 million fall Chinook for the Grande Ronde and Snake Rivers and is used as a rearing site for legal-sized and trophy rainbow

The original portion of Fall River Hatchery construction was completed in 1929. Many improvements have been made since original construction. In 1952 the ten raceways were completed. The hatchery produces legal and trophy sized rainbow trout, and provides rainbow, brook and cutthroat trout fingerlings for air stocking programs throughout the state. The facility traps and spawns brown trout at a remote site.

Wizard Falls Hatchery was constructed in 1947. Many improvements have been made to the facility since original construction. The hatchery has a rainbow trout broodstock which supply rainbow trout to the Deschutes sub-basin and southeast Oregon. The hatchery is used for incubation and rearing of kokanee salmon and rainbow trout to provide for recreational fishing program objectives, and the incubation and rearing of spring Chinook and summer steelhead as part of a reintroduction program in the upper Deschutes Basin. Brook trout and cutthroat trout fingerlings are reared for the air stocking program on odd years. Kokanee salmon are spawned remotely.

Bandon Hatchery was constructed in 1925. Various renovations have taken place since original construction and more are planned for the future. The facility is used for adult collection, egg incubation and rearing of both natural and hatchery fall Chinook, winter steelhead, and trophy-sized rainbow trout.