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Abundant rainfall feeds the massive Willamette River watershed, tamed by a system of reservoirs that are stocked annually with hundreds of thousands of rainbow trout. Some of these reservoirs also grow trophy-size largemouth and smallmouth bass, as well as bluegill, brown bullhead and crappies. Smaller lakes and ponds nearer the valley floor provide springtime trout fishing close to home. Salmon and steelhead navigate the Willamette River and its tributaries, many of which are also home to rainbow and cutthroat trout.

Hunters who want to know more about Oregon’s mule deer management should sign up to receive updates and provide input on the ODFW administrative web site: Mule Deer Management Plan Update

Wide open spaces, wild windy places, and extreme temperatures characterize Oregon’s largest, most remote fishing zone. Redband trout are native to its rivers and streams, including the Williamson, Malheur and Chewaucan. Brown and hatchery rainbow trout can grow to trophy-size in many of its lakes and reservoirs, many of which also feature crappie, yellow perch and bass.

There are several ways to begin your fishing journey – you can join a friend or family member on their fishing trip, you can attend a free ODFW fishing event, or you can strike out on your own (don’t worry, you can do this). In this article you'll find out what gear you need and where to go fishing in Oregon, along with a few basics of the sport.

There is year-round salmon, steelhead, trout and smallmouth bass in the Southwest Zone. Rainbow trout are stocked in the upper Rogue River and in lakes nestled among fir forests and wind-swept dunes. 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 allow anglers to fish for surfperch against a backdrop of rugged capes.

Surf fishing is one of Oregon’s most underutilized fisheries. There are hundreds of places to fish along Oregon’s sandy beaches, and there are plenty of fish within an easy cast from shore.

Steelhead have been called the ultimate game fish. These elusive and challenging fish can test an angler’s patience and persistence, but the reward is hooking into a fish that is famous worldwide for its line-peeling runs and spectacular, acrobatic fight.

Information gleaned from the teeth of harvested black-tail deer will help ODFW biologists learn more about the deer population.

These updated rules were adopted after the current regulation booklet was printed, and supersede those printed regulations. Always check for regulation updates before fishing. Find crabbing and clamming updates

Join the community scientists who have shared their wildlife observations in Oregon throughout the iNaturalist app. Record your sightings of mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles from around the state and contribute valuable data to wildlife conservation.

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.

Willamette Trout Hatchery and the adjacent Oakridge Salmon Hatchery were combined in 1983 and operate today as Willamette Hatchery. The trout hatchery was constructed in 1922 and the salmon hatchery in 1911. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) rebuilt the salmon hatchery in 1952 to mitigate for fishery losses caused by Hills Creek, Lookout Point and the Dexter hydroelectric/flood control projects. The trout side was rebuilt between 1950 and ‘56. Today, Willamette Hatchery is used for adult holding/spawning, egg incubation and rearing of spring chinook and rainbow trout. In addition, both summer and winter steelhead are reared at this

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