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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.
Article
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.
Zones or Areas
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.
Zones or Areas
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.
Species and Subspecies
Features: Largemouth bass are greenish on the back and sides with a white belly and usually a dark horizontal stripe along the side. They are distinguished from their close cousin, the smallmouth, by a large mouth with the upper jaw extending behind the eye. Largemouth bass in Oregon can exceed 25 inches in length and a weight of 12 pounds. Habitats: Their preferred habitats are shallow ponds and lakes, or the backwater sloughs of rivers where aquatic plants or submerged logs and brush provide abundant cover. Largemouth bass begin life feeding on zooplankton (tiny crustaceans), but soon switch to insects…
Zones or Areas
A dozen great rivers pour out of the Coast Range Mountains into tidal bays that welcome runs of salmon and steelhead. Bays are the year-round home to marine perch, rock fish, crabs and clams, while other species come and go with the seasons and tides. A handful of ponds dot the forested slopes, and there are dozens of dune lakes— many stocked with rainbow trout, and some harboring largemouth bass, perch, crappie and brown bullhead.
Article
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.
Zones or Areas
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.
Species and Subspecies
The pronghorn, often called "antelope," is deer-sized with relatively long and thin legs and feet with just two digits on each foot, a relatively small tail, and unique horns consisting of deciduous keratin sheaths set on bony cores arising from the fontal bones. Among males, the laterally flattened sheaths are long, branched and recurved, but in those females that possess horns they are short and simple. The horns and hooves are black. The front feet are larger and carry most of the weight when the pronghorn runs. The pelage is course. The dorsum is a light buff and is separated…
Landing page
Oregon's 33 hatcheries produce about 40 million fish annually and you can visit them. They offer the chance to see fish – from eggs to brooders – and an opportunity to learn how they are raised. Oregon's hatcheries are important for anglers and the public because they directly provide fish for angling, help rebuild native fish populations, and offer educational programs. They are also vital to supporting the cultural heritage of Tribes. Hatcheries offer great wildlife viewing, interpretive displays and some provide boating and angling access. Did you know that ODFW rears 10 species of fish including steelhead/rainbow trout, brook…
September 05, 2017
Article
Not enough time to go fishing? Think again—if you live in the Bend, Redmond, Prineville, Sisters or LaPine areas there are a number of great fishing spots just a short drive away. Make sure you read the Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations, and why not grab a friend or family member to go with you? The times and distances listed are from Drake Park in Bend.
Species and Subspecies
Gulls and terns can be seen year-round in Oregon, depending on the species. Gulls like open areas around water bodies and are frequently seen where human food is concentrated, such as dumps or restaurants. Terns are in the same family and usually are smaller and more slender.
Recreation Report
Willamette fishing January 15, 2026 Best bets for weekend fishing: The Willamette River and other water bodies are increasing in activity. Several waterbodies will be stocked with trout this week. Cascade Hike-in Lakes offer beauty, serenity, and the potential for untrammeled fishing opportunities. Trout stocking Stocked the week of Jan 26-30: Walter Wirth Lake, Waverly Lake, Walter Wirth Lake, Junction City Pond, Timber Linn Lake, EE Wilson pond. Check out the trout stocking schedule. Trout stocking maps Check out the ODFW fishing and trout stocking maps to find nearby fishing locations (including high mountain lakes), driving directions and descriptions of…
September 05, 2017
Educational Moment
Shooting a target while standing up at the range is a lot different from shooting a turkey while sitting in a ground blind. When practicing for a hunting trip, recreate your shooting scenario. Whether it will be standing, sitting, kneeling, and in or out of a ground blind. Shooting a turkey There ’s no substitute for practicing in conditions that closely resemble those you’ll be hunting in, and this is especially true for bowhunters looking to bag a turkey. Turkeys are nervous birds with very small kill zones, so accurate shot placement is critical for getting a quick, clean kill…
June 04, 2020
Press Release
NEWPORT, Ore – Pacific halibut angling opens Aug. 17, Sundays through Friday through Sept. 30 or until quota is reached in the Columbia River subarea (Leadbetter Pt., WA to Cape Falcon, OR) all-depth fishery. The daily bag limit is one Pacific halibut. The Columbia River subarea received a 5,000-pound allocation…
August 11, 2025
Article
Can't find a place to see Oregon’s iconic spring chinook salmon spawning? Want to cross the ferruginous hawk off your birdwatching list? Looking to see one of Oregon’s two native turtles but don’t know where to find them? View map
November 3, 2017
Article
Whether it's a 6-inch bluegill or a trophy-size bass, Oregon's warmwater fish offer anglers of all ages a variety of fishing opportunities. Check out some basic tips here, then head to the article that details places to go looking for warmwater fish species within the area of the state you're interested in.
Article
During summer drought and high temperatures, fish start feeling the heat. Give them a break by following these warm weather fishing guidelines.
Species and Subspecies
The gopher snake occurs in a wide variety of habitats, from deserts and grasslands to woodlands and open forests. It frequents agricultural regions, especially where there is brushy cover such as fence rows. Diet varies according to size, with young eating insects, lizards, rodents, and birds and their eggs. Adults can take larger prey, occasionally as large as rabbits. Photo by Simon Wray, ODFW
Landing page
Oregon's recreational fisheries for Pacific halibut and bottomfish are constrained by bycatch of yelloweye rockfish, an overfished species. Many of the regulations on these fisheries exist to keep bycatch of yelloweye rockfish within sustainable limits, in order to help the stock recover (for example, depth restrictions in the bottomfish fishery, and no lingcod or rockfish during all-depth halibut days). ODFW encourages anglers to reduce impacts by using descending devices to release yelloweye rockfish, and better yet, to avoid areas where they might be caught.
November 09, 2023