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Press Release

Final draft of Oregon’s State Wildlife Action Plan now available for public review; Meeting set for July 16

SALEM, Ore. – ODFW completed a final draft of the 2025 State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP), now available online for public review. A virtual public meeting will be held on Wednesday, July 16 at 6 p.m., where ODFW staff will present highlights from the plan and answer questions. The public…

July 14, 2025

Press Release

Wild spring Chinook harvest prohibited on mainstem Umpqua River, moderate on North Umpqua River

ROSEBURG, Ore – A temporary rule prohibits wild spring Chinook salmon harvest on the mainstem Umpqua River and keeps the North Umpqua bag limit the same as 2025, ODFW announced today. Feb. 1 – June 30, 2026: Mainstem Umpqua River: only hatchery spring Chinook may be kept. Harvesting wild spring…

December 19, 2025

Press Release

Commission adopts 2026-27 Sport Fishing and 2026 Big Game Hunting Regulations

ONTARIO, Ore.–The Fish and Wildlife Commission voted 5-1 to open a hatchery Chinook salmon season in the Coquille River, the first Chinook season since 2021, during their meeting today in Ontario. The Coquille River will be open for fall salmon fishing from Sept. 13-Oct. 15 from the Hwy 101 bridge…

September 12, 2025

Oregon Fish & Wildlife Commission Meeting 9-12-25

Article

Warmwater fishing in southwest Oregon

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.

Article

Warmwater fishing in John Day/Umatilla

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…

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.

Landing page

Cole Rivers Hatchery Fish Counts

Cole Rivers Hatchery is the largest producer of hatchery fish on the coast of Oregon. Almost all of the fish production at Cole Rivers is done to mitigate for the fish production that was lost when miles of high quality fish habitat was blocked by Applegate Dam (Applegate Reservoir) and William Jess Dam (Lost Creek Reservoir). Visit Cole Rivers Hatchery

October 13, 2017

Article

Warmwater fishing in the south Willamette area

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…

Article

Harvested bear check-in

Resuming in 2022, successful bear hunters must appear in-person at an ODFW office to check in their bear's skull.

Article

Current volunteer opportunities

Here are the current volunteer opportunities at the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Find the one that's right for you! Learn more about volunteering with ODFW

August 27, 2025

volunteers walking in stream looking for reds

Article

Warmwater fishing in northeast Oregon

Most warmwater anglers traveling to the northeast area are probably heading to Brownlee Reservoir, a huge 15,000 acre waterbody located along the Oregon-Idaho Reservoir on the Snake River. Brownlee offers outstanding fishing for bass and catfish, but might be best known for its crappie fishery which attracts anglers from throughout the country. However, anglers shouldn't overlook the other fishing opportunities located further downstream below Brownlee in Oxbow and Hells Canyon Reservoirs, and in the Snake River itself. Even in the lower Grand Ronde, a river better known for trout and steelhead, anglers will find good smallmouth bass fishing during the…

Article

Hunt by Reservation Program

October 1, 2025

Article

Youth Upland Bird Hunts

Youth game bird hunt opportunities give young hunters a chance to hunt in a controlled setting with a focus on safety and success.

August 5, 2025

Article

Porcupine study begins in Central Oregon

Porcupines may be one of Oregon's most recognizable wildlife, but surprisingly little is known about them—especially in Central Oregon.

September 5, 2025

Landing page

Tami Wagner Wildlife Area Visitors' Guide

This 141-acre property along both sides of the Yachats River was first purchased in the early 1980s to provide forage for elk and help alleviate elk damage to surrounding agricultural land. It also provides public access to the Siuslaw National Forest along the Yachats River Highway, where there are few public access points.

February 07, 2018

Article

Using MyODFW.com

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

Press Release

Salmon hit more milestones in the Klamath River: Chinook reach areas above Upper Klamath Lake

Image: The circles show monitoring stations in the basin and the green shows detection of a tagged salmon. KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. — Salmon are making exciting progress in their return to the upper Klamath Basin, with fisheries biologists from ODFW and The Klamath Tribes celebrating a series of firsts as…

October 17, 2025

Article

Big trees, thriving wildlife, and healthier forests at Whaleback Mountain on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest

October 29, 2025

Cascade Frog_whaleback wet meadow_Sept 2024b.JPG

Article

Opportunities on the upswing for Oregon’s fall salmon anglers

Oregon salmon anglers in the summer and fall are like kids in a candy store. Treats abound regardless of which kind of salmon you want, or how you like to fish. Do you want to experience the epic Buoy 10 fishery? Perhaps you'd rather take your own boat onto a smaller, calmer estuary for a less intense experience. Or maybe you want to fish from the bank with a spinner. Whatever your taste in salmon fishing, Oregon has it this time of year. Find out the when, where, how many and other regulations by checking both the in-season regulation updates…

August 29, 2025

Two smiling female anglers each hold up a recently caught Chinook salmon

Article

Tips for e-tagging fish and game

The ODFW electronic licensing system makes it easy to tag your harvest for salmon, steelhead and halibut, as well as your deer and elk on your phone through the MyODFW app. Here are some tips for completing the task.

September 5, 2025