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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.

Mud and ghost shrimp are popular baits for salmon, sturgeon and other marine fish. Learn how simple it is to harvest your own.

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 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.

More people in Oregon fish for trout than for any other kind of fish. Anglers can experience a lifetime of varied and rewarding adventures fishing for trout in Oregon’s shaded coastal streams, alpine lakes, urban ponds and high desert rivers.

Piloted in 2014, the Tag Team program helps ODFW fish biologists better evaluate resident gamefish, bass, and stocked rainbow trout fisheries. It's also a chance for anglers to participate in fishery management and, perhaps, come away with up to $50.

Bass are an increasingly popular game fish even in a state noted for its native salmon, steelhead and trout. Bass often thrive in the urban waters of places like the Willamette Valley where warmer temperatures limit trout fishing in the summer months. Whether you target them in the Columbia or Willamette rivers, a coastal lake or the neighborhood pond, throughout much of the year bass can offer a rewarding fishing opportunity relatively close to home.

Always have your camera with you, explore your backyard and 10 more pro tips.

Outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza have caused the death of many wild and domestic birds in Oregon since 2022. Here's what hunters and others need to know about the disease.

Directions for purchasing a license or tag online or from a license vendor, for redeeming your Sports Pac voucher, and purchasing a tag after the sale deadline. Buy a tag online

Oregon offers some great opportunities for the first-time hunter -- from deer and elk, to geese and ducks, to chukar and pheasants. Here are a few pointers to help you get started.

December 4, 2025

Follow this page for background on steelhead management, to provide feedback and learn about decisions when they happen for the Columbia, Deschutes, John Day, Umatilla, Walla Walla and Grand Ronde rivers. Sign up for email/text updates Video UPDATE AUG. 11, 2025: An in-season run update for the minimum expected A-Index steelhead abundance at Bonneville Dam now forecasts 137,700 adult fish ( see Aug. 12 fact sheet), a large improvement over the original poor forecast of 55,600 A-Index fish but still below average. It is too early to provide an in-season assessment of the B-Index return.

Protecting and enhancing Oregon’s fish and wildlife, and the habitats they use, for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations is at the heart of what we do.

On Free Fishing Weekends, you don't need a license to fish, crab or clam anywhere in Oregon. That's no license, no combined angling tag, no endorsement needed (so no Columbia River Basin Endorsement, Rogue-South Coast Steelhead Validations or Two-Rod Validations are required).

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.