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Features: Pacific cod are brown to gray on the back with brown spots or pale areas on the back and sides. They are lighter on their bellies. They have an elongated body with a square caudal fin, three dorsal fins, a chin barbel, and two anal fins. The anal fins are usually white-edged. Habitat: They are widely distributed in cooler regions of Pacific and adjacent seas- Japan to the Bering Sea and south to Santa Monica, California. They range in water 7- to 300-fathoms deep, but tend to hang out near the bottom of the water column, regardless of water…

Features: The Pacific sanddab is left-eyed, meaning both eyes are on the left side of the body. The eyed-side is dull light brown, mottled with brown or black, and sometimes yellow or orange. The blind-side is off-white to tan. They have an oval shaped body with large scales. They can grow to be 16-inches long and up to 2 pounds, though most weigh less than 1/3 pound. Habitat: As you probably guessed, sanddabs like to hang out on sandy bottoms. They are most abundant at depths of 20-50 fathoms, and are common in shallow coastal waters from British Columbia to…

Features: Brook trout are easily identified by the worm-like pale yellow markings on their backs and red dots with blue halos and white borders on their lower fins. In small streams brook trout are often 5- to 7-inches long but can reach 25 inches or more in large rivers or lakes. Habitat: Brook trout are an introduced species, first stocked in the early 1900s. They are widely distributed from high mountain lakes to headwater tributaries, and thrive in cold, mountainous streams and lakes where other species are unable to do well. Many barren lakes have been stocked with brook trout…

Features: These fish are silver when young, but darken and develop black spots on their tails and backs as they age. In fresh water, the males are red on their sides and develop a hump on their backs earning this species the common name humpback salmon. Females in fresh water are green on the sides with dark bars. Pink salmon are an average of 20- to 25-inches long and rarely weigh over 5 pounds. Habitat: Pink salmon spawn on odd numbered years and do so very close to saltwater, never going very far upriver. In fact, some pink salmon will…

Features: Bullheads found in Oregon are distinguished from channel catfish by their square or rounded tails and lack of spotting. They seldom exceed two pounds and 18-inches long. Brown bullheads are a mottled yellowish-brown with a yellow belly and dark chin “whiskers” or barbels that are white near the base. They have a square tail. Habitat: Bullheads are found on the bottom in the shallows of mud-bottomed ponds, lakes, reservoirs and backwaters of rivers. The brown species is common throughout the state. Technique: Bullheads can be caught any month of the year, but fishing is best from the first warm…

Features: While in the ocean, Chinook salmon often have a purple hue to their backs with silvery sides and bellies, large oblong black spots on the back, and round black spots on both lobes of the tail (note that tail spotting may be obscured in ocean fish by “silver” in the tail). Upon returning to freshwater to spawn, Chinook darken in color and develop red on their bellies and fins. A key identifier is the black gum line on the lower jaw with dark colors both inside and outside of the gum line. Spawning generally occurs from August to early…

Features: Redear sunfish are often confused with bluegill, but differ by having a red or orange border around the black ear flap and by lacking the spot on the dorsal fin and the vertical bars on the side. Habitat: In Oregon, redear sunfish are found only in a few ponds in the Willamette Valley and the central part of the state. In their native range, redear sunfish prefer warm, large lakes and reservoirs and bayous with vegetated shallow areas and clear water. They feed primarily on the bottom and seldom take surface insects. The diet consists mostly of zooplankton, insect…

Features: Yellow perch are golden, with six to nine dark vertical bars. They have two well-separated dorsal fins; the second fin has two or three spines. Lower fins are yellowish-orange and, unlike walleye, yellow perch do not have canine teeth. Maximum size in Oregon exceeds 3 pounds and 18-inches long. They are prolific spawners, often resulting in an overpopulation of stunted fish. Habitat: Yellow perch prefer lakes, reservoirs and slower moving streams that have cool, clean water and ample vegetation. Perch bite readily and are therefore popular with young and novice anglers. Technique: In the spring and fall, find yellow…

Click here to learn about the different kinds of rainbow trout‌

Click here to learn about the different kinds of rainbow trout‌

Click here to learn about the different kinds of cutthroat trout‌

Features: These fish have a dark blue or black body, mottled with yellow and with a broad yellow stripe running along their side. Habitat: The China rockfish dwells in relatively shallow water, 10- to 400-feet deep, on rocky reefs. Technique: They readily take both bait and lures. China rockfish will be caught in areas with lots of rocks and crevasses, and by keeping the bait or lure very close to the bottom.

Features: Soles have flattened, oval bodies with both eyes on one side of their head. They are dark on top and light underneath. Habitat: They are commonly found on mud or sand bottoms from 5- to 750-fathoms deep. Techniques: Soles and other flatfish are best targeted by fishing with smaller hooks (less than 2/0) tipped with bait such as clam necks, sand shrimp, or chunks of herring or anchovy on a sandy or gravel bottom.

Features: They are dark olive on the tops of their bodies, silver on the sides, and white underneath, with 6-9 black stripes running horizontally from behind their heads to their tails. Habitat: Striped bass spend most of their time in fresh water, with occasional and unpredictable trips to the sea. Technique: In the spring and fall stripers are likely to be closer to the surface. During this time bait, such as dead minnows or night crawlers, will entice the fish to bite. During summer, the bass go deeper to escape the heat. This is the time to use flashy bait.

Features: Pinkish red to copper pink, white ventrally, pink fins. Lateral line in red zone. Second anal spine short, edge of anal fin slants posteriorly. Chin projects outward. No spine on edge of gillraker. Habitat: Large schools of chilipepper rockfish are often found between 330 and 990 feet. They will stay over sandy, muddy, or rocky bottoms but also spend time in the midwater. Technique: Play to this species’ midwater foraging nature by presenting lures that mimic their natural diet – forage fish and small squids.

Features: The widow rockfish is brassy brown with a light colored belly. Their fin membranes are also brown. They can grow to be 21-inches long. Habitat: Widow rockfish school down to 1200 ft., usually found suspended over offshore reefs and rocky areas. Technique: Best success will be by first locating suspended schools of widow rockfish in offshore areas during periods open for fishing offshore, and then working rubber tail jigs or shrimp flies through the schools.

Features: The redstripe rockfish appears red and pink. The dorsal fin is shallowly notched and the lateral line is a distinct red stripe. It has dark lips, a protruding lower jaw, and greenish stripes radiating from the eyes. Habitat: Commonly found over high-relief, rugged bottoms from 500 feet to 900 feet below the surface. Technique: Best success will be by first locating suspended schools of redstripe rockfish in offshore areas during periods open for fishing offshore. Work rubber tail jigs or shrimp flies through the schools.

Features: Blue sharks are named for their brilliant blue color. They are slender with a long, pointed nose. They can grow to be 12-feet long, though they rarely get over 10-feet. Habitat: Blue sharks are found in all the world’s temperate and tropical oceans. They have been spotted as far north as Norway and as far south as Chile. They roam both open and coastal waters in search of octopuses, squid, cuttlefish, and fish. Technique: Typically chumming the water will attract blue sharks. You will need a wire leader to protect your line from the blue shark's saber-shaped teeth. Fins…