Best bets for weekend fishing

This time of year, Oregon anglers can be spoiled with choices. 

• Striped bass – Anglers have been catching them in the Coquille and Smith rivers.
• Spring Chinook – The Rogue, Umpqua and Willamette rivers are good options.
• Kokanee – Many Willamette Valley fisheries are picking up. If you’re new to kokanee, check out Kokanee fishing in Oregonfor some tips and techniques.
• Crappie – We have reports of crappie anglers doing well, especially in Eel and Dog lakes, and the Owyhee and Pole Creek reservoirs.
• Bass – As water temperature heat up, so too does the bass fishing. Some highlights from this week include Butterfield Lake, Cooper Creek Reservoir, Johnson Mill Pond, Powers Pond, Tenmile Lake, Mainstem Umpqua and South Umpqua.
• Steelhead – Anglers are still catching winter steelhead in the middle and upper Rogue River.
• Ocean salmon – Anglers out of Newport have been having the most success.
• Surfperch – During late spring/early summer, surfperch move closer to shore for spawning. Now is a great time for surfperch fishing.
• TROUT – With trout stocking well underway in several zones, the trout fishing opportunities are numerous. Too numerous to list, so be sure to check the zone reports or the stocking schedule.

Tips for kokanee fishing

Kokanee fishing starts to pick up in April in several popular fisheries. If you’ve been wanting to try kokanee fishing, or could us a few pointers, check out Kokanee fishing in Oregon for some tips.

Time for turkey

Spring season opens this week

Spring turkey season opens this week and the 2021 spring turkey hunting forecast will give you a glimpse of the upcoming season. Also check out the new 2020 turkey harvest by unit maps to help decide where to hunt this season.

How to hunt wild turkeys

A comprehensive online course

Whether you’re new to turkey hunting, or just need a few refreshers, this course covers everything you’ll need to know to bag a bird this spring.

Reserve a turkey hunting spot

No cost reservation program connects hunters and landowners

This program, now in its second year, brings hunters and landowners together to provide quality hunting experiences. Find more information about this program.  

New interagency map shows wildfire impacts on recreation

Hunters, anglers and wildlife viewers will be living with the impacts of the 2020 wildfire season for a long time. To help you navigate the status of popular recreation sites, natural resource management agencies in Oregon have released an interagency status mapthat shows open, closed and reduced service areas on a single map, regardless of reason for closure.