Catch These Fall Colors

Leaves turning a different shade aren’t the only fall colors to watch right now. It’s that time of year to fully enjoy some other vivid fall colors, like the blaze orange of a hunting vest, the unbelievable rainbow of pheasant plumage or the platinum sparkle of a fresh salmon in your hands. Whether you’re new to the Oregon outdoors or an old hand, October has the full spectrum of outdoor fun. But you need a license to enjoy it all.

Willamette Coho Offer New Opportunity

New to salmon fishing? Try an emerging fishery that is close to home for the majority of Oregonians. An increasing number of coho salmon have returned to the Upper Willamette Basin in recent years. Starting in 2026, more areas above Willamette Falls will be open for coho fishing in the fall. 

Crappie on the Move and on the Bite

Crappie are great quarry for beginning anglers and excellent for the table. In October they move from the shallows to deeper water. Finding them may require a little exploration. But once you locate them, they will readily bite jigs. As the water cools, you may want your jigs to be smaller and slower than they were in the heat of summer.

Classes for Adults New to Fishing, Hunting

Interested in starting to hunt or fish, or maybe you have friends who want to learn? A variety of workshops are coming up in October and November. ODFW instructors will help you learn about the skills and gear needed to begin, as well as the ethics of harvest and conservation.

It’s so easy to crab in Oregon with the number of public docks—and the “er” months are considered the best time of year to do it. But be sure you know how to tell the difference between a male and a female.

Game Bird Hunting Forecast

This year’s Game Bird Hunting Forecast contains a lot of good news. Duck hunters will rejoice at a daily limit of 3 pintails and turkey hunters will appreciate expanded opportunities for beardless birds. Overall, hunters should find plenty of upland birds and waterfowl. Check the statewide overviews and then delve into the county-by-county updates.

Whitetails vs Blacktails – An Important Distinction

Whitetails east of the Cascades provide great sport and tasty venison. However, in western Oregon, hunters still have extremely limited and controlled opportunity to harvest Columbian white-tailed deer. So hunters on the west side better know the difference between the blacktails they can harvest with a general tag and the whitetails they can’t.

Tech Threatens Fair Chase

Hunting regulations level the playing field for all hunters and maintain fair chase standards. That means no thermal scopes, drones, and electric bikes on closed roads during hunting seasons. These undermine animals’ camouflage, disturb foraging and give an unfair advantage. Learn what’s legal, what’s not, and the impact of tech devices on habitat, fair chase and ethical hunters.

Water Program Helps Safeguard Fish

Salmon, trout, and steelhead need abundant clean and cold water. ODFW’s Water Program works year-round monitoring forecasts and streamflows, measuring high flows (that native species rely on as cues to migrate or spawn) or braving the heat to measure low flows (that lead to thermal stress). This data helps us protect and enhance habitat for these iconic fish.

Catch of the Month Photo Showcase 

Grayson Horn's "one last cast" caught a trophy size tiger muskie in Phillips Reservoir. These fish were stocked at needle size to help reduce stunted perch populations and are a unique catch and release opportunity in Baker County. 

Want a chance to showcase your awesome catch to other anglers? Excited about your latest fishing trip? Snap a great photo while wildlife viewing? Proud picture of your recent harvest? Share your best photos and videos with us. Chosen photographs and videos will be displayed in the Catch of the Month spotlight in an upcoming issue of the ODFW Monthly Messenger, ODFW Photo Gallery and may be used in promotional materials.

If you know of or suspect crimes against fish, wildlife, or habitat, please contact OSP Dispatch at: 800-442-0776 for the Northern Command Center or 800-442-2068 for the Southern Command Center; or call *OSP (*677) from a mobile device. Or email: TIP@osp.oregon.gov.

ODFW Messenger: Monthly Edition | October 2025

The ODFW Messenger is a monthly email which highlights some of the best seasonal opportunity available, and we’ll cover content for fishing, hunting, clamming, crabbing, wildlife viewing, and everything in between. Consider the Messenger your short list for the best adventures in the current season. Lastly, we want to thank you for your continued readership and hope you’ll share it with your friends.