When is smallmouth bass season in Oregon?

Oregon keeps smallmouth bass open to fishing year-round for the 2026 regulation year — there is no closed season, though the daily bag and size limits below still apply every day.

What is the Oregon bag limit for smallmouth bass?

The Oregon daily bag limit for smallmouth bass is 10 / day no statewide minimum on most waters; 5 / day with 14 in min + only 1 fish over 18 in TROPHY MANAGEMENT on Columbia + Willamette + Umpqua listed Quality Management reaches. The possession limit is 20 in possession combined smallmouth bass statewide; 10 in possession on listed Quality Management reaches. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.

What size smallmouth bass can you keep in Oregon?

The Oregon size rule for smallmouth bass is 14 in min + 18 in trophy slot on listed Quality Management reaches; no statewide minimum elsewhere. Slot limit: Columbia + Willamette + Umpqua Quality Management 5 / day with 14 in min + only 1 fish over 18 in TROPHY MANAGEMENT — protects trophy smallmouth fishery near Portland + Salem + Eugene urban areas; Snake River Zone 6 / day with a 12–16 in no-harvest bass slot on listed reaches (Oxbow Reservoir + Snake mainstem) + a 12 in minimum on Brownlee Reservoir. Trophy rule: OR state-record smallmouth bass 9 lb 5.6 oz Henry Hagg Lake 2005 (one of larger smallmouth state records in Pacific Northwest); Columbia + Willamette + Umpqua mainstem produces 3-5 lb smallmouth routinely with 6+ lb fish landed annually; Snake River OR/ID boundary reservoirs (Brownlee + Hells Canyon) country's premier desert-canyon smallmouth fishery; Willamette Quality Management reach country's premier urban-smallmouth Quality Management reach near Portland metro.

Do you need a license to fish for smallmouth bass in Oregon?

Yes. Oregon requires a valid fishing license to fish for smallmouth bass, with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a Oregon license — compare resident and non-resident Oregon fees on the state regulations page below.

Are there gear restrictions for smallmouth bass in Oregon?

Yes. In Oregon, smallmouth bass fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trolling permitted; live bait permitted on most waters; ODFW Angling License required ages 12+ ($44 res annual / $116 NR annual); Combined Angling Tag not required for smallmouth bass; Confirm current-year ODFW Sport Fishing Regulations for reach-specific exceptions + OR/ID Snake River reciprocal compact rules.

Do specific Oregon waters have different smallmouth bass rules?

Yes. 5 named Oregon waters carry rules that override the statewide smallmouth bass regulation, including Columbia River, Willamette River, Umpqua River forks, and 2 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

2026 regulation year

Oregon Smallmouth bass 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules

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Last updated May 30, 2026

Oregon smallmouth bass fishery is anchored by the Columbia River main stem (309-mile reach from Pacific Ocean to McNary Dam at OR/WA border — under joint OR/WA Columbia River Compact administered by ODFW + WDFW), the Willamette River main stem (190-mile reach from Portland upstream to Eugene — Willamette Quality Management reach 5 / day with 14 in min + only 1 fish over 18 in TROPHY MANAGEMENT below Newberg), the Umpqua River main stem + South Umpqua + North Umpqua, the Owyhee Reservoir (13,400-acre Owyhee River reservoir — Malheur County — USBR Owyhee Dam 1932 — country's largest reservoir wholly in eastern OR), and the Snake River OR/ID boundary reservoirs (Brownlee Reservoir 57-mile + Hells Canyon Reservoir 22-mile — Idaho Power Brownlee Dam 1958 + Hells Canyon Dam 1967). The Columbia + Willamette + Umpqua mainstem smallmouth fishery produces 3-5 lb smallmouth routinely with 6+ lb fish landed annually on the deep-water rocky-shoreline + ledge structure typical of the Columbia gorge + Willamette gorge geology. The Snake River reservoirs (Brownlee + Hells Canyon) carry the country's premier desert-canyon smallmouth fishery alongside the dominant walleye + crappie populations — OR/ID Snake River reciprocal compact (both states honor each other's licenses on Snake mainstem). The Owyhee Reservoir produces 3-4 lb smallmouth routinely with 5+ lb fish landed annually on the rocky-shoreline + flooded-sagebrush habitat typical of the Owyhee Wild & Scenic canyon system. The Willamette Quality Management reach (Newberg downstream to Columbia confluence — Yamhill + Washington + Multnomah Counties) carries the country's premier urban-smallmouth Quality Management reach — 5 / day with 14 in min + only 1 fish over 18 in TROPHY MANAGEMENT protects the trophy smallmouth fishery near Portland metro. OR state-record smallmouth bass 9 lb 5.6 oz Henry Hagg Lake 2005 (one of larger smallmouth state records in the Pacific Northwest). ODFW does not stock smallmouth bass — populations are self-sustaining throughout the Columbia + Willamette + Snake + Owyhee + listed reservoir system. Open year-round on most waters.

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Season

Open year-round Open year-round on most waters; April – June pre-spawn through post-spawn densest fishing window on Columbia + Willamette + Umpqua + Snake + Owyhee systems.

Bag & possession

Daily bag: 10 / day no statewide minimum on most waters; 5 / day with 14 in min + only 1 fish over 18 in TROPHY MANAGEMENT on Columbia + Willamette + Umpqua listed Quality Management reaches
Possession: 20 in possession combined smallmouth bass statewide; 10 in possession on listed Quality Management reaches

Size, slot, trophy rules

Size: 14 in min + 18 in trophy slot on listed Quality Management reaches; no statewide minimum elsewhere
Slot: Columbia + Willamette + Umpqua Quality Management 5 / day with 14 in min + only 1 fish over 18 in TROPHY MANAGEMENT — protects trophy smallmouth fishery near Portland + Salem + Eugene urban areas; Snake River Zone 6 / day with a 12–16 in no-harvest bass slot on listed reaches (Oxbow Reservoir + Snake mainstem) + a 12 in minimum on Brownlee Reservoir
Trophy rule: OR state-record smallmouth bass 9 lb 5.6 oz Henry Hagg Lake 2005 (one of larger smallmouth state records in Pacific Northwest); Columbia + Willamette + Umpqua mainstem produces 3-5 lb smallmouth routinely with 6+ lb fish landed annually; Snake River OR/ID boundary reservoirs (Brownlee + Hells Canyon) country's premier desert-canyon smallmouth fishery; Willamette Quality Management reach country's premier urban-smallmouth Quality Management reach near Portland metro

Gear restrictions

Hook-and-line; trolling permitted; live bait permitted on most waters
ODFW Angling License required ages 12+ ($44 res annual / $116 NR annual); Combined Angling Tag not required for smallmouth bass
Confirm current-year ODFW Sport Fishing Regulations for reach-specific exceptions + OR/ID Snake River reciprocal compact rules

Named water-body overrides

Where statewide rules differ on specific Oregon waters:

Columbia River
5 / day with 14 in min + only 1 fish over 18 in TROPHY MANAGEMENT on listed Quality Management reaches; deep-water rocky-shoreline + ledge structure produces 3-5 lb smallmouth routinely with 6+ lb fish landed annually
Willamette River
5 / day with 14 in min + only 1 fish over 18 in TROPHY MANAGEMENT below Newberg; country's premier urban-smallmouth Quality Management reach near Portland metro
Umpqua River + South Umpqua + North Umpqua (Douglas County)
5 / day with 14 in min + only 1 fish over 18 in TROPHY MANAGEMENT on listed Quality Management reaches
Owyhee Reservoir
10 / day no statewide minimum; rocky-shoreline + flooded-sagebrush habitat produces 3-4 lb smallmouth routinely with 5+ lb fish landed annually
Brownlee Reservoir + Hells Canyon Reservoir
6 / day under the Snake River Zone (3 daily limits in possession) — NOT the 10/day statewide bag; Brownlee Reservoir 12 in minimum on bass, Hells Canyon Reservoir no size limit; a 12–16 in no-harvest bass slot applies on listed Snake River Zone reaches (Oxbow Reservoir + Snake mainstem). OR/ID Snake River reciprocal compact (both states honor each other's licenses); country's premier desert-canyon smallmouth fishery — confirm current ODFW Snake River Zone reach rules

Official source

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) publishes the authoritative 2026 Oregonfishing regulations. Always verify the current rule before fishing — emergency closures and in-season changes can override what's published here.

The smallmouth bass rules on this page are sourced from Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW)'s official smallmouth bass regulation page.

Visit official Oregon fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

Smallmouth bass closures, slot-limit changes, and harvest pauses are posted to Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife's emergency-order feed — check it before any Oregon trip during the active season.

Frequently asked questions

When is smallmouth bass season in Oregon?: Oregon keeps smallmouth bass open to fishing year-round for the 2026 regulation year — there is no closed season, though the daily bag and size limits below still apply every day.
What is the Oregon bag limit for smallmouth bass?: The Oregon daily bag limit for smallmouth bass is 10 / day no statewide minimum on most waters; 5 / day with 14 in min + only 1 fish over 18 in TROPHY MANAGEMENT on Columbia + Willamette + Umpqua listed Quality Management reaches. The possession limit is 20 in possession combined smallmouth bass statewide; 10 in possession on listed Quality Management reaches. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
What size smallmouth bass can you keep in Oregon?: The Oregon size rule for smallmouth bass is 14 in min + 18 in trophy slot on listed Quality Management reaches; no statewide minimum elsewhere. Slot limit: Columbia + Willamette + Umpqua Quality Management 5 / day with 14 in min + only 1 fish over 18 in TROPHY MANAGEMENT — protects trophy smallmouth fishery near Portland + Salem + Eugene urban areas; Snake River Zone 6 / day with a 12–16 in no-harvest bass slot on listed reaches (Oxbow Reservoir + Snake mainstem) + a 12 in minimum on Brownlee Reservoir. Trophy rule: OR state-record smallmouth bass 9 lb 5.6 oz Henry Hagg Lake 2005 (one of larger smallmouth state records in Pacific Northwest); Columbia + Willamette + Umpqua mainstem produces 3-5 lb smallmouth routinely with 6+ lb fish landed annually; Snake River OR/ID boundary reservoirs (Brownlee + Hells Canyon) country's premier desert-canyon smallmouth fishery; Willamette Quality Management reach country's premier urban-smallmouth Quality Management reach near Portland metro.
Do you need a license to fish for smallmouth bass in Oregon?: Yes. Oregon requires a valid fishing license to fish for smallmouth bass, with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a Oregon license — compare resident and non-resident Oregon fees on the state regulations page below.
Are there gear restrictions for smallmouth bass in Oregon?: Yes. In Oregon, smallmouth bass fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trolling permitted; live bait permitted on most waters; ODFW Angling License required ages 12+ ($44 res annual / $116 NR annual); Combined Angling Tag not required for smallmouth bass; Confirm current-year ODFW Sport Fishing Regulations for reach-specific exceptions + OR/ID Snake River reciprocal compact rules.
Do specific Oregon waters have different smallmouth bass rules?: Yes. 5 named Oregon waters carry rules that override the statewide smallmouth bass regulation, including Columbia River, Willamette River, Umpqua River forks, and 2 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

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