Best Months to Catch Oregon Bass, Walleye & Panfish

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The Oregon Bass & Panfish Club has provided us with the following detailed chart. It outlines the best fishing months and water temperatures for catching bass, crappie, walleye, catfish and other warmwater gamefish in Oregon.

This information was crafted by club member Paul Ingraham, photographed on this page with an Umpqua River smallmouth bass.

For more information about where to catch many of these species of fish, be sure to start with our Best Warmwater Fishing in Oregon page.

In the chart below:

  • “Standard” are months when these fish are fairly likely to be caught in the state.
  • “Best” are ideal months when each species tends to bite most readily.
  • “Temperature” refers to water temp, not air temperature.

Black Crappie

Temperature: 56°-76°

Standard: March-October

Best: April-August

White Crappie

Temperature: 56°-80°

Standard: March-October

Best: April-August

Largemouth Bass

Temperature: 60°-80°

Standard: February-November

Best: April-October

Smallmouth Bass

Temperature: 58°-70°

Standard: February-November

Best: April-September

Bullhead Catfish

Temperature: 74°-84°

Standard: February-December

Best: May-September

Channel Catfish

Temperature: 65°-90°

Standard: February-December

Best: May-September

Yellow Perch

Temperature: 66°-76°

Standard: April-November

Best: May-September

Bluegill

Temperature: 60°-85°

Standard: March-October

Best: May-October

Pumpkinseed

Temperature: 70°-82°

Standard: May-October

Best: July-September

Walleye

Temperature: 40°-70°

Standard: All year

Best: March-October

The Oregon Bass & Panfish Club is involved in a variety of angler education and fisheries enhancement activities. See their club page on this website.