Spring may be months away, but steelhead angling throughout western Oregon should be heating up. State fisheries officials today released the 2007 Winter Steelhead Report, an overview of the state's stocking and fishery management work for steelhead.

The report is compiled annually by district fisheries biologists, and is popular among steelhead anglers looking for winter and spring fishing opportunities. The report is available on the ODFW Web site, http://www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/fishing/.

"The annual winter steelhead report includes information important to anglers - everything from local steelhead stocking figures, to management and regulation changes, to tips on where to find bank and boat accesses," said Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Recreational Fisheries Program Manager, Rhine Messmer.

According to Messmer, this year's report also includes information that should ease the angler's anxiety in how to approach steelhead fishing. District fisheries biologists identify which rivers have the best returns and suggest effective techniques for catching steelhead.