First OFF welcome to the thread I joined here last year with all the same questions. Fortunately for me I worked with a buddy of mine from high school that eat, sleeps, and breathes fishing. So i've learned a lot in the past year, and still am. So my biggest advice for you is just talk to people, find a friend that you can talk with about tactics, life, joke around. It really helps and makes it much more enjoyable. On the seasons question, go to the oregon wild life page and look at the stocking schedule, make sure to check regs, ie, if it's open, limit, C & R, little stuff like that. start at ponds/lakes cause that's the only thing open right now like someone said above, end of may is open on most rivers for the trout season. Lakes are pretty easy and just teach you the basics when you move to the river it gets a little tougher. I'm still trying to get this drifting thing down and just can't quite get it right always snag up. i'm now doing bobber and jig and having much more success in that, for steelheading. You can always fish for $hipoopy fish, they fight the same just don't take em home and try to eat em. learn your area and youre OFF! hope this helps.