Best bets for weekend fishing

Anglers are spoiled with choices right now. Trout, bass and salmon are all on the list.

• “Summer” Chinook in Nehalem Bay. The first fish of this early run of fall Chinook have arrived.
• Smallmouth bass in the Coquille system. Temporary regulations allow the use of spears and spear guns to harvest bass for a unique fishing opportunity.
• Summer steelhead in the Rogue and Wilson rivers. It’s been slow, but fish are arriving and some are being caught.
• Bass fishing at Lost Creek and Emigrant reservoirs. With warmer water temperatures anglers are turning their attention from trout to bass and other warmwater fish.
• Trout at Diamond Lake. Anglers have been landing trout up to 20 inches long at this premiere fishery.
• Redband trout in the Wood River. It’s grasshopper season so don’t forget your hopper patterns.
• High lake trout in Blue Lake in the Gearhart Wilderness. The hike in is great and the fishing has been even better.
• Trout in the Wallowa River. Expect good bug hatches, cools water and active fish.

You’ll find more “best bet” fishing opportunities listed at the top of each zone in the Recreation Report.

Check the latest edition of ODFW’s Beaver State podcast

ODFW interviews Tallus Calhoun, a legendary dog trainer, who talks about his life as a dog trainer, avid hunter and being Black in the outdoors. Find all episodes here.

Halibut seasons set for Columbia River subarea

The first day of halibut fishing in this area will be Aug. 6. Check out both the all-depth and nearshore seasons.

Fall bear season opens Aug. 1

It’s just two weeks until the first hunting season of the fall begins. Remember, there is a different bear check-in procedure in place during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Buoy 10 opener delayed until Aug. 14

The start of the season is delayed due to concerns over the run size. But when anglers do hit the water in mid-August, they’ll be in the midst of what is traditionally the peak of the Chinook run.

Sign up for a hunter education class

Upcoming hunter education field days and traditional classes have resumed and are now being posted. Check out the list of upcoming classes.