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FISHING CALENDAR · OREGON

Oregon Fishing Calendar

Oregon fishing covers the Pacific coast and its bays, coastal salmon and steelhead rivers, the Columbia and Willamette, and the Cascade lakes and reservoirs. Good months come from ODFW's own species pages, how-to articles and steelhead run-timing table. Closed months come from 2026 ODFW season pages and the 2026 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations.

Government fish & wildlife updates

Month by month

Peak (source says best)In season / caughtSpawningClosed seasonOpen, no official month data
FishJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecNotes
Freshwater
Rainbow troutODFW says lakes and most rivers fish best in spring and fall, when water is cool and most lakes get stocked. In the Willamette Valley and on the coast, lake fishing can stay good into winter. Lakes are open all year. Most western Oregon streams are open only May 22 to Oct. 31. Willamette Zone lakes: 5 trout a day, 8-inch minimum.[12][30][34]
Coastal cutthroat troutFound in most western Oregon streams. Sea-run fish gather in estuaries in early summer, move upriver later and return to fresh water in July and August. ODFW suggests targeting sea-runs in late summer. The usual season for western Oregon streams is May 22 to Oct. 31, and bait is often banned above tidewater.[13][34][39]
KokaneeLandlocked sockeye found in lakes and reservoirs. You can fish for them all year, but most anglers go from April through August. They spawn in the fall and then die. The Willamette Zone limit is 10 a day.[14][30]
WalleyeODFW says the best walleye fishing is on the Columbia near Portland and in the Dalles and John Day pools. They are also in the Willamette below Willamette Falls. The season is open all year, and they bite in summer heat and in winter cold. They feed harder in warm water. Columbia River Zone: no limit. Most are caught from boats.[37][15][29][40]
Smallmouth bassODFW names the pre-spawn period, starting around April when water is near 60°F, as the best time for big bass. Late summer into early fall is the next best. Bass get sluggish below 50°F. Willamette Zone lakes: 5 a day, no more than 3 over 15 inches.[16][30]
Largemouth bassSame pattern as smallmouth. Pre-spawn starting in April is the best time, and late summer to early fall is next best. Fish surface lures early and late in summer. They are hard to catch below 50°F. Willamette Zone lakes: 5 a day, no more than 3 over 15 inches.[16][30]
White sturgeonMostly catch-and-release, with one single-point barbless hook. Fish over 54 inches must stay in the water. 2026 retention: John Day Pool Jan. 1–9 only, and Bonneville and The Dalles pools for one day, Feb. 16 (1 a day, 2 a year, slot limits). No retention below Bonneville Dam. Spawning sanctuaries below the dams are closed to all sturgeon fishing May 1–Aug. 31. Catch-and-release is good near Astoria in June and July, and on the lower Willamette from fall into spring.[17][18][19][29]
American shadODFW says the best time is when shad run upriver from May to mid-July. They show up around Mother's Day on the Columbia, Willamette and Umpqua. No size or bag limit. The Columbia from Buoy 10 to Bonneville Dam is closed to shad Apr. 1–May 15.[20][33][29]
Salmon & steelhead
Spring Chinook (Columbia)2026 Columbia hatchery spring Chinook: Mar. 1–Apr. 8 below Bonneville, and Apr. 1–26 plus May 2 above Bonneville. ODFW says fishing builds through March, and early April can be really good. Limit 2 adult hatchery salmonids a day, only 1 a Chinook. Spring Chinook spawn August to early November.[4][3][39]
Fall Chinook (Buoy 10 & coast rivers)Coastal fall seasons run from July 1 to as late as Dec. 31, depending on the basin. Some basins close to all Chinook Dec. 1–31. In 2026, wild Chinook retention is open in 18 coastal basins, with a statewide wild Chinook limit of 2 a day and 20 a season. Buoy 10 opens Aug. 1, with good Chinook through late August. Fall Chinook spawn October to early March.[5][6][7][3][39]
Ocean salmon (Chinook & coho)2026 Cape Falcon to Humbug Mt.: Chinook open Mar. 15–Oct. 31, 2 a day, 24-inch Chinook minimum. Hatchery coho June 6–Aug. 23 (quota), plus an all-salmon coho season in September. Humbug Mt. to California closed after Aug. 31. North of Cape Falcon: June 20 to Sept. 30 or quota. Chinook season reopens Mar. 15, 2027. ODFW calls summer a great time for ocean salmon.[8][32][36]
Coho (rivers & Buoy 10)Buoy 10 coho stay good through at least mid-September. In 2026, wild coho can be kept in 10 coastal basins plus Siltcoos, Tahkenitch and Tenmile lakes, mid-September through December. Rivers: 1 a day, 3 a season. Lakes: 1 a day, 5 a season. The Alsea is closed to wild coho in 2026. Hatchery coho programs are on the Nehalem, Tillamook, Umpqua and Rogue.[5][6][7][40]
Sockeye (Columbia)Sockeye pass up the Columbia in summer, headed for Idaho, and most are caught by anglers fishing for other salmon. The Columbia is closed to sockeye under permanent rules. The 2026 retention window was June 23–July 5.[11][9][29][41]
Chum salmonCatch-and-release only on the Kilchis and Miami rivers, Sept. 16–Nov. 15. Drift fishing, spoons and bobber-and-jig all work. The Columbia River Zone is closed to chum. They are rarely caught in the ocean.[10][29]
Summer steelheadSummer fish enter fresh water from May to October. All steelhead east of the Cascades are summer-run. They spawn the following spring. Release all wild steelhead in the Columbia River Zone. 2026: the Deschutes closed to steelhead and salmon on Aug. 15 because of a poor run, and Columbia upriver runs are low.[2][1][35][29][39]
Winter steelheadWinter fish return November to April and spawn soon after, in spring. ODFW's river table lists peaks between December and March depending on the river: Alsea mid-January to mid-February, lower Willamette December–February, Siuslaw late January–March. North Coast wild fish peak in February–March for catch-and-release.[1][2]
Saltwater & shellfish
Pacific halibut2026 Central Coast (Humbug Mt. to Cape Falcon): all-depth May 1–July 31 and Aug. 1–Oct. 31, 2 a day. Southern Oregon: May 1–Oct. 31. Columbia subarea: Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays Apr. 30–June 28 plus Aug. 8–Sept. 30, 1 a day. All seasons close early if the quota is caught. Annual limit 6.[21]
LingcodOpen year-round at all depths in 2026. Limit 3 a day, 22-inch minimum, separate from the general bottomfish bag. Rocks and jetties are the best places to fish year-round for lingcod and other bottomfish.[22][25][39]
Black rockfishOpen year-round at all depths in 2026. Limit 4 a day in the general marine bag, with only 2 canary. Yelloweye and quillback rockfish can't be kept. Quota caps can change limits mid-season.[22][28][39]
Cabezon2026: no retention Jan. 1–June 30. From July 1, 1 a day within the general marine bag, 16-inch minimum.[22]
Albacore tunaAlbacore arrive off Oregon around the end of June, usually 30-plus miles out in 60°F blue water. ODFW says the best fishing is usually July and August, and fish are usually still around through early October. Limit 25 a day, combined with other offshore species.[23][28]
Redtail surfperchPresent year-round. ODFW says the most productive time is spring and early summer, when they school along sandy beaches. Fish the incoming tide. Limit 15 surfperch a day.[24][25][28]
Dungeness crabBays, beaches, piers and jetties are open all year. Ocean crabbing is closed Oct. 16–Nov. 30. ODFW says fall is typically the best time, and crabs are fuller from September on. Keep males only, 5¾ inches or bigger, 12 a day.[26][28]
Razor clamClatsop beaches (about 90% of Oregon's harvest) are closed July 15–Sept. 30 to protect young clams. Other beaches stay open unless there's a health closure. You must keep the first 15 clams you dig. Minus tides are best. Check the shellfish safety hotline before digging.[27][38][28]

Never keep: In Oregon you may never keep green sturgeon, yelloweye or quillback rockfish, white, basking, megamouth or oceanic whitetip sharks, or freshwater mussels and clams. Eulachon smelt can't be taken in bays or rivers unless emergency rules allow it.[28][29][31]

Bait & rig for each fish

Rainbow trout

Bait: Salmon roe and nightcrawlers where bait is legal.

Lures: Beads that look like salmon eggs, flesh flies, sculpin and leech streamers, small spinners and spoons.

Leader: 3X–5X tippet (4–8 lb), 7½–9 ft.

Full guide, knots & rigs →

Kokanee

Bait: Sockeye eat plankton and rarely take bait. Where bait is allowed, a small piece of yarn or a bead is used, not to feed the fish but to make a visible hook.

Lures: Coho flies, Russian River flies and small sparse flies; small spoons and spinners in lakes and saltwater.

Leader: 20–30 lb fluorocarbon, 4–6 ft behind a flasher.

Full guide, knots & rigs →

Walleye

Bait: Live minnows, leeches and nightcrawlers.

Lures: Jigs tipped with a minnow, spinner rigs ('crawler harnesses'), crankbaits and blade baits.

Leader: 6–10 lb fluorocarbon.

Full guide, knots & rigs →

Smallmouth bass

Bait: Live crayfish, leeches and minnows.

Lures: Tubes, drop-shot plastics, ned rigs, jerkbaits, crankbaits and small topwaters.

Leader: 6–10 lb fluorocarbon.

Full guide, knots & rigs →

Largemouth bass

Bait: Live wild shiners.

Lures: Plastic worms, swimbaits, spinnerbaits, topwater frogs and crankbaits.

Rig: Float rig, Carolina/bottom rig, jig head or simple lure setup depending on depth and species.

Leader: Often 6–15 lb mono/fluoro; heavier leader is useful around abrasive cover or toothy fish.

Full guide, knots & rigs →

White sturgeon

Bait: Ghost shrimp, grass shrimp, mud shrimp, eel, herring and anchovies.

Lures: Almost always caught on bait.

Leader: 60–80 lb mono.

Full guide, knots & rigs →

Spring Chinook (Columbia)

Bait: Whole or cut-plug herring and anchovies.

Lures: Hoochies and spoons behind a flasher, spinners and plugs in the rivers.

Leader: 20–30 lb fluorocarbon, 4–6 ft behind a flasher.

Full guide, knots & rigs →

Coho (rivers & Buoy 10)

Bait: Herring and anchovies.

Lures: Hoochies, spoons and bucktail flies trolled fast near the surface; spinners in the rivers.

Leader: 20–30 lb fluorocarbon, 4–6 ft behind a flasher.

Full guide, knots & rigs →

Chum salmon

Bait: Cured salmon eggs and shrimp where bait is legal.

Lures: Chartreuse, pink and purple flies, spoons, spinners and jigs under a float.

Leader: 20–30 lb fluorocarbon, 4–6 ft behind a flasher.

Full guide, knots & rigs →

Pacific halibut

Bait: Herring, squid, octopus and salmon bellies on a spreader bar or circle hook.

Lures: Big jigs and leadheads with large grubs, tipped with bait.

Leader: 20–30 lb fluorocarbon, 3 ft.

Full guide, knots & rigs →

Lingcod

Bait: Live rockfish, sanddabs or greenling (where legal), herring and big squid.

Lures: Heavy swimbaits and jig heads, leadhead jigs with a big grub, and metal jigs.

Leader: 30–50 lb mono.

Full guide, knots & rigs →

Black rockfish

Bait: Herring strips, squid and shrimp.

Lures: Shrimp flies, swimbaits, small jigs and even flies and topwater when they're up shallow.

Leader: 30–50 lb mono.

Full guide, knots & rigs →

Cabezon

Bait: Crabs, shrimp, squid and mussels.

Lures: Jigs and grubs bounced slowly on the rocks.

Leader: 30–50 lb mono.

Full guide, knots & rigs →

Albacore tuna

Bait: Common starting baits are ballyhoo, sardines, flying fish, squid strips or other locally abundant forage matched to size.

Lures: Trolling heads, feathers, plugs, spoons and metal jigs are common; match lure size and color to local forage.

Rig: Use a clean trolling or live-bait rig with minimal hardware, a strong swivel where needed and a leader long enough to protect against abrasion.

Leader: 40–100 lb mono/fluorocarbon is a common starting range; toothy species may need heavier abrasion-resistant or wire bite protection.

Full guide, knots & rigs →

Dungeness crab

Bait: Chicken, turkey legs, fish carcasses, clams and squid in a bait cage.

Lures: Crab rings, pots and crab snares.

Leader: Not used.

Full guide, knots & rigs →

Local fishing reports — what’s biting now

Sources

  1. ODFW – How to fish for steelhead (run-timing table)
  2. ODFW – Steelhead species page
  3. ODFW – Chinook salmon species page
  4. ODFW – Columbia Spring Chinook is Game On! (Mar. 2026)
  5. ODFW – Fall coastal salmon management (2026)
  6. ODFW – Expanded coastal salmon opportunities this fall (Aug. 2026)
  7. ODFW – 10 tips for Buoy 10 fishing
  8. ODFW – 2026 Oregon ocean recreational salmon seasons (PDF, updated Sept. 17, 2026)
  9. ODFW – Columbia River 2026 summer/fall salmon and steelhead seasons announced
  10. ODFW – Chum salmon species page
  11. ODFW – Sockeye salmon species page
  12. ODFW – How to fish for trout
  13. ODFW – 7 tips for catching coastal cutthroat
  14. ODFW – Kokanee fishing in Oregon
  15. ODFW – Columbia walleye check all the boxes (Jan. 2026)
  16. ODFW – All about bass
  17. ODFW – Sturgeon fishing in Oregon
  18. ODFW – Sturgeon retention closes in John Day Pool after Jan. 9 (2026)
  19. ODFW – Sturgeon retention opens one day Feb. 16 in Bonneville and The Dalles pools (2026)
  20. ODFW – American shad species page
  21. ODFW – Pacific halibut sport regulations (2026)
  22. ODFW – Sport bottomfish seasons (2026)
  23. ODFW – Tuna fishing in Oregon
  24. ODFW – How to fish for surfperch
  25. ODFW – Oregon marine shore fishing
  26. ODFW – How to crab
  27. ODFW – How to razor clam
  28. 2026 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations – Marine Zone
  29. 2026 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations – Columbia River Zone
  30. 2026 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations – Willamette Zone
  31. 2026 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations – General statewide regulations
  32. ODFW – 2026 ocean salmon seasons adopted (Apr. 2026)
  33. ODFW – Shad fishers delight (May 2026)
  34. 2026 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations – Northwest Zone
  35. ODFW – Deschutes River closes to steelhead, salmon fishing Aug. 15 (2026)
  36. ODFW – Ocean salmon fishing
  37. ODFW – Walleye species page
  38. ODFW – Razor clam species page
  39. Seasonal Opportunities - MyODFW (Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife)
  40. Columbia Zone - MyODFW
  41. Sockeye: Ups, Downs, and Optimism Amid a Downturn - Northwest Power and Conservation Council

Checked October 2026. BigJoe does not invent facts: every month on this calendar comes from the sources above. Empty boxes mean no official source gives those months. Rules change — check the agency page before you keep a fish.

On the bay, in the mangroves or on the ocean, the everyday struggles get left at the dock — for those few hours it’s just you, the water and peace.