Wildfire closures and restrictions updates

Access for fishing and big game scouting is getting tricky

When wildfire risks are high, it pays to check on access and fire restrictions before you go. Book mark this page – it includes links to closure and restriction updates on both public and private land.

Buy your big game tags before the hunt begins

If you’re hunting deer or elk during the general archery season, the last day to by your tag is Aug. 27. If you bought a Sports Pac, don’t forget to redeem your voucher for the actual tag you’ll need to hunt.

Best bets for weekend fishing

Both fish and the people who chase them will enjoy the cooler temperatures that have arrived. Here are some good bets for your weekend fishing:

• Nehalem Bay has been the hotspot on the north coast for “summer” Chinook, an early returning stock of fall Chinook.
• On the lower Rogue, huge numbers of steelhead half-pounders are being captured by the seining crew at Huntley Park. 
• On the middle Rogue, current water temperatures are creating prime conditions for summer steelhead.
• Albacore tuna have been in range of larger boats, and fishing has been good.
• Clammers will appreciate the series of early morning negative tides that starts this weekend.
• Cutthroat trout fishing, both resident and sea-run, should be good on coastal rivers and streams.
• The best salmon fishing right now might be ocean coho and Chinook.
• Anglers targeting largemouth bass should consider these lakes: Selmac, Siltcoos, Tahkenitch, Bradley, Butterfield, Tenmile, Henry Hagg and Lake of the Woods. Try throwing topwater lures early in the morning.
• While trout stocking is over for the season, there are still fish around in lakes and reservoirs that were regularly stocked over the spring and summer. Look for these holdover trout in deeper water, near under water springs or where creeks flow in – all places where the water is usually cooler. If you’re taking your boat, check the status of boat launches before you go.

Check out the Beaver State podcast

The Beaver State Podcast looks at hunting, fishing and wildlife viewing in Oregon through conversations with Oregonians, ODFW staff and luminaries throughout the conservation world. You can subscribe through Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Play Music or Spotify, or find a link on MyODFW.com.

Register for a Youth Pheasant Hunt

These pheasant hunts for kids 12-17 are coming up in September and October, and most still have room for more hunters. Learn more about these hunts and find a location near you.