Fish Report

Anglers can catch rockfish around the jetties in the lower Coos Bay estuary. Best fishing is typically near slack tides. A jig fished with a twister tail trailer is always a good option to catch bottomfish. The daily general marine fish bag limit was reduced to 4 fish with no retention of China, copper, quillback rockfish along with no retention of cabezon. 

Salmon fishing slowed down over the past week but anglers have been catching Chinook from the Empire Boat Ramp to above the Chandler Bridge. Most of these fish were hatchery 3-year-old adult Chinook with an occasional jack or 4-year-old Chinook. From July 1 – Dec. 31, salmon anglers are only allowed one wild Chinook for the season in the Coos Basin. The area open for salmon fishing, and the harvest of hatchery Chinook is per permanent regulations.  

The wild coho season in the Coos Basin opens on Sept. 15 and closes on Oct. 15 with a daily bag limit of one wild coho adult and a season bag limit of 3 wild coho adults. 

Trout fishing in streams and rivers is open until Oct. 31. Anglers may now use bait in rivers and streams above tidewater. The main rivers are still very warm and anglers will want to fish either in tidewater or go to the smaller headwater streams. If catch-and-release fishing, try the cooler times of the day early and late when stress on fish is lower. Sea-run cutthroat trout usually enter upper tidewater this time of year.