Friday, August 14, 2026  |  Oregon's Outdoor Journal
Category

Fishing

102 articles

Nestucca River Fall Chinook Salmon: A Complete Guide to Oregon's North Coast Gem

Nestucca River Fall Chinook Salmon: A Complete Guide to Oregon's North Coast Gem

The Nestucca River delivers one of Oregon's most consistent fall Chinook runs, yet most anglers sleep on it in favor of busier systems. Here's what you need to know before the September opener.

By HFR Staff  · July 21, 2026
Nehalem River Fall Chinook Salmon: Oregon's Premier North Coast River

Nehalem River Fall Chinook Salmon: Oregon's Premier North Coast River

The Nehalem River delivers some of the best fall Chinook fishing on the Oregon coast. Here's everything you need to know — run timing, access points, tackle, and tactics for the season ahead.

By HFR Staff  · July 20, 2026
Lake Simtustus: Summer Trout and Smallmouth Bass Below Pelton Dam

Lake Simtustus: Summer Trout and Smallmouth Bass Below Pelton Dam

Tucked below the Pelton Dam on the Deschutes River, Lake Simtustus is one of Central Oregon's most overlooked warm-weather fisheries — offering big rainbow trout, chunky smallmouth bass, and light boat traffic all summer long.

By HFR Staff  · July 19, 2026
Oregon's Northern Pike Minnow Reward Program: Get Paid to Fish the Columbia and Snake Rivers

Oregon's Northern Pike Minnow Reward Program: Get Paid to Fish the Columbia and Snake Rivers

Oregon and Washington pay cash rewards for every Northern Pike Minnow you catch on the Columbia and Snake Rivers. Here's how the program works, where to fish, and how to maximize your summer catch.

By HFR Staff  · July 18, 2026
Phillips Lake Near Baker City: Summer Trout and Kokanee Fishing in Oregon's Blue Mountains

Phillips Lake Near Baker City: Summer Trout and Kokanee Fishing in Oregon's Blue Mountains

Tucked into the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest east of Baker City, Phillips Lake offers summer anglers rainbow trout, kokanee salmon, and smallmouth bass on uncrowded water with stunning Blue Mountains scenery.

By HFR Staff  · July 17, 2026
Summer Trout and Kokanee at Elk Lake: Oregon's Most Scenic High Cascades Fishery

Summer Trout and Kokanee at Elk Lake: Oregon's Most Scenic High Cascades Fishery

Elk Lake sits at 4,884 feet in the heart of the Three Sisters Wilderness corridor, with South Sister and Broken Top looming overhead. Here's how to catch rainbow trout and kokanee all summer long.

By HFR Staff  · July 16, 2026
Coos Bay Striped Bass: Oregon's Overlooked Summer Trophy Fishery

Coos Bay Striped Bass: Oregon's Overlooked Summer Trophy Fishery

Most Oregon anglers drive right past one of the coast's best summer fisheries. Coos Bay holds a self-sustaining population of striped bass — fish that run 10 to 25 pounds and hit hard. Here's how to fish it right, from reading tides to choosing the right lure for the slough.

By HFR Staff  · July 15, 2026
Oregon Bay Shrimping Guide: Coos Bay, Yaquina, and Tillamook Estuary Tactics

Oregon Bay Shrimping Guide: Coos Bay, Yaquina, and Tillamook Estuary Tactics

Oregon's bays are loaded with bay shrimp — and most anglers drive right past them. Here's how to drop pots in Coos Bay, Yaquina Bay, and Tillamook Bay for a cooler full of sweet spring shrimp.

By HFR Staff  · July 14, 2026
Summer Smallmouth Bass on the Umpqua River: Wade Fishing Oregon's Mid-River Gem

Summer Smallmouth Bass on the Umpqua River: Wade Fishing Oregon's Mid-River Gem

The Umpqua River's mid-section between Roseburg and Elkton is one of Oregon's most overlooked summer fisheries. From late June through September, smallmouth bass up to six pounds stack on sun-warmed basalt structure — and you can wade fish to them in crystal-clear water with almost no competition.

By HFR Staff  · July 13, 2026
Chickahominy Reservoir: Yellow Perch and Largemouth Bass in Oregon's High Desert Summer

Chickahominy Reservoir: Yellow Perch and Largemouth Bass in Oregon's High Desert Summer

Chickahominy Reservoir is one of eastern Oregon's best-kept summer secrets. Here's how to target slab yellow perch and hard-fighting largemouth bass on this high desert gem.

By HFR Staff  · July 12, 2026
Cottage Grove Reservoir Summer Bass: Southern Willamette Valley's Best Largemouth Fishing

Cottage Grove Reservoir Summer Bass: Southern Willamette Valley's Best Largemouth Fishing

Cottage Grove Reservoir delivers some of the best largemouth bass fishing in the southern Willamette Valley. Here's a complete summer guide to timing, tactics, and access.

By HFR Staff  · July 11, 2026
Rogue River Half-Pounders: Summer Steelhead Tactics for Oregon's Most Explosive July Run

Rogue River Half-Pounders: Summer Steelhead Tactics for Oregon's Most Explosive July Run

The Rogue River's half-pounder steelhead are unlike any fish in Oregon — juvenile sea-run fish returning in July with the energy of a freight train. Here's where to find them and how to catch them.

By HFR Staff  · July 10, 2026