Montana Fish Report

Streams and rivers are now closed to trout fishing until May 22, 2018.

Due to low, clear water, anglers have been catching a few winter steelhead near the head of tide on the Millicoma and South Fork Coos rivers. Steelhead should move up river to the more “traditional” fishing areas on the next significant rain. Anglers fishing the South Fork Coos River above Dellwood will need a permit from Weyerhaeuser, which allows the angler to access up to the Seven Mile Bridge. Permits can be obtained at Weyerhaeuser’s Coos Bay office. In the Coos Basin, 1 additional hatchery steelhead may be retained per day for a total aggregate of 3 adult fish harvested daily.

Recreational fishing for bottomfish is closed through Dec. 31 because the quotas for several species have been reached. Recreational fishing for bottomfish will re-open on Jan. 1 in the ocean along with bays and estuaries. The daily bag limit will be 5 marine fish plus 2 lingcod. There will be no retention of cabezon until July 1.

Crabbing and clamming updates can now be found in the Crabbing and Clamming section of the Recreation Report.