Montana Fish Report

Tips for fishing during hot weather
Fishing can get a little tough during these hot summer days – water temperatures increase, aquatic weed growth accelerates and fish get lethargic. Here are some ideas to help you beat the dog days of fishing:

• Fish early in the morning when waters are cooler and fish are more active.
• Look for fish in deeper water, where it’s cooler.
• Focus on warmwater species like bass, crappie, bluegill and walleye.
• Travel to higher elevation lakes and streams where the water, and you, will be cooler.
• Consider a trip to the coast where ocean and bay fishing can be good throughout the summer.

Best bets for weekend fishing
Here are some highlights from this week’s Recreation Report:

• Trout in Diamond Lake
• Chinook in the lower Rogue River
• Summer steelhead in the Siletz and South Fork Santiam rivers
• Walleye in the upper Columbia River
• Lingcod and rockfish in the ocean
• Sea-run cutthroat in the tidewaters of the NW Zone
• Smallmouth bass and other warmwater species in Willamette Valley lakes and ponds

Fall black bear opens Aug. 1
The general statewide black bear season opens Aug. 1. Hunters in the Southwest Area may harvest additional bears if they drew a controlled hunt tag and/or purchase a SW additional bear tag.

Improve your shotgun shooting skills
ODFW will host several shotgun skills workshops in Gervais, Portland and near Corvallis during July and August. Taking one of these shotgun skills classes is required to sign up for ODFW’s popular fall pheasant hunting workshops in September. Get more details and register.

Sign up for hunter education
The fall hunting season will be here before you know it. Hunter education is required for all hunters 18 and under, and is required for adult hunters in many popular, nearby states. Sign up now for a hunter education course (online, workbook or traditional) or field day.

Apply for controlled sage-grouse season
The sage-grouse season is eight days in September and is open by permit only. The application period is from July 1 to Aug. 20. Check page 17 of the 2018-19 Oregon Game Bird Regulations for a list of open areas.