Montana Fish Report

Remember to buy your archery tags
General archery deer and elk seasons start this Saturday, and you must buy your tags before the season starts. And if you’re waiting for rifle season, why not buy your tag now while we’re reminding you?

Include fishing in your holiday weekend plans
Sept. 1-2 is a Free Fishing Weekend in Oregon – you can fish, crab or clam anywhere in Oregon without a license or tag. That’s no fishing or shellfish license, no Combined Angling Tag and no Columbia River Basin Endorsement. Reason enough to share your fishing adventure with a friend.

Big game seasons start soon – are you ready?
Have you bought your tags? And sighted-in your rifle? And sharpened your knives? And found the right map? And, and, and…. If it’s all too much to keep track of, use this hunter’s checklist to help make sure you don’t forget something important in the days leading up to your hunt.

Late summer fishing for the trout enthusiast
Trout get a little glum when water temperatures get too warm. This time of year, focus your trout fishing efforts in places where waters are cooler (and trout are more interested). Consider:

• Higher elevation lakes like Diamond, Anthony, Jubilee, Harriet, Lemolo, Hemlock and Lake of the Woods.
• Really high hike-in lakes – here’s a list of the high lakes we stock.
• Central Oregon Cascade lakes and rivers like Crane Prairie Reservoir (fish the deeper channels), upper Deschutes River below Little Lava, Hosmer Lake, Big Lava Lake and Three Creek Lake.
• The Fall River and McKenzie River above Leaburg, both of which will be stocked this week.

Fall Chinook seasons are underway
Fall Chinook are being caught on the Columbia River at Buoy 10 and in south coast rivers like the Coos, lower Rogue and the mouth of the Umpqua. On the north coast, look for Chinook to start entering the bays and estuaries later this month. Keep an eye on the weekly updates to track the run and angler success.

Youth pheasant hunts in September
These hunts give hunters 17 and younger a head start on the bird hunting season. ODFW and its partners stock pheasants at each location for a better chance to bag a bird or two. Locations including Madras, Corvallis, Prairie City, Tygh Valley, Central Point, Portland, Hermiston and Eugene. Some rules apply so visit the MyODFW.com Workshop and Events page for dates, locations and eligibility.