Montana Fish Report

We have received a few good reports of striped bass being caught in the lower sections. Smallmouth fishing is great right now.

Summer steelhead are in the river, but fishing is likely slow this time of year.

The Umpqua opened to fall Chinook fishing July 1 but is only open on Tuesdays, Thursday, and Saturdaysin the areas covered under permanent regulations. Fishing remains open to hatchery coho fishing under permanent regulations. Anglers are only allowed one adult Chinook (hatchery or wild) for the season in aggregate with the Smith and North Fork Smith rivers. The season will close to Chinook once the 500 wild fish quota is reached.

As of August 6 approximately 40% of the wild Chinook quota has been harvested. Fishing seemed to pick up over the weekend and early in the week. The season should remain open at least another week.

ODFW will adopt wild coho seasons in August, but low returns of coho will likely require a closure to all coho in the Umpqua.