ODFW release - Coastal fall salmon season offers more opportunity to catch and keep wild salmon this year. Whether you target the massive Chinook or dime-bright coho, you can’t go wrong on the coast. Salmon fishing is open somewhere from July through December, so grab your gear and stock up on wood chips for your smoker. You can catch coastal salmon from the bank or a boat with lures or bait.  Take part in a scavenger hunt for science! Explore the tidepools and submit your photos for science (and prizes)! Participate in the Oregon Marine Reserve Partnership's BioBlitz across Oregon's five marine reserves, marine protected areas, and nearby intertidal areas throughout August. No scientific experience is required, just curiosity and a willingness to explore!  Recreating in drought and wildfire season - actions you can take to protect wildlife and yourself.  For the most current fire closures and restrictions--KNOW BEFORE YOU GO.   Oregon Water Resources Department updates and advisories:  Be aware and "when in doubt, stay out".  Razor clam harvest is closed from the Washington border to Tillamook Head for conservation. Areas south of Tillamook Head to Cape Blanco remain open. Check for domoic acid closures here: Know before you go.  Clean, drain, and dry boats and other watercraft after each use to prevent transmission of non-native species. ODFW Ashland Boat Inspection Station found golden mussels on a boat and biologists recently found a single quagga mussel at Prineville Reservoir. Mussels damage irrigation and hydropower systems and degrade water quality.  Drought impact on stocking schedules. Some areas are too warm or shallow to support hatchery fish, which will be diverted to more suitable locations. Check local ODFW offices for the most updated stocking information.  Best bets for weekend fishing:  Recreational Albacore anglers are reporting success from multiple ports, about 35-50 miles offshore. See the Marine Zone for fishing strategies. Catch them while you can!  Buoy 10 offers both boat and bank fishing opportunities from August through September.  Beat the crowds and go fishing for sea-run cutthroat in coastal streams, bays and tidewaters.  Bag limits are lifted for Thief Valley, Pilcher Creek, and Wolf Creek reservoirs. See the news release for more information: Bag limits lifted during drought.  Fish for trout or change up to warmwater game species. See specific zone reports for best bets.  ODFW recently stocked Blue Lake, St. Louis Ponds, Adair Pond, and Bond Butte Pond with channel catfish. These fish, sourced from an approved facility, averaged approximately one pound each and are expected to provide excellent summertime fishing opportunities in these valley ponds.  Southwest:  Trolling at Lost Creek and Applegate Reservoirs continues to be very good.  Howard Prairie and Hyatt Reservoirs have plenty of legal-size rainbow trout. Holdovers from last year are a good size.  Cooper Creek Reservoir looks nice and clear. Go earlier in the morning or fish deeper for success.  This is a good time of year to look for cutthroat in the Chetco River estuary. The estuary has very little bank access. Please be mindful of out-migrating salmon and steelhead smolt. If you catch these young salmonids, consider switching to barbless hooks and/or moving to a new location.  If winds are light, Winchuck River and Sixes River estuary can be good places to target cutthroat.  Marine:  Albacore anglers are reporting fish 20 to 30 miles out. Pacific City had the highest catch rate of 14 albacore per angler.  Ocean salmon fishing has been amazing on the mid and northern Oregon coast! The highest catch rate for the week was in Astoria at 1.7 salmon per angler, however, several ports reported over 1 salmon per angler.  All ports are seeing soft, recently molted, male crab. These soft crab will not be as full of meat or the meat may not be as high quality.  Anglers have been landing between 2.5 and 3 rockfish but lingcod has been slow.  Angler Education:   Catch-and-release techniques will reduce fish stress and increase survival.  Land fish promptly to prevent over‑exhaustion and avoid beaching to minimize the time they spend out of the water. Rubberized nets prevent snagging and reduce injury.  Keep fish in the water while removing hooks and wet your hands before handling fish to protect their slime layer.  Barbless hooks and pliers or a hook remover tool make release quicker and less harmful.  Gently support fish in the water until they swim away on their own.  Avoid fishing during periods of high-water temperatures or poor water quality when fish are already stressed.