Best Fishing Times in Oregon This Week
Near Astoria, Bend and Gold Beach: today on a 24 hour timeline and the next seven days rated Fair to Best.
Working out the moon and the sun for Astoria, OR, and reading the forecast.
Fishing somewhere else? Enter any ZIP for your own spot
Photo: “Fall fishing on the Madison River at sunrise”, Jacob W. Frank, Yellowstone National Park (NPS), Public domain
Oregon at a glance
Solunar windows plus the agency calendarWhen fish bite in Oregon
In northwest Oregon, lakes are stocked with rainbow trout from February through May, spring Chinook come in May and June, fall Chinook and coho by August, and winter steelhead from November.
Each entry below is from Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife or its published guides, quoted word for word and linked. Line the season up with the week above: a run in its prime and a Great day with a window at first light is the morning to take off.
- February to May
Rainbow trout
Dozens of lakes and ponds in northwest Oregon are stocked with rainbow trout from February through May, and some again in October.
“Dozens of lakes and ponds throughout the zone are stocked with rainbow trout from February through May and, for some, again in October.”
Northwest Oregon Fishing | Oregon Dept of Fish & Wildlife, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, read October 9, 2026 - May and June
Spring Chinook salmon
In northwest Oregon, May and June are the time for spring Chinook in rivers and basins from Tillamook south to the Siletz.
“In May/June start thinking spring Chinook in rivers and basins from Tillamook south to the Siletz.”
Northwest Oregon Fishing | Oregon Dept of Fish & Wildlife, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, read October 9, 2026 - August
Fall Chinook and coho salmon
By August, attention in northwest Oregon turns to fall Chinook and coho.
“By August attention turns to fall Chinook and coho.”
Northwest Oregon Fishing | Oregon Dept of Fish & Wildlife, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, read October 9, 2026 - November to April
Winter steelhead
Winter steelhead enter northwest Oregon rivers and streams from November and December, depending on the fall rains, and runs can continue through April.
“For those that prefer frost bite to sunburn, winter steelhead begin entering area rivers and streams from November and December (depending on the timing of the fall rains) and runs can continue through April.”
Northwest Oregon Fishing | Oregon Dept of Fish & Wildlife, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, read October 9, 2026
Reading the Oregon timeline
Each day has two major solunar periods of about two hours, centered on the moon overhead and underfoot, and two minor periods of about an hour at moonrise and moonset. A window within an hour of sunrise or sunset is marked in gold. The rating adds the moon phase, the gold windows and a capped nudge from the National Weather Service forecast for each town. Every factor and its points.
Dawn and dusk are the reliable part; the moon windows are the old angler’s rule.
