Striped bass fishing is starting to pick up again in the lower Coquille River

Coquille River - Coquille, OR (Coos County)


by OR Department of Fish & Wildlife Staff
7-21-2021
Website

Striped bass fishing is starting to pick up again in the lower Coquille River. There is no size limit or daily bag limit on striped bass.

Smallmouth bass anglers are catching good numbers of bass in the South Fork Coquille below the mouth of the Middle Fork and in the mainstem Coquille River. There is no size limit or daily bag limit on smallmouth bass in the Coquille River. Water temperatures in the mainstem and major forks are rising into the 70s. With warm/sunny days, the smallmouth will be hugging the shadows along the overhanging shoreline vegetation. 

A temporary regulation started on May 22 allowing anglers in Coquille River system to use spears and spear guns to harvest smallmouth bass. Traditional rod and reel anglers can also use bait throughout the river system. This unique fishing opportunity is one of many efforts to reduce the impact of illegally-introduced bass on Chinook populations. Spearfish anglers have been reporting some success harvesting smallmouth bass in the South Fork Coquille River.    

Trout fishing in streams and rivers is open through Oct. 31. Water temperatures are well into the 70s in the mainstem Coquille River. Stream flows are dropping and temperatures rising in the smaller streams, so anglers should take care in handling trout to be released.  Trout anglers are reporting decent catches of cutthroat trout especially in river sections that are little harder to get to.