George Simanson displays the coho salmon he caught last October while fishing from the north bank of the Alsea Bay. The state will ask the National Marine Fisheries Service to have a short season on the river this fall.

By Lincoln County staff

The Oregon Fish & Wildlife Commission on Friday approved fishing regulations and seasons for fall Chinook and coho on the Oregon coast – and voted to ask the federal government to approve a short coho fishery on the Alsea River.

ODFW staff had recommended no coho season on the Alsea this fall because return projections were below forecasts they believe are needed to sustain natural and federally protected production. The retention of wild coho on the Alsea had been open the past two years, with fishermen able to keep one fish a day and three fish for the season.

While setting seasons for fall Chinook and coho at its meeting Friday, fishing advocates argued for a limited Alsea coho season and the commission voted unanimously to seek that permission. The state now needs to ask the National Marine Fisheries Service to approve a wild coho season on the Alsea that would last 30 days and have a limit of one coho per day and three for the season. The suggested bag limit is the same as the last two years, but the season much shorter.

Otherwise, except for the Siuslaw River, there is little change for central coast river basins for fall salmon fishing. Fishing for wild Chinook salmon will be open in 18 coastal basins, with season dates ranging from July through December.

Regulations for 2026 will increase wild Chinook limits in the Siuslaw, Necanicum, Nehalem, Tillamook, and Umpqua basins and reduce the limit in the Nestucca basin. Catch limits in other basins are proposed to be the same as in 2025. The Coquille and Elk rivers will be open only for hatchery Chinook due to conservation concerns.

Wild coho fisheries are proposed for 10 coastal basins in addition to seasons in Siltcoos, Tahkenitch, and Tenmile lakes with season dates ranging from mid-September through December.

The 2026 forecasted ocean abundance of wild coho salmon is 218,600 fish, down from a forecast of 289,000 fish in 2025.

For now, all coastal streams except the Alsea will be open to wild coho retention with the bag limits the same as in 2025 — one fish per day and three per season in the river systems and one fish per day and five for the season for the three lakes.

The ODFW’s Fall Coastal Salmon Management Page has more details on bag limits and season dates.