With August around the corner, it is transition time here in the southern Willamette Valley. Springer fishing is winding down, but there are a few summer steelhead available in the McKenzie, Middle Fork Willamette and South Santiam. For people interested in lots of hook-ups and great summer action, McKenzie trout trips and Umpqua Smallmouth Bass trips are the ticket. We also start to focus on our western bays and lower tide-waters as feeder Chinook are starting to move in and out chasing bait fish. We utilize the jet sled while trolling our estuaries for fall salmon. The lower Rogue produces some wonderful catches of big, fat Fall Chinook. Though very productive at times, trolling the mouth of the Rogue out of Gold Beach, Oregon is not the place to be for folks seeking solitude. This popular fishery attracts hordes of fishermen and a "Hot Bite" can trigger an absolute frenzy. Other tidewater options on the lower Coquille near Bandon, the lower Umpqua near Reedsport, and Coos Bay near Charleston all provide excellent opportunities to chase fall salmon under slightly less crowded conditions. When crabbing cooperates, we run some salmon/crab combination trips in the fall. Succulent Dungeoness Crab is a prized delicacy when added to the harvest dinner table.