02-19-2005, 03:57 PM
Oregon Fisheries Update
February 18th – February 24th, 2005
Columbia River sturgeon fishing remains less than favorable. Catch success will likely remain poor and unchanged until more warm water conditions come about. We are in desperate need of rain which will bring a warmer front and stimulate the smelt run.
Spring Chinook fishing on the mainstem Columbia is non-existent. Most anglers are focusing their efforts closer to the Portland harbor due to warmer water temperatures and more easily targeted areas.
The north coast remains a poor place to fish. Steelheaders putting in time on the major tributaries are coming up with some results. The only saving grace to these anglers success is the fact that there isn't much competition. More dry weather is likely to keep these fisheries from blossoming.
A slight minus tide series next week may stimulate fair sturgeon fishing on North Coast estuaries and clamming may be good as well on Clatsop County beaches.
Crabbing is no longer a viable option on the lower Columbia out of Hammond with commercial efforts scouring that area. Dungeness are being taken in fair number out of Nehalem and Tillamook Bays. Crabbing is slow at Yaquina Bay, great at Coos and Winchester Bays.
South coast rivers are suffering with the rest of Oregon waterways from what has become a full-blown winter drought. The effects are running downhill as the outflow in upper lakes and headwater reservoirs is being restricted at many locations in anticipation of a long, dry summer. The Alsea, Elk, Sixes, Coos and Coquile are all low, clear and slow. A few winters have been taken on the mainstem Umpqua with small steelhead falling to drift fishermen at few places along the Rogue River.
Sturgeon fishing remains slow on the lower Willamette as late news indicates a slight improvement in the numbers of springers being taken at select locations. Plunking at Meldrum Bar has been an exercise in patience with on a couple falling daily to the 30 or so rods trying.
Clackamas steelheaders are reporting slow fishing in skinny water. It's slightly better on the Sandy River where the first summer steelhead and first spring chinook fell to anglers over the last week.
Trout were planted this week at Mt. Hood Pond, West Salish Pond, Alton Baker Canal, Alder Lake, Buck Lake, Dune Lake, Elbow Lake, Georgia Lake, Lost Lake in Lane County, Munsel Lake, North Georgia Lake, Perkins Lake, Siltcoos Lagoon and Thissell Pond.
Soapbox Update:
Thanks to everyone that submitted oral or written testimony on the increase in steelhead take at the commission meeting last Friday. Your efforts paid off as the commission voted 4 to 3 in favor of NOT supporting any increase of any kind! We still have a hurdle to get through as the directors of each agency will fight it out until they come to a compromise on how the fishery will lay out. The fight is not over so stay tuned to what you can do to seal the deal!
Always more at the website: http://www.theguidesforecast.com/
February 18th – February 24th, 2005
Columbia River sturgeon fishing remains less than favorable. Catch success will likely remain poor and unchanged until more warm water conditions come about. We are in desperate need of rain which will bring a warmer front and stimulate the smelt run.
Spring Chinook fishing on the mainstem Columbia is non-existent. Most anglers are focusing their efforts closer to the Portland harbor due to warmer water temperatures and more easily targeted areas.
The north coast remains a poor place to fish. Steelheaders putting in time on the major tributaries are coming up with some results. The only saving grace to these anglers success is the fact that there isn't much competition. More dry weather is likely to keep these fisheries from blossoming.
A slight minus tide series next week may stimulate fair sturgeon fishing on North Coast estuaries and clamming may be good as well on Clatsop County beaches.
Crabbing is no longer a viable option on the lower Columbia out of Hammond with commercial efforts scouring that area. Dungeness are being taken in fair number out of Nehalem and Tillamook Bays. Crabbing is slow at Yaquina Bay, great at Coos and Winchester Bays.
South coast rivers are suffering with the rest of Oregon waterways from what has become a full-blown winter drought. The effects are running downhill as the outflow in upper lakes and headwater reservoirs is being restricted at many locations in anticipation of a long, dry summer. The Alsea, Elk, Sixes, Coos and Coquile are all low, clear and slow. A few winters have been taken on the mainstem Umpqua with small steelhead falling to drift fishermen at few places along the Rogue River.
Sturgeon fishing remains slow on the lower Willamette as late news indicates a slight improvement in the numbers of springers being taken at select locations. Plunking at Meldrum Bar has been an exercise in patience with on a couple falling daily to the 30 or so rods trying.
Clackamas steelheaders are reporting slow fishing in skinny water. It's slightly better on the Sandy River where the first summer steelhead and first spring chinook fell to anglers over the last week.
Trout were planted this week at Mt. Hood Pond, West Salish Pond, Alton Baker Canal, Alder Lake, Buck Lake, Dune Lake, Elbow Lake, Georgia Lake, Lost Lake in Lane County, Munsel Lake, North Georgia Lake, Perkins Lake, Siltcoos Lagoon and Thissell Pond.
Soapbox Update:
Thanks to everyone that submitted oral or written testimony on the increase in steelhead take at the commission meeting last Friday. Your efforts paid off as the commission voted 4 to 3 in favor of NOT supporting any increase of any kind! We still have a hurdle to get through as the directors of each agency will fight it out until they come to a compromise on how the fishery will lay out. The fight is not over so stay tuned to what you can do to seal the deal!
Always more at the website: http://www.theguidesforecast.com/