Best Fishing in America news blog

Check Out The Best Fishing in Every County

2014-09-07T13:27:02-05:00

A lot of behind-the-scenes work is finally paying off with a brand new series of articles that lets you quickly pinpoint the best fishing spots in any of Oregon's 36 counties.

There are actually 37 of these articles. Lane County has so many great fishing spots plus the added complication of being divided nearly in half into two very distinct fishing zones. When you click Lane County on the map, you go to the larger section that includes the Willamette Valley around Eugene clear up into the Cascades of the upper Willamette and McKenzie rivers. Look for links near the top of that page to hop over to the rich fishing waters in the coastal area around Florence.

To explore any county in Oregon, start with the full map here.

Other new additions to the website include a couple of articles designed for resident explorers and visiting tourists alike.

There's our take on Travel Oregon's "Seven Wonders of Oregon," where you'll find the very best places to fish near the state's top scenic spots. That's right here.

One of those wonders is Crater Lake. If your plans to visit America's deepest lake include packing your fishing gear, help make plans with this article.

We've added some other bits of good fishing information as well in recent months, but much of that is also linked to the new county articles, so we'll just let you explore and follow your own interests.

New website helps people with disabilities go fishing

2013-07-14T14:09:52-05:00

Sorry, Disabled Oregon Fishing is no longer in service.

"Fishing in Oregon" guidebook is fully updated for Father's Day

2013-06-05T06:28:01-05:00

The long wait is over: My friend Maddy Sheehan's "Fishing in Oregon" is finally out. This brand new eleventh edition has been widely updated and expanded, now covering more than 1,300 lakes, rivers, bays and other fishy bodies of water. There are a ton of great maps that are alone worth the $29.95 cover price. I've always found this book to be an Oregon angler's best friend, especially if you like to try out new fishing spots now and then.

Just in time for Father's Day, the book is making its way to various stores as early as this week. I understand Fisherman's Marine will be the first regular store to have it because they're sending their own truck to Maddy's place today.

Or, the easiest way to get it might be to have Maddy mail it to you herself. That's how my copy is coming! Order it online through her website, www.flyingpencilpublications.com.

For more information, you can find Maddy's press releases announcing the publication of her 11th edition here.

Write About Fishing, Net a Few Bucks

2013-02-04T13:14:12-06:00

This post has expired.

Bass Fishing Basics

2012-10-23T11:54:06-05:00

Bass fishing sometimes gets overlooked in a state so full of trout, salmon and steelhead.

But bass fishing is easy, relatively inexpensive, close to home and, frankly, it's a hoot. Oregon is blessed with some world-class smallmouth bass fishing and also has some really nice spots for largemouth bass.

The Oregon Bass & Panfish Club's Rich Tombleson has shared an article he wrote a few years back with our website. It covers everything you need to gear up for several of the most popular bass-fishing techniques that will catch both largemouth and smallmouth bass around Oregon.

I know it's October and dreary, and although fall bassing can be great, you might be thinking about salmon right about now. But this article will be on the website when you need it:

Bass Fishing Basics by Rich Tombleson

This article comes to us courtesy of a new partnership we are starting with nonprofit fishing groups who work to make our sport better by improving fish habitat, fishing access and angler education. The Oregon Bass and Panfish Club is our trial group, and we plan to add others.

We Now Share Most of Our Income with Nonprofit Fishing Groups

2012-10-04T14:34:07-05:00

The gig is up ... or in this case, maybe it's the jig!

Here at BestFishingInAmerica.com, we've been quietly working on something that will hugely improve this website as a resource for you while also improving the very thing you love: fishing itself. And you can help, WITHOUT spending a bunch of time or pledging any money to us. You don't even have to sign up for anything. Honestly, I don't even need to know your name or get your email address.

Let me explain: Starting this week, this website will begin sharing much of our site revenue with nonprofit groups devoted to improving the angling experience for all of us, whether you are a member of a fishing organization or not.

We are starting by giving those groups a full 75 percent of all commissions earned from our affiliated advertisers. This revenue comes through sales that start on our website but are made through name-brand companies, many of which pay commissions to website operators as part of their regular marketing budgets. The companies we're talking about include some of the best fishing and outdoor companies around, and also some of the biggest retailers on the planet, period.

You can find those commission-paying advertisers on our Best Deals page. All you have to do is start your regular online shopping on that page and click over to your favorite companies' websites. You will pay exactly what you'd pay anyway, but that purchase could easily generate a few more dollars that will help these nonprofits put more fish in your favorite waters or teach the kids to fish who will one day take you out of the old folks' home for a day on the lake.

Not every fishing business has an affiliate advertising program that pays commissions, so I also will share 75 percent of the advertising income from companies that negotiate directly with me for advertising space on this website.

As we launch this program, I am thrilled to tell you that the Oregon Bass & Panfish Club has agreed to be our first partner. This is a wonderful group, one that for more than 50 years has worked to increase access to great fishing spots, improve fish populations and habitats near and far, and selflessly share their fishing skills and tips with everyone, including countless youngsters at free fishing events. They've always been generous with their information for this website, and they donate their time to keep track of Oregon's warmwater fishing records. Plus, they are just so darned nice, and always have been ... my dad used to take me to their meetings more than 30 years ago.

You can find out more about OBPC on their profile page on this website. Members are in the process of developing new articles for BestFishingInAmerica.com, and other groups will do the same. I'll tell you about those new resources as they go online.

As we test out this program, I want to also form partnerships with other groups who work hard to make fishing better for everyone, first here in Oregon and soon in other states. If they are doing good things for fishermen and fisherwomen, and the fish we all pursue, I want to help them raise the money they need to do those things. There is no cost to the nonprofits.

And even if your favorite group is not yet on board, your shopping trips that start at this website will help lay the groundwork to expand this project and help more groups and fellow anglers.

If you want to know more about how this revenue-sharing works, see How This Works.

How can you help without hassle or extra expense? Simply:

Please bookmark our Best Deals page and start your regular online shopping by clicking on the company logos you'll find there. Honestly, the hardest thing is to remember that one quick step. The rest is a no-brainer. There are even some extra deals posted on that page, which you'll find if you scroll down and look on the right side of the page. Those deals will change regularly. (And there does happen to be a major shopping season coming up, wedged between the fall salmon run and winter steelhead season. Or so I hear.)
Share this program with your fishing buddies, family and others. The How This Works page has all of those handy buttons for social networking, emailing, etc., if you want to make it really easy.
If you represent a nonprofit fishing club whose work benefits all anglers, or you know someone who does, feel free to reach out to me. If you're helping our sport, I'd love to help you.

Questions? Email me at eric@bestfishinginamerica.com

Oregon's Best Trout Fishing, Or Is It?

2012-07-14T07:39:04-05:00

I'm feeling a little wacko for doing this, but I just added a page to the website that purports to name the top five rainbow trout lakes and reservoirs in all of Oregon. Yes, a measly five stillwaters (I'll deal with streams later) in a state that literally has hundreds of pretty awesome trout spots.

I know not everyone will agree with my list. OK, I'm pretty sure almost no one will agree with every choice on this list. Some people may even get really mad.

Bear in mind that I chose spots that represent the state geographically, that mix good access with good to great fishing for people of various ability, and that offer rainbow trout for those who seek quality or quantity (and both).

You'll find that article here: Best Rainbow Trout Lakes and Reservoirs in Oregon

Also new on the site, you'll find additional articles that list the very best places to catch massive brown trout and lake trout (mackinaw). We're talking 20 pounders, 30 pounders, even 40 pounds, right here in Oregon.

Find links to all of these "best of" trout fishing articles plus a bunch of detailed articles about fishing for one of Oregon's top game fish in some of the state's best waters at the new Oregon Trout Fishing page.

Please feel free to comment here or on Facebook about why you think I'm nuts and what spots I SHOULD have included on these lists. What's the best rainbow trout fishing lake or reservoir not on the list? What's on the list that you think is over-rated?

All right, I have to go fill out a bunch of paperwork for the Witness Protection Program now...

P.S. I'd appreciate you "liking" your favorite trout fishing page(s) using the social networking tools on these article pages or otherwise getting your fishing buddies in on this. Thanks.

And the Winner of the Wicked Lures is...

2012-06-17T13:12:27-05:00

...Robert Fekete.

Robert's entry was about how he's relatively new to living on the Rogue River and wants to try these new spinners on the wealth of salmon, steelhead and trout that run in one of Oregon's best river systems.

You can read his full entry in the previous blog post, along with 10 others.

Good luck with those lures, Robert!

Who Should Win Some Wicked Lures? Contest Entries Posted

2012-06-15T07:37:31-05:00

The following are the entries received in our Wicked Lures giveaway contest.

The top winner will get six of these new spinners to use on trout, salmon, steelhead and other gamefish. They also will get some Wicked Lures logo stuff.

Wicked Lures owner James Beasley and I are circling in on a favorite among the entries, but I wanted to get some feedback. Please let me know your favorite(s) with a post on one of the Facebook pages (Best Fishing in Oregon or Best Fishing in America) or with an email to eric@bestfishinginamerica.com.

I did some light editing on the entries for grammar and readability, but what you see below is largely what was emailed to me. So, here on the entries, posted in order received (from first one at top to last one at bottom):

Lynn:

I would love to try out the Wicked Lures on Lake Billy Chinook this month. The kokanee are hot this time of year and with the Wicked Lures you could catch a variety of other fish as well ... maybe a nice little bass. The size 4 on the 10 lb leader sounds perfect, maybe in pink with its bright and colorful spinner as it seems a favorite color for kokanee. They are all tied up with the leader and ready to troll below your swivel, bead and egg sinker. Why, you ask? For some Wicked hot fishing!

Connie:

I'd like to go after some nice trout at Detroit or maybe Harriet lakes, hopefully soon this summer. Since I'm not wild about boats and deep water I'd cast from shore or from a fishing platform. I like the looks of these lures and think I'd go with the chartreuse first. Seems to be the color of choice for these hatchery-raised planted fish in the several years I've fished them. I'd like to try the other colors, pink then black. Have never used black lures before but who knows what will work from year to year.

Chris P:

I have never had the opportunity to try a Wicked Lure; however, I would be interested in fishing them at Hagg Lake and/or on the Willamette River for smallmouth and largemouth bass and trout. Fishing them around submerged structures with medium/medium-light spinning set up could prove to be very successful. It seems that the main focus of these lures are trout, salmon and steelhead -- but the design and color looks very appealing to be fished for bass as well -- if fished properly.

Willamette River: Casting upstream and letting them fall while drifting around docks, submerged logs/trees early in the day.

Hagg Lake: Flipping them tight up against fallen trees with a 7' flipping stick and a casting reel, retrieving them with a gentle twitching motion to imitate a swimming or darting meal to a unsuspecting bass. I would also like to try them trolling for trout right along the drop-off in trout killer pink.

Colors: Black, chartreuse, green glow.

When: Weekend of June 23rd/24th.

Hope to try a bunch of Wicked Lures.

Robert:

First off, I love the fact that this product is "Made in the USA." I always support any and all companies that make products that I can use that come out of the USA.

Now to the task at hand:

I live in Gold Beach, Ore., one mile from the lower Rogue River so I would/will be using these Wicked Lures here on the Rogue. My "honey holes" are Old Mill Bar, Jim Hunt Bar and below Indian Creek.

I've only lived here a little over a year and this beast of a river has so much to offer: Salmon, steelhead and trout. So I'm trying to catch whatever is running at the current time. Right now I'm trying to pull out some cutthroat trout. I would bet good money that the Wicked trout lures in all three colors, pink, black and chartreuse, would give me some "wicked" action. And believe me, I would LOVE some action because I've only been catching water and air, but having fun trying. I've tried every color fly, every lure I have but strongly believe that a Wicked trout lure would give me some first cast magic, in any presentation of casting or drifting. The summer steelhead are getting ready to run and your Wicked salmon and steelhead lures in Green Glow or Pink with a drift presentation would give me some GREAT action. With all my success my fellow fishermen will be asking "What are you using and where can I get it?" I would highly recommend "Wicked Lures.com."

Thanking you in advance and may the "Bite be on" for any and all.

Jo:

We go fishing in Southwest Alaska off Admiralty Island by an Indian village called Angoon every summer.

There is a big, fancy fishing lodge next to our cabin (Whalers Cove Lodge). The lodge has about 7 or 8 captains and nice big boats. All the captains have their "secrets" to catching the biggest or most salmon. We have a small old cabin, but it keeps us warm and dry after a day on the water.

We have an old Nordic tug (the fourth off the line) that we use to go out to the fishing holes.

What I would like to do is take a set of Wicked Lures up to Alaska with me to catch the big kings ... preferably white kings, as they are the best for smoking.

I would use the bright ping Wicked Lures for the deeper water (80 feet on darker days). I would try the black lures for the days we fish shallow (30-40 feet) or for a bright, sunny day. The yellow lures, I would also use for the deeper or darker days. We use downriggers.

My husband driving the old tug, me taking care of the poles and bait. Yeah, this old lady would love to show those "expert" captains up this year … with Wicked Lures.

Chris D:

I saw your post about the Wicked Lures. I usually fish the (Oregon) coast, Nestucca or Three rivers, for salmon and steelhead. I usually cast it but sometimes drift fish, basically anything. I fish year round and like size 3 or 4 and I'm not too picky about the colors.

Gregory:

I would try them on the Siletz, Salmon or Santiam rivers going after salmon. I would be casting from shore since I do not have a boat. I would be fishing in the next few weeks. I like the Wicked Lures Green Glow 1/0 red octopus single hook. Just because I like green. The pink looked good also. Do they come with a bigger hook?

John:

I'm pretty new to this kokanee fishing as I was just introduced to it by a friend.

I saw you lures and sure would like to give them a try on Lake Berryessa in California.

My friend is a nut (about) koke fishing and his koke buddies have about every kind of lure imaginable.

What they do not have are any Wicked Lures.

We are going out in a couple of weeks and sure would like to have a couple of your Wickeds to see if I could get a few (kokanee) "in the box."

Shane:

I'd try a Wicked Lure pretty much most places I fish, except for the nasty ponds I go to for bass. I'd most likely fish the big ones in the McKenzie or Willamette, since I just moved to Eugene. I'm originally from Medford so on my trips down south I'd use them on my favorite river, the Rogue. The smaller size looks like it might work good for kokanee; I'd take them to Green Peter or Wickiup reservoirs. Also, I'd try them at any lake I fish for trout. One more place I'd probably fish the smaller size at would be the Umpqua River for smallmouth bass.

I fish for all species: Chinook, coho, steelhead, trout, kokanee, and whatever else bites a Wicked spinner! At the river I'd fish it like I would a spoon. At the lake I'd cast or troll it. The pink trout size one would probably be killer for kokanee. I'd fish any color though, just gotta make sure you get it down where the fish are!

Justin:

I just moved back to Oregon recently from Tucson, Arizona, and as you would imagine there's not a lot of fish in the desert. Growing up I did a lot of fishing in the Long Tom and other creeks and rivers outside of Veneta. I would really love to use the pink or black trout killers and start being able to stock up on my fishing tackle and also would like to use them while I'm teaching my stepson how to fish. He had never been fishing until he came to Oregon. Hope you will consider me for the free lures for my stepson and myself so I can see the joy on his face when he catches his first trout.

Andrew:

I would love to try out some Wicked Lures on my local rainbow trout pond (Vernonia Lake). I would be catching the trout and possibly stocked steelhead trolling and casting from my 8-foot Water Skeeter Pontoon with Minnkota 35 Turbo Trolling Motor. I plan to troll for trout in the shallows using my 6-foot Quantum light action rod and reel combo. I will use light weight in depths (of) no more than 12 feet. As soon as I receive the lures I will do my trip, preferably before August 1st. All three trout killer colors should work great, especially chartreuse and pink. I can't wait to give these a try!

Win some Wicked Lures!

2012-06-07T10:46:26-05:00

Local fishing guide Bill Green (North Oregon Guide Service) recently put me on to some spinners he says live up to their name: Wicked Lures.

Bill recently used them in different sizes to nail a Columbia River summer steelhead and to get a bunch of kids into a boatload of trout at North Fork Reservoir. He'll try them on summer chinook soon.

So then I had a conversation with Wicked Lures owner James Beasley. His Washington company's lures are U.S.-made and are designed in a handful of favorite sizes and colors that James has found through years of trial that best catch salmon, steelhead and trout. These lures also have proved effective on other species, including kokanee, walleye, even an alligator gar!

That's his logo and a picture of a Wicked Lures catch on the right side of this website's home page.

James wants to get more Wicked Lures into tackle boxes and on the ends of more avid anglers' lines, so he readily agreed to give a six-pack of his lures away to one of Best Fishing in America's site users to help spread the word. He'll also throw in a Wicked Lures logo shirt and hat.

But I want to make you work for them. Well, just a little bit. Here's what you do:

1. 1. Go to the Wicked Lures website and check out the lures.

2. 2. Send me a short email (eric@bestfishinginamerica.com) that contains the following information (Make it informative, maybe even fun, but don't worry about pretty ... I can clean up spelling and grammar):

3. Where would you most like to try out a Wicked Lure? What would you be trying to catch? How would you fish the lure? (You can cast, troll or even drift them.) When would you plan your trip? Which Wicked Lure size and color do you think would get the job done? Why?

3. 3. You have a week from today to get these to me. (Your email needs to be in my inbox with a date of Thursday, June 14, 2012, or anytime before that day.)

The most likely winner will answer those questions and will share with other readers a bit about a potentially good fishing spot to use these lures. Your responses quite likely will be published in my blog, so don't enter if you can't stomach the fame.

Sometime soon after a week is up, James and I will pick a favorite answer and he'll mail the lures to the person who wrote it. (We don't need your mailing address unless you win.) We might even let this site's users help us decide, if we're having a "one big happy family" kind of moment.

Bonus lures: James says he'll throw in another two lures that best fit your favorite fishing trips if he finds your name on his Wicked Lures Facebook page before we announce the winner.

So get those emails coming! (Please write Wicked Lures in your subject line so I'm sure to spot it. Thanks.)

Free Fishing This Weekend

2012-06-05T05:08:41-05:00

This Saturday and Sunday are Free Fishing Weekend: You and your guests won't need licenses and tags to catch fish and shellfish during the weekend.

(You will have to obey limits and all other angling rules, however, so bone up on the regs and don't go too crazy with this thing!)

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and other groups host a long list of free fishing events across the state. Check that link for an activity near you.

Many of these events are very much volunteer-driven. If you'd like to share your skills with a new angler, contact the coordinator for an event near you and see if they need an extra hand or two.

Also note that there have been some significant changes on this list. The big event previously held at the Bonneville Fish Hatchery has been shifted to St. Louis Ponds, not far from Woodburn. The one that used to be at the fish hatchery in Leaburg (McKenzie River) has moved to the Alton Baker Canoe Canal in Eugene. On the central coast, the event that previously was at Big Creek Reservoir has moved inland to Olalla Reservoir.

If you want to strike out on your own, especially with beginning anglers, note that many of the easiest angling options this time of year include places recently stocked with trout. See the ODFW's stocking schedule for one near you.

Many public ponds and lakes also have various warmwater species, such as crappie, bluegill, yellow perch and bullhead catfish, all of which are easy to catch on a simple worm or jig. Smallmouth and largemouth bass are plentiful in this state. See the Bass and Panfish page on this website for some ideas.

Shad are running strong and are easy to catch on the Columbia River (below Bonneville Dam), Willamette River (Oregon City area) and Umpqua River. Boaters catch far more shad than bank anglers, but the latter have a fair shot at them.

For more advanced anglers, spring chinook, summer steelhead, sturgeon and offshore salmon and bottomfish provide challenges for large fish. Fly anglers have countless choices in early June.

Have fun out there!

Memorial Day Weekend Fishing Options

2012-05-24T09:45:47-05:00

Boy, are there a lot of fishing options going into the long weekend, or what?

A few quick ideas:

Trout: Pretty much wide-open, with the exception of very high-elevation waters. It's pretty hard to go wrong. On the westside, many rivers and creeks open Saturday, along with a few reservoirs within salmon-bearing sections of river systems. A well-stocked spot in the latter category is North Fork Reservoir on the Clackamas River not far from Portland. You'll find good cutthroat fishing on the coast and a mix of rainbows and cutts in the valley and western Cascades. Stocking is widespread across Oregon, but there are plenty of wild trout as well. The salmonfly hatch is on at the Deschutes River, and the McKenzie has been putting out good numbers. Big trout are biting at Diamond Lake, Upper Klamath Lake and plenty of other places. Speaking of big trout, browns are hitting at places like Paulina and Lemolo lakes.

Chinook salmon: The lower Columbia reopens for Saturday and Sunday. Not sure how good it'll be, but I suspect plenty of people will try it out. The lower Willamette run has peaked and fallen off a little but still worthwhile. The smaller rivers around Portland and up into the Willamette Valley are seeing more springers now, as are the Tillamook and Nestucca systems on the north coast. The middle and upper sections of the Rogue have been very good the last couple of days, and the North Fork Umpqua should be worth the trip. The ocean has produced some decent catches of fall chinook out of several Oregon ports, though it's hit or miss. This option will improve in the coming months.

Bass and panfish: A warming trend should help things out. Smallmouth bass fishing is good in the popular spots both on the west and east sides of the state, and largemouth fishing is generally good this time of year as well. Some big crappie are coming out of Brownlee Reservoir. The Snake River and its reservoirs are a little cool yet to bring out the best catfish angling, but you can catch some now and more later.

Steelhead: Summer steelhead numbers are building. The Sandy and Clackamas near Portland and the main tributaries farther down the Willamette Valley are starting to hit their stride. Coastal rivers are seeing them but will improve in the next couple months.

Halibut and Bottomfish: This is another all-depth halibut fishing weekend on the majority of the coast, the last one before they evaluate the catches and decide whether there will be some open days in June. There are other halibut options, but central coast all-depth days are prime time for Oregon. You should be able to score well on lingcod and rockfish whenever the ocean cooperates. Could be the case later in the weekend.

Sturgeon: There are some decent (not hot) catches to be had on open days on the lower Columbia. Above Wauna, you can only keep sturgeon Thursdays through Saturdays.

Shad: Good numbers have arrived on the Columbia River below Bonneville Dam, on the Willamette at Oregon City and on the Umpqua River. These are fun to fish for. I've pretty much given up on them for my own table, but they are great bait for crabbing and sturgeon and (I've heard) even halibut.

Kokanee: The Kokanee Power of Oregon folks found decent fishing at Green Peter Reservoir last weekend, although the photos I saw showed some pretty small fish. These will put on weight over the coming months. Paulina Lake apparently is posting limits, and Wallowa has put out some fish. I suspect this is true in more of Oregon's best kokanee lakes.

2012 summer and fall salmon seasons set for Columbia River

2012-05-16T08:51:32-05:00

The summer and fall salmon fishing seasons have been set on the Columbia River.

Here are some dates you might want to mark on your calendar, depending on your fishery of choice:

June 16: Summer chinook and sockeye salmon fishing opens above the Astoria-Meglar Bridge to the Washington border. (Fishing for summer steelhead, sockeye salmon and spring chinook jacks opened today, May 16, in a smaller zone between Tongue Point and I-5. Shad fishing is open upriver as well but it's a little early).

July 1: Last day for adult summer chinook and sockeye fishing is below Bonneville Dam, unless a mid-season change is made.

July 31: Last day for sockeye fishing from Bonneville Dam to the Washington border. This also is the official last day of summer chinook fishing, but the fall season begins tomorrow so it's not really important.

August 1: Fall chinook and coho salmon fishing opens on the Columbia River from Buoy 10 up to the Washington border. Coho must be hatchery fin-clipped to retain anywhere below the Hood River Bridge clear downstream to Buoy 10. (Early action will be in the estuary and lower river.)

Sept. 3: Last day in September you can keep an adult chinook in the Buoy 10 area (below Tongue Point).

Sept. 9: Last day in September you can keep an adult chinook between Tongue Point and Warrior Rock Lighthouse.

Oct. 1: The Buoy 10 and lower river reopen for chinook. Two adult limit may now include two chinook.

Double-check the ODFW news release below for whichever fisheries you participate in, and watch for possible in-season changes where salmon are concerned.

2012 summer and fall salmon seasons set for Columbia River

May 15, 2012

CLACKAMAS, Ore. -- Fishery managers have announced 2012 summer and fall salmon fishing seasons on the Columbia River.

The seasons are based on results of this year's Pacific Fishery Management Councils (PFMC) process including a series of public meetings, referred to as North of Falcon, in which fishery managers from several jurisdictions convene to plan salmon fisheries on the Columbia River and parts of the ocean off the Oregon and Washington coasts.

This year's projected return of summer chinook is expected to be 91,000 fish with the retention season currently scheduled to run from June 16 through July 1.

"There's a chance the season may be extended once we get a good look at what the actual return is," according to Steve Williams, ODFW deputy Fish Division administrator. "Until then, we're planning a conservative fishery to stay within the available quota."

Similar to last year, sockeye salmon retention will be allowed during part of the summer with retention scheduled to open May 16-July 1 downstream of the I-5 Bridge and June 16-July 1 above the I-5 Bridge.

The fall season begins Aug. 1, and includes the popular Buoy 10 fishery near Astoria and the fall "upriver bright" season in the main stem Columbia. The 2012 predicted run sizes and fishing season for chinook are similar to last year, though managers expect sport anglers will be allowed to retain chinook through Labor Day at Buoy 10. Managers are predicting coho returns will be down from last year but not enough to affect season length.

Summary of 2012 summer and fall salmon regulations for the Columbia River

Sockeye Salmon
- Retention of sockeye allowed:
  - May 16 -- June 15 ** from a line projected from Rocky Point on the Washington shore through red buoy #44 to the navigation light at Tongue Point upstream to the I-5 Bridge.
  - June 16 -- July 1** from Astoria-Megler Bridge upstream to Bonneville Dam
  - June 16 -- July 31 from Bonneville Dam upstream to the OR/WA border.
  - All sockeye count as an adult salmonid in the daily limit.

Summer Chinook
- Retention of adipose fin-clipped adult (longer than 24-inches) summer chinook allowed June 16 -- July 1** from the Astoria-Megler Bridge upstream to Bonneville Dam, and June 16 -- July 31 from Bonneville Dam upstream to the OR/WA border.
- Retention of adipose fin-clipped jack (12 to 24-inches long) summer chinook allowed June 16-- July 31 from the Astoria-Megler Bridge upstream to the OR/WA border.
- The combined daily bag limit is two adults and five jacks.

Fall Salmon Seasons

Buoy 10
- Retention of adult (longer than 16-inches) adipose fin-clipped coho and adipose fin-clipped steelhead allowed Aug. 1 -- December 31.
- Retention of adult (longer than 24-inches) chinook allowed during Aug. 1 -- Sept. 3** and Oct. 1 -- Dec. 31.
- The combined daily bag limit is two adults, only one of which may be a chinook during Aug. 1 -- Sept. 3. Beginning Oct. 1 the combined daily bag limit is two adults, both of which can be chinook. Jacks may not be retained between Aug. 1 and Sept. 30 under permanent rules.
- All other permanent rules apply.
Lower Columbia (Tongue Point/Rocky Point upstream to Bonneville Dam).
- Retention of adipose fin-clipped coho and adipose fin-clipped steelhead allowed Aug. 1 -- Dec. 31.
  Retention of chinook allowed:
  - Aug. 1 -- Sept. 9** and October 1-December 31 from the Rocky Point-Tongue Point line upstream to a line projected from the Warrior Rock Lighthouse on the Oregon shore to red buoy #4 to a marker on the lower end of Bachelor Island.
  - Aug. 1 -- Dec. 31** from a line projected from the Warrior Rock Lighthouse on the Oregon shore to red buoy #4 to a marker on the lower end of Bachelor Island, upstream to Bonneville Dam.
- The combined daily bag limit is two adults and five jack salmon. During Aug. 1 -- Sept. 9** the daily bag limit may not include more than one adult chinook. During September 10 -- December 31, the daily bag limit may include two Chinook upstream of Warrior Rock. During Oct. 1 -- Dec. 31 the daily bag limit may include up to two chinook from Tongue Point to Bonneville Dam.
- An in-season extension may be considered for the area from the Tongue Point/Rocky Point line upstream to Warrior Rock during all or part of the September 10 -- 16 timeframe under mark-selective (ad-clipped) regulations.
Bonneville Dam upstream to the OR/WA border
- Retention of chinook, coho, and adipose fin-clipped steelhead allowed Aug. 1 -- Dec. 31**.
- The combined daily bag limit is two adults and five jack salmon.
- All coho retained downstream of the Hood River Bridge must be adipose fin-clipped.

** Seasons may be subject to in-season modification.

For a complete summary of the summer and fall fisheries on the Columbia, including salmon, steelhead, sturgeon and shad, go to the ODFW website.

ODFW considers changes to Oregon angling regulations

2012-05-01T11:49:49-05:00

Fish with soft plastic lures? Like to eat a bunch of sturgeon? Have only one rod in the water when the rest of your boat party has its limit?

Your fishing lives could change, for better or worse, as ODFW considers a variety of proposals to change fishing regulations. Some are statewide. A bunch of others affect only local waters.

The potential rules will be the topic of a series of public meetings across Oregon.

Read ODFW's news release for more information:

SALEM, Ore. -- The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife invites anglers and others to comment on proposed changes to the 2013 sport fishing regulations at 11 public meeting to be held throughout the state in May.

The comments received at these meetings will be presented to the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission when it considers changes to the angling regulations at its August meeting in Salem. The Commission will make its final decision on the 2013 sport fishing rules in September.

Meeting dates and locations are listed below.

ODFW initiates a comprehensive review of the sport fishing regulations every four years. The public was invited to submit their proposals throughout January and February, after which they were reviewed by agency staff and officers from the Oregon State Police. Proposals that passed the review will be presented for Commission consideration.

A total of 138 public proposals were submitted and 40 have passed ODFW /OSP review. They will be presented to the Commission, along with 61 proposals from ODFW staff. Some of the statewide proposals that will be considered by the Commission include:

Change Free Fishing Weekend to the first full weekend in June. This will align FFW with other outdoor events such as State Parks Day and National Trails Day (S).
Reduce annual sturgeon catch limit to two fish per year (S).
Revise regulations to allow each angler aboard a vessel to continue fishing until the daily limit of fish for all legally-licensed and juvenile anglers aboard has been achieved (P).
Modify bait definition to allow use of hook-less “bait” attracters in the ocean salmon fishery (S).
Re-define "lure" to include soft plastic and rubber imitations such as worms, grubs and eggs (P).
Re-define "snagging" to help enforce anti-snagging regulations (S).

(S)= staff proposal, (P) = public proposal

The dates, times and locations of the meetings are listed below. Also listed are some of the proposed regulations related to local water bodies. A complete list of all proposed regulations and information about the regulation development process is available on the ODFW website.

All public meetings will be held from 7 -- 10 p.m.

LA GRANDE: Monday, May 7 at Blue Mountain Conference Center, 404 12th St.

Delete the special regulations for brook trout in Morgan Lake (S).
Expand coho and fall Chinook salmon angling daily bag limit on the lower Umatilla River (S).
Enhance bass and panfish fishery in Unity Reservoir (S).
Bass bag limit regulation change for McKay Reservoir (P).

Contact: Tim Bailey (541) 963-2138

BEND: Tuesday, May 8 at U.S. Forest Service offices, 63095 Deschutes Market Rd.

Create a selective, quality trout fishery in Crane Prairie Reservoir (S).
Prohibit the use of bait in the Crooked River main stem year round (P).
Expand trout fishing opportunities on Deschutes River in Bend (S).
Allow retention of trophy brown trout on East Lake (P).
Restore ODFW management for largemouth bass at Wickiup Reservoir (P).

Contact: Brett Hodgson (541) 388-6009

KLAMATH FALLS: Wednesday, May 9 at OSU Extension Service, 3328 Vandenberg Rd.

Allow harvest of brook and brown trout on Wood and Williamson rivers, Sevenmile and Crooked creeks, and other Agency and Klamath lake tributaries (P).
Reduce daily limits of redband trout on several rivers and streams in the Malheur Basin (S).
Enhance bass and panfish fisheries on Dog Lake, near Lakeview (S).

Contact: Roger Smith (541) 883-5732

WHITE CITY/CENTRAL POINT: Thursday, May 10 at Jackson County Auditorium, 400 Antelope Rd., White City.

Open Rogue River above Lost Creek Dam to all-year trout angling (S).
Change legal angling hours on the Rogue River near Cole Rivers Hatchery (S).
Reduce wild chinook salmon harvest on the Elk and Sixes River (S).
Open additional 9 miles of the Illinois River to wild steelhead harvest (P).

Contact: David Haight (541) 826-8774 ext. 224 or Todd Confer (541) 247-7605

ROSEBURG: Monday, May 14 at ODFW offices, 4192 N Umpqua Hwy.

Allow one additional hatchery steelhead in select SW Zone waters (S).
Allow year-round fishing on Diamond Lake (P).

Contact: Laura Jackson (541) 440-3353

COOS BAY/NORTH BEND: Tuesday, May 15 at North Bend Library, 1800 Sherman Ave.

Allow one additional hatchery steelhead in select SW Zone waters (S).
Eliminate protective regulations for largemouth and smallmouth bass in Coquille River Basin (S).
Allow harvest of trout greater than 20 inches in Eel Lake (S).
See other issues under ROSEBURG.
See other marine issues under NEWPORT.

Contact: Mike Gray (541) 888-5515

NEWPORT: Wednesday, May 16 at Hallmark Resort, 744 SW Elizabeth St.

Establish a new angling deadline on the Alsea River (P).
New anti-snagging rules on Salmon River (S).
Increase the daily limit on Purple Varnish clams to first 60 or 72 taken (P).
Return Macoma clams to immediate digging area (P).

Contact: Robert Buckman (541) 265-8306

TILLAMOOK: Thursday, May 17 at Oregon Department of Forestry, 5005 Third St.

New anti-snagging rules on Trask and Three Rivers section of the Nestucca (S).
Year-long catch-and-release trout fishing on select Lower Columbia River tributaries (P).
See other marine issues under NEWPORT.

Contact: Chris Knutsen (503) 842-2741

EUGENE/SPRINGFIELD: Monday, May 21 at Lane Community College, Forum Building (#17), Room 308, 4000 E. 30th Ave., Eugene.

Eliminate use of bait to reduce hooking mortality on wild trout in a non-stocked wild trout rearing area on the McKenzie River (S).
Establish a new trout, steelhead and salmon fishery on Springfield Mill Race (S).
New anti-snagging- leader length regulations on McKenzie River below Leaburg Dam (S).
Reduce trout daily bag limit on Middle Fork Willamette below Dexter (P).

Contact: Jeff Ziller (541) 726-3515

SALEM: Tuesday, May 22 at ODFW Headquarters, 3406 Cherry Ave. N.E.

New bass limits in several local ponds (P).
Establish crappie limits in Henry Hagg Lake (P).
Expand trout fishing in Salmon River Basin above anadromous fish barrier (S).

Contact: Steve Mamoyac (541) 757-4186

PORTLAND METRO: Wednesday, May 23 at ODFW NW Regional Headquarters, Bldg. #16, 17330 SE Evelyn St., Clackamas.

Restore deadline for adipose fin-clipped chinook fishing on the Molalla River to Horse Creek Bridge (P).
Extend bait area on the lower Tualatin River to enhance angling for warmwater species (S).
Establish crappie limits on Henry Hagg Lake (P).

Contact: Todd Alsbury (971) 673-6011

ODFW sets 2012 ocean seasons for salmon, halibut

2012-04-20T18:07:44-05:00

A large section of the Oregon coast will see the most generous salmon fishing seasons in years, thanks to massive fall chinook runs expected in northern California and very good ones off much of Oregon's coast.

Offshore chinook fishing already open between Cape Falcon (near Manzanita on the North Coast) and Humbug Mountain (near Port Orford on the South Coast) and staying open through Halloween.

That same big patch of ocean also will have both a hatchery coho season in July and an all-coho (wild included) season in September.

The far-north and far-south areas will have plenty of opportunities as well, and a slightly larger halibut quota also will help put more fish fillets and steaks in Oregon freezers this summer.

Below is the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife's news release. If you need to refer back to this information later on, just use the search function on this website and it should appear.

SALEM, Ore -- The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission set ocean fishing seasons for salmon and halibut during its meeting in Salem today.

The Commission set the 2012 ocean salmon seasons for Oregon's territorial waters that extend three miles from the state's shoreline. They mirror the regulations adopted by the Pacific Fishery Management Council on April 6 that cover ocean waters from three to 200 miles from the state's shore. The regulations must also be approved by the National Marine Fishery Service and the Secretary of Commerce.

Thanks to improved stocks from the Klamath and Sacramento rivers, both sport and commercial anglers in the area south of Cape Falcon will enjoy up to three or four weeks more fishing than in 2011.

Here is a summary of the upcoming ocean salmon sport seasons:

The Columbia River area, from Leadbetter Point, Wash. to Cape Falcon:

Selective chinook season open June 9 - 22 or until the catch quota of 8,000 marked chinook is reached. The daily bag limit is two chinook with a healed adipose fin clip. No coho may be retained.
Selective coho and chinook season open June 23 through Sept. 30 or until an 11,000 chinook and 34,860 marked coho quota is reached. The bag limit is two salmon per day, but no more than one chinook, and all coho must have a healed adipose fin clip.

From Cape Falcon just north of Manzanita to Humbug Mountain near Port Orford:

Chinook season runs from March 15 through Oct. 31 with a bag limit of two salmon, closed to the retention of coho except during the selective and non-selective coho seasons.
Selective coho season open July 1 - 31 or until 8,000 marked coho quota for Cape Falcon to Calif. border
Non-selective coho open three days a week (Thursday through Saturday) Sept. 1-22 or 10,000 coho quota

South of Humbug Mountain to the Oregon/California border:

Chinook season runs from is May 1 through Sept. 9.
Selective coho will be open July 1 - 31 or until 8,000 marked coho quota for Cape Falcon to Calif. Border.

A map outlining the 2012 ocean salmon seasons approved by the Commission is posted on the ODFW website.

The Commission also adopted 2012 sport and commercial Pacific halibut seasons that are concurrent with those recently adopted by the International Pacific Halibut Commission and the National Marine Fisheries Service.

For the second year in a row, Oregon halibut anglers will enjoy slightly more fishing opportunity thanks to a 9 percent increase in the harvest quota. Anglers also will see some of this quota shifted into popular fisheries in the central coast sub area.
Leadbetter Point, Wash., to Cape Falcon:

All-Depth Seasons have a combined quota of 11,985 pounds. Spring: Open three days a week (Thursday - Saturday) May 3 to July 15 or until the quota 9,516 pounds is met. Summer: Open three days a week (Friday - Sunday), Aug. 3 to Sept. 30 or until remaining quota is met.

Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain:

Nearshore Season (inside 40-fathom line) open seven days a week from May 1 to Oct. 31, or until harvest quota of 23,014 pounds is met.
All-Depth Seasons have a combined quota of 168,766 pounds. Spring dates: May 10-12, May 17-19, May 24-26, and May 31-June 2. Backup days are June 14-16, June 28-30, July 12-14, and July 26-28. Spring quota is 120,821 lbs. Summer dates: every other Friday and Saturday (Aug. 3-4, Aug. 17-18, Aug. 31-Sept 1, Sept. 14-15, Sept. 28-29, Oct. 12-13, Oct. 26-27) until the quota is reached.

South of Humbug Mountain:

The season will be open seven days a week from May 1 to Oct. 31.

Mid-April Fishing Report

2012-04-18T18:31:46-05:00

I just posted the April fishing calendar, and I have drafts done for the next six months to polish and put up. I see those pages as always open to updating, so let me know if I'm missing the boat on a great fishing opportunity any month of the year.

Meanwhile, here are some things happening right now:

Northwest Zone: Despite reports/rumors that the first coastal spring chinook have been landed in the Nestucca, Trask and Wilson rivers, you have far better chance at catching late wild and broodstock hatchery steelhead right now. (North coast springer fishing improves in May.) Best bets for a late keeper steelie (or an early summer fish) this month are the Nestucca, Siletz and Wilson rivers. Stocked trout are swimming in just about every puddle on the ODFW stocking schedule.

Southwest Zone: Spring chinook continue to fall on the Rogue and Umpqua rivers, although the latter is running a bit high. Again, it's hard to spit without hitting a stocked trout at lower-elevation lakes and ponds. Late winter steelhead are aggressively hitting on the upper Rogue River, below Lost Creek Reservoir. April is a good time of year to key in on the larger smallmouth bass in the Umpqua River, with the pre-spawn period finishing later this month and then the spawn period when bass guard their nests.

Willamette Zone: Spring chinook continue to be caught in the lower Willamette, with water levels forecasted to rise slightly. Expect excellent fishing over the next several weeks. It's a bit early for great springer fishing in the tribs below and above Willamette Falls, but late winter steelhead (and a few summers) are hitting in the Clackamas and Sandy rivers. The stocking trucks will be wearing out their odometers getting ready for the prime season on lower-elevation lakes and streams. Most stream stocking in April is in southern valley rivers and creeks.

Central Zone: Spring chinook fishing opens on the Deschutes River, where spring fly fishing for trout also can be good. Both pursuits will pick up steam in May, though, with more springers and the onset of the famous salmonfly hatch.

Southeast Zone: Did you see that big redband trout caught on Upper Klamath Lake that a reader posted on our Oregon Facebook page? ODFW indicates that one was not alone, with good spring fishing conditions. Also, the Ana, Chewaucan and Klamath rivers have been fishing well.

Northeast Zone: Spring smallmouth bass fishing in underway on the John Day River. Jigging deep is putting some kokanee limits in the boat at Wallowa Lake. Some of the district's ponds have been stocked with trout.

Snake River Zone: ODFW reported a decent crappie bite on Brownlee Reservoir, but low water levels are limited places you can launch. I suspect crappie and bass fishing will improve a notch across the state this weekend, if the warmer forecast holds.

Columbia River Zone: More and more springers are falling to recreational anglers on the lower river, and counts at Bonneville are ticking upward, signaling the start of effort farther upstream. The lower river closes after this coming weekend and will stay closed at least into May, when run updates will be available. Walleye have been biting up in The Dalles Pool and elsewhere on the big river.

Marine Zone: Offshore fishing is great this time of year ... if you can get out on the water. There have been some pockets of very good ocean chinook fishing, but you have to be a little lucky to catch it right. A minus tide series gets going this weekend for razor and bay clammers.

Kokanee Power derbies point way to reliable summer kokanee fishing

2012-04-18T13:25:33-05:00

If you want to know where to look for some great kokanee fishing during the next four months, simply go where the folks at Kokanee Power of Oregon are going.

The group has announced its 2012 derby lineup. Here are the four locations:

Green Peter Reservoir, May 19: This west-side reservoir isn't always red hot yet by May, but its low elevation and moderate weather make it a sure bet for access, angler comfort and at least fair action in the middle of spring. For those with downriggers, this spot can get even better in the summer heat. There is a 25-kokanee limit here.

For more about this fishery from a Green Peter expert: Green Peter Kokanee Fishing

Wickiup Reservoir, June 16: Known for large kokanee, this large and mostly shallow Central Oregon favorite can be tricky for newcomers but also can flat out produce lots of fish during the prime season, which includes June. It also has a 25-kokanee limit.

For more about this fishery from Wickiup kokanee experts: Wickiup Reservoir Kokanee Fishing

Crescent Lake, July 14: Crescent also can have large and, afficianados say, particularly tasty kokanee among Central Oregon waters. Kokanee here are counted as part of the daily trout limit of five. (Trout species here are brown, lake and rainbow trout).

For more on this fishery from a Crescent kokanee expert: Crescent Lake Kokanee Fishing

Odell Lake, August 18: Odell, like Green Peter, is one of the most consistent kokanee spots in Oregon and skilled anglers frequently reach its 25-kokanee limit. Although angling can be fantastic earlier in the season, especially for jiggers, Odell's landlocked sockeye spawn relatively late and are still biting strong in August, when trolling is king.

For more on this fishery from two Odell kokanee experts: Odell Lake Kokanee Fishing

There are plenty of other good kokanee fisheries in Oregon. For a nice taste of this great fishery, start with our Oregon's Best Kokanee Fishing page.

And if you want to join the fun by signing up for one or more derbies (and perhaps camp with the gang at the last three locations), you'll find everything you need at the Kokanee Power of Oregon website.

Lower Columbia River Spring Chinook Season Likely to Continue to April 22

2012-04-12T14:51:25-05:00

Oregon and Washington fish managers today again extended sport fishing for spring chinook salmon on the lower Columbia River.

It now should be open through Sunday, April 22. However, if catches really skyrocket over the coming week, managers could elect to shut it down a bit earlier when they meet again in a week.

Also, as in recent weeks, the exception during the coming 10 days will be a closure of sport angling next Tuesday (April 17) on the lower Columbia. There could be commercial fishing that day, but gill-netters will get out only if managers decide there are enough fish left under the commercial quota. Gill-netters are far closer to their quota than recreational boats.

Bill Monroe of The Oregonian reported that good commercial catches in the lower river on Tuesday of this week buoyed the notion that the run is simply late, not necessarily smaller than the generous prediction. But he also said rule-makers seem unlikely to extend the season past the 22nd of this month, at least until counts over Bonneville Dam into next month give them a better idea of the run size.

Fishing is reasonably likely to improve in the lower Columbia over the course of the coming 10 days. It's been too high and cold for great angling but is headed in the right direction.

Judging from the number of boats screaming up the lower Willamette River by mid-morning today (Thursday), when I was out fishing, I'd say at least some were ditching the larger river because the fishing has improved markedly in the Willamette, which is finally coming into decent color and warming a bit.

We witnessed a half dozen or more springers boated above the St. Johns Bridge, though none within barbecue range!

The Willamette will remain open after the lower Columbia closes. And it's not affected by the Tuesday gill-netting closures, other than perhaps being more crowded than on weekdays when the Columbia is an option.

Lower Columbia River springer anglers get another week

2012-04-05T15:15:04-05:00

Fish managers in Oregon and Washington today (Thursday, April 5) agreed to give recreational anglers another week to get a spring chinook salmon for the barbecue, "thanks" to miserable catch rates in high and cold water.

The season had been scheduled to close after tomorrow (April 6), but it now will be open through Friday, April 13. Let's hope that's a lucky number 13 because with each week that passes it will get less likely that biologists will keep pushing the closure out, especially since upriver tribes are worried about that the forecast was overly optimistic.

The exception is that the coming Tuesday (April 10) will be closed to sport fishers. There very well may be a commercial fishing period set that day.

Total catch rates are in the low five-figures and passage at Bonneville Dam has barely started. It appears to be a late run, given the water conditions, but biologists won't really have the data they need to see if their preseason projections for an 300,000-plus run will hold up until next month, when counts at Bonneville typically peak for the year. Run forecasts are notoriously hard to make and usually are adjusted up or down based on mid-season results. A strong, late-season showing could bring about more fishing in the lower river, but unfortunately that information often doesn't come through until late spring, after the peak of the run is long gone.

Meanwhile, the Willamette River's spring chinook run is projected to be pretty decent, similar to last year's, and unlike the Columbia won't close mid-run. However, high, cold and off-color flows have made salmon fishing there tough at best, although it's level and clarity are heading in the right direction at this writing. April is usually the top-producing month on the lower Willamette, but I'd look for better water conditions after the Columbia closes and also expect pretty good fishing into May.

You can scope out most of the state's springer options from the Oregon Salmon Fishing page.

Deschutes and Hood rivers will have spring chinook seasons

2012-03-07T09:30:56-06:00

The promise of strong spring chinook runs over Bonneville Dam this year has convinced the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to again open spring chinook salmon fishing on both the Deschutes and Hood rivers.

The Deschutes River will open to spring chinook fishing on April 15 from the mouth (at the Interstate 84 bridge) up to Sherars Falls.

This run is expected to be especially good this year: About 14,000 hatchery chinook salmon are expected back on the Deschutes this spring and early summer. That would make it one of the very best seasons since this hatchery run was started in the 1970s.

The season will run through July 31, but if the fall run also is strong enough, chinook retention very well could reopen the next day.

In the 2010 season (stats are yet available for 2011), spring chinook harvests got started in late April but catches really peaked in May and then fell off quickly in June. So figure on chinook fishing to be best around the time trout anglers are tossing salmonfly imitations.

While much of the best trout action will be upriver from Sherars Falls, the salmon fishing is only allowed below the falls (dowstream from Maupin). In fact, the majority of the catch is in the three river miles below the falls down to the upper railroad trestle, which is the only section of river where bait fishing is allowed. But after you have your limit of two adult fin-clipped chinooks, you can no longer fish in this stretch for anything. That's when you move upriver and unpack the fly rod! (The daily salmon bag also includes five fin-clipped jacks.)

On the Hood River, fishing also opens April 15 but remains open just about six weeks, through June 30. The mainstem Hood is open from the mouth up the confluence with the East Fork, and the lower West Fork is open up to a deadline located 200 feet below Punchbowl Falls. This same river sections are open for hatchery-marked steelhead all year, and there are both winter and summer runs that overlap the spring chinook fishery.

Hood River spring chinook catches have been modest in recent years, on the order of several hundred fish, and this year's run is expected to only be about 650 fish. However, the pressure here is relatively light and bank access is good.

You might very well find the first of those fish here at or soon after the opening, but catches are likely to be higher in May and should continue up to the close.

As with the Deschutes, you can keep two adult and five jack adipose fin-clipped chinook salmon per day on Hood River. You must release unmarked salmon and steelhead. However, if you keep a hatchery steelhead, it counts against your daily aggregate bag limit of two total adult salmon and/or steelhead. In other words, if bright salmon are biting well, you might want to take a chance and let the steelhead go!

NEW! IMPROVED! Check out all the new information

2012-03-01T12:44:15-06:00

You'll notice some significant changes on Best Fishing in America's Oregon page.

The page has more great photos and it's now far easier to navigate directly to information about your favorite types of fishing.

Besides being able to simply find the right information, when you get to that page using the link above, you can quickly jump to a bunch of new (as well as plenty of "classic") information tailor-made for our great spring fishing opportunities:

Several articles covering the best spring chinook rivers across Oregon, including where and when you have the best shot at catching Oregon's best-tasting salmon.
Nineteen (yes, that's a one-niner) articles covering summer and winter steelhead fisheries from the Pacific Ocean to the Snake River. I might add that March is one of the best months of the year for late-winter runs in western Oregon and also summer runs in northeastern Oregon.
A half dozen shiny new articles that cover the state's very best waters for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie and catfish. There also are in-depth articles (previously posted but now easier to find) on smallmouth bass fishing in the Umpqua and John Day rivers that you can use to get you started right now on the biggest fish of the year (wherever you fish for them).
An entirely new shellfish section to help you locate and harvest the state's best Dungeness crabs, bay clams and razor clams.

Add to that some fantastic tips for kokanee fishing just about everywhere, and a variety of other secrets, and this website is worth every penny. (Oh, yeah, it's still free.)

Are we done yet? Not by a long shot. There are still a bunch of trout, sturgeon and fall salmon fishing articles to polish up and post over the next few months, just to name a few high priorities currently in progress. I also am redesigning pages that will help you find the best waters in every region of the state. And the site's new calendar pages are coming along to help you answer the question of when to fish those waters. Check out the March page for an idea of how to put this great new resource to immediate use.

Thank you for your patience, and also for giving the site a good look-see and letting me know what else you'd like to see on there. So much of this is very new, I'd welcome a heads-up if you find errors, links that don't work, or other functional issues.

Best fishing, Eric

Eric@BestFishingInAmerica.com

Strong California Chinook Runs Could Boost Oregon Ocean Fishing

2012-02-29T10:04:00-06:00

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife this week forecasted that a stunning 1,568,000 fall chinook salmon are on their way back to Northern California's Klamath River this year.

That 2012 prediction, paired with what they think will be a very strong (but not so eye-popping) improvement in Oregon's Rogue River and California's Sacramento River's fall chinook runs, among others, are important to Oregon and California anglers alike.

A good number of those California fish will appear off the Oregon coastline this summer, where recreational and commercial anglers will intercept many of them, if fisheries managers set generous 2012 seasons. This will be particularly true the farther south you fish in the ocean off Oregon, an area hit hard by severe fishing restrictions just a few years ago.

Nearly all -- just under 1.5 million -- of those Klamath River chinook are projected to be three-year-old fish. These are nice-sized but not huge salmon, probably a lot of them 10 to 15 pounds. The forecast calls for 80,000 larger four-year-old fish, a modest increase over last year for the older class.

Besides adding a good number of those salmon to the ocean catch, a run that comes anywhere close to the huge forecast would make the Klamath a destination river fishery for anglers not only from California but Oregon and elsewhere.

The ODFW report also predicts that the Sacramento River's run will include more than 800,000 fall chinook swimming off the West Coast, a significant improvement.

The Rogue River is a smaller contributor to the West Coast ocean fisheries, but it's a major fishery for Southern Oregon. ODFW believes that 45,000 fall chinook will be trying to migrate back to the Rogue (including those caught offshore). That's more than double last year's forecast and could bring some great fishing from Gold Beach to Grants Pass and beyond. (Last year's actual return data isn't available.)

ODFW didn't attach numbers to their predictions for Oregon's other fall chinook salmon rivers, but they noted that the trend is for improving conditions and fair to good returns.

The Columbia River's fall forecast, however, calls for slightly fewer fall chinook and also about 10 percent fewer hatchery coho salmon this year, compared to last year's forecast. But last year's actual chinook returns were lower than forecast (although coho returns were higher than predictions). That translates into pretty good chinook fishing again this year but probably only so-so angling for silvers at Buoy 10.

Forecasts for the 2012 spring chinook fishery just getting started call for significantly more upriver springers on the Columbia River compared to both 2011's forecast and actual returns. The Willamette springer run is expected to be about 83,000 fish, down some 20,000 from last year's forecast but similar to last year's actual return. And still fairly strong.

Coastal coho populations are predicted to continue the improvements noted in recent seasons. That should translate into a fair number of rivers getting wild coho harvest quotas again this year.

It bears repeating that these are forecasts: Predictions based on available data, but scientific guesstimates nonetheless. They can be very close; they can be drastically off in either direction. And note also that these numbers also are pinned to ocean abundance, so the significant harvests that usually occur offshore result in lower actual returns to fresh water.

Various ocean and river fishing seasons that will be determined over the next few months will take the data behind these forecasts into account. We'll publish those seasons as they are set.

Want to read the forecast data yourself? Pages 17-19 include much of the 2012 information.

Henry Hagg Lake opens Saturday, March 3

2012-02-23T17:55:51-06:00

The fishing season at Henry Hagg Lake begins Saturday, March 3, despite what it says in the 2012 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations booklet. The March 4 opening printed there is simply a mistake.

ODFW issued a correction this week and also noted what a friend had previously posted on our Oregon Facebook page: About 600 really big trout already have been released in the reservoir south of Forest Grove. These monsters range from 8 to 15 pounds!

ODFW also plans to stock a whopping 18,000 keeper-sized rainbows in the water before the opener. Hagg Lake continues to be generously stocked throughout spring, and trout here hold over pretty well through the closer in November. (Yes, Hagg Lake has one of Oregon's oddest fishing seasons. That's due to Washington County, which manages the park, wanting to extend the recreation season a bit but not wanting to pay so many staff costs during the slow winter months.)

For some decent tips on how to catch this reservoir's rainbow trout, see: Henry Hagg Lake Rainbow Trout Fishing on this website. There's a link on that page that also will take you to another page about fishing for Hagg's state record-breaking smallmouth bass and its impressive largemouth bass.

You may also know that Hagg also holds the state record for bullhead catfish, and there are scads of under-sized yellow perch and bluegill.

You may not yet know that Hagg has a growing population of nice-sized crappies. In fact, a state biologist told me just last week (for some upcoming articles on the website) that Hagg Lake is a sleeper for crappie, just being discovered by a wider audience. Sure, the folks at the Oregon Bass & Panfish Club know about it, but it's not yet widespread knowledge.

No, Hagg Lake isn't loaded with traditional crappie structure, but there are a few downed trees, lots of short stumps and a few fish habitat structures those folks at OB&PC sunk in the reservoir. Find some structure in deep enough water and you just may be in business.

I might also suggest trolling a very small plug, say one that looks like a small perch or bluegill or trout, and launch a scouting mission. You'll probably also nail some bass and maybe other fish along the way.

Here is ODFW's news release:

Feb. 23, 2012

Henry Hagg Lake near Forest Grove will be stocked with 18,000 rainbow trout for the opening of fishing season on March 3. (click to enlarge)

CLACKAMAS, Ore – Henry Hagg Lake, one of Northwest Oregon’s premier still water fishing venues, will open for the year on Saturday, March 3.

In anticipation of the season opener, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife will release 18,000 rainbow trout into Hagg Lake. Earlier this year ODFW released an additional 600 trophy-sized trout weighing 8-15 pounds each.

Anglers are advised the opening day is indeed Saturday, March 3. A misprint in ODFW’s 2012 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations erroneously listed the opening day as March 4.

“The opening of fishing season on Hagg Lake is always exciting for anglers in this part of the state,” said Tom Murtagh, fish biologist for ODFW’s North Willamette Watershed District. “Hagg Lake is a tremendous recreational fishery for the whole family.”

In addition to rainbow and cutthroat trout, Hagg Lake contains largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill, sunfish, yellow perch and brown bullhead.

Located less than 25 miles southwest of Portland near Forest Grove, this 1,100-acre reservoir has produced the state record smallmouth bass and bullhead. Last year, Hagg Lake was one of only 65 bodies of water nationwide chosen for inclusion in the “Wanna Go Fishing for Millions” fishing contest sponsored by Cabela’s and the Outdoor Channel.

Recreational facilities at Henry Hagg Lake are managed by Washington County, which charges a day use or season pass for access to the lake and Scoggins Valley Park. For more information about Hagg Lake or Scoggins Valley Park, call 503-846-8715 or visit Washington County’s website at www.co.washington.or.us/Support_Services/Facilities/Parks/Hagglake/index.cfm.

###

ODFW cancels last two Willamette sturgeon retention days

2012-02-22T09:51:02-06:00

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has cancelled the final two days they had planned to open for keeper sturgeon fishing in the lower Willamette River.

High effort and catches last Friday and Saturday resulted in a harvest that is too close to the quota to even allow a single more day of retention.

Here is ODFW's press release:

SALEM, Ore. – Fishery managers announced today that the Willamette River downstream from Willamette Falls, including Multnomah Channel and the Gilbert River, will not be open to sturgeon retention on Feb. 24-25. In January, fishery managers had announced a possible four-day retention season to include Feb. 17-18 and Feb 24-25.

In just two days, anglers caught 1,535 sturgeon, almost 90 percent of the 1,768 allowed for the Willamette -- in large part due to the number of anglers.

According to Steve Williams, ODFW deputy administrator for the Fish Division, the catch rate (number of fish harvested per angler) was about equal to last year, but daily angling effort was over twice that observed in 2011. Managers estimated over 2,400 boats participated in the fishery.

“Based on the number of anglers and catch last year, we hoped there would be enough fish for four days of fishing,” Williams said. “Obviously we did not count on such a huge increase in effort.”

Staff predict an additional 700-800 fish could be caught with an additional day of fishing, which would exceed the harvest guideline.

This year’s harvest guideline for the Willamette was down 30 percent from last year, due to continued declines in the abundance of legal-sized sturgeon.

“Reduced quotas combined with high effort make it challenging to structure suitable fisheries,” Williams said, “If this trend continues, ODFW will have to reconsider how it structures future sturgeon retention seasons on the Willamette.”

The Department intends to host a series of public meetings this fall to present new population information and let members of the public weigh in with their ideas.
Catch-and-release sturgeon fishing is still allowed on the lower Willamette River, and retention of white sturgeon is permitted on the Columbia from the mouth upstream to Bonneville Dam and in The Dalles, John Day, and McNary reservoirs.

Anglers are reminded that all sturgeon fishing in the lower Willamette River, including catch-and-release, is prohibited between the I-205 Bridge and Willamette Falls from May 1 through Aug. 31 because that section of the river has been designated as a sturgeon spawning sanctuary.

Columbia River spring chinook, sturgeon seasons set

2012-01-26T19:47:56-06:00

The 2012 Columbia River spring chinook and sturgeon fishing seasons have been set.

The springer season is expected to be quite good, with fisheries managers expecting more than 314,000 upriver fish ... the fourth-largest run since they've been keeping track.

The lower river season is open now below I-5 and will open March 1 up to Beacon Rock for boaters and up to the dam for bank anglers. Exceptions are recreational fishing closures on March 20, March 27 and April 3, three Tuesdays set aside for commercial harvests.

Other than those three days, springer fishing is expected to remain open through April 6, although that date could be extended. It also could reopen again later in the spring, if the actual numbers of fish warrant more fishing. The harvest guideline is 14,500 hatchery-marked spring chinook salmon for the river below Bonneville Dam, with a daily limit of one for this river section. Unmarked fish must be released unharmed in this fishery.

The river from the upper end of the Bonneville Pool to the state line will be open for springer fishing from March 16 to May 2. The limit up there will be two hatchery-marked spring chinook.

On the flip side, sturgeon harvests will be reduced another big chunk for the third straight year. This year's 38 percent cut to the quota brings the total harvest to 9,600 fish on the lower Columbia River system and the Willamette.

What that means is fewer "keeper" days, although catch and release fishing will continue as usual.

In the lowest fishery, from Buoy 10 to the power lines at Wauna, sturgeon retention that is currently underway will continue through April 30. Currently, you can keep them with a fork length of 38-54 inches seven days a week. Starting May 12, the minimum fork length for keepers increases to 41 inches.

From the Wauna powerlines up to Bonneville, retention fishing is allowed Thursdays through Saturdays from Jan. 1 through July 31 and again Oct. 20 through Dec. 31. Fish must have a fork length of 38 to 54 inches for both periods.

There will be no retention anywhere on the lower Columbia during August, September and the first part of October.

The Willamette season, set previously, will be limited to four days: Feb. 17, 18, 24 and 25, the last two Fridays and Saturdays in February. It promises to be a pretty good few days of fishing, since the Willamette is where many of the system's fish over-winter.

Low Water Winter Steelhead Fishing Tips

2011-12-16T12:39:55-06:00

If you believe in weather forecasters half as much as you believe in Santa Claus, we're stuck with low and clear water for another week or more. That doesn't mean you have to give up on winter steelhead.

Sure, it will be tougher, because most steelhead still have salt in their gills, waiting for a good rain to head into your favorite winter steelhead river. Those fish already there are mostly hunkered down, feeling like they are in a 5-gallon aquarium.

So, if you only have a day or two to get out this season and can save your trips, you might do so. But if you can get out now, it's still worth it.

First of all, think of your trip as a scouting mission. That way, if you strike out, you have a great excuse! In low water, you can get a better lay of the land for future trips. You also can learn where the fish hold up when river levels hit rock bottom, like now, so you'll improve your odds next time. That's part of the reason good fishing guides can get their clients into fish when rivers are like this: They know where the fish will not only hide out but even concentrate. And fishing in dry, crisp weather is pleasant if you're dressed for it and the wind isn't acting up.

Here are some more suggestions:

Find those hiding spots. Skip the tailouts that give up so many fish when the water is steelhead green but now look like gin on the rocks. Try the deepest water at the top of each pool. A pool with poor low-water passage above is even better. Look in moderate-flow runs with broken surface water. Try behind rocks and along ledges -- even ones you think are pretty small spots in stretches of river most people skip over. I like to cover more water in low conditions. There are fewer places for fish to conceal themselves, for one. For another, I like to try those little spots between major holes to find fish that haven't been bombarded while they wait out the mini-drought.

Try another method. If you drift fish, you may not do well trying to bounce a big hunk of metal downstream. Either switch to little or no weight (and even ditch the Corkie and yarn and just try a plain sand shrimp or nightcrawler) or try another tactic. I like bobber fishing in low water. I usually use a maribou jig but this year want to give soft plastics a good run. Bait under a bobber is an option.

Dial it down. I'm a spinner fisherman and I love the strobe effect my homemade genuine silver-plate number 5 French blades make in big, slightly colored winter water. But today I'd more likely dip into my summer spinner box and tie on a No. 3 or smaller, maybe in brass or even a tarnished finish and little or subtle color like green or blue. Besides toning down the color, use smaller spoons, micro-jigs, little baits, smallish plugs, and so on.

See (spot) run. Do some sight fishing. Get up on the road shoulder, on rocks and overhangs and look for fish. Have some binoculars? Also look for tell-tale flashes when you work your lures and baits through each spot. That fish may very well be moving out of the way rather than taking a swipe at your offering, but a steelhead revealing itself gives you a chance to try another method now or a couple hours later. It might also tell you something about what type of water is holding fish right now. It's not at all uncommon for a fish to move away from one lure only to hammer another.

Fish like a hunter. Don't go crashing into the water. Steelhead are too skittish in conditions like these. Sneak up on them from behind (working upstream). Duck low, even creep behind a tree. I like bobber fishing for this as well. I can cast upstream, above holding water, and let the offering float down to the fish while I stay out of view behind any fish. It's like being downwind while hunting. Speaking of bobbers, use smaller, less colorful or wood-tone bobbers to reduce the fear factor.

Find bigger water. The best catch reports I've heard recently have come from southwest Oregon's Umpqua River and southwest Washington's Cowlitz River. Both are large enough that they still have at least decent water flows (along with good steelie runs), allowing fish to move better even in dry periods. Sure, those reports were from guides who know right where to fish under these conditions (and almost certainly are in boats), but at least there are fish available. I'm guessing some are coming to plunkers off Meldrum Bar in the lower Willamette River as fish hold below the mouth of the Clackamas River. On smaller streams, you may find better numbers of fish holed up in pools low in the system. Then again, those locations are probably going to get the most fishing pressure, so it might pay off to be contrarian and try to find some of the fish that shot to middle and upper river sections with the last great rain weeks back.

Please feel free to use the new Facebook comment feature below this blog to share your own low-water wisdom, steelhead stories and lies, etc.

New Steelhead Fishing Resource and More

2011-12-09T10:35:58-06:00

I've been doing some work on the website, and here are some new steelhead fishing resources just in time for the winter season. Right now, I have mostly North Coast info, but you'll soon see more from the southern coast and metro areas (and beyond for summer fishing).

Start on the Oregon Steelhead Page and then click links for information specific to some of the zone's best rivers (including information on summer-runs, where they are present), including the North Fork Nehalem, Wilson, Nestucca, Siletz, Alsea and Siuslaw. Like smaller rivers and creeks for winter steelies (especially if we ever get some serious rain around here)? Take a gander at this article: Best Small Winter Steelhead Streams in Northwest Oregon.

The individual pages offer the best times to fish each water, and where available there is a link to river level gauges on each page. There's also a map you can click to explore and find your way.

I've also started a major remodel on the Oregon Sport Fish and Oregon Fishing Calendar pages, which can lead you to your favorite fishing options by species or time of year. As you can see, I have plenty of work to do. Besides steelhead, you'll find the first salmon articles linked to the species page, and you can see what else is in the works. Also from the Oregon Sport Fish page, you can find a brand new kokanee fishing page that has all the links to the content we have so far about these land-locked sockeye salmon.

Plenty more is already underway. I hope you'll stop by the site often and feel very free to offer suggestions, corrections, additions and such. I value input from people who love to fish. I'd also love to add more photos to these pages -- especially those that only have a map or use a photo I also have on another page.

You can always email me at eric@bestfishinginamerica.com

Dry Start for December Fishing

2011-12-01T11:18:04-06:00

With little to no rain in the near-term forecast, here are some fishing options around Oregon:

Steelhead and salmon: These will slow up a bit as new fish wait for more rain to enter many of our rivers. For the next few days at least, the mid-sized and larger rivers have pretty good water levels, but small streams are going to be too low and clear for really good fishing until the next drenching. Salmon fishing is petering out in most places, but the Wilson and Kilchis on the north coast and Elk and Sixes on the south coast have late chinook runs and will see some more chromers with more rain. Tenmile Lakes are open through the end of the year for wild coho (or until a quota is met, which seems unlikely), and this run is very late, typically peaking in December when it's often cold. Few fish have arrived here as of yet, because it needs a lot of freshwater to get fish past the mouth, but big rains this month will change that. This fishery is new and so far little-used (and still being figured out), but a fish biologist tells me there are more wild coho that come up through Tenmile Lakes than similar and longer-established lake fisheries in Siltcoos and Tahkenitch lakes.

Trout: Speaking of Tenmile Lakes, this is an option for December trouting. So are several other lowland lakes throughout Oregon. Some I-5 corridor small lakes and ponds get periodic trout stockings during the winter months. Fly anglers will find some willing wild fish and maybe a few afternoon hatches on places like the McKenzie and Crooked rivers, among others.

Shellfish: Bay crabbing should improve up and down the coast as river flows decrease. Remember that Netarts Bay near Tillamook has little freshwater inflow and can keep on pumping out the Dungeness even when other bays slack off. The lower Columbia, this time of year, can also be good because much of its drainage comes from cold and dry country. And other big bays with smaller river volumes compared to their size endure heavy rains better than smaller bays with big rivers. So Coos Bay can hold up better than Coquille Bay, for example. The ocean crabbing closure remains in effect. On the clam side of things, there's a week's worth of minus tides starting a week from today (Dec. 8), but they come after dark so you'll be diggin' it by lantern light.

Sturgeon: There's a small number of keepers being landed in the Columbia River from Wauna up to below Bonneville Dam, which is open for sturgeon retention during the remainder of December (unless a quota is met) but only on Thursdays through Saturdays. The sturgeon action is faster on the lower Willamette River, but until a retention season starts here (not set but quite possibly in late winter), you'll be turning everything loose. Another keeper season starts in the Columbia reservoirs upriver on Jan. 1, 2012. The Bonneville Pool in particular can be very good during the first months of each new year, but its popularity will use of the quota at some point, maybe mid-way or so through the calendar year.

Crappie and perch: Warmwater fishing during frostbite weather? Am I out of my ever-loving mind? Probably, but that's another story. I've caught crappie well over a foot long on the lower Willamette, fishing a jig with little or no movement near the base of the deeper dolphin-style piling groups. Reservoirs with good crappie and panfish populations can also be good bets, if they are open year-round. As an example, if you can get a boat out on Fern Ridge Reservoir (due west of Eugene) when the water is way down, for example, its big crappie that spend their springs and summers feasting in this lake's abundant shallows will be forced to concentrate themselves in the remaining water closer to the dam. In places like Tenmile Lakes and other coastal spots, many of which aren't drawn down, look for schools of perch in deeper sections. And these fish do bite, albeit lightly, during the coldest months. Remember: Panfish are common catches for ice fishermen in places like Minnesota.

Early November Fishing Report

2011-11-02T15:09:19-05:00

Salmon: Fishing is starting to taper off for coho in many rivers, although there still are some around. The Rogue River is an option, and wild coho fisheries in Siltcoos, Tahkenitch and Tenmile lakes usually don't peak until heavy November rains arrive. Siltcoos has kicked out some wild cohos already. Chinook fishing may have passed its peak in October, but there will still be bright kings coming into most rivers with the next few good rains, the first of which could hit about Saturday (with more possible soakers in the longer-range forecast next week). The Elk and Sixes rivers in southern Oregon have a reputation for late-running salmon, as does the Wilson River for north-coasters. Want something a little different? Consider some catch-and-release fishing for chum salmon on the Miami and Kilchis rivers, the two northernmost tributaries to Tillamook Bay. You can fish for these "dog salmon" until Nov. 15, and usually the peak fishing is right near the closure. I'd look for them after the very next significant rain, quite possibly this weekend or into next week. You can't keep them, but they aren't my favorite eating salmon (by a long shot) anyway. And, who knows, you might hook into a chinook while you're at it. Green drift gear and lures are effective for chum.

Steelhead: Hey, there's a "second season" for summer steelhead in western Oregon. Rivers with pretty nice runs include the Nestucca, Siletz, North Umpqua and Rogue among coastal rivers. In the valley, I'd think about the Santiams (especially South), McKenzie and Middle Fork Willamette below their dams, and in the mainstem Willamette's "town run" in Eugene. The upper Rogue reopened for bait angling Tuesday and immediately kicked out some nice fish. Don't stop on the west side: There are lots of steelhead in the Deschutes River up to Pelton and in northeastern Oregon's Grande Ronde, Imnaha, Umatilla and John Day rivers. Of the latter group, the Grande Ronde and Umatilla lately have had particularly good catch rates for hatchery-marked fish. I wouldn't start looking for winter steelhead just yet, but closer to Thanksgiving I suspect we'll hear of the first catches from earlier-returning hatchery runs like you'll find on the North Fork Nehalem and Alsea rivers.

Trout: Yes, the season ended on many rivers and lakes on Halloween, but year-round waters can be very good in fall, especially with these nice stretches of cool but relatively dry and pleasant weather. Even some of the higher-elevation lakes will be nice options until they get socked in by a bunch of snow in the near future. Trout stocking has mostly wrapped up.

Sturgeon: Some fair fishing is available in the Columbia River, including the Portland area and gorge. You can keep legal-sized fish only on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays through the end of the year (or until a quota is met). The Willamette is closed for sturgeon retention until sometime early 2012, but the river can be quite good for catch-and-release action during the cold months.

Warmwater fishing: Yes, it's nippy. But there are still options. I've had great success fall fishing for crappies, often fishing bait-tipped jigs slowly in deeper water near cover, such as the base of pilings and piers. And yellow perch are biting, especially in coastal lakes like Tenmile, where some perch a foot long or better are making some nice meals. If you're after bass, and it's cold, try working some soft plastics slowly.

Saltwater: Some pretty darned good ocean conditions for fall have allowed boats out on the Pacific, where anglers have found very good rockfishing with a smattering of lingcod in the mix. Jetty and bay fishing can be worthwhile this time of year as well, with good weather, using bait and plastic jigs.

Shellfish: Dry fall weather = Good crabbing. Enough said on that. Clamming is also a good fall option, either in bays or on Clatsop County beaches for razor clams. The next minus tide series begins the middle of next week, with evening lows.

Coho Are Moving

2011-09-29T09:58:29-05:00

Coho (and some chinook) came into the North Fork Nehalem with that last rain, but by today the river had dropped again and fishing probably will be a little slow for a few days until (and if) the rains hit again this weekend. Fish are moving at night even in lower water, and a decent rain most likely would bring another bright batch into freshwater.

It should be similar down on the Trask and your favorite coho river. Coho are scattered around the Clackamas and a few might've sneaked their way into Eagle Creek, but look for another good rain to bring out the bite there. A few are being landed over on the Sandy as well.

For the wild silver salmon fisheries, the Umpqua River (Winchester Bay) has been the hottest and therefore will close first. Tomorrow (Friday) is the last day you can keep a coho with an intact fin on this system. While the Umpqua slowed down a bit after the opener but still topped the open rivers with 246 fish in the week ending Sunday. Add in more from this week and fish caught today and tomorrow and it should be close to the preseason quota set at 1,300 for this fishery.

The Nehalem, Tillamook and Siuslaw systems saw reasonable numbers of wild coho kept, and all of these fisheries are options for chinook (and the first two have hatchery coho as well).

Remember, Tenmile, Siltcoos and Tahkenitch lakes also have wild coho harvests, but you can't keep them until Saturday, and they most likely will arrive in fishable numbers with heavy rains later in October and on into November and possibly December.

And on the Columbia, chinook fishing is best close to Bonneville, and sturgeon retention becomes an option on the lower river (above Wauna) this Saturday and again on Thursdays through Saturdays through the end of 2011 or until a quota is spent. I've heard some good reports from the gorge.

Good luck out there!