There has been a surprising number of recent changes regarding Oregon fishing. While a lot of people are excited about now being able to fish with two rods on additional Oregon coastal rivers, the 2-rod license on the Umpqua River only extends from the Umpqua River Bar upriver to the Scottsburg Bridge. While a boat with one or two anglers can benefit by trolling with more baits in the water, the advantage will decrease as more anglers are in the boat.
This fall, there will almost certainly be anglers fishing Siltcoos, Tahkenitch and Tenmile Lakes that will not realize that their 2-rod licenses are not valid on these three lakes from October 1st through December. I’ve already heard salmon anglers excitedly talk about using their 2-rod licenses to fish for salmon in the ocean. However, 2-rod licenses are definitely not valid for ocean fishing, but since people tend to hear what they want to hear and decide what they read really means, I envision some citations in the future.
Had some tough questions asked recently by anglers towing their boats into Oregon from other states. Motorized boats not registered in Oregon need to pay $22.00 for an invasive species permit, but according to the Oregon Marine Board, they have up to 60 days before they have to get the boater education card that Oregon residents need to have to legally operate motorized craft in Oregon waters.
Crabbing in the ocean remains productive when the ocean is accessible. This year it seems the most productive depth has been 50 to 55 feet, but in past years it was 25 to 35 feet. So far this summer, crabbing in Half Moon Bay has been good, but suffers a noticeable dropoff if one goes even a short distance farther upriver.
Fishing for Chinook salmon on the Umpqua River below Reedsport was terrible the weekend of July 30th and 31st, but much improved this last week. They are still catching some good-sized Chinooks below Reedsport, but the lower Umpqua near the bar and at spots like Half Moon Bay and Osprey Point are starting to produce salmon more consistently and are suffering the increased fishing pressure that comes with the improved fishing.
Consistent ocean winds have greatly limited the fishing pressure directed at tuna and halibut and it is very likely that there will be an additional halibut opener on August 19th and 20th.
The finclipped ocean coho season closed Sunday evening with barely seven percent of the 26,000 quota caught. Because of a less than rosy coho salmon forecast, despite limited catches from ocean coho anglers, the ODFW decided last week to not have a season on Oregon’s coastal rivers for wild or unclipped coho salmon (nonselective). Anglers can still pursue finclipped coho salmon, which are legal fare in the Umpque River all year, but the nonselective coho season was the easiest way for a bank angler to hook and be able to keep a coho salmon.
It appears that the nonselective ocean coho season will still run from September 3rd through September 30th, or until the 7,500 coho salmon quota is caught – if earlier. With good coho numbers and decent fishing conditions, this season could be very short.
There are a few anglers still unaware that bottomfishing is no longer allowed in ocean waters deeper than 120 feet.
Cathy Reiss, of Ringo’s Lakeside Marina on South Tenmile Lake reported that big bass are being reported almost daily and that one boat caught several yellow perch in the ten inch class and a 31-inch rainbow trout (possibly a very tardy steelhead) while fishing near the large railroad trestle crossing North Tenmile Lake. She also reported the good fishing for brown bullheads in June and July has dropped off and the bluegills that were spawning near their marina in June had moved to deeper water. Hopefully, Tenmile’s bluegill fishery will rebound to its former level of productivity.
While the larger coastal lakes have a few planted, native and searun trout still in them, they are seldom active except in the early morning. Trout plants for the Reedsport area will resume when Lake Marie gets 800 trophy rainbows during the week beginning August 22nd and 500 legals the following week. Other trout prospects include the Siltcoos River between the lake and the dam located about three miles below the lake and the faster-flowing, more narrow sections of Tenmile Creek.
from Pete’s Blog – PeteHeley.Com
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