Posted by William on Apr 30, 2010 in
General 
On 04/29 The CDAO had the pleasure of assisting Greg Harlow instruct the Toledo Outdoor School kids to dig razor clam at South Beach during a minus 1.8 foot tide. The kids were camped at the South Beach State Park to learn how to dig for razor clams. ODFW supplied the shovels and kids provided the enthusiasm. The rough surf conditions kept the clams from showing. I found one razor clam necking in about a foot of water and when I got down on one knee the surf rolled me over to the amusement of those watching me.. Greg found a razor clam necking and dug it. The kids gathered around Greg to get a good look at his prize. The kids returned to looking with renewed interest and shortly thereafter one young man dug his first razor clam. Bill
Posted by Webmaster on Apr 27, 2010 in
Fishing Spring Chinook fishing on both the Rogue and Umpqua rivers is in full swing. The lower Rogue River near Elephant Rock seems to be producing the best fishing. On the Umpqua River, the numbers are better around Sawyer Rapids and upriver. I had a confirmed report of another 50-pound springer being caught near Elkton. The Umpqua may have fewer fish, but there seems to be some giants available.
With the recent warm weather, all local lakes are producing very good trout fishing with both legal-sized and trophy trout in the limits.
Tenmile Lakes are having very successful trout fishing, but some of the effort has now shifted to largemouth bass as the water temperatures have warmed.
Read more…
Tags: 50 pound, fishing, salmon, umpqua
Posted by Webmaster on Apr 22, 2010 in
Fishing MEDFORD (AP) — Public health officials are recommending that people avoid the water in Oregon’s Willow Lake because of unhealthy levels of algae.
The Mail Tribune reports that the advisory issued Wednesday is the first time that blue-green algae levels have led to such a warning for the lake 24 miles east of Medford.
High levels of the algae can produce toxins harmful to people and animals. In addition to avoiding the water, officials say people should not eat fish or freshwater shellfish from the lake.
Tags: blue-green algae, toxins, Willow Lake
Posted by William on Apr 13, 2010 in
General COOS BAY AREA: Join ODFW at the Charleston Marina Office recreation room for a lecture and clam dig at 8:00 am on either Saturday morning April 17th or May 1st.
Join ODFW at the Reedsport Library at 5:00 pm on Friday evening on June 11th for a lecture only on digging clams and crabbing.
Join ODFW at the North Bend Library at 6:00 pm on Friday evening on June 25th for a lecture only on digging class and crabbing. Call for information about additional classes under consideration at the Charleston RV Park and in Bandon. Contact 541 888 3307 ext 235 for additional information.
NEWPORT: Join ODFW at Newport on October 16th at their crabbing workshop to teach you the art of catching these wily crustaceans. This workshop will be held near Newport. The registration fee $40.00 per adult $10.00 per child ages 12 to 17 with children under 12 free. The fees include the use of all necessary equipment, instruction/materials and lunch. Contact Mark Newell at mark.newell@state.or.us or phone: (503) 947-6018 for information on the crabbing and razor clam classes.
FORT STEVENS: Join ODFW at Fort Stevens State Park on Saturday June 26th for this family friendly workshop that will teach you what you need to know to be successful at digging razor clams on Oregon beaches.
Clam Diggers Association of Oregon Clam Clinic 2010
Clam Clinic Siletz Bay 2010 will meet on Tuesday evening May 18th at 18:00 pm for the lecture at the Lincoln City Library. The Lincoln City Library is located at 801 SW Hwy 101 on the west of the highway.
We will meet the following morning at the gravel turnout just north of the Bay House Restaurant at 11:00 am. Meeting at the gravel turnout offers the best access to the tidal flats of Siletz Bay to dig purple varnish clams. Low tide, a -0.6 foot tide occurs on Wed May 19 at 11:52am. There will be plenty of time for everyone to dig a limit of purple varnish clams.
Clam Clinic 2010 at Garibaldi Tillamook Bay will meet at the Tillamook County Library located at 1716 3rd St in the City of Tillamook on Saturday afternoon June 12th. The lecture will begin at 3:30 pm and end at 05:30 pm. We will meet the following morning Sunday June 13th at 06:30 am at the Pier’s End Crabbing Dock on the Garibaldi Tidal Flat to dig for gaper clams. Low tide occurs at 08:06am PDT with a -2.05 foot low tide. The CDAO lectures and clam digs are free but you must attend the lecture to participate in the clam dig providing you have not attended a lecture. We will be staying at the Harborview Inn and RV Park. Contact William Lackner at williamlackner001@msn.com or 541 265 5847.
Posted by William on Apr 10, 2010 in
General My fellow clam diggers, great news! ODFW is considering adopting several of our recommendations to improve the recreational clam digging regulations beginning with the 2011 season. The recommendations would correct the problems clam diggers encounter when digging purple varnish clams and require clam diggers to refill the holes they have dug while digging bay clams. Requiring clam diggers to refill their holes would bring relief to the numerous marine species including bay clams that are subjected to suffocation under current harvest practices. I congratulate the ODFW shellfish biologists for recognizing the merits of our recommendations and making the decisions to consider them for the 2011 season. As always good digging, Bill
Posted by Webmaster on Apr 8, 2010 in
Fishing 
GRANTS PASS (AP) — The Obama administration is asking a federal judge to let it stop spilling water over four Snake River dams this May and rely instead on barges to carry young salmon and steelhead downstream on their spring migration.
The NOAA Fisheries Service proposal filed in U.S. District Court in Portland argues that the science shows this is the best course for fish in low-water years like this one.
Salmon advocates counter that spilling water over the dams — rather than running it through power-generating turbines — has the proven track record.
Tags: brages, falls, Obama, ODFW, salmon
Posted by Webmaster on Apr 7, 2010 in
General 
Umpqua Post/Alex Powers - Owner Rick Beck watches as Dick Solein shops in Beck's Winchester Bay market last weekend in Wichester Bay.
There will be more than salmon swarming off the South Coast this summer.
Along with the fish come fishermen, eager for that prize catch.
Winchester Bay businesses say if the Pacific Fisheries Management Council approves a sport Chinook fishing season, those fishermen will bring a significant chunk of cash to the area.
Pete Heley, a Stockade Market & Tackle Shop employee, said fishermen can be found on the Umpqua River year-round. They fish for crab, he said. In spring and fall, they angle for coho and Chinook salmon.
All of those are reliable fisheries, Heley said. They consistently draw boats and fishermen to local businesses.
But the volatile summer Chinook season is what tackle shops look forward to.
“The ones who do go, there’s a lot of investment there,” Heley said.
Liz Adamo, the shop’s co-owner, said ocean salmon fishing comprises 40 percent of her summer business.
“We love those fishermen that fish year-round, but … salmon fishermen spend the most money,” she said.
Adamo said salmon lures, bait and other tackle costs more. The people who buy salmon tackle spend more than other customers.
“They’ve made the trip, they’re here to fish, and they’ve got to buy the stuff to do it,” she said. “It’s not cheap stuff.”
Rick Beck, owner of Winchester Bay Market, said sport ocean Chinook season impacts his bottom line.
“We do twice as much in the summer if there’s a season as we do (if there is not a season),” he said.
Sport fishermen were allowed to catch coho salmon in the ocean last summer. The Chinook fishery, however, was shut down in 2008 and 2009 after low returns of the fish were spotted in the Klamath and Sacramento river systems.
PFMC this year is considering having no coho season on the South Coast. All three PFMC options, however, include Chinook.
“Even the worst option, we’ll get to fish for Chinook,” Beck said. “Anyone would rather catch a Chinook.”
Heley said Chinook plucked from the ocean can average 33 pounds. Early season coho weigh just 4 or 5 pounds, he said.
Many summer fishermen are looking for an opportunity to land the bigger, more challenging fish, he said.
“There are people convinced ocean salmon fight harder and taste better,” Heley said.
That bigger fish, he said, is a determining factor for people looking to spend vacation money in Winchester Bay.
“Salmon fishing, for some, is the straw that helps you decide where you’re going to take a family vacation,” Heley said.
Some families come to Winchester Bay not only for fishing, but for ATVing in the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, he said.
“We’ve got a lot of options. For someone who can take just a few trips to the coast, we’ll be one of the last places they cut,” Heley said.
Even with no Chinook season, fishermen spent $21.7 million on the South Coast in 2008, according to an economic study prepared by Dean Runyan Associates for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.
“It’s big out here for us,” Beck said.
Beck said fishermen stay in local hotels and campgrounds. They eat at nearby restaurants. When they catch a salmon, they often buy tackle and snacks in the local shops.
“If they’re catching fish, they’re going to spend more,” he said.
Kathy Hunterton, a camp caretaker at Windy Cove County Park, said fishermen make up one-fourth of the camp’s customers each year.
She said 25 percent of the campground’s annual business is dependent on whether the PFMC allows an ocean Chinook season for sports anglers.
“We don’t get the fishermen if they don’t,” she said. “They (fishermen) are quick-coming, but they’re quick-going if they mess with the season.”
“When it comes down to it, salmon fishermen are where we’re really successful or not,” Adamo said.
Source: http://www.theumpquapost.com/articles/2010/04/07/local_news/doc4bbbb5b7d1642782916543.txt
Posted by Webmaster on Apr 5, 2010 in
Fishing Last weekend there were reports of at least 50 spring Chinook salmon being taken on the lower Rogue River. These salmon are running between 20-30 pounds, and the best bait is anchovies. The area from Elephant Rock up river seems to be the most productive. I also had reports of springers being caught on the Umpqua River in the Sawyer Rapids area. The recent rains have both rivers on the rise and you’ll need to check their height. As they fall back into shape, springer fishing should really take off.
Winter steelhead still were being caught just below Powers on the Coquille River.
The Coos River system reported some steelhead around the upriver acclimation sites, and these fisheries still have bright fish, but are really slowing down.
Trout fishing at Empire Lakes has been red hot. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is planning to release another 6,000 legal-sized trout into the lakes this week. This brings the total trout released to 18,000, and an additional 400 trophy trout were released this year.
Fishing near the block wall on the north lake using power bait just off the bottom was producing limits in less than 30 minutes for many anglers. If you’re not catching any of them, you may need to change your tactics. One old angler told me in jest that if you drive by slowly with your car window down, you should be able to catch your limit.
Trout fishing also was excellent at Garrison Lake in Port Orford and Bradley Lake in Bandon.
Read more…
Tags: Chinook, coquille river, empire lakes, Rogue River, salmon, trout
Posted by Webmaster on Apr 1, 2010 in
General 
A man paddles his small boat while trolling for fish recently on Lower Empire Lake in Coos Bay. There were a couple of small boats and people along the shoreline hoping to hook a rainbow trout. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife stocks the in-city lake with trout each year, keeping it open year-round for anglers.
