Oregon DFW fishing updates for 9/29

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These are some general fishing reports from around the state. They are listed by territories and subcategorized by each fishing area in that territory. Please scroll down to fined the area that interests you.
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CARTER LAKE : Adult hatchery winter steelhead were stocked to provide additional angling opportunities. There also has been stocking of rainbow trout.

CLEWOX LAKE : The lake has been stocked with rainbow trout.

NEHALEM BAY AND RIVER: Angling for chinook is fair. Fish are well distributed through the bay and into the Nehalem River

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NORTH FORK NEHALEM RIVER : Coho have entered the river with recent rains. Angling is fair to good. Catch-and-release fishing for sea-run cutthroat trout should be good. The river above Highway 53 closes to all angling Oct.1 to Nov. 30.

NESTUCCA RIVER AND THREE RIVERS : Summer steelhead fishing is fair. Catch-and-release fishing for sea-run cutthroat trout should be good. Some fall chinook have entered the lower river, and some good catches have been reported.

NORTH COAST LAKES : Trout stocking is complete for this year.

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OLLALA CREEK RESERVOIR: The reservoir has been stocked with rainbow trout.

SALMON RIVER : Fall chinook angling has been fair. A few fish have passed the hatchery. Coho angling is slow.

SILETZ RIVER : Summer steelhead angling is good. Anglers are reminded that there is no retention of non-fin-clipped steelhead. Recycled summer steelhead will be tagged with colored floy tags. ODFW would like anglers who catch tagged summer steelhead to call Casey Deckard or Derek Wilson at 541-867-4741 to report the color of the tag, date caught and location. Fall chinook fishing is fair to good. Some fish have moved up river.

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SUISLAW RIVER : Fall chinook angling is fair to good. Some fish have moved into the Siuslaw River and Lake Creek.

TILLAMOOK AREA LAKES : Angling for bass should be good in Cape Meares and Lytle lakes. Trout stocking is complete for this year. Cape Meares Lake and Town Lake have been stocked.

TILLAMOOK BAY : Angling for fall chinook is improving. Chinook are being caught throughout the bay and tidewaters. Angling for adipose fin-clipped coho salmon is fair. Many coho have moved through the bay already. Angling for sturgeon has been slow. Best fishing will be in upper tidewater areas, such as the Tillamook River tidewater.

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WILSON, TRASK AND KILCHIS RIVERS: Summer steelhead fishing is fair. Catch-and-release fishing for sea-run cutthroat trout should be good. Angling for fall chinook is fair, and will improve as more fish enter the rivers. Angling for adipose fin-clipped coho salmon is fair to good in the Trask River . Many bright fish have entered the river with recent rains.
YAQUINA RIVER : Fall chinook angling is fair to good.

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SHELLFISH
All northwest coastal areas are open for shellfish except razor clams. The razor clam season at Clatsop County beaches ( Seaside north to the Columbia River ) is closed to razor clam harvest through Sept. 30. Call the Oregon Department of Agriculture’s shellfish hotline at 503-986-4728 for updates. No oysters may be taken.
A recreational shellfish license is now required for everyone over 14 when harvesting marine abalone, clams, crabs, mussels, piddocks, scallops, shrimp and sand shrimp, and other marine invertebrates with shells. No license is needed to harvest crayfish or freshwater clams.

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COQUILLE RIVER BASIN : Salmon angling is good in the Coquille River , and fish have spread upriver on recent rains. Coho harvest (adipose fin-clipped) from the tips of the jetties up to the mouth of Lampa Creek and runs to Dec. 31. Anglers are reminded that un-clipped coho must be released unharmed. These fish should be left in the water, and hooks removed with minimal handling of the fish. Future decisions on coho seasons and ESA listing may depend on the survival of adult coho to the spawning grounds.
DIAMOND LAKE : The lake has been stocked with legal rainbows. Angling is fair to good for legal rainbows at the south end of the lake.
EMIGRANT RESERVOIR: Fishing is slow. A few crappie and smallmouth bass have been caught recently. Smallmouth bass, Crappie, yellow perch and rainbow trout are available. Crappie must be over eight inches long or they must be released unharmed.

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FISH LAKE : Effort has been slow because of poor weather conditions and daily maximum temperature hovering around 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

GALESVILLE RESERVOIR: The reservoir has been stocked with legal rainbows.

GOLD RAY DAM: The 2004 count as of Sept. 20 was 7,568 fall chinook and 6,793 summer steelhead.

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HOWARD PRAIRIE: Fishing for trout continues to improve with the approach of fall and cooler temperatures. Trollers are picking up a few in the morning. Best catches are being reported in the early evenings on Tazmanian Devils and flashers baited with nightcrawlers, Velveeta and power bait. Bank angling is best in the late morning.

Anglers report that bass fishing continues to be good for smallmouth. More information can be obtained by looking at the Howard Prairie Resort WEB Page at: [url "http://www.hplake.com/"][#006699]www.hplake.com[/#006699][/url].

HYATT: No report available, but fishing at Hyatt is usually similar to what is going on at Howard Prairie.

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PACIFIC OCEAN AND BEACHES: The ocean remains open for all salmon except coho through Oct. 31. Anglers may use no more than two single point, single shank, barbless hooks. The minimum size for chinook retention is 20 inches.


Selected bottomfish harvest outside the 40-fathom line opens Oct. 1 and runs through October 31 for yellowtail rockfish, sablefish, and flatfish. Harvest of lingcod, cabezon, greenling, and rockfish besides yellowtail is prohibited. Inside 40 fathoms, angling for surfperch and flatfish species such as starry flounder and sand sole remains open. Fishing for rockfish, lingcod, cabezon, and greenling is not allowed inside 40 fathoms.

The recreational Pacific halibut fishery between Cape Falcon and Humbug Mountain remains open inside the 40-fathom curve seven days a week with a two-fish daily bag limit (legal waypoints are available in the 2004 Oregon Ocean Salmon and Halibut Sport fishing Regulation book). This fishery will remain open through Oct. 31 or until a quota is met. Halibut must be 32 inches or longer with an annual limit of six fish. The all-depth halibut openers are Friday through Sunday every week through Oct. 31, or until a quota is reached. Open dates for all-depth halibut openers can be confirmed on the NMFS hotline 1-800-662-9825. Boaters planning offshore trips need to be cautious of ocean and bar conditions.

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ROGUE RIVER , LOWER: Fall chinook fishing in the lower Rogue has been good. Anglers have been successful trolling the bay and side drifting or trolling the deep holes up river. Coho have started to move into the lower river. Angling for adult steelhead and half-pounders has been good. Check the 2004 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations.

ROGUE RIVER , MIDDLE: Reports state that the fall chinook are present in good numbers and the angling is great. Lots of salmon and steelhead are being caught. With the approach of spawning season darker fish are showing up in the catch. The harvest will increase as more arrive.

ROGUE RIVER, UPPER (Gold Beach): The Upper Rogue River from Gold Ray Dam to Cole Rivers Hatchery is closed to angling for chinook salmon. Anglers are reminded that starting Sept. 1 this section is restricted to angling with artificial flies only. Reports state that steelhead fishing in this area is starting to pick up. However, pressure is low. Cooler weather in the last three or four days appears to have improved fishing.

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SELMAC LAKE : The lake is closed to all access at this time. A public health advisory has been issued for algae toxins: contact [url "http://www.dhs.state.or.us/news/2004news/2004-0819.html"][#006699]www.dhs.state.or.us/news/2004news/2004-0819.html[/#006699][/url].

SODA SPRINGS DAM: Angling for brown trout is fair.

SOUTH COAST LAKES AND PONDS: Legal-sized trout were stocked in Garrison Lake and Libby Pond this last spring. Late summer fishing in these lakes and ponds typically slows down due to warm weather and poor water conditions. Libby Pond is located just outside of Gold Beach eight miles up the Rogue River . Garrison Lake is located in Port Orford.

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UMPQUA RIVER , MAINSTEM: Steelhead angling is slow. Smallmouth bass angling is good. Sturgeon angling is slow. Chinook angling is fair in the Elkton area and around the Highway 101 bridge. Coho angling is good in the estuary and fair in the lower river.
UMPQUA RIVER , SOUTH: Smallmouth bass angling is good. Closes to all angling Sept.16– Nov.15.

UMPQUA RIVER , NORTH: Steelheadfishing is fair in the all-angling section and in the fly-only section. Chinook angling is closed. The first coho crossed Winchester Dam on Aug. 31.

WINCHESTER DAM: As of Sept. 15, there have been a total of 7,882 summer steelhead, 15,274 spring chinook and 66 coho.

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DETROIT RESERVOIR : Success continues to be fair for rainbow trout, particularly in the arms and around the island.
EAGLE CREEK: Coho have shown up in the creek, particularly from Eagle Fern Park down to Bonnie Lure Park . However, the hatchery has received over 1500 coho so far. With the water level receding in recent days, the coho are holding in the deeper holes and not moving much. Catch rates have been fair. Effort has been moderate lately with weekends seeing the greatest amount of angler pressure. The creek is in good shape right now and very fishable. Look for the angling to improve with the next rainfall. Eagle Creek is sensitive to rainfall so it tends to come up quickly. It also tends to drop just as quickly. The slightest rise in flows can bring the coho in from the Clackamas River . Anglers need to remember that much of Eagle Creek runs through private property, so be sure of where you are before you step foot on the stream bank.
E.E. WILSON POND: The pond recently was stocked with a few rainbow brood trout. Angling is allowed only with a free, self-service permit, available at the E.E. Wilson Pond check station.

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FOSTER RESERVOIR: Success for rainbow trout has picked up recently. A few bass are also being taken.
GREEN PETER RESERVOIR : Kokanee fishing is still good at depths of about 40-50 feet. Fish are in the nine-to-11 inch range.
HIGH LAKES : There are many lakes available in the area for day use or overnight camping that require only a short hike in to them. These lakes have been aerial stocked and provide an angling experience unlike the more crowded, close-in waters. Bank fishing or float-tubes are the way to fish on these small mountain lakes. Maps should be available at the local U.S. Forest Service office. Make sure to inquire about camp fire regulations.

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SANDY RIVER : The Sandy is still getting a good return of coho with several thousand swimming into the hatchery. It looks like another excellent year for coho returning to the Sandy River . There are also still bright summer steelhead available. The river is running very low and clear but the water is fishable. With no precipitation in the immediate forecast conditions should remain favorable.
Access for anglers exists from the many parks along the river including Lewis and Clark, Dabney, Oxbow, or Dodge. Another popular spot is the Cedar Creek area near the hatchery.
The Sandy Hatchery/Cedar Creek area has been the site of some serious parking issues lately. The tremendous coho fishery has brought many anglers to the hatchery. Unfortunately the number of vehicles far outnumbers the parking spots available, leading to problems with overcrowding. ODFW is aware of the problem and is working on ways to address it. Please pay close attention to where you park and remember that there are private homes near the Sandy Hatchery. Parking citations are being issued by the State Police, so it is in your best interest to obey all parking signs.
This has been a banner year for the Sandy Hatchery with record numbers of returning spring chinook and summer steelhead. Now an additional opportunity exists with this big surge of coho.
Collection/recycling receptacles for discarded or lost fishing gear have recently been placed at boat ramps along the Sandy River . Any tangled fishing line or old gear found can be collected and disposed of in these canisters as an aid in efforts to maintain a healthy, clean Sandy River . Look for them near boat ramps at Lewis and Clark , Dabney, and Oxbow parks. There is also one in Dodge Park . Additional sites will be added soon. Please use nearby garbage cans for any other types of trash.

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SANTIAM RIVER , NORTH : Flows in the North Santiam at Mehama has been decreasing very slowly over the last week and still is at good fishing flows. There are lots of fish in the river and few anglers out fishing. The boat ramp at Fisherman’s Bend Park is closed for the season due to construction in the park.

SANTIAM RIVER , SOUTH: Flows have also been holding steady over the last week. Greatest success for steelhead has been in the Wiley Creek to Pleasant Valley reach.

SAUVIE ISLAND : The Gilbert River Boat Ramp and Disabled Person Fishing Dock as well as the Columbia River beaches are open.
WALTER WIRTH LAKE ( Salem ): The lake still holds some trout, as well as bass and sunfish, which should provide good opportunity for anglers.

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WILLAMETTE RIVER : The Willamette flows have dropped due to the dry weather. As of Sept. 27 flows were at 9,600 cfs, the water temperature was 61 degrees, and the visibility increased to 6.5 feet. The official end of spring chinook passage counting took place on Aug. 15. The final cumulative count for 2004 was 95,968 spring chinook. This is a record passage number for the Willamette Falls Fishway, surpassing the previous record by over 10,000 chinook. The summer steelhead counts have been slow but steady lately with the cumulative passage through Sept. 21 totaling 33,220. This number is the third best summer steelhead passage count on record for the Willamette Falls Fishway. The first coho of the season passed through the fishway on Aug. 26. Daily coho passage has increased with the cumulative count through Sept. 21 totaling 1,060 adults.
Salmon and steelhead angling effort has ended on the mainstem Willamette River . The best opportunities for angling are likely to be for steelhead in Willamette tributaries above the Falls. Coho angling opportunities should be good in the Oregon City area now that they are in the system in catchable numbers. Most of these fish are heading up the Clackamas River so fishing near or below the Clackamas mouth will likely be the best spots.
Sturgeon angling has been slow throughout the river with the Oregon City/Milwaukie area and the St. Johns area producing some catch. The Willamette is currently closed to sturgeon retention until Friday, Oct. 1, but you are allowed to fish on a catch-and-release basis.

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CRANE PRAIRIE: Rainbow trout 8-to 12-inches are showing up in the creel. Some nice larger rainbows trout are also available for the diligent angler. There is also good opportunity for nice sized brook trout and largemouth bass.
CROOKED RIVER BELOW BOWMAN DAM: Angling for eight-to 14-inch redband trout with the occasional larger fish is fair.
CRESCENT LAKE : Angling is reported to be fair.
CULTUS LAKE : No report.
DAVIS LAKE : No report