06-30-2002, 02:28 PM
Fisheries Update<br><br><br>June 28th - July 4th, 2002<br><br>It's too exciting not to make headline news! The Columbia opens Friday, June 28th to the retention of fin-clipped summer chinook above Tongue Point to Bonneville Dam! Run estimates have been revised allowing for this additional opportunity- the first of its kind since 1973! Although it may not turn into a target fishery, incidental catch of these chinooks has been witnessed in the summer steelhead fishery. Anglers will now be allowed to harvest those fish as long as they are missing their adipose fin! <br><br>Sturgeon fishing in the lower Columbia has become quite the challenge lately. Limits are not necessarily the rule and the sculpin scourge is in full bloom downstream of the bridge. Keepers are even hard to come by out of John Day but this slow down was not only expected but was needed to keep the quotas in line. This may be a good weekend to get those house chores done but if you must come fishing, bring lots of smelt as they are less susceptible to trash fish on the outgoing tide. However the crab love them- too bad all the crab in the lower Columbia are small females! <br><br>Razor digging was easy but the tides will not be "clam friendly" again until the second week in July. The tides and numbers are ripe for productive upriver steelhead fishing from Westport to Bonneville Dam. Don't feel guilty keeping those fin-clipped chinook either that you may incidentally catch- it's legal! Clackamas anglers continue to take quality springers and steelhead. <br><br>The Sandy River, while still off-color has recovered sufficiently that bait-flingers have once again started taking chinook and steelies. Springers remain available in the Trask and Nestucca, steelhead are being caught in the Wilson, Nestucca and Siletz Rivers. Off-shore chinook out of Charleston shows no sign of slowing down. <br><br>North coast bottom fishing is excellent with halibut (!) in the mix. Smallmouth bass fishing is good on the Willamette and Umpqua systems. <br><br>Green Peter and Pulina are putting out kokanee. Trout will be stocked this week in Olalla, Big Creek and Trail Bridge Reservoirs, Blue, Breitenbush, upper and lower McKenzie, mid-fork Willamette and North Fork Santiam Rivers, Salmon and Salt Creeks. <br><br>Join Northwest fishermen in sharing information and resources about our local fisheries and techniques - http://www.ifish.net <br><br>Looking for that last minute Father's Day gift? Give him a subscription to The Guide's Forecast or setting up a fishing trip for him by clicking here now! <br><br>Always more at http://www.theguidesforecast.com/<br><br>Paid Subscribers will receive a report this week of over 4,700 words with specific information about where to fish, when to fish and what to use, then accurately predict what the fishing will be like next week and beyond! Don't miss out, we help people catch more fish! <br><br>Subscribe now by going to<br>http//www.theguidesforecast.com/signup.html<br><br><br><br>Get more Oregon fishing information at<br>http://www.theguidesforecast.com