01-26-2002, 01:51 PM
The Guide's Forecast - volume 3 issue number 36<br>Northwest Oregon's most complete and accurate fishing forecast<br><br>Forecasting for the fishing week of January 25th - January 31st, 2002<br><br>Fisheries update: The smelt are in, the smelt are in! Easy limits were coming from Cowlitz dippers last week and dip netters should not have trouble this week either! This has turned the middle river bite on and quality keepers are coming from the St. Helens to Longview stretch and downstream. Leave your other baits at home as fresh smelt is the key! Closer to home, the Sandy and Clackamas Rivers are a bit high but low freezing levels should keep the Sandy within reasonable condition. Higher is better but the Marmot area is not quite conducive to bobber and jig fishing until flows drop and temps warm. The coastal streams will be a bit challenging themselves this weekend as foul weather in the coast range should keep steelheaders home safe with their families. Those spawned out hatchery fish are really not worth pursuing anyway. If you have to come, plan on your best opportunity for decent water conditions to be the smaller streams like the Necanicum, N. Fork Nehalem and maybe the Kilchis. Weather will also be a factor for mid coast and south coast streams as they too may be a bit high for good success. They are however coming into their prime so if anglers experience fishable levels, concentrate on the Umpqua, Siuslaw, and Alsea. The Siletz is about to rain steelhead as well but you may be better off waiting for another week before putting too much effort into this fishery. Town Lake, Cape Meares Lake, Lorens Pond Olalla, Big Creek and Big Creek #2 Reservoirs will be stocked. A last-minute winter storm and flood watch have put weekend plans on hold. Keep an eye on the weather updates before heading out!<br><br>Soapbox update: Concerned angler and TGF subscriber Tom McCarthy submitted this plea. "I think it would be nice if you included in your reports a consistent call to all fisherman to keep our beautiful NW rivers clean and stop leaving trash behind. I do not believe the people contributing to the content of this site are responsible for leaving trash behind. .... more at http://www.theguidesforecast.com/ <br><br>Get more Oregon fishing information at<br>http://www.theguidesforecast.com