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NORTHWEST ZONE
FISHING The general trout season in streams is now closed. The first trout stocking for 2005 will take place around the second week of January.
ALSEA RIVER: Mixed reports are showing winter steelhead angling as slow to fair but expected to improve with predicted rains. Fish are distributed up to the NF Alsea hatchery.
BIG CREEK: Winter steelhead fishing is slow. Call 503-458-6529 for recorded fishing updates.
BIG CREEK RESERVOIR: The reservoir has been stocked with rainbow trout.
CARTER LAKE: Adult hatchery winter steelhead and rainbow trout were stocked to provide additional angling opportunities.
CLEWOX LAKE: The lake has been stocked with rainbow trout.
NECANICUM RIVER: Winter steelhead fishing is slow to fair. Best fishing has been just above tidewater in the lower river.
NEHALEM BAY AND RIVER: Winter steelhead fishing will be slow until later in the season.
NORTH FORK NEHALEM RIVER: Winter steelhead angling is fair, but is improving. Call 503-368-5670 for recorded fishing information.
NESTUCCA RIVER AND THREE RIVERS: Winter steelhead angling has been slow to fair. Angling for chinook closed Dec. 31.
NORTH COAST LAKES: Trout stocking for 2005 will start in late February. Schedules are available at the Tillamook District Office.
OLLALA CREEK RESERVOIR: The reservoir has been stocked with rainbow trout.
SALMON RIVER: Winter steelhead angling is slow but expected to improve.
SILETZ RIVER: Mixed reports indicate winter steelhead angling is slow to fair but expected to improve.
SILTCOOS LAKE: Angling for coho salmon in Siltcoos Lake is now closed.
SUISLAW RIVER: Winter steelhead angling is slow to fair.
TAHKENITCH LAKE: Angling for wild coho salmon is closed.
TILLAMOOK AREA LAKES: Excess hatchery summer steelhead adults have been released in Town Lake and Cape Meares Lake. Town Lake received a few more excess hatchery winter steelhead adults last week.
TILLAMOOK BAY: Angling for sturgeon is slow.
WILSON, TRASK AND KILCHIS RIVERS: Winter steelhead angling is slow to fair. Rivers are low. Chinook angling closed Dec. 31
YAQUINA RIVER: Winter steelhead angling is slow.
SHELLFISH 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.
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 open. Call the Oregon Department of Agriculture’s shellfish hotline at 503-986-4728 for updates. No oysters may be taken.
VIEWING
A number of migrating waterfowl are on the lower Columbia River and north coast estuaries. Most of the birds are American wigeon and mallards, but other species, such as scaup, canvasbacks and scoters, can also be seen.
Bald eagles and peregrine falcons are a fairly common sight on Three Arch Rocks, near Oceanside. They frequent the area during the winter months in search of waterfowl and seabirds.
Migratory and resident Canada geese are usually abundant along Hwy 101 in the greater Pacific City area. Among the geese is the unique Semidi Island population of Aleutian Canada geese that feed in pastures during the day and roost on Haystack Rock, near Cape Kiwanda, during the night.
HUNTING
COUGAR The most productive way to hunt them is with a predator call. Hunters are reminded that the season extends into this year, but a 2005 license and tag are now required.
WATERFOWL numbers on coastal estuaries have fluctuated with changing weather patterns, and are starting to decline in numbers now. Hunting success will largely be determined by weather, with the best conditions occurring in and around estuaries as storms come in from the west.
SOUTHWEST ZONE
FISHING
Effective Jan. 1, rainbow trout over 16 inches are considered steelhead when caught in streams and must be entered on a tag if harvested.
There is no stocking scheduled for this week.
APPLEGATE RIVER: The Applegate River is open to steelhead fishing. The limit is two adipose fin-clipped steelhead per day, and two adipose fin-clipped rainbow trout (8- to 16-inch) per day. The Applegate River is open only to trout fishing.
COOS RIVER BASIN: Steelhead angling improved last Sunday in the East and West forks of the Millicoma River, and in the South Coos River. With snow and cold temperatures the bite had been slow. Steelhead must be adipose fin-clipped to harvest.
COQUILLE RIVER BASIN: Steelhead angling has been good in the SOUTH FORK Coquille River. Forecasts for more rain and increasing temperatures should help improve conditions in the other forks. Steelhead must be adipose fin-clipped to harvest.
ODFW will be conducting a radio telemetry study on COQUILLE BASIN steelhead to learn more about steelhead movement patterns, spawning areas, and behavior. Anglers are reminded that radio-tagged fish must be released, per General Regulations, page 12 of the synopsis.
EMIGRANT RESERVOIR: Fishing has been very slow. Smallmouth bass, Crappie, yellow perch and rainbow trout are available. Crappie less than 8-inches must be released unharmed.
FISH LAKE: Fishing is slow, with few anglers on the lake.
PACIFIC OCEAN AND BEACHES: SEE MARINE ZONE
ROGUE RIVER ABOVE LOST CREEK DAM: This area is closed to angling.
ROGUE RIVER, LOWER: The winter steelhead run is underway and is expected to be good this year. The lower Rogue River is big water, with much of the angling done either from boats or by plunking from the bank during high water when steelhead are moving closer to the shoreline. Fishing regulations on the Rogue River were reformatted for 2005 to make them easier to read and understand – check the 2005 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations for details.
ROGUE RIVER, MIDDLE: Reports indicate water conditions are still good and recent rains have not impacted angling. The water temperature, however, remains near 42-degrees and fishing is slow for steelhead and half-pounders. A few winter steelhead have been caught in the Grants Pass area. The coho salmon are getting darker as they head for streams to spawn. A few bright fish were caught recently.
The chinook salmon season from Gold Ray Dam to Hog Creek Boat Landing is closed.. All non-adipose fin-clipped rainbow trout and cutthroat trout must be released unharmed.
ROGUE RIVER, UPPER: Summer steelhead fishing is fair to good. The Rogue River from Gold Ray Dam to the Rogue Elk Park Boat Launch opened Jan. 1 to the use of bait. Coho salmon in the Upper Rogue River have become dark with the onset of spawning. Pat’s Hand Tied Flies reports a few bright coho caught recently in the Grants Pass area. Remember to release unmarked coho (those with an adipose fin) as they are now on the Threatened Species List. Worms, eggs, corkies and yarn are producing steelhead down to the Rogue Elk boat ramp, and fishing with flies continues to be good.
SELMAC LAKE: The fishing is slow but is expected to pick up in February when the lake is again stocked with legal-sized trout.
SMITH RIVER: Check the 2005 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations for season dates and special regulations. The river is now open to steelhead angling. A few steelhead have been counted crossing Smith River Falls. Angling has been fair below the falls.
SODA SPRINGS DAM: Angling for brown trout is fair.
SOUTH COAST LAKES AND PONDS: Legal sized trout are stocked in Libby Pond, Garrison Lake and Floras Lake in the spring. Libby Pond is located just outside Gold Beach, about 8 miles up the Rogue River. Garrison Lake is located in Port Orford. Floras Lake is located just south of Langlois.
SOUTH COAST STREAMS: All south coast streams are seeing the beginning of the winter steelhead run. Fishing has been excellent with suitable water conditions. Good fisheries are expected in all south coast streams. Check the 2005 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations.
TENMILE LAKES BASIN: Steelhead are running in Tenmile Creek. Eel Creek, below Eel Lake, opened Jan. 1 for adipose fin-clipped steelhead, under a new regulation: rainbow trout over 16 inches are considered steelhead when caught in streams and must be entered on a tag if harvested. Steelhead must be adipose fin-clipped to harvest. Beginning Jan. 1, the retention of largemouth bass in TENMILE LAKES is restricted to five fish under 15inches.
UMPQUA RIVER, MAINSTEM: Plunking for steelhead is slow. Boat angling is fair to good with the river at low conditions. Sturgeon angling is slow.
UMPQUA RIVER, SOUTH: Check the 2005 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations for special regulations and season dates. Steelhead angling is slow to fair. Best success should be in the lower sections.
UMPQUA RIVER, NORTH: Steelhead fishing is slow to fair in the all-angling section. Water temperatures have dropped into the upper 30’s to low 40’s, which may slow the bite. Slow fishing reported in the flies-only section.
HUNTING
Douglas County
COUGAR hunters can expect an average year. Cougars are abundant throughout the area, with indicators pointing to stable or increasing numbers and distribution.
DUCK & GOOSE hunters can expect an average to above-average year. Hunting for resident geese and ducks in Douglas County should continue to be good until the end of the season Jan. 30, 2005. Nearly all waterfowl hunting in the Umpqua Valley is on private property, and hunters are reminded to obtain landowner permission before hunting.
Coos County
COUGAR hunters will find greatest success using a predator call in areas that have good deer numbers. Good cougar hunting opportunities exist throughout southwest Oregon.
WATERFOWL are beginning to show up in coastal areas in good numbers. Hunters should find good hunting opportunities in bays and estuaries. As inland wetlands fill up, waterfowl will move to those areas. This may make hunting in coastal bays less productive but will provide more inland opportunities.
SHELLFISH Beaches south of Charleston are closed for razor clams by the Oregon Department of Agriculture. Always check for health advisories by calling the Oregon Department of Agriculture’s Shellfish line at 800-448-2474 for updates.
A recreational shellfish license is now required for everyone over 14 when harvesting marine abalone, clams, crabs, crayfish, mussels, piddocks, scallops, shrimp and sand shrimp and other marine invertebrates with shells.
Crabbing from public piers in Port Orford and Brookings should be good when ocean conditions are fair.
WILLAMETTE ZONE
FISHING Huddleston Pond in Willamina will be stocked this week with 350 trophy-sized trout.
CLACKAMAS RIVER: Fishing effort continues to increase in the Clackamas River, and catch has been fair. The river is running cold, clear, and low (1,284 cfs near Estacada). The stretch of river from Barton to Carver offers the best chance of finding winter steelhead. Summer steelhead also are still being caught. Angling should improve in the next few months.
Bank anglers can access the river in the Gladstone/Cross Park area, at Carver near the mouth of Clear Creek, at Barton Park, at McIver Park near Dog Creek, and around River Mill Dam.
Boat anglers can access the river from boat ramps located at McIver Park, Feldheimers, Barton, Carver, Riverside, or Clackamette. The lower McIver boat ramp has been improved and provides a great launch site for drift boats.
DETROIT RESERVOIR: Lots of trout are available, and cooler temperatures have fish closer to the surface, making bank angling more productive now.
EAGLE CREEK: Eagle Creek is running cold, clear, and low. Fishing effort is light, and the catch is low. Eagle Creek National Fish Hatchery has not reported any fish in the trap as of Jan. 10. Look forward to fish arriving soon.
Anglers are reminded that much of Eagle Creek runs through private property. Be sure of where you are before you step foot on the stream bank. A good stretch of the creek, from Snuffin Road to below the lower ladder, is easily accessible and provides many good fishing spots.
FOSTER RESERVOIR: Lots of trout are available, and cooler temperatures have fish closer to the surface, making bank angling more productive now. Only adipose fin-clipped trout may be kept at Foster Reservoir.
GREEN PETER RESERVOIR: Kokanee fishing is good at depths of 40-50 feet. Fish are reported in the 9-11-inch range.
HIGH LAKES: Many lakes available for day use or overnight camping require only a short hike. These lakes are aerial-stocked to provide an angling experience unlike the more readily accessed waters. Bank fishing or float-tubes are the way to fish on these small mountain lakes. Maps are available from the local U.S. Forest Service office. Check the weather forecast for lowering snow levels as winter continues. Many of the lakes become inaccessible or iced over.
SANDY RIVER: The Sandy River is flowing cold, clear, and low (1,015 cfs near Bull Run). Fishing effort has increased, and a few winter steelhead are being caught. Hatchery and wild fish are biting caught near Cedar Creek and in the lower river.
Anglers can access the river from many parks including Lewis and Clark, Dabney, Oxbow, and Dodge. When fishing the Oxbow Park area, remember that there is no angling from a floating device upstream from a point that is 200 feet below the Oxbow Park boat ramp.
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 to assist efforts to maintain a healthy, clean Sandy River. Look for them near boat ramps at Lewis and Clark, Dabney, Oxbow, and Dodge parks. Additional sites will be added soon. Please use nearby garbage cans for any other types of trash.
SANTIAM RIVER, NORTH and SOUTH: River levels are high and will likely remain so until reservoirs are brought back down to flood-control levels. Anglers report some summer steelhead and a few fresh winter -run fish are starting to enter the rivers.
SAUVIE ISLAND: The interior of the wildlife area is closed until April 16. The Gilbert River Boat Ramp and Disabled Person Fishing remain open, as well as the Columbia River beaches.
WALTER WIRTH LAKE (Salem): The lake still holds some trout, bass and sunfish, which should provide good opportunity for anglers. The lake will be stocked this week.
WILLAMETTE RIVER: Flows continue to decrease in the Willamette River, dropping down to 11,900 cfs on Jan. 10. River temperature is 31 degrees, and visibility is over four feet. Winter steelhead counts at Willamette Falls are up to 621 fish through Jan. 7.
Winter steelhead angling has been slow near Meldrum Bar, but a few hatchery fish were caught this week. Try fishing closer to the bank, as the winter fish headed for the Clackamas River or Eagle Creek will tend to hug the bank as they move upstream.
Sturgeon angling effort has been fair, but catch has been slow. The Oregon City and St. Johns areas continue to provide the best opportunity to find legal-sized fish. The Willamette River downstream of Willamette Falls is open to sturgeon retention Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of each week through July 31 and again Oct. 1 through Dec. 31. Please note that anglers are limited to the use of only one single-point barbless hook while sturgeon angling.
VIEWING Sauvie Island
Sandhill cranes and a variety of waterfowl species have moved into the wildlife area. Bald eagle pairs are now near their nests and migrant bald eagles are arriving in fairly good numbers. The best opportunity to view these species is from Coon Point, the Eastside Viewing Platform (best on non-hunt days) and the end of Rentenaar Road. A parking permit is required at all three places. Northern Willamette Valley
This is a good time of year to look for bald eagles on Sauvie Island, swans and other waterfowl at Burlington Bottoms outside Linnton, Trojan Pond near Rainier, and Jackson Bottom near Hillsboro.
Southern and Mid-Willamette Valley
The Stewart Pond viewing platform along Stewart Road and a viewing shelter on the edge of the pond offer an opportunity to view an abundance of waterfowl, shorebirds and wading birds. The pond is located on Stewart Road (one block north of West 11th Ave.) between Bertelsen Road and Bailey Hill Road in Eugene.
Ankeny National Wildlife refuge provides another great viewing opportunity for waterfowl, hawks, eagles and shorebirds from observation platforms. Elevated boardwalks provide handicap-accessible trails to good viewing platforms. Go west from the Ankeny exit on I-5 between Salem and Albany, just north of the Santiam River.
Sauvie Island
Total ducks harvested as of Dec. 26, 2004 were 8,629, compared to 7,394 ducks in 2003 with a 1.6 birds per hunter (bph) average for the Eastside and Westside combined. The number of harvested birds per hunter has stayed consistent for the past week, with the majority of birds harvested for both the Eastside and Westside consisting of green-winged teals–(360), mallards –(337), pintails (229) and widgeon (153). The top three units for the week of Dec. 20-26 on the Eastside were Mudhen, Hunt and Rentenaar. On the Westside the top three Units were Mud Lake, Steelman and Crane. Pintail and canvasback season is now open.
North Willamette / N. Cascade
Most of the land in the Willamette is private, so DEER hunters are reminded to obtain permission before hunting. Refer to the 2004 Big Game Regulations for current season and rules.
ELK hunters should look in clear-cuts near thick timber. Refer to the regulation book for current season and rules.
COUGAR hunters are advised to locate fresh tracks and use a predator call to help locate cougar. When calling predators, it is safer and more effective to work in pairs. Refer to the regulation book for current season and rules.
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