ODFW Recreation Report. Dec. 27, 2016

Transcription

1 ODFW Recreation Report Dec. 27, 2016 Celebrate the New Year with free fishing Dec. 31-Jan. 1 Make a New Year s resolution to fish more in ODFW will get you off to a good start with a free fishing weekend on Saturday, Dec. 31 and Sunday, Jan. 1. On those two days you won t need a license, tag or endorsement to fish anywhere in Oregon. Check out this week s Rec Report to begin planning your first fishing trip for More info Recreational crabbing now open in all Oregon waters On Dec. 20, ODA and ODFW announced that the ocean and bay recreational crab fishery is now open in all areas along the coast after domoic acid tests showed safe levels in all areas tested. More info Bear, pheasant, turkey seasons close Dec. 31 Reminder that western Oregon bear season closes Dec. 31 along with pheasant and turkey seasons. Steelhead Fishing 101, Feb. 25, 2017 Hands-on instruction on everything you need to know to get started steelhead fishing regulations, gear, finding fish and three most common methods for steelhead fishing. Your instructors will be members of the Sandy River Chapter of Northwest Steelheaders. The class is $52 for adults and includes lunch. To register and for more information visit the ODFW website. Winter steelhead fishing is heating up Winter steelhead have been caught in most coastal rivers, and in some the season is well underway. Keys to success include monitoring water levels and hitting the water as they begin to drop, and decreasing for cold, wet conditions it ll make it easier to stay on the water longer. Report big game hunt results by Jan. 31, 2017 Remember to complete a report for each 2016 deer, elk, bear, cougar and pronghorn tag you purchased even if you didn t hunt or weren t successful. Report online at or call

2 FISHING Weekend fishing opportunities: ODFW wants to help anglers get out and get fishing early this year and is waiving fishing licenses Dec. 31 & Jan. 1. On those two days, there will be no charge for licenses, tags or endorsements on those days. All other rules apply so pick up a copy of the 2017 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations at ODFW field offices and license agents or online. Fishing licenses will not be required Dec. 31 & Jan. 1 as ODFW rolls out its Hatchery steelhead are available on the North Fork Nehalem. The Nehalem hatchery worked 104 out of their trap last week. The hatchery run should be peaking and opportunities should be good whenever water and weather conditions are good. Three Rivers is getting some hatchery steelhead back, and fishing picked up last week. Steelhead fishing has picked up on the Nestucca. In addition to the early hatchery fish, a few brood stock and wild fish are starting to show up. Fishing has been spotty on the Wilson, although there are some hatchery steelhead around. Look for favorable river conditions. Send us your fishing report We d love to hear about your recent fishing experiences. Send us your own fishing report through ODFW Fishing Reports the information will be forwarded to the local biologist who may use it to update various ODFW resources such as the Weekly Recreation Report trout stocking schedule The 2016 trout stocking schedules for the North Coast Watershed (pdf) are on the ODFW Trout Stocking Page. Take a look to find out when and where Oregon s hatchery trout are being released around the state. NORTH COAST LAKES Town Lake near Pacific City has been stocked with nearly 200 surplus summer steelhead from Cedar Creek hatchery, so far this season. These fish get fairly active in the lake and offer a unique fishing experience, especially when the rivers are blown out. Once in the lake they are considered trout and do not require a Combined Angling Tag. Anglers are reminded, however, that only one trout per day over 20 inches may be retained, and these fish will almost all be in that size range. Trout stocking is complete in the other North Coast lakes, but there are still hold over trout available and winter can be a great time to fish for them as these trout will be larger now, and getting hungry!

3 MID COAST LAKES Holdover trout will be available in most lakes. Fishing for the various warm water fish species will slow as water temperatures cool. There are numerous lakes in the Florence area that can provide good opportunity. Siltcoos and Tahkenitch lakes are open for wild coho until Dec. 31. Fishing has been fair to slow. Casting spinners near the weed lines and trolling plugs or spinners can be effective on fish that recently entered the lake. ALSEA RIVER AND BAY: Chinook, steelhead The Alsea River and bay is open for Chinook salmon through Dec. 31. Fishing is slow. Fish are throughout the bay and river. Eggs and bobber can be productive in the upper bay and river as the season progresses. Steelhead fishing opened on the Alsea River and listed tributaries. Fishing is fair when river conditions are favorable. Casting spinners, drifting bait or using a bobber and jig can be effective. NOTICE: JAN. 5 PUBLIC MEETING ABOUT ALSEA RIVER BOAT RAMP The possible development of a recreational boating facility at Don Lindly Park on the Alsea River will be the topic of a public meeting scheduled for Jan. 5 from 4-6 p.m. at Waldport City Hall. Lincoln County and the Oregon State Marine Board will host the event and are asking for input on development of a public boat ramp, docks, parking and sanitation at Don Lindly Park on the Alsea River at Hwy. 34 milepost 7. For more information, contact Keith Andresen, Lincoln County Parks Superintendent at , or Janine Belleque, Oregon State Marine Board Boating Facilities Manager, at KILCHIS RIVER: steelhead It s a little early for steelhead on the Kilchis River, although there a surely a handful of fish sneaking in. Anglers are reminded that fall Chinook season closes Dec. 31. LOWER COLUMBIA TRIBUTARIES: steelhead Returns to Big Creek and Klaskanine hatcheries have been a little slow this year. Despite that some steelhead are still being caught, and Big Creek reported some decent fishing last week before the rains. NEHALEM RIVER: steelhead Hatchery steelhead are available on the North Fork Nehalem. The Nehalem hatchery worked 104 out of their trap last week. The hatchery run should be peaking and opportunities should be good whenever water and weather conditions are good. The main stem Nehalem has been high and off color much of the season thus far. It s still a little early for steelhead on the mainstem but when it finally comes back in shape there should be a few fish sneaking in.

4 Anglers are reminded that fall Chinook season closes on Dec. 31. NESTUCCA RIVER AND THREE RIVERS: steelhead Three Rivers is getting some hatchery steelhead back, and fishing picked up last week. Cedar Creek hatchery continues to recycle fish and fishing should be fair to good whenever the conditions are decent. Drift fishing is usually the go to technique on Three Rivers but casting spinners and float fishing can be effective, also. The Nestucca jumped up over a foot on Monday night but by Tuesday was dropping. It should be back in shape soon and fish well through the weekend. Fishing has picked up a bit. In addition to the early hatchery fish, a few brood stock and wild fish are starting to show up. All the usual techniques such as side drifting, float fishing, and pulling plugs or divers and bait, should be effective. Anglers are reminded that fall Chinook season closes Dec. 31 on the Nestucca. SALMON RIVER: Chinook, steelhead The Salmon River and bay are open for Chinook salmon. The run is near the end but a few fish are still entering the system. Trolling herring in the lower bay is an effective technique. Eggs and bobber can be productive in the upper bay and river as the season progresses. Anglers are reminded that from Knight Park boat ramp to Sulphur Creek from Sept. 1 to Dec. 31, fishing is restricted to single point hook metal lures, fly, or salmon bobber angling. The Salmon River opened for wild and hatchery steelhead on Dec. 1. Wild winter steelhead can be retained on the Salmon River. Daily and annual bag limit on wild winter steelhead are 1/day and 3/year. Casting spinners, drifting bait or using a bobber and jig can be effective. The Siletz River and bay is open for Chinook salmon through Dec. 31. Fishing is slow. Trolling herring in the lower bay is an effective technique. Eggs and bobber or drifting eggs can be productive in the upper bay and river as the season progresses. Consult the regulations for changes in deadline locations through the season. Steelhead fishing is fair. Winter steelhead opportunities are improving as more fish move through the mainstem. Casting spinners, drifting bait or using a bobber and jig can be effective. SIUSLAW RIVER: Chinook, steelhead The Siuslaw River and bay is open for Chinook salmon through Dec. 31. Fishing is slow. The Siuslaw River and Lake Cr. opened for steelhead on Dec. 1. Fishing is slow. Casting spinners, drifting bait or using a bobber and jig can be effective. TRASK RIVER: steelhead The Trask jumped up over a foot on Monday night, but had already started to drop as of this report and should be back in shape soon and fish well through the weekend. It s a little early for steelhead on the Trask, but there are definitely a few around and opportunities should improve as we get into January and conditions impove. All the usual techniques such as side drifting, float fishing, and pulling plugs or divers and bait, should be effective.

5 Anglers are reminded that fall Chinook season closes Dec. 31. WILSON RIVER: steelhead The Wilson jumped up over a foot on Monday night, but had already started to drop as of this report and should be back in shape soon and fish well through the weekend. Fishing has been a little spotty, mostly due to water conditions and lots of high water so far this season. That said there are plenty of early hatchery fish around, and a few brood stock and wild fish are showing up. All the usual techniques such as side drifting, float fishing, and pulling plugs or divers and bait, should be effective. Anglers are reminded that fall Chinook season closes Dec. 31. YAQUINA RIVER: Chinook, steelhead The Yaquina River and bay is open for Chinook salmon. Fishing is slow. Trolling herring in the lower bay is an effective technique. Eggs and bobber can be productive in the upper bay and river as the season progresses. The Yaquina River and Big Elk Cr. opened for steelhead Dec. 1. Wild winter steelhead can be retained on Big Elk Cr. with a daily and annual bag limit of 1/day and 3/year. The Yaquina River is open for hatchery winter steelhead. Casting spinners, drifting bait or using a bobber and jig can be effective. NORTH COAST HUNTING OPEN: COUGAR, BEAR (closes Dec. 31), FOREST GROUSE, MOUNTAIN AND CALIFORNIA QUAIL, CROW, DUCK, and NW PERMIT GOOSE Black Bear season continues through Dec. 31 on the north coast. With the onset of colder temperatures, stormy weather and the general lack of food sources, most bears will likely be denned up by now. Cougar are most effectively taken by using predator calls. However, cougar densities are relatively low on the north coast. Successful hunters, remember you must check in cougar (hide and skull) at an ODFW office within 10 days of harvest and bring them in unfrozen. It s also a good idea to prop their mouths open with a stick after harvest for easier tissue sampling, teeth collection and tagging. Remember a 2017 cougar tag and license is needed to hunt as of Jan. 1. California quail season is ongoing, but these birds are rare along the north coast. The best prospects are along agricultural areas on the eastern flanks of the coast range. Mountain quail appear to have had a good hatch this spring as they seemed to be plentiful this summer. In general, the eastern slope of the coast range is generally better than areas closer to the coast for finding birds. Look for these forest-dwelling quail on south and westfacing slopes around brushy clearcuts. ODFW is looking for hunters willing to collect and mail in wings and tails from harvested birds. You can obtain some collection envelopes from the Tillamook office of ODFW by stopping by during regular business hours or calling

6 Forest grouse (ruffed and blue varieties) hunting season continues until Jan. 31. There appears to have been a good hatch of young this year, so hunting prospects are looking very good. Blue grouse are found on higher elevation ridges, along with a few ruffed grouse. Ruffed grouse are usually found on mid-slopes and riparian areas. ODFW is looking for hunters willing to collect and mail in wings and tails from harvested birds. You can obtain some collection envelopes from the Tillamook office of ODFW during regular business hours or by calling Crow season goes through Jan. 31, These birds are plentiful, especially in agricultural settings, but can also be found almost anywhere people live or along forest stand edges. Duck season in Zone 1 runs through Jan. 29, Additional migrants (e.g. mallards, wigeons and various diving ducks) have shown up in most of the north coast estuaries, including the lower Columbia River. Generally, the best time to hunt at the onset of a storm when birds get pushed off of larger waters and seek more protected, marshy areas. See the Oregon Game Bird Regulations for details. The second period of the NW Permit Goose season goes through Jan. 9, After another closure, the season opens up again for the 3 rd and final period of Feb. 4 through March 10, Large numbers of geese have been showing up on north coast estuaries and surrounding private lands; moving to grass pastures during the day and then back to the estuary before evening. Hunters are reminded that again this year dusky Canada geese are completely protected and there is no check station requirement. See pages in the Oregon Game Bird Regulations for details. NORTH COAST WILDLIFE VIEWING Migrating ducks, geese, coots and grebes are on north coast estuaries and lakes in good numbers. Most of the ducks are dabblers, such as pintails and mallards, which can be seen on mudflats or in shallow tidal areas during lower stages of the tides. Look for diving ducks on lakes or deeper parts of estuaries. A good pair of binoculars are generally all that is needed to find and identify the birds by species. During the Christmas and New Year s holiday break, the Oregon Parks and Recreation Dept. sponsors Whale Watching Spoken Here events all along the Oregon coast where people can see migrating gray whales as they journey southward to the warm waters of Baja California. Many of the viewpoints for watching whales occur on the North Coast, including Cape Kiwanda, Cape Lookout, Cape Meares, Neah-Kah-Nie Mtn., Silver Point and Cape Falcon. For a complete listing of viewpoints where the whale watching programs will be in effect, please look visit the state parks department s Whale Watching Spoken Here web page. TILLAMOOK COUNTY Brant are a type of goose that are only seen in shallow estuaries where there is a lot of eelgrass their favorite food. On the north coast, they prefer Netarts Bay because of its relatively undeveloped nature, where you can find them in the far southwestern corner of the estuary. Brant also use the more remote western portion of Tillamook Bay on occasion where eelgrass flats are abundant. A spotting scope is a must for viewing these birds. Cape Meares Lake, located west of Tillamook on Bayocean Spit, is a great place to watch diving ducks, including canvasbacks, ruddy ducks, and ring-necked ducks. Generally, binoculars are sufficient, but bring your spotting scope just in case.

7 Nestucca Bay NWR is a place where you can see a variety of races, or subspecies, of Canada geese. Situated right along Hwy 101, just east of Pacific City, it was established originally to conserve Aleutian and Dusky Canada geese, which still occupy the refuge in good numbers. Other races of Canada geese known to be there include Western, Lesser and Cackling. Binoculars are all you should need to view them. Wintering bald eagles occur in good numbers the upper reaches of Tillamook Bay, and can best be seen Bayocean Road, which skirts the upper end of the bay. Spotting scopes are almost a requirement to find the birds in the distant spruce trees along the various rivers and sloughs that feed into the bay. CLATSOP COUNTY The Twilight Bald Eagle Sanctuary is located just off Hwy. 30 on Burnside Road, near the community of Svensen. During the winter, bald eagles can be seen roosting in large conifers along the edge of Columbia River s Wolf Bay. The bay also holds a lot of wintering waterfowl, including both dabblers and divers. The facility has a good viewing platform that even illustrates some of local history, such as the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Bring your spotting scope to optimize your viewing experience. Jewell Meadows Wildlife Area Elk viewing has been excellent at Jewell Meadows Wildlife Area. Although elk have been visible throughout the day on the Fishhawk Tract, best viewing times are from about 9 a.m. to noon. Good places to look are the Fishhawk Tract along Hwy. 202 and the Beneke Tract along the first 1.5 miles on Beneke Creek Road. Brochures with maps of the area are available at the main viewing area kiosk along Hwy Elk are currently being fed a supplemental diet of alfalfa hay. Staff try to feed close to the viewing areas especially on weekends to enhance viewing opportunities. We will continue to provide supplemental feed from December through February. Reservations for the winter elk feeding tour program have been completely filled for the three-month season. Visitors are reminded that areas posted as Wildlife Refuge are closed to public access. Posted portions of the Beneke Tract are closed to entry during any open Saddle Mt. Unit elk season, Aug. 1 - March 15 (see big game regulations for exceptions). Wildlife Area Parking Permits are required on the Jewell Meadows Wildlife Area.

8 FISHING Weekend fishing opportunities: Bank anglers plunking on the lower Rogue River have been picking up a few steelhead. As river levels drop, there will be opportunities for winter steelhead throughout the Umpqua River Basin. Recreational crabbing is now open in all Oregon waters. Perch fishing can be good if the ocean settles down. Garrison Lake usually holds good numbers of holdover trout in the 14 to 18- inch range. Fish late afternoon when temperatures are the warmest. If your favorite fishing spot is no longer listed It could be the area is closed, inaccessible due or currently offers limited fishing opportunities. These water bodies will return to the recreation report when conditions change. If you believe something is missing, contact us and we ll find out why trout stocking schedules For detailed information about when and where hatchery trout are going to be released, please refer to the 2016 ODFW Trout Stocking Schedules page. Send us your fishing report We d love to hear about your recent fishing experience. Send us your own fishing report through ODFW Fishing Reports - the information will be forwarded to the local biologist who may use it to update various ODFW resources such as the Weekly Recreation Report AGATE LAKE: largemouth bass, black crappie, bluegill, bullheads The lake is 63 percent full and the boat ramp is open from dawn until dusk. The boat ramp is useable. Fishing for warmwater species will slow with cooler weather. APPLEGATE RESERVOIR: largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, trout Fishing for trout should start picking back up with the decreasing reservoir temperatures. Trout anglers will want to try trolling, and a good bet will be a wedding ring/bait combination. One angler reported a flasher tipped with a worm produced good results during mid-day hours. Fishing with bait from shore in the upper reservoir should also produce.

9 The lake is 16 percent full. French Gulch is the only boat ramp that is currently useable. APPLEGATE RIVER: trout Beginning Jan. 1, the Applegate River is open for trout angling and steelhead angling but remain closed to Chinook fishing. Only hatchery steelhead may be retained and anglers must take care in releasing wild fish. Steelhead fishing in the Applegate is usually slow in January, however, with the high flows we have had this year, fishing could be good. Wild trout must also be released unharmed. Rainbow trout over 16-inches are considered steelhead and must be released through Dec. 31. ARIZONA POND: rainbow trout The pond has been lowered to help control aquatic vegetation. This pond is managed by Oregon State Parks for youth-only fishing. It is located at Arizona Beach State Recreation Area, approximately half way between Gold Beach and Port Orford. BEN IRVING RESERVOIR: rainbow trout, bass, bluegill, yellow perch, crappie Ben Irving has been stocked with 5,000 trout this year, and there are still opportunities to catch rainbows from previous year stockings. Warmwater fishing for bass, crappie and bluegill will slow with dropping temperatures. Try using soft-plastics and swimbaits around structure for positive results. CHETCO RIVER: winter steelhead Steelhead season has started slow, with a few steelhead picked up by bank anglers plunking. Boat anglers have had mixed results. Anglers can expect steelhead fishing to pick up as January is traditionally a really good month for the Chetco. COOPER CREEK RESERVOIR: rainbow trout, bass, bluegill Cooper Creek has been stocked with over 10,000 rainbow trout in Fishing for bass and bluegill will slow with dropping temperatures. Dropping soft plastics in clear areas among weeds should yield positive results. COOS COUNTY LAKES/PONDS: trout Rainbow trout were stocked in Upper Empire, Bradley, Saunders, Powers and Butterfield lakes in October. Fishing for these stocked fish has slowed down. Coos County lakes and ponds will not be stocked again until the spring. COOS RIVER BASIN: Dungeness crab, bay clams, rockfish, steelhead Trout fishing in streams is now closed until May 22, A few steelhead have been caught the past few weeks in the West Fork Millicoma, East Fork Millicoma, and South Fork Coos rivers. The West Fork Millicoma was the only river in the basin that was fishable over the past weekend. Anglers are drifting eggs or corkies along the stream bottom or using a jig suspended under a bobber. Forecasted heavy rains this week may have the rivers high and muddy for the weekend.

10 Anglers have been catching a few rockfish along the jetties and submerged rock piles. Fishing for rockfish in the bay has been spotty. The marine fish daily bag limit for bottom fish (rockfish) is seven fish and a separate daily limit for lingcod (two). Anglers can only keep 3 blue rockfish and 1 canary rockfish as part of their daily limit and there will be no harvest of China, quillback, or copper rockfish. Retention of one cabezon per day is allowed as of July 1. Recreational crabbing is now open in all Oregon waters. Crabbing was decent over the weekend in Coos Bay. Recreational harvest of bay clams remains open along the entire Oregon coast. Clamming is excellent during low tides near Charleston, off Cape Arago Highway, and Clam Island. There are also good places to dig clams even on positive low tides in Coos Bay. Recreational harvest of razor clams and mussels is closed from the entire Oregon coast due to elevated levels of domoic acid. This includes all beaches and all bays. Before any shellfish harvest trip, make sure to check the Oregon Department of Agriculture website for any updates. COQUILLE RIVER BASIN: crab, steelhead, salmon Trout fishing in streams is now closed until May 22, Steelhead anglers have reported catching a few steelhead in the North Fork Coquille at LaVerne Park and the South Fork Coquille rivers. Anglers have had success drifting eggs or corkies. Recreational crabbing is now open in all Oregon waters. Crabbing is very slow in the lower Coquille River due to the large amounts of freshwater coming downstream. DIAMOND LAKE: trout As part of the new regulation simplification process, Diamond Lake is now back to the Southwest Zone regulation of 5 trout per day. Anglers that are planning on taking a trip to Diamond Lake should check with the Umpqua National Forest ( ) for information on seasonal camp and ramp closures. Anglers can check fishing and water conditions at Diamond Lake on the Diamond Lake Resort website, or call their toll free number at , ext. 5 for updates. Diamond Lake is open year-round and ice fishing can be a fun pastime during this season. Diamond Lake was stocked with around 300,000 fingerling rainbow trout in early June, and there are plenty of legal-sized holdover trout currently in the lake. Diamond Lake was stocked with tiger trout in early June. These fish are intended to assist in controlling illegally introduced tui chub. Tiger trout are catch-and-release only and need to be released immediately unharmed. ELK RIVER: Chinook, steelhead Slow. Anglers picked up a few steelhead last weekend, but flows have dropped and cleared. Anglers can expect fishing to improve with some additional rain. Anglers can call to get the daily river conditions. Best river height is 5.3 feet and dropping.

11 EMIGRANT RESERVOIR: rainbow trout, largemouth and smallmouth bass, crappie Emigrant Reservoir is currently at 40 percent of capacity. The Jackson County boat ramp is now useable. Fishing for warmwater species will slow with cooler weather. Trout are still available. EXPO POND: rainbow trout, largemouth bass, bluegill, black crappie The amphitheater pond at the Expo was stocked with 1,500 legal-sized rainbow trout last week and fishing should be good. Access from Gate 1.5 will get you to the southernmost pond, which was stocked earlier this year with rainbow trout. Gate 5, which leads to the RV park is open as well. A day use fee to park here is now $4. An annual parking permit can be purchased from Jackson County Parks Department for $30. FISH LAKE: rainbow trout, brook trout, spring Chinook Nine hundred trophy trout were released the week of Sept The reservoir is now 46 percent full. The USFS ramp at Fish Lake is mostly useable by trailered boats but the marina is closed until mid-november. FLORAS LAKE: rainbow, cutthroat trout As waters cool this fall, anglers can expect trout fishing to improve. Look for trout to move from deeper waters and start feeding along weed lines. This lake is best fished by boat. Anglers can launch at an improved boat ramp at Boice Cope County Park. Boat anglers are reminded to clean all aquatic vegetation off their boats and trailers before heading home to help control the spread non-native plants and animals. GALESVILLE RESERVOIR: rainbow trout, bass, coho smolts In addition to trout, the reservoir has also been stocked with coho smolts and there have been reports of them being caught in good numbers on the lake. Many people mistakenly think these fish are kokanee. The coho smolts should be adipose fin-clipped, and please remember to release the ones less than 8-inches long. In Galesville Reservoir, all landlocked salmon are considered trout and are part of the fiveper-day trout limit, with only one trout over 20-inches long allowed for harvest. Galesville has been stocked with about 8,000 legal-size trout and 50 five-pound trophy trout this year. Fishing for bass and other panfish with the use of bait and artificial lures such as swimbaits around structure should give positive results but will slow with dropping temperatures. Call for information on camping and boat launching conditions. GARRISON LAKE: rainbow, cutthroat trout The lake usually holds good numbers of hold over trout in the 14 to 18-inch range. Anglers slow trolling along drops offs can do fairly well. Best fishing is usually in the afternoons when water temperatures have warmed up.

12 HEMLOCK LAKE & LAKE IN THE WOODS: trout Anglers fishing the high lakes in the Umpqua District are encouraged to fishing reports. Contact the Forest Service at for road conditions. Hemlock Lake was stocked with approximately 6,000 legal size plus rainbow trout in 2016, and Lake in the Woods was stocked with approximately 1,000 legal size plus rainbow trout as well. In addition, there are opportunities to catch holdover rainbow trout that were stocked in previous years. Remember only trout over 8-inches may be harvested, and only one trout over 20-inches may be kept per day. HOWARD PRAIRIE RESERVOIR: The lake is now 49 percent full. Visibility in the lake is improving and shouldn t significantly affect fishing. With dropping lake elevation, boaters should be aware of submerged stumps and islands posing a hazard particularly around Buck Island. Not all water hazards can be marked with dropping reservoir levels. Fishing has been slow with few big fish showing up in the catch. Try using a threaded nightcrawler under a bobber or Powerbait fished off the bottom. When water clarity is good, trolling with a wedding ring/bait combination and sliding sinker is a tried and true method on this lake. Legal-sized trout have been stocked to complement trout stocked last year. Boat ramps at Howard are closed for the season. HYATT LAKE: rainbow trout Stocked legals and some trophy trout are still being caught. Anglers fishing from shore will want to concentrate on the deeper water near the dam if they are targeting trout. Some fly anglers have been having good success stripping leeches on mid-range sink tips. The reservoir is 49 percent full. Boat ramps are closed for the season. ILLINOIS RIVER: trout, steelhead Wild steelhead over 24-inches long may be harvested in the Illinois between Klondike Creek and Pomeroy Dam; 1 per day and 5 per year. Look for fishing to be good early in January in the Illinois. Fishing is restricted to artificial flies and lures. The Illinois River is open for trout fishing. Since only hatchery trout may be retained, and hatchery trout are not likely to be to be found in the Illinois River at this time of year, fishing will be primarily catch-and-release for the native cutthroat trout. LAKE MARIE: rainbow trout, yellow perch Lake Marie was stocked with 5,000 legal trout this year. Most anglers use PowerBait or worms. Perch fishing has been somewhat slow, but should continue to be productive for those using worms on the bottom.

13 LAKE SELMAC: trout, largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie Trout fishing should be improving with decreasing water temperatures however there is a lot of aquatic weeds. The lake was stocked with 600 pounders this fall and fishing should be good. LEMOLO RESERVOIR: brown trout, rainbow trout, kokanee This reservoir is stocked several times a year with rainbow trout of various sizes, and the lake was stocked with 4,500 rainbow trout in There are also excellent opportunities to catch large brown trout in Lemolo. Kokanee in Lemolo are considered trout and therefore fall under the daily limit for trout of five per day with only one of those measuring over 20-inches. Contact Lemolo Lake Resort at for weather/road conditions and additional information. LOON LAKE: rainbow trout, bass, bluegill Loon Lake was stocked with 7,500 legal size rainbow trout this year. The lake should offer decent fishing for crappie, bluegill and bass in warmer weather. Anglers should use slow presentations with lures or bait for best results. Visit the BLM and Loon Lake Resort websites for information on opening dates and camping. LOST CREEK: rainbow trout, bass Trout fishing is still good at Lost Creek. Lost Creek reservoir was recently stocked with legal and trophy-sized fish and fishing should be good. Recent reports have been encouraging. One angler caught seven trout in about 6 hours fishing a green wedding ring/worm behind an oval egg sinker and dodger. Best success was up at the red rock area upstream of the Hwy 62 bridge. Surface water temperatures have dropped to 43 degrees and the fall months are shaping up to continue the good trout fishing here. Bank anglers are catching fish near the Takelma ramp and near the marina and spillway using Powerbait or threading a nightcrawler below a bobber. MEDCO POND: rainbow trout, largemouth bass, bluegill 400 trout pounders were recently stocked in Medco and fishing should be good. Boat anglers are reminded that gas engines are not allowed on Medco Pond. PACIFIC OCEAN AND BEACHES: bottomfish, surf perch Recreational crabbing is now open in all Oregon waters. Recreational harvest of razor clams is closed on the entire Oregon coast due to elevated levels of domoic acid. Harvest of mussels is open on the entire Oregon Coast. Before any shellfish harvest trip, make sure to check the Oregon Department of Agriculture website for any updates. Surf perch fishing was decent this past weekend. Surf perch anglers will do the best fishing with sand shrimp when ocean swells are small.

14 PLAT I RESERVOIR: rainbow trout, bass Plat I was stocked with 4,500 legal-size trout this year. In addition to trout fishing, the lake also has good bass fishing. Anglers may have success catching trout and bass with bait such as PowerBait and nightcrawlers where access is available. Some of the trout may have copepods which are tiny parasites on their bodies and gills. These are not harmful to humans, but the lesions can be removed and the meat should be thoroughly cooked. REINHART POND: trout, largemouth bass, bluegill Reinhardt was stocked with 500 pounder rainbow trout last week and fishing should continue to be good. Fishing for warmwater species will slow with cooler weather. ROGUE RIVER Rogue River, lower: steelhead Bank anglers have been picking up a few steelhead plunking. Rogue River, middle: coho, steelhead, trout Try fishing with nightcrawlers, spinners, and side drifted roe. Nymphing flies is also very effective. Pressure has been light and fishing has been slow to fair. Only hatchery steelhead may be retained upstream of the boat ramp at Hog Creek. However, from the mouth of the Rogue upstream to Hog Creek, wild steelhead greater than 24 inches in length may be retained. The Rogue River is open to trout fishing. Only hatchery trout can be retained and wild trout must be released unharmed. Rainbow trout over 16-inches are considered steelhead and must be tagged as part of the daily salmon/steelhead catch as per zone regulations. For those interested in checking conditions before getting on the river, the City of Grants Pass Water Division s website offers information on river conditions at Grants Pass as well as a link to a river camera. Up-to-date flow and temp info Rogue River, upper: coho, steelhead, trout Pressure has been light for steelhead and fishing has been slow to fair. Anglers can keep 5 hatchery rainbow trout per day. Non-adipose fin-clipped rainbow trout and all cutthroat trout must be immediately released unharmed. As per zone regulations: Anglers are reminded that beginning Sept. 1 through Dec. 31, all Chinook fishing is closed from Fishers Ferry Boat Ramp upstream to Cole Rivers Hatchery Dam. Note that beginning Jan. 1, the upper Rogue is open to bait, lures and flies from Fishers ferry boat ramp to the deadline at Cole Rivers hatchery. However, only fin-clipped fish may be retained and all un-marked fish must be released unharmed throughout the upper river. Consult the 2016 Oregon Sport fishing Regulations for more information.

15 Track the fish returns to Cole Rivers Fish Hatchery by the collection pond tally. As of Dec. 21, a total of 3,603 summer steelhead have entered the hatchery, with 529 new fish entering for the week. Also, 1,575 coho have made their way back to the hatchery. Coho fishing can be decent between the hatchery and Casey. Only hatchery coho may be harvested. The average outflow from Lost Creek reservoir as of Dec. 26 is 2,947 cfs. For more flow and temp information, see link below. Up to date flow and temp information Rogue River, above Lost Creek Reservoir: trout This area offers good trout fishing, easy access, beautiful scenery, numerous Forest Service campgrounds, and cooler temperatures making this a great destination throughout the week and weekends. Spinners tipped with nightcrawler, or fished by themselves work great up here. It is also a good place for the novice fly angler to try their luck at nymph fishing under an indicator. SMITH RIVER, Umpqua: striped bass, steelhead Winter steelhead fishing opened on Dec. 1 upstream to bridge 10 (approx miles up the N.F. Smith R. rd.) on the North Fork Smith and upstream to Sisters Creek on the mainstem. Retention is only allowed on adipose fin-clipped steelhead. Fishing should improve as the river falls into shape. Retention of adipose fin-clipped steelhead is allowed in tidewater. Sturgeon fishing is catch-and-release only. The daily limit for striped bass is two per 24-hour period. Trout is closed. Chinook closed Dec. 31. SODA SPRINGS RESERVOIR: closed TENMILE BASIN: trout, bass, yellow perch, steelhead Trout fishing in the streams of the Tenmile Basin are now closed until May 22, Trout fishing in Tenmile Lakes is open all year. A few steelhead have been reported in Tenmile Creek. Anglers will have success plunking near the acclimation sites or fishing a jig under a bobber. Eel Creek is closed to fishing until Jan. 1. Largemouth bass fishing has slowed down over the past few weeks. Anglers are catching bass near structure or on the deep end of the weed lines using spinner baits, jigs, or rubber worms. Fishing for yellow perch has picked up in Tenmile Lakes. Anglers have been catching a few yellow perch measuring 14 to 15-inches long. Worms fished near the lake bottom work very well for catching yellow perch. Anglers should fish in water depths of 15 feet or deeper to consistently find the bigger yellow perch.

16 TOKETEE LAKE: brown trout, rainbow trout Fishing is open in Toketee year-round. For more information call the U.S. Forest Service at UMPQUA HIGH LAKES AND FOREBAYS: trout Lakes accessible from hiking trails and that were recently stocked are: Calamut, Connie, Bullpup, Fuller, Cliff, Buckeye, Maidu, Twin b, Pitt lake and Skookum. Anglers fishing the high lakes in the Umpqua District are encouraged to fishing reports. Contact the Forest Service at for road conditions. Contact the Forest Service at for road and trail conditions. Red Top Pond, which offers excellent bank fishing opportunities, was stocked with 1,500 legal size plus rainbow trout in In addition, there should be plenty of holdover legal-sized trout from previous stockings in these waterbodies. Anglers fishing the high lakes in the Umpqua District are encouraged to fishing reports. UMPQUA RIVER, MAINSTEM: steelhead The mainstem Umpqua is closed to wild steelhead harvest but remains open year-round for adipose fin-clipped steelhead. Please note the changes in regulations this year on page 33 of the 2016 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations booklet. On the Main, anglers can harvest 2 wild spring Chinook per day and up to 5 wild springers from Feb. 1 June 30. From July 1 Dec. 31, you can harvest 2 wild Chinook per day, and in combination with the other salmon/ steelhead recorded on your salmon tag, up to 20 fish total. Fin-clipped hatchery fish can be recorded on a separate hatchery harvest tag that is available. There is no limit on the number of hatchery tags that can be purchased. Daily limits still apply. Winter steelhead should start to pickup with dropping river levels and as we progress through the winter season. Some anglers are having success plunking during high water. UMPQUA RIVER, NORTH: steelhead Winter steelhead are being caught and fishing should pick up as the river drops and winter progresses. Note that from Oct. 1 through Dec. 31 and Jan. 1 through June 30, fishing in the fly water area is restricted to fly fishing only with a single barbless fly. Per the new regulation on page 31, 32 of the 2016 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations booklet, from Feb. 1 June 30, two wild Chinook per day can be harvested. Ten wild Chinook may be harvested in the North during this time frame in aggregate with wild Chinook harvested in the Main. North Umpqua River water levels at Winchester Dam UMPQUA RIVER, SOUTH: steelhead The South Umpqua opens to winter steelhead fishing on Dec. 1 upstream to Jackson Creek. Only adipose fin-clipped steelhead may be retained. Steelhead fishing will improve as the river level drops and the season progresses.

17 WILLOW LAKE: rainbow trout, largemouth bass, black crappie, brown bullhead Fishing for warmwater species will slow with cooler weather. Trout fishing should be picking back up with the cooling temperatures. The lake was stocked this fall with 450 rainbow trout pounders. Fishing with a nightcrawler under a bobber should produce throughout the day, and is a great and easy way to get youngsters in on the action. The paved ramp is closed due to low water, but a temporary ramp is available for small boats. WINCHESTER BAY: bottomfish, perch Fishing for bottom fish in the Triangle and South jetty has been successful. WINCHUCK RIVER: winter steelhead A few steelhead have been picked up in the lower river. The river clears pretty quickly after a storm and can be a good spot to hit if all other rivers are unfishable. SOUTHWEST ZONE HUNTING OPEN: COUGAR, BEAR, UPLAND BIRD, WATERFOWL (see regs), and TURKEY (closes Dec. 31) Wolves and coyotes can look alike Most wolves in the state today are in northeast Oregon but a few have dispersed further west and south. Wolves are protected by state and/or federal law and it is unlawful to shoot them. Coyote hunters need to take extra care to identify their target as wolves can look like coyotes, especially wolf pups in the mid-summer and fall. Please report any wolf sightings or wolf sign to ODFW using the online reporting system. Use the Oregon Hunting Map to see where to hunt. COOS COUNTY Hunters need to be aware that ownership of several timber land parcels in Coos County has recently changed. In some cases the new owners have different access policies than their predecessors. Make sure you know what the policy is before accessing private land and don t assume the policy is the same as prior years. Waterfowl - Both South Coast and Southwest Goose Zones are currently open for hunting. Western Canada goose numbers are good in both zones. Most birds will be found feeding on green grass on private lands. Some landowners may be willing to allow access to their lands for hunting geese to reduce the loss of green feed normally reserved for livestock. Ask before you hunt. Other geese like lesser and cackling Canada geese are moving through the county. Scouting for these birds using agricultural fields may result in good hunting on private land, as well. It may be hard for those hunters who live in Coos County to believe that duck numbers are relatively high in the flyway and, specifically, Coos County but they are. Due to the large amount of precipitation that has occurred in western Oregon there are many inundated agricultural fields that allow for good feeding opportunities for those birds. As a result the

18 birds have a broad array of choices of places to feed and loaf. So, ducks are widely scattered throughout the county. The key to finding good duck hunting in the present conditions is scouting. Most ducks move up into the creek drainages as inundation occurs. The best hunting presently should be in the upper reaches of the tributaries of the Coquille and Coos River systems near the upper extend of agriculture in those drainages. Very little good habitat exists in the forested reaches of these drainages. Other places hunters should evaluate in their scouting are the Coquille Valley Wildlife Area, located near Coquille, the Bandon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge, located near Bandon and the islands in Coos Bay that are located within that portion of the city limits where hunting is allowed. To get answers to questions related to these areas, especially that part within Coos Bay city limits contact the ODFW office in Charleston (541) Wilson s Snipe season is open. Snipe move into Coos County in late fall and winter. At times they can be found in good numbers. They generally like flooded grass fields and tidal flats with standing vegetation. Also, they can be found in clear cuts and other forest openings where standing water exists. Their primary foods are invertebrates like earth worms and insects. While they are considered shorebirds (the only shorebird we hunt in Oregon) they are best hunted like upland birds. They hold like quail, even better often times. A bird dog with a keen nose is very valuable for hunting snipe especially when it comes to finding downed birds. The call they make upon flushing and the habitat they inhabit make them easy to distinguish from other shorebirds. If you want information to help you recognize these birds please contact your local ODFW office. Grouse & Quail All upland bird seasons are now open. Both ruffed and blue grouse can be found on the coast but in low densities. Hunters chasing blue grouse should concentrate their efforts at higher elevations, along ridgelines, with open understories; hunting tends to be more productive in older growth forested land. Ruffed grouse can be found at lower elevations, along creek and valley bottoms. These birds can also be seen foraging along forest roads in the early morning and evening. Quail production has been down but above our 10-year average. Both California and mountain quail can be found on the coast. Hunters should target older clear-cuts, young forest stands, closed forest roads, and areas with open thickets and mixed timber. Black Bear The fall hunting season closes Dec. 31. Early mornings and late evenings will see the majority of bear activity but individual animals can be found throughout the day. Bear activity will begin to slow significantly as we head into November; this decrease in opportunity coincides with bears entering their dens for the winter. Many bears have moved down into residential orchards to fatten up on apples but should be returning to the forests once those resources are gone. A word of caution to hunters, with large changes in private timber ownership throughout the county users need to be aware that access to many areas may have changed. Please contact the appropriate landowners for more information. Coyote - Numbers are strong throughout Coos County. Using predator calls to lure them in can be an effective method for harvesting coyotes. Try calling in early morning and late afternoon. Be sure to ask permission before hunting on private land. Cougar - Hunters can expect an average year. Cougars are abundant throughout with indicators pointing to stable or increasing numbers. Hunting cougar is a challenge because these animals are very secretive, but harvest success is greatest adjacent to private land

19 with high deer populations using a predator call. Remember a 2017 cougar tag and license is needed to hunt as of Jan. 1. DOUGLAS COUNTY Elk - A few controlled elk hunts are currently open. Elk populations are similar to last year so this hunting year will be average. Elk numbers are highest in the Tioga with lower levels in the Dixon, S. Indigo and Melrose units. Deer - There are a few controlled deer hunts taking place through the month of December and January. Cougar The cougar season is currently open. Hunters can expect an average year. Cougars are abundant throughout with indicators pointing to stable or increasing numbers. With lower snow levels, hunters can find higher success by finding fresh tracks and then calling in these big cats. Hunting cougar is a challenge because these animals are very secretive, but harvest success is greatest adjacent to private land with high deer populations using a predator call. Remember a 2017 cougar tag and license is needed to hunt as of Jan. 1. Coyote - Numbers are strong throughout Douglas County. Using predator calls to lure them in can be an effective method for harvesting coyotes. Try calling in early morning and late afternoon. Be sure to ask permission before hunting on private land. Black Bear General bear season closes Dec. 31. Bears are trying to fatten up before heading towards their dens, so they are taking advantage of any remaining food sources available. Bear numbers are good with the highest numbers in the coast range with smaller populations in the Cascades. Grouse & Quail - Upland Gamebird season is currently open. Hunters are finding good numbers of grouse and quail this fall. Blue grouse success is best in mid to high elevations of the Cascades in partly open conifer stands. Ruffed grouse can be found near creeks mostly at mid elevations of both the Cascades and Coast Range. For quail, success is best in the lower elevation agricultural lands for California quail and mid-elevations of the Cascades and Coast Range near brushy clear cuts on secondary forest roads for Mountain quail. Hunters that kill grouse and Mountain quail are asked to drop off, in a paper bag, the frozen wing and tail of each grouse at the local ODFW office. Please use one bird per bag with each frozen bag of grouse parts including the species, sex, age, unit and general area of harvest for proper analysis. Fall Turkey - The season closes Dec. 31. Hunters can expect a good year. The 2016 summer chick counts showed good production with excellent carryover from the last year. Most turkeys are on or adjacent to low-mid elevation private lands associated with oak savannah habitat. Good turkey numbers can be found on National Forest lands around Toketee in the Diamond Lake Ranger District and around Tiller in the Tiller Ranger District. These birds are enjoying great higher elevation oak savannah habitat and are producing well. These populations are supplemented yearly through releases of turkeys removed from private lands, where they were causing property damage and general nuisance. Waterfowl - Duck and goose seasons are open through Jan. 29, Check with landowners of flooded/puddled fields before hunting.