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Rivers in southwestern Oregon were fishable and winter steelhead were being caught earlier this week.
But then a combination of rain and snow melt in the last 24 hours increased the water levels in the rivers and has pretty much brought fishing to a stop.
Following are reports from sources who deal with the fisheries on a daily basis:
"From Canyonville down on the South Umpqua River, we had done pretty well and caught fish every day until yesterday (Wednesday).
"Then because of rain and snow melt the river came up fast, a foot and a half in the last 24 hours. I don't foresee decent fishing conditions again for a few days.
"The fish we had caught earlier were running 7 to 11 pounds, average winter steelhead. They were nice fish.
"A few fish had been caught on the North Umpqua at Amacher Park.
"The main Umpqua is out is except maybe plunking from the bank.
"The South Fork of the Coquille, the lower Rogue, the Chetco, they had all been good, but now they've all come up.
"We either need a freeze so the snow melt slows down or rain to get rid of the now, but we don't want much of that because then we'll have flooding."
Don Nelson
Nelson's Guide Service
Riddle
Following is the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife's weekly fishing report that is compiled on Tuesdays by regional fisheries biologists.
Southwest Zone
Anglers are reminded to obtain 2004 licenses and tags before going fishing. The 2004 angling regulations are now in effect.
SOUTH COAST STREAMS: Angling is fair to good for cutthroat trout. Searun cutthroat are present in rivers. Fall chinook have entered Sixes and Elk Rivers. Fishing will be dependent on weather and water conditions. Special regulations apply. Check the 2004 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations.
WINCHESTER BAY: Sturgeon angling is fair to slow. Angling for coho salmon has been good. Angling for fall chinook has been fair.
UMPQUA RIVER, MAINSTEM: Steelhead angling is slow, coho angling is fair. Smallmouth bass angling is slow.
UMPQUA RIVER, NORTH: Summer steelhead fishing is fair in the all-angling section and in the fly-only section. The fly-only section is restricted to single barbless unweighted artificial flies only. Coho angling is fair. Boat access is readily available. Below Winchester Dam, two boat ramps are present: Hestness Landing, which provides access for anglers to the lower North Umpqua River, and Amacher Park boat ramp, which is located just below Winchester Dam. A drift from Amacher Park to Hestness Landing is quite productive for winter steelhead anglers. The North Umpqua River provides an opportunity to catch both fin-clipped and non fin-clipped steelhead. Five wild winter steelhead per year, one per day, may be kept on the North Umpqua River. Adipose fin-clipped steelhead from the South Umpqua stray into the North Umpqua for capture.
Beginning above Winchester Dam, boat access is available at Whistlers Bend Park, Gravel Bin boat ramp, Colliding Rivers boat ramp and at a drift boat slide on Lone Rock Road. Only a boat take-out is located on the south side of the river off Page Road. Bank angling is limited to Whistlers Bend Park -- near Colliding Rivers -- and just below Rock Creek. Anglers can enjoy fin-clipped steelhead in the Rock Creek area as hatchery adults near Rock Creek Fish Hatchery.
The SOUTH UMPQUA RIVER AND COW CREEK provide an excellent opportunity to catch adipose fin-clipped steelhead. The Umpqua Fish District maintains two hatchery acclimation sites on Canyon Creek. Adipose fin-clipped winter steelhead smolts are released each spring into the South Umpqua River. Both bank and boat access is available to anglers on the South Umpqua and Cow Creek. Boat ramps include Templeton Beach in Roseburg, the Douglas County fairgrounds, Happy Valley and Singleton Park. Several unimproved boat ramps are located at Boomer Hill, Gazley Bar, Days Creek, Lavadoure Creek, Milo and Tiller.
Cow Creek opportunities are limited to bank angling, which is quite productive. Harvest card data indicates that adipose fin-clipped steelhead are harvested in this creek. Both Cow Creek and the South Umpqua River both provide above average opportunities to catch-and-release large wild winter steelhead.
SMITH RIVER provides anglers an opportunity to catch-and-release wild winter steelhead. Bank access below Smith River Falls is limited because of private landownership. Boat access below the falls is available at the Wasson Creek Bridge, a drift boat slide near Dailey Creek, a way side just above Doe Creek and a unimproved boat slide just below the falls. Bank angling access improves above Smith River Falls because the land is owned primarily by the BLM and private industry. Several unimproved boat slides exist above the falls, with good boat access at Vincent Creek. Several good drifts are available in the Smith River basin.
UMPQUA RIVER MAINSTEM: Winter steelhead angling begins just above tidal influence at Scottsburg. Areas to bank-angle from begin at Family Camp and continue upstream on the south side of the Umpqua River to Lutsinger Creek. Sawyer's Rapids and Scotts Creek are just upstream and are popular bank and drift boat spots. Drift boaters can access the river at the Scotts Creek boat Ramp and the Sawyers Rapids RV Park. Bank anglers can also take advantage of the Bunch Bar wayside, which is owned by Douglas County. Located on the south side of the river downstream of Bunch Bar is the Hesters boat ramp.
Boat anglers put in and fish upstream of the boat ramp. Both boat and bank angling are available upstream in the town of Elkton at Yellow Creek boat ramp, Osprey boat ramp, James Woods boat ramp, Calapooya boat ramp, Cleveland Rapids and River Forks Park boat ramp. Day drift trips can be made from many of these ramps. Anglers should be reminded that 100percent of the hatchery adult population passes all these angling locations. Based on data collected by the Umpqua Fish district, approximately 50 percent of the wild winter steelhead use the mainstem Umpqua and tributaries for spawning, which makes for an exciting catch-and-release fishery.
Umpqua Watershed Coastal Section
CHETCO RIVER: Steelhead fishing will pick up in the next couple of weeks. When the river is high, plunking from gravel bars is the most productive. With lower flows, side drifting and drift fishing are the most productive.
COOS BAY RIVER BASIN: Steelhead angling is excellent in the Coos Basin. Water levels are high, but fish are being caught where conditions allow.
COOS COUNTY LAKES: Trout and warmwater angling slows down at this time of year. The County boat ramp at South Tenmile Lake is under construction and closed until March.
COQUILLE RIVER BASIN: Steelhead angling is excellent in the Coquille Basin. Water levels are high, but fish are being caught where conditions allow.
Shellfish
A recreational shellfish license is now required for everyone over 14 when harvesting abalone, clams, crabs, crayfish, mussels, oysters, piddocks, scallops, shrimp and other marine invertebrates with shells.
Clamming for all species except razor clams is open from Seaside to the California border on all beaches and bays. There are no crab closures. Call the Oregon Department of Agriculture's Shellfish line at 503-986-4728 for updates. The best clam tides -- during the fall and winter months -- are in the afternoon and evening hours.
COOS RIVER BASIN: Crabbing was excellent recently; bay crabbing is fair. Crab catches usually drop off with heavy freshwater runoff from local rivers. Razor clamming is closed because of domoic acid toxin.
COQUILLE RIVER BASIN: Crabbing was very good recently; bay crabbing is fair. Crab catches usually drop off with heavy freshwater runoff from local rivers. Razor clamming is closed because of domoic acid toxin.
ROGUE DISTRICT CLAMMING: Steamers can be found in shoreline rocky areas on minus tides.
ROGUE DISTRICT CRABBING from the public piers in Port Orford and Brookings should be good when ocean conditions are fair.
WINCHESTER BAY: Crabbing has been good.
But then a combination of rain and snow melt in the last 24 hours increased the water levels in the rivers and has pretty much brought fishing to a stop.
Following are reports from sources who deal with the fisheries on a daily basis:
"From Canyonville down on the South Umpqua River, we had done pretty well and caught fish every day until yesterday (Wednesday).
"Then because of rain and snow melt the river came up fast, a foot and a half in the last 24 hours. I don't foresee decent fishing conditions again for a few days.
"The fish we had caught earlier were running 7 to 11 pounds, average winter steelhead. They were nice fish.
"A few fish had been caught on the North Umpqua at Amacher Park.
"The main Umpqua is out is except maybe plunking from the bank.
"The South Fork of the Coquille, the lower Rogue, the Chetco, they had all been good, but now they've all come up.
"We either need a freeze so the snow melt slows down or rain to get rid of the now, but we don't want much of that because then we'll have flooding."
Don Nelson
Nelson's Guide Service
Riddle
Following is the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife's weekly fishing report that is compiled on Tuesdays by regional fisheries biologists.
Southwest Zone
Anglers are reminded to obtain 2004 licenses and tags before going fishing. The 2004 angling regulations are now in effect.
SOUTH COAST STREAMS: Angling is fair to good for cutthroat trout. Searun cutthroat are present in rivers. Fall chinook have entered Sixes and Elk Rivers. Fishing will be dependent on weather and water conditions. Special regulations apply. Check the 2004 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations.
WINCHESTER BAY: Sturgeon angling is fair to slow. Angling for coho salmon has been good. Angling for fall chinook has been fair.
UMPQUA RIVER, MAINSTEM: Steelhead angling is slow, coho angling is fair. Smallmouth bass angling is slow.
UMPQUA RIVER, NORTH: Summer steelhead fishing is fair in the all-angling section and in the fly-only section. The fly-only section is restricted to single barbless unweighted artificial flies only. Coho angling is fair. Boat access is readily available. Below Winchester Dam, two boat ramps are present: Hestness Landing, which provides access for anglers to the lower North Umpqua River, and Amacher Park boat ramp, which is located just below Winchester Dam. A drift from Amacher Park to Hestness Landing is quite productive for winter steelhead anglers. The North Umpqua River provides an opportunity to catch both fin-clipped and non fin-clipped steelhead. Five wild winter steelhead per year, one per day, may be kept on the North Umpqua River. Adipose fin-clipped steelhead from the South Umpqua stray into the North Umpqua for capture.
Beginning above Winchester Dam, boat access is available at Whistlers Bend Park, Gravel Bin boat ramp, Colliding Rivers boat ramp and at a drift boat slide on Lone Rock Road. Only a boat take-out is located on the south side of the river off Page Road. Bank angling is limited to Whistlers Bend Park -- near Colliding Rivers -- and just below Rock Creek. Anglers can enjoy fin-clipped steelhead in the Rock Creek area as hatchery adults near Rock Creek Fish Hatchery.
The SOUTH UMPQUA RIVER AND COW CREEK provide an excellent opportunity to catch adipose fin-clipped steelhead. The Umpqua Fish District maintains two hatchery acclimation sites on Canyon Creek. Adipose fin-clipped winter steelhead smolts are released each spring into the South Umpqua River. Both bank and boat access is available to anglers on the South Umpqua and Cow Creek. Boat ramps include Templeton Beach in Roseburg, the Douglas County fairgrounds, Happy Valley and Singleton Park. Several unimproved boat ramps are located at Boomer Hill, Gazley Bar, Days Creek, Lavadoure Creek, Milo and Tiller.
Cow Creek opportunities are limited to bank angling, which is quite productive. Harvest card data indicates that adipose fin-clipped steelhead are harvested in this creek. Both Cow Creek and the South Umpqua River both provide above average opportunities to catch-and-release large wild winter steelhead.
SMITH RIVER provides anglers an opportunity to catch-and-release wild winter steelhead. Bank access below Smith River Falls is limited because of private landownership. Boat access below the falls is available at the Wasson Creek Bridge, a drift boat slide near Dailey Creek, a way side just above Doe Creek and a unimproved boat slide just below the falls. Bank angling access improves above Smith River Falls because the land is owned primarily by the BLM and private industry. Several unimproved boat slides exist above the falls, with good boat access at Vincent Creek. Several good drifts are available in the Smith River basin.
UMPQUA RIVER MAINSTEM: Winter steelhead angling begins just above tidal influence at Scottsburg. Areas to bank-angle from begin at Family Camp and continue upstream on the south side of the Umpqua River to Lutsinger Creek. Sawyer's Rapids and Scotts Creek are just upstream and are popular bank and drift boat spots. Drift boaters can access the river at the Scotts Creek boat Ramp and the Sawyers Rapids RV Park. Bank anglers can also take advantage of the Bunch Bar wayside, which is owned by Douglas County. Located on the south side of the river downstream of Bunch Bar is the Hesters boat ramp.
Boat anglers put in and fish upstream of the boat ramp. Both boat and bank angling are available upstream in the town of Elkton at Yellow Creek boat ramp, Osprey boat ramp, James Woods boat ramp, Calapooya boat ramp, Cleveland Rapids and River Forks Park boat ramp. Day drift trips can be made from many of these ramps. Anglers should be reminded that 100percent of the hatchery adult population passes all these angling locations. Based on data collected by the Umpqua Fish district, approximately 50 percent of the wild winter steelhead use the mainstem Umpqua and tributaries for spawning, which makes for an exciting catch-and-release fishery.
Umpqua Watershed Coastal Section
CHETCO RIVER: Steelhead fishing will pick up in the next couple of weeks. When the river is high, plunking from gravel bars is the most productive. With lower flows, side drifting and drift fishing are the most productive.
COOS BAY RIVER BASIN: Steelhead angling is excellent in the Coos Basin. Water levels are high, but fish are being caught where conditions allow.
COOS COUNTY LAKES: Trout and warmwater angling slows down at this time of year. The County boat ramp at South Tenmile Lake is under construction and closed until March.
COQUILLE RIVER BASIN: Steelhead angling is excellent in the Coquille Basin. Water levels are high, but fish are being caught where conditions allow.
Shellfish
A recreational shellfish license is now required for everyone over 14 when harvesting abalone, clams, crabs, crayfish, mussels, oysters, piddocks, scallops, shrimp and other marine invertebrates with shells.
Clamming for all species except razor clams is open from Seaside to the California border on all beaches and bays. There are no crab closures. Call the Oregon Department of Agriculture's Shellfish line at 503-986-4728 for updates. The best clam tides -- during the fall and winter months -- are in the afternoon and evening hours.
COOS RIVER BASIN: Crabbing was excellent recently; bay crabbing is fair. Crab catches usually drop off with heavy freshwater runoff from local rivers. Razor clamming is closed because of domoic acid toxin.
COQUILLE RIVER BASIN: Crabbing was very good recently; bay crabbing is fair. Crab catches usually drop off with heavy freshwater runoff from local rivers. Razor clamming is closed because of domoic acid toxin.
ROGUE DISTRICT CLAMMING: Steamers can be found in shoreline rocky areas on minus tides.
ROGUE DISTRICT CRABBING from the public piers in Port Orford and Brookings should be good when ocean conditions are fair.
WINCHESTER BAY: Crabbing has been good.
