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Compiled by The News-Review
Following is the weekly fishing report for Oregon's Southwest Zone, compiled by fisheries and biologists from around the state and posted weekly by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife on its Web site.
ALL SPORTS POND: Fishing should be good for bass, panfish, and an occasional rainbow trout. Numerous western pond turtles in the pond offer an excellent viewing opportunity, but anglers are advised to avoid fishing sections of the pond where turtles have been observed.
AGATE LAKE: Fishing should be good for largemouth bass and panfish. Anglers have reported good success on black crappie recently.
APPLEGATE RIVER: The Applegate River upstream to Applegate Dam is open for trout fishing with a limit of 2 adipose fin-clipped rainbow trout per day, 8 inch minimum length. Nonadipose fin-clipped rainbow trout and all cutthroat trout must be released unharmed. The use of bait is allowed. Outflows from Applegate Reservoir are averaging 300 cubic feet per second on Tuesday morning.
APPLEGATE RESERVOIR: Applegate Reservoir is stocked with rainbow trout, and land-locked juvenile spring chinook salmon are also available, along with bass and panfish. Fishing is good.
COOPER CREEK RESERVOIR and PLAT I RESERVOIR: Largemouth bass fishing is good especially early morning and late evenings in the shade. Plastics worms, jigs, and top water baits are all are working well. The bass are averaging 12 to 15 inches.
COOS COUNTY LAKES : Large holdover trout are available in TENMILE LAKES , often up to 17" or more in length.
Angling for warmwater species is fair at this time in the TENMILE LAKES, EEL LAKE , and COOS COUNTY DUNE LAKES, however many area lakes will have thick weed growth as the summer progresses, making for tougher angling conditions. With spawning complete, largemouth bass and other warmwater species will move to deeper water and to outside edges of weed lines, and are not as aggressive as when they were defending nests. Try more subtle presentions of plastic worms or jigs.
COOS RIVER BASIN: Shad are available in the South Coos and Millicoma River tidewater, although this is late for them to still be running. Trout angling in local streams such as those on the Elliott State Forest can be good for resident cutthroat and rainbows. Angling in streams above tidewater is restricted to artificial flies and lures from May 28 through August 31. Anglers should handle fish to be released with care, especially during warm weather and water conditions.
Sturgeon, several surfperch species, and striped bass are in tidewater of the Coos Basin at this time.
COQUILLE RIVER BASIN : Shad are available in the COQUILLE RIVER tidewater, although this is late for them to still be running. Trout angling in local streams can be good for resident cutthroat and rainbows. Angling in streams above tidewater is restricted to artificial flies and lures from May 28 through August 31. Anglers should handle fish to be released with care, especially during warm weather and water conditions. Anglers are reminded that a 12-mile section of the SOUTH FORK COQUILLE River from the USFS Boundary to South Fork Falls is closed to all angling, including tributaries.
COQUILLE RIVER: Striped bass are available in the tidewater around Arago, Riverton, Randolph Island , and adjacent to Johnson Mill Pond. Stripers will take bait such as shrimp or baitfish, as well as large plugs. Most feeding activity is near dawn and dusk.
DIAMOND LAKE : Fishing at Diamond Lake has been slow throughout the lake. The fish are beginning to concentrate near Silent Creek. Trolling needle fish silver/red works best. Bank anglers are using floating powerbait fished about a foot above the bottom.
EMIGRANT RESERVOIR: Emigrant Reservoir is stocked with legal-sized rainbow trout, and bass and panfish are also available. Fishing for panfish has been good, but anglers are reminded that crappie less than 8-inches must be released unharmed.
EXPO POND: Trout are available along with bass and panfish. Fishing for panfish has been good in the northernmost pond as well.
GALESVILLE RESERVOIR: Trolling with wedding rings and worms is still producing good catches of 8 to 10 inch trout. Largemouth bass fishing is good. Bass are now in the summer holding patterns located on points and deep wood. Senko's jigs and small plastic worms are working best.
HEMLOCK LAKE : Fishing is still excellent. Fly fishing with woolly buggers, streamers, and midges should produce well. Bobbers and night crawlers are producing the best. Powerbait fished on the bottom is always a standby.
HIGH MOUNTAIN LAKES : These lakes were just stocked. Fishing has been very good, with rooster tails producing well. Bobbers and night crawlers are producing the best for larger brook trout.
HOWARD PRAIRIE RESERVOIR: Fishing has been fair for rainbow trout. The trout are in excellent condition, averaging 12-14 inches and running up to 20 inches. Bass fishing should be good.
HYATT LAKE : Anglers fishing in the early morning are having success on rainbow trout. Large trout are available in the 14 to 16-inch size range, and a late stocking of fingerling has produced good numbers of smaller fish. Some catches of good-sized largemouth bass have been reported, but most bass are in the four to five inch range this year.
LAKE SELMAC : The lake is stocked with legal-sized rainbow trout, and fishing for largemouth bass should be good.
LEMOLO LAKE: Fishing for trout is good. Best fishing for browns is occurring near the dam, trolling small black roostertails. Powerbait fished on the bottom is always a standby.
LOON LAKE : Fishing for trout is slow. Largemouth bass fishing is good. Fish shaded waters early mornings and late evenings. Some fish are coming off docks. Top water, spinner baits, and plastics all work well .
PACIFIC OCEAN & BEACHES: For the area from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain , the Chinook General Season (all salmon except coho) is open through October 31 with a bag limit of two salmon per day. Ocean salmon fishing out of Charleston , Bandon, and Winchester Bay has been good for chinook, with fewer coho being caught. Coho may be harvested through July 31, or until a quota of 40,000 adipose fin-clipped coho is reached. Minimum lengths for Chinook and steelhead are 20 inches, and 16" for coho. No more than two hooks may be used, and they must be single-point, single-shank, and barbless.
For the area from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain , the "Inside 40-Fathom Line" Pacific halibut season runs through October 31, or until a quota of 20,101 pounds are harvested. The All-Depth Pacific halibut fishery has another opening July 14-16 between Cape Falcon and Humbug Mt. Additional days may be approved if quota remains after July 16. Approved days will be posted on the ODFW website, www.dfw.state.or.us/MRP and on the NMFS hotline (1-800-662-9825).
ROGUE RIVER ABOVE LOST CREEK DAM: The mainstem and tributaries above Lost Creek Reservoir will be stocked this week with legal-sized rainbow trout. The limit is five trout per day, 8-inch minimum length, and no limit on the size or number of brook trout taken. The use of bait is allowed. Catches have been good recently on the North Fork Rogue River near Prospect, with fish being caught on bait and on caddis fly patterns.
ROGUE RIVER , LOWER: Fall chinook angling has been pretty slow. Anglers are also having to constantly check gear, as the algae is really bad. Some chinook are being caught, mainly a few hours before and after a high tide. Anglers have been using achovies with a green spinner blade. Summer steelhead fishing continues to be fairly consistant as a series of low pressures continue to keep fish on the bite. Try early morning on tailouts and the top of pools. Fish with nightcrawlers or a small spinner. Access is excellent for both bank and boat anglers. There are improved boat ramps at the Port of Gold Beach, Lobster Creek USFS Campground, and Quosatana USFS Campground. Bank anglers can access most of the gravel bars downstream of Lobster Creek USFS Campground.
ROGUE RIVER , MIDDLE: Some spring chinook are available, and summer steelhead numbers are picking up. Between Hog Creek and Gold Ray Dam, the Rogue is open for chinook salmon from January 1 through July 14 per zone regulations, except that for nonadipose fin-clipped chinook, no more than one per day and three per year may be kept. The Rogue is open for trout fishing with a limit of five adipose fin-clipped trout per day, 8 inch minimum length. All nonadipose fin-clipped rainbow and all cutthroat trout must be released unharmed.
ROGUE RIVER , UPPER: Outflows at Lost Creek are averaging 2,100 cubic feet per second on Tuesday morning. A total of 1,909 summer steelhead and 15,022 spring chinook salmon have passed Gold Ray dam as of July 6. Fishing for spring chinook has been slow. Between Gold Ray Dam and Cole Rivers Hatchery, the Rogue is open for chinook salmon from January 1 through July 31 per zone regulations, except that for nonadipose fin-clipped chinook, no more than one per day and three per year may be kept. Trout fishing should be good. The Rogue is open for trout fishing with a limit of five adipose fin-clipped trout per day, 8 inch minimum length. All nonadipose fin-clipped rainbow and all cutthroat trout must be released unharmed. SOUTH COAST LAKES AND PONDS: Fishing has slowed on all south coast lakes as water temperatures and weed growth increase.
SOUTH COAST STREAMS: Streams have dropped considerably over the past week. Anglers are having their best success fishing the estuaries for cutthroat. Try early mornings and late evening for best success.
SPAULDING POND: Spaulding Pond is stocked with legal-sized rainbow trout.
UMPQUA RIVER , MAINSTEM: Shad fishing is slow with some harvest still occurring at Sawyer's Rapids and Yellow Creek. Red and White shad darts are best. Smallmouth Bass fishing is excellent throwing rooster tails and panther martins. Night crawlers work well too.
SOUTH UMPQUA : Smallmouth bass fishing is excellent. Topwater lures are working well in the morning, and small plastic throughout the day.
UMPQUA RIVER , NORTH: Spring chinook fishing from the Narrows to Rock Creek is slowing, but summer steelhead fishing continues to improve as more steelhead cross the dam. Excellent bank access is located near Idleyld Park . Summer steelhead are also being caught in the fly water in early mornings and late evening in the shade. As of June 15, 7,188 spring chinook and 1,097 summer steelhead have been counted at Winchester Dam.
NORTH UMPQUA MAINSTEM AND TRIBUTARIES ABOVE SODA SPRINGS DAM: Fishing for trout is excellent. There are many small headwater streams that offer isolated fisheries to recruit young anglers to fishing, and remind older anglers why they fish.
WILLOW LAKE : The lake is stocked with rainbow trout, and fishing should be good. Crappie fishing has been very good recently. Largemouth bass are also available.
SHELLFISH
Crabbing has been good in the ocean but slowing down in the bays. Crab are also becoming soft with less meat as they molt.
Harvest of razor clams found on beaches, spits, jetties, and estuaries along the Oregon Coast remains closed due high levels of domoic acid. Harvest of mussels and other shellfish species is open at this time. Always check for health advisories by calling the Oregon Department of Agriculture's Shellfish line at 800-448-2474 for updates, as toxin levels are changing rapidly at this time .
Following is the weekly fishing report for Oregon's Southwest Zone, compiled by fisheries and biologists from around the state and posted weekly by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife on its Web site.
ALL SPORTS POND: Fishing should be good for bass, panfish, and an occasional rainbow trout. Numerous western pond turtles in the pond offer an excellent viewing opportunity, but anglers are advised to avoid fishing sections of the pond where turtles have been observed.
AGATE LAKE: Fishing should be good for largemouth bass and panfish. Anglers have reported good success on black crappie recently.
APPLEGATE RIVER: The Applegate River upstream to Applegate Dam is open for trout fishing with a limit of 2 adipose fin-clipped rainbow trout per day, 8 inch minimum length. Nonadipose fin-clipped rainbow trout and all cutthroat trout must be released unharmed. The use of bait is allowed. Outflows from Applegate Reservoir are averaging 300 cubic feet per second on Tuesday morning.
APPLEGATE RESERVOIR: Applegate Reservoir is stocked with rainbow trout, and land-locked juvenile spring chinook salmon are also available, along with bass and panfish. Fishing is good.
COOPER CREEK RESERVOIR and PLAT I RESERVOIR: Largemouth bass fishing is good especially early morning and late evenings in the shade. Plastics worms, jigs, and top water baits are all are working well. The bass are averaging 12 to 15 inches.
COOS COUNTY LAKES : Large holdover trout are available in TENMILE LAKES , often up to 17" or more in length.
Angling for warmwater species is fair at this time in the TENMILE LAKES, EEL LAKE , and COOS COUNTY DUNE LAKES, however many area lakes will have thick weed growth as the summer progresses, making for tougher angling conditions. With spawning complete, largemouth bass and other warmwater species will move to deeper water and to outside edges of weed lines, and are not as aggressive as when they were defending nests. Try more subtle presentions of plastic worms or jigs.
COOS RIVER BASIN: Shad are available in the South Coos and Millicoma River tidewater, although this is late for them to still be running. Trout angling in local streams such as those on the Elliott State Forest can be good for resident cutthroat and rainbows. Angling in streams above tidewater is restricted to artificial flies and lures from May 28 through August 31. Anglers should handle fish to be released with care, especially during warm weather and water conditions.
Sturgeon, several surfperch species, and striped bass are in tidewater of the Coos Basin at this time.
COQUILLE RIVER BASIN : Shad are available in the COQUILLE RIVER tidewater, although this is late for them to still be running. Trout angling in local streams can be good for resident cutthroat and rainbows. Angling in streams above tidewater is restricted to artificial flies and lures from May 28 through August 31. Anglers should handle fish to be released with care, especially during warm weather and water conditions. Anglers are reminded that a 12-mile section of the SOUTH FORK COQUILLE River from the USFS Boundary to South Fork Falls is closed to all angling, including tributaries.
COQUILLE RIVER: Striped bass are available in the tidewater around Arago, Riverton, Randolph Island , and adjacent to Johnson Mill Pond. Stripers will take bait such as shrimp or baitfish, as well as large plugs. Most feeding activity is near dawn and dusk.
DIAMOND LAKE : Fishing at Diamond Lake has been slow throughout the lake. The fish are beginning to concentrate near Silent Creek. Trolling needle fish silver/red works best. Bank anglers are using floating powerbait fished about a foot above the bottom.
EMIGRANT RESERVOIR: Emigrant Reservoir is stocked with legal-sized rainbow trout, and bass and panfish are also available. Fishing for panfish has been good, but anglers are reminded that crappie less than 8-inches must be released unharmed.
EXPO POND: Trout are available along with bass and panfish. Fishing for panfish has been good in the northernmost pond as well.
GALESVILLE RESERVOIR: Trolling with wedding rings and worms is still producing good catches of 8 to 10 inch trout. Largemouth bass fishing is good. Bass are now in the summer holding patterns located on points and deep wood. Senko's jigs and small plastic worms are working best.
HEMLOCK LAKE : Fishing is still excellent. Fly fishing with woolly buggers, streamers, and midges should produce well. Bobbers and night crawlers are producing the best. Powerbait fished on the bottom is always a standby.
HIGH MOUNTAIN LAKES : These lakes were just stocked. Fishing has been very good, with rooster tails producing well. Bobbers and night crawlers are producing the best for larger brook trout.
HOWARD PRAIRIE RESERVOIR: Fishing has been fair for rainbow trout. The trout are in excellent condition, averaging 12-14 inches and running up to 20 inches. Bass fishing should be good.
HYATT LAKE : Anglers fishing in the early morning are having success on rainbow trout. Large trout are available in the 14 to 16-inch size range, and a late stocking of fingerling has produced good numbers of smaller fish. Some catches of good-sized largemouth bass have been reported, but most bass are in the four to five inch range this year.
LAKE SELMAC : The lake is stocked with legal-sized rainbow trout, and fishing for largemouth bass should be good.
LEMOLO LAKE: Fishing for trout is good. Best fishing for browns is occurring near the dam, trolling small black roostertails. Powerbait fished on the bottom is always a standby.
LOON LAKE : Fishing for trout is slow. Largemouth bass fishing is good. Fish shaded waters early mornings and late evenings. Some fish are coming off docks. Top water, spinner baits, and plastics all work well .
PACIFIC OCEAN & BEACHES: For the area from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain , the Chinook General Season (all salmon except coho) is open through October 31 with a bag limit of two salmon per day. Ocean salmon fishing out of Charleston , Bandon, and Winchester Bay has been good for chinook, with fewer coho being caught. Coho may be harvested through July 31, or until a quota of 40,000 adipose fin-clipped coho is reached. Minimum lengths for Chinook and steelhead are 20 inches, and 16" for coho. No more than two hooks may be used, and they must be single-point, single-shank, and barbless.
For the area from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain , the "Inside 40-Fathom Line" Pacific halibut season runs through October 31, or until a quota of 20,101 pounds are harvested. The All-Depth Pacific halibut fishery has another opening July 14-16 between Cape Falcon and Humbug Mt. Additional days may be approved if quota remains after July 16. Approved days will be posted on the ODFW website, www.dfw.state.or.us/MRP and on the NMFS hotline (1-800-662-9825).
ROGUE RIVER ABOVE LOST CREEK DAM: The mainstem and tributaries above Lost Creek Reservoir will be stocked this week with legal-sized rainbow trout. The limit is five trout per day, 8-inch minimum length, and no limit on the size or number of brook trout taken. The use of bait is allowed. Catches have been good recently on the North Fork Rogue River near Prospect, with fish being caught on bait and on caddis fly patterns.
ROGUE RIVER , LOWER: Fall chinook angling has been pretty slow. Anglers are also having to constantly check gear, as the algae is really bad. Some chinook are being caught, mainly a few hours before and after a high tide. Anglers have been using achovies with a green spinner blade. Summer steelhead fishing continues to be fairly consistant as a series of low pressures continue to keep fish on the bite. Try early morning on tailouts and the top of pools. Fish with nightcrawlers or a small spinner. Access is excellent for both bank and boat anglers. There are improved boat ramps at the Port of Gold Beach, Lobster Creek USFS Campground, and Quosatana USFS Campground. Bank anglers can access most of the gravel bars downstream of Lobster Creek USFS Campground.
ROGUE RIVER , MIDDLE: Some spring chinook are available, and summer steelhead numbers are picking up. Between Hog Creek and Gold Ray Dam, the Rogue is open for chinook salmon from January 1 through July 14 per zone regulations, except that for nonadipose fin-clipped chinook, no more than one per day and three per year may be kept. The Rogue is open for trout fishing with a limit of five adipose fin-clipped trout per day, 8 inch minimum length. All nonadipose fin-clipped rainbow and all cutthroat trout must be released unharmed.
ROGUE RIVER , UPPER: Outflows at Lost Creek are averaging 2,100 cubic feet per second on Tuesday morning. A total of 1,909 summer steelhead and 15,022 spring chinook salmon have passed Gold Ray dam as of July 6. Fishing for spring chinook has been slow. Between Gold Ray Dam and Cole Rivers Hatchery, the Rogue is open for chinook salmon from January 1 through July 31 per zone regulations, except that for nonadipose fin-clipped chinook, no more than one per day and three per year may be kept. Trout fishing should be good. The Rogue is open for trout fishing with a limit of five adipose fin-clipped trout per day, 8 inch minimum length. All nonadipose fin-clipped rainbow and all cutthroat trout must be released unharmed. SOUTH COAST LAKES AND PONDS: Fishing has slowed on all south coast lakes as water temperatures and weed growth increase.
SOUTH COAST STREAMS: Streams have dropped considerably over the past week. Anglers are having their best success fishing the estuaries for cutthroat. Try early mornings and late evening for best success.
SPAULDING POND: Spaulding Pond is stocked with legal-sized rainbow trout.
UMPQUA RIVER , MAINSTEM: Shad fishing is slow with some harvest still occurring at Sawyer's Rapids and Yellow Creek. Red and White shad darts are best. Smallmouth Bass fishing is excellent throwing rooster tails and panther martins. Night crawlers work well too.
SOUTH UMPQUA : Smallmouth bass fishing is excellent. Topwater lures are working well in the morning, and small plastic throughout the day.
UMPQUA RIVER , NORTH: Spring chinook fishing from the Narrows to Rock Creek is slowing, but summer steelhead fishing continues to improve as more steelhead cross the dam. Excellent bank access is located near Idleyld Park . Summer steelhead are also being caught in the fly water in early mornings and late evening in the shade. As of June 15, 7,188 spring chinook and 1,097 summer steelhead have been counted at Winchester Dam.
NORTH UMPQUA MAINSTEM AND TRIBUTARIES ABOVE SODA SPRINGS DAM: Fishing for trout is excellent. There are many small headwater streams that offer isolated fisheries to recruit young anglers to fishing, and remind older anglers why they fish.
WILLOW LAKE : The lake is stocked with rainbow trout, and fishing should be good. Crappie fishing has been very good recently. Largemouth bass are also available.
SHELLFISH
Crabbing has been good in the ocean but slowing down in the bays. Crab are also becoming soft with less meat as they molt.
Harvest of razor clams found on beaches, spits, jetties, and estuaries along the Oregon Coast remains closed due high levels of domoic acid. Harvest of mussels and other shellfish species is open at this time. Always check for health advisories by calling the Oregon Department of Agriculture's Shellfish line at 800-448-2474 for updates, as toxin levels are changing rapidly at this time .
