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A combination of continued warm weather and deer hunting season has kept the fishing pressure and catch down on the Umpqua River system.
Some chinook salmon, coho and summer steelhead are being caught, but most anglers have had to put in plenty of time and be patient while waiting for the next bite.
One angler reported a two-hour fishing trip by five guys in two boats on the main Umpqua Wednesday evening that resulted in no fish despite the presence of many rolling fish.
Following are reports from sources who deal with the fisheries on a daily basis.
“Last night I caught a couple of jack silvers. They weren’t fin-clipped so I released them both. Jacks (15-20 inches in length) have been caught all week here on the main river, but not a lot of adults, only two or three chinook that were about 18 to 20 pounds each. I saw a few adult fish moving, but they weren’t biting.
“I tried roe early and had no luck. So I went with a corkie and nightcrawler and caught the jacks. There were no bass bites.
“Fishermen haven’t been doing well down in Winchester Bay. It would be nice to get some rain and get more fish moving in. The water is still low and pretty clear. It has been fogged in until about 9 in the morning and is pretty chilly.
“We wait all year for the fish to get here, then we see them, but then they stop biting.”
<b>Shane Whitley
Sawyers Rapids RV Resort
Elkton</b>
“Some silvers and summer steelhead are being caught in both the fly and bait areas here on the North Umpqua, but they’re not catching many.
“We need rain. You should do a rain dance. It is not hot fishing right now.
“The silvers have been here a little while, but there’s a lot more fish down on the main river waiting to come up. In the bait area, they’re using roe, corkies, spoons, jigs — nothing really is standing out. The fly fishermen are using egg and bug patterns.
“Rain is key, and it also is for the hunters. I’m seeing a few hunters, but really not a lot. A lot of them are waiting for rain. With the price of fuel, they want to go at a time when they have a better chance of getting an animal.
“It’ll rain. Just wait.”
<b>Anthony Wilson
Idleyld Trading Post
Idleyld Park</b>
Following is the weekly Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife fishing report that is compiled by regional fisheries biologists.
<b>Southwest Zone </b>
COOS COUNTY LAKES: Bass fishing at Tenmile has been good recently but the weedline is starting to show just out from the shore. Bluegill angling has also been good. Tenmile anglers are reminded that largemouth bass over 15 inches must be released unharmed back into the lake.
COOS RIVER BASIN: Chinook fishing in Coos Bay has been good the past week with some of the best fishing of the year. Fish are being caught from the Marshfield channel up into the forks. Most of the chinook have now moved to the upper part of the estuary. Adipose fin-clipped coho retention is prohibited above Chandler Bridge. Most fish are caught trolling plug cut herring near the bottom. Several fish over 40 pounds have been caught this year. Bank anglers have a great opportunity to catch chinook in the South Coos near Daniels Creek and along Isthmus Slough.
COQUILLE RIVER BASIN: Chinook fishing in the Coquille River slowed down some but fish are still being caught and fish should be around through most of October. Most of the effort is now around the twon of Coquille. Anglers trolling herring near the bottom are catching some fish. Retention of coho is prohibited above Lampa Creek at river mile 11.5.
TENMILE BASIN: Trout angling in Tenmile Creek is open, with flies and lures required above tidewater.
UMPQUA ESTUARY: Sturgeon fishing is slow. Some chinook and coho are currently being caught in the bay below the 101 bridge. Fish are being caught off of Osprey point and in Winchester Creek.
UMPQUA RIVER MAINSTEM: Main-stem Umpqua closed to the retention of all non-finclipped steelhead, but remains open year round for fin-clipped steelhead. Fall chinook and coho fishing is slow. Smallmouth fishing is still good. Rapalas, crawfish crankbaits, and worms are the best bets for catching smallmouth.
UMPQUA RIVER, NORTH: Summer steelhead are still being caught although fishing has been slow. A few coho have been caught and fishing will improve as more coho cross Winchester Dam. The North Umpqua fly water is now unweighted fly only.
UMPQUA RIVER, SOUTH: Fishing is closed in the South Umpqua until Nov. 30.
ROGUE RIVER, MIDDLE: Anglers are reminded that fishing for chinook between Hog Creek and Gold Ray Dam closed on Sept. 30. Success on steelhead is fair, with good numbers of fish available. The harvest of adipose fin-clipped steelhead is allowed year-round on the Rogue. Fishing is best in morning and evening hours. Flows at Grants Pass are averaging 1,200 cubic feet per second on Monday morning. For steelhead, fly angling can be effective in riffles in the middle Rogue, or anglers can cast spinners (black and gold Panther Martins).
Nightcrawlers fished with a corky can also be successful. Bank access for both steelhead and chinook can be found at Chinook Park, Matson Park, Griffin Park and Robertson Bridge. Additional access is available below Hellgate Canyon. Gold Hill to Rogue River and Robertson Bride to Hog Creek are popular drifts for boat anglers.
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.
Anglers fishing the canyon are reminded that angling is restricted to artificial flies and lures Sept.1 through Oct. 31 between Foster Creek and Whiskey Creek.
SMITH RIVER: Fall chinook fishing in the tide water should be picking up. Smallmouth are available in Smith River below the falls and fishing should be good.
<b>SHELLFISH</b>
Razor clam harvest is open from Tillamook Head to the California border. Bay clamming and mussel harvest is open state wide. Always check for health advisories by calling the Oregon Department of Agriculture’s Shellfish line at 800-448-2474 for updates. For more information about razor clams and current status of particular areas see the ODFW razor clam web page at http://www.dfw.state.or.us/MRP/shellfish/razorclams
Crab are being caught in good numbers but some are still soft. Crabbers should consider releasing crabs that have little meat in their legs. The Coos Bay shoreline along the inside of the North Spit from Empire to Charleston is a good area for crabbing. Public crabbing docks can be found in Winchester Bay, Bandon, Charleston and Empire.
Some chinook salmon, coho and summer steelhead are being caught, but most anglers have had to put in plenty of time and be patient while waiting for the next bite.
One angler reported a two-hour fishing trip by five guys in two boats on the main Umpqua Wednesday evening that resulted in no fish despite the presence of many rolling fish.
Following are reports from sources who deal with the fisheries on a daily basis.
“Last night I caught a couple of jack silvers. They weren’t fin-clipped so I released them both. Jacks (15-20 inches in length) have been caught all week here on the main river, but not a lot of adults, only two or three chinook that were about 18 to 20 pounds each. I saw a few adult fish moving, but they weren’t biting.
“I tried roe early and had no luck. So I went with a corkie and nightcrawler and caught the jacks. There were no bass bites.
“Fishermen haven’t been doing well down in Winchester Bay. It would be nice to get some rain and get more fish moving in. The water is still low and pretty clear. It has been fogged in until about 9 in the morning and is pretty chilly.
“We wait all year for the fish to get here, then we see them, but then they stop biting.”
<b>Shane Whitley
Sawyers Rapids RV Resort
Elkton</b>
“Some silvers and summer steelhead are being caught in both the fly and bait areas here on the North Umpqua, but they’re not catching many.
“We need rain. You should do a rain dance. It is not hot fishing right now.
“The silvers have been here a little while, but there’s a lot more fish down on the main river waiting to come up. In the bait area, they’re using roe, corkies, spoons, jigs — nothing really is standing out. The fly fishermen are using egg and bug patterns.
“Rain is key, and it also is for the hunters. I’m seeing a few hunters, but really not a lot. A lot of them are waiting for rain. With the price of fuel, they want to go at a time when they have a better chance of getting an animal.
“It’ll rain. Just wait.”
<b>Anthony Wilson
Idleyld Trading Post
Idleyld Park</b>
Following is the weekly Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife fishing report that is compiled by regional fisheries biologists.
<b>Southwest Zone </b>
COOS COUNTY LAKES: Bass fishing at Tenmile has been good recently but the weedline is starting to show just out from the shore. Bluegill angling has also been good. Tenmile anglers are reminded that largemouth bass over 15 inches must be released unharmed back into the lake.
COOS RIVER BASIN: Chinook fishing in Coos Bay has been good the past week with some of the best fishing of the year. Fish are being caught from the Marshfield channel up into the forks. Most of the chinook have now moved to the upper part of the estuary. Adipose fin-clipped coho retention is prohibited above Chandler Bridge. Most fish are caught trolling plug cut herring near the bottom. Several fish over 40 pounds have been caught this year. Bank anglers have a great opportunity to catch chinook in the South Coos near Daniels Creek and along Isthmus Slough.
COQUILLE RIVER BASIN: Chinook fishing in the Coquille River slowed down some but fish are still being caught and fish should be around through most of October. Most of the effort is now around the twon of Coquille. Anglers trolling herring near the bottom are catching some fish. Retention of coho is prohibited above Lampa Creek at river mile 11.5.
TENMILE BASIN: Trout angling in Tenmile Creek is open, with flies and lures required above tidewater.
UMPQUA ESTUARY: Sturgeon fishing is slow. Some chinook and coho are currently being caught in the bay below the 101 bridge. Fish are being caught off of Osprey point and in Winchester Creek.
UMPQUA RIVER MAINSTEM: Main-stem Umpqua closed to the retention of all non-finclipped steelhead, but remains open year round for fin-clipped steelhead. Fall chinook and coho fishing is slow. Smallmouth fishing is still good. Rapalas, crawfish crankbaits, and worms are the best bets for catching smallmouth.
UMPQUA RIVER, NORTH: Summer steelhead are still being caught although fishing has been slow. A few coho have been caught and fishing will improve as more coho cross Winchester Dam. The North Umpqua fly water is now unweighted fly only.
UMPQUA RIVER, SOUTH: Fishing is closed in the South Umpqua until Nov. 30.
ROGUE RIVER, MIDDLE: Anglers are reminded that fishing for chinook between Hog Creek and Gold Ray Dam closed on Sept. 30. Success on steelhead is fair, with good numbers of fish available. The harvest of adipose fin-clipped steelhead is allowed year-round on the Rogue. Fishing is best in morning and evening hours. Flows at Grants Pass are averaging 1,200 cubic feet per second on Monday morning. For steelhead, fly angling can be effective in riffles in the middle Rogue, or anglers can cast spinners (black and gold Panther Martins).
Nightcrawlers fished with a corky can also be successful. Bank access for both steelhead and chinook can be found at Chinook Park, Matson Park, Griffin Park and Robertson Bridge. Additional access is available below Hellgate Canyon. Gold Hill to Rogue River and Robertson Bride to Hog Creek are popular drifts for boat anglers.
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.
Anglers fishing the canyon are reminded that angling is restricted to artificial flies and lures Sept.1 through Oct. 31 between Foster Creek and Whiskey Creek.
SMITH RIVER: Fall chinook fishing in the tide water should be picking up. Smallmouth are available in Smith River below the falls and fishing should be good.
<b>SHELLFISH</b>
Razor clam harvest is open from Tillamook Head to the California border. Bay clamming and mussel harvest is open state wide. Always check for health advisories by calling the Oregon Department of Agriculture’s Shellfish line at 800-448-2474 for updates. For more information about razor clams and current status of particular areas see the ODFW razor clam web page at http://www.dfw.state.or.us/MRP/shellfish/razorclams
Crab are being caught in good numbers but some are still soft. Crabbers should consider releasing crabs that have little meat in their legs. The Coos Bay shoreline along the inside of the North Spit from Empire to Charleston is a good area for crabbing. Public crabbing docks can be found in Winchester Bay, Bandon, Charleston and Empire.
