UMPQUA FISHING REPORT: Silvers in the Umpqua system

The fall chinook fishery for the Umpqua River system is pretty much over, the silver fishery is under way and the winter steelhead fishery is just around the corner.

Following are reports from sources who deal with the Umpqua fisheries on a daily basis.

“There’s a lot of silvers, especially in the North Umpqua. There’s a lot of people out fishing for them, but there are very few legal silvers that you can keep. They must be hatchery fish to keep them. The wild ones must be released.

“There are still some good fishing opportunities for fin-clipped summer steelhead on the North. With higher water flows, winter steelhead should start showing up on the lower main Umpqua. Traditionally they don’t become winter steelhead at the Winchester counting station until Dec. 1.

“The fall chinook season is pretty much over, but there may be a few stragglers. The bass season is over because of the colder water.

“With these freshets we’re getting, sturgeon fishing should improve in tidewater. The freshets will push the crabs lower into the bay so they’re not stealing your bait. Only sturgeon 42 to 60 inches long can be kept; otherwise they must be released.

“The South Umpqua is closed to fishing until Dec. 1 to protect spawning chinook and coho.”

Following is the weekly Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife fishing report that is compiled by regional fisheries biologists.

SOUTHWEST REGION

COOS RIVER BASIN — The majority of the fall Chinook have moved out of the open fishing areas and into the tributaries for spawning. However there are still a few new, bright Chinook moving into the bay. These fish will move quickly through the bay on their way to spawning. Most of the effort is in the Coos River near Sause Brothers and at the Blossom Gulch tidegate at the boardwalk in downtown Coos Bay.

Crabbing in Coos Bay is still good. There are numerous Dungeness crabs just under the legal size limit. Many boats are coming back with limits or near limits of Dungeness crab. The best area is near the North Jetty inside the bay. Crabbing from the Charleston docks in Coos Bay has also produced legal Dungeness crabs. The best crabbing docks have been the B/C and D/E docks in Charleston. The best baits for crabbing are fish, chicken or turkey legs. The best time to crab is two hours before high tide through two hours after.

COQUILLE RIVER BASIN — A few new bright chinook have entered the Coquille River. Chinook are spread throughout the Coquille River from Rocky Point Boat ramp up to the fishing deadlines. There are a few chinook around the mouth of Ferry Creek and at the mouth of Sevenmile Creek.

Just a reminder that trout season closed in the Coquille River basin on Oct. 31. Also winter steelhead season will open above the temporary fall Chinook deadlines Saturday.

Crabbing has been good in the Coquille Estuary around Bandon. Legal Dungeness crabs are being caught from boats and the docks in Bandon. The best baits for crabbing are fish, chicken or turkey legs. The best time to crab is two hours before high tide through two hours after.

DIAMOND LAKE — Closed to fishing until April 25, 2009. Open for other winter sports.

ELK/SIXES RIVER — Chinook fishing has been pretty good at the mouths of both Elk and Sixes Rivers. Most anglers will be fly fishing or using bait such as eggs, sand shrimp or anchovies. Anglers should concentrate on the estuaries until river flows pick up and move chinook upstream.

GALESVILLE RESERVIOR — Galesville Reservoir is open to angling year-round. Galesville has been stocked with about 8,000 catchable size trout to date and the 25,000 sub-legal size trout stocked last fall are now legal-sized. Galesville was stocked in June with about 55,000 adipose-clipped hatchery coho which are now legal size. In Galesville Reservoir, all landlocked salmon are considered trout. Thus, there is a 5 per day trout limit, with only one trout over 20 inches in length allowed for harvest. Trout fishing should pick up as water cools this fall.

LEMOLO RESERVOIR — Closed to fishing until April 25, 2009. Open for other winter sports.

LOON LAKE — Fishing at Loon Lake has been very good lately for all panfish and largemouth bass. Loon Lake has been stocked with about 7,000 catchable trout plus some trophy trout to date. In addition, there were almost 6,000 sub-legal trout stocked last fall that are now 12 inches long and legal for harvest.

PACIFIC OCEAN AND BEACHES — Rockfish daily bag limit has returned to six fish and is open to the 40-fathom line. Sport anglers may still retain two lingcod but cabezon may no longer be retained by boat anglers.

ROGUE RIVER, LOWER — The Rogue Bay and lower river are continuing to turn out a few coho and chinook, although pressure is very light. Most of the fish are being caught by anglers fly fishing or drifting bait between the mouth of Indian Creek and Hwy 101 bridge. Anglers can expect this fishery to end when Rogue River flows increase.

Anglers fishing up river are side drifting salmon eggs, casting spinners or fly fishing.

ROGUE RIVER, UPPER — Fishing is slow and just a few steelhead were caught during the past week. One 28-inch hatchery steelhead was recently caught that weighed 8 pounds. Guide trips are getting a few steelhead on ugly bugs and dark colored nymphs. As of Nov. 10, the flow out of William Jess Dam (Lost Creek) was 1485 cfs and the outflow temperature was 43 degrees. As of Nov. 7 4,405 summer steelhead and 1,095 coho have been counted at Gold Ray Dam. Angling for chinook is closed above Gold Ray. Gold Ray Reservoir (not including the reservoir) upstream to the boat ramp at Shady Cove Park is restricted to artificial flies and lures, Nov. 1 through Dec. 31. Anglers can use bait between the ODFW markers below the Cole Rivers Hatchery fish ladder entrance and the boat ramp at Shady Cove Park starting Nov. 1. See synopsis for details.

SODA SPRINGS RESERVOIR — Soda Springs Reservoir remains open, but the tributaries upstream of Soda Springs closes for trout starting Nov. 1.

TOKETEE LAKE — Fishing is open in Toketee year-round, and the best fishing occurs early in the morning. The lake has both good bank and boat access throughout.

UMPQUA ESTUARY — Both sturgeon and striped bass fishing have been slow in the lower Umpqua. Good numbers of chinook and coho have been caught and fishing should improve with some rain.

UMPQUA RIVER MAINSTEM — Chinook fishing is fair but chinook caught are tending to be large. Several 40 – 50 pound chinook have been reported in recent weeks. A rain should get the fish moving. Remember the main stem Umpqua is closed to wild steelhead harvest, but remains open year-round for adipose fin-clipped steelhead. Good numbers of coho are being caught thru out the main. Open for adipose fin-clipped coho Aug. 1-Dec. 31. Starting Aug. 1, check special regulations for fall chinook.

UMPQUA RIVER, NORTH — The final count for spring chinook was 7,677 fish. As of Sept. 30, 124 coho and 5,826 summer steelhead have passed Winchester Dam. Remember that only adipose fin-clipped steelhead can be harvested on the North Umpqua. The North is open to catch and release trout fishing from the mouth upstream to Soda Springs Dam. Season opened for adipose fin-clipped coho on Aug. 1. There will be few fin-clipped coho returning to the North Umpqua this year since the hatchery program was discontinued in 2005. There will still be fin-clipped coho in the mainstem Umpqua. The North closed to chinook fishing on July 31 and will not re-open until Jan. 1.

UMPQUA RIVER, SOUTH — The South Umpqua is now closed to all angling and will remain closed until winter steelhead season opens Dec. 1.

WINCHESTER BAY — Fishing remains slow for sturgeon. Angling for both coho and chinook in the bay opened on Aug. 1. Only fin-clipped coho can be harvested and only one, non-fin-clipped chinook per day, five per year can be harvested. See special regulations for more details. Crabbing has been good.

RECREATIONAL SHELLFISH — The entire Oregon coast is open for recreational shellfishing. Always check for health advisories by calling the Oregon Department of Agriculture’s Shellfish line at 1-800-448-2474 for updates.

Crabbing has been a little slow but picked up recently.

Clamming effort in Coos Bay has slowed down but there are still lots a clams available. A couple of areas to try are Pigeon Point off the Cape Arago Highway and the Charleston Flat south of the Charleston Bridge.