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Southwest Zone

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  FISHING

Large-mouth Bass -U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service-

Weekend fishing opportunities:

• Bass fishing has been good throughout the mainstem and South Umpqua River.
• Trout fishing has slowed in many rivers and streams with the onset of warm weather, but the fishing can still be good in smaller streams where there’s lots of shade to help keep waters cool.
• Surfperch fishing has been good in Winchester Bay.

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

Fishing for largemouth bass, black crappie, bluegill and other warmwater species should be good.

APPLEGATE RESERVOIR: trout, spring chinook, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass

The reservoir is stocked with legal-sized rainbow trout and juvenile spring chinook salmon. Anglers trolling deep at Applegate Reservoir had good success on trout and spring chinook last week. The fish were biting lightly, so a slow troll is required. The water temperature at the surface was 75F. Fishing for smallmouth bass is very good for boats casting along the shoreline. Approximately 2,200 largemouth bass have been stocked in Applegate in recent weeks to help restore numbers and the fishery. The reservoir is 77 percent full as of July 26.

APPLEGATE RIVER:  rainbow and cutthroat trout

The Applegate River is open to trout fishing. Only adipose fin-clipped rainbow trout may be kept. Releases from Applegate Dam are at 441 cfs on Monday morning, and the river temperature below the dam is 57F.

Applegate River flows at Wilderville  

ARIZONA POND:  rainbow trout

Trout fishing continues to be good, but weed growth is starting to make fishing a little tougher. The best time to fish is in the morning or evening when the fish are actively feeding. Flies, spinners, or a worm under a bobber all work really well. Angling is limited to youth 17 and under. Arizona Pond is located approximately half way between Gold Beach and Port Orford.

BEN IRVING RESERVOIR: rainbow trout, bass

Ben Irving Reservoir, west of Winston, was stocked in 2009 with 5,000 trout, including 1,000 weighing 1.5-2 lbs. This year over 4,000 trout have been stocked so far. In addition to trout, anglers should also try fishing for some of the large crappie that are available. Bluegill and yellow perch are also present.

Cutthroat Trout -Photo by Charlotte Ganskopp-

CHETCO RIVER:  cutthroat trout

Anglers are reminded that new regulations are in effect for the Chetco River mainstem. Starting Aug. 1 and running through Nov. 5 the mainstem of the Chetco River upstream of the BPA powerlines (river mile 2.2) is closed to all angling.  The tributaries are still open per the zone regulations.

Cutthroat fishing is good with the best fishing early in the morning. Fly fishing or tossing small spinners is producing the best.

Chetco River flows near Brookings

COOPER CREEK RESERVOIR: rainbow trout

Cooper Creek was stocked in 2009 with about 11,050 trout, of which 2,000 were 1.5-2 lbs each. Cooper Creek now has 9,800 trout stocked so far in 2010. Bass fishing is also picking up with a 7-pounder being caught recently.

COOS COUNTY LAKES: trout and bluegills

Trout fishing has slowed down but the best fishing will be in the mornings and late evenings.

Trout have been stocked in the Millicoma Pond at the Millicoma Interpretive Center and fishing there is excellent. Millicoma Pond is set aside for kids fishing only and is a great chance for them to hook into fish. Please call before traveling to Millicoma Pond to make sure the gates are open. The phone number is (541)267-2557. Trout have been biting on worms, small spinners, or flies. The 2010 trout stocking schedule is posted on the ODFW Web site. 

Bluegill and largemouth bass fishing is decent in many of the area lakes. The best fishing will be in the mornings and in the evenings. Bluegills will take small flies, small jigs or a small piece of worm on a hook under a bobber. Bass will take worms, spinnerbaits, or crankbaits. Lower Empire Lake has lots of small bluegills and a few big largemouth bass. Butterfield Lake (at the Coos County Riley Ranch) has lots of bluegills, warmouth (related to bluegills), and decent size bass.  

Rainbow Trout - Oregon Fish and Wildlife-

COOS RIVER BASIN: trout, rockfish, Chinook salmon, Dungeness crab, clams

Trout fishing in the bay and rivers is open. Fishing for trout has been slow in larger streams and decent in smaller streams. The best fishing will be in the mornings and late evenings near structure like logs or large boulders. Angling is restricted to artificial flies and lures in streams above tidewater. Cutthroat trout are biting on small streamers or spinners. The water temperatures in the larger streams/rivers are getting too warm for trout so concentrate your fishing efforts on small streams with lots of shade.      

Fishing for rockfish and greenling around the jetties in the lower bay has been good.  Be cautious when fishing this part of the bay because weather conditions can change quickly. A jig with a plastic twister tail is a good bait to use for rockfish, while a sand shrimp on or near the bottom will work great for greenling.  A few California halibut have been caught while anglers have been fishing for greenling and surfperch.

There have been no recent reports of Chinook salmon being caught in the bay but they should be showing up soon. The water temperatures on an incoming tide are dipping down into the upper 50s and there are lots of bait fish in the bay.

The Oregon Department of Agriculture and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife have extended the area closed to recreational razor clam harvesting to include the coast from Bandon north to Tillamook Head. The closure is due to elevated levels of domoic acid.

There are decent places to dig for bay clams even on positive low tides. Good places to dig for clams in Coos Bay are near Charleston, off Cape Argo Highway, and Clam Island. For more information on shellfish in Coos Bay click on the following link: Shellfish Assessment of Coastal Oregon. Before any shellfish harvest trip, make sure to check the Oregon Department of Agriculture website for any recent shellfish closures recent shellfish closures at http://oregon.gov/ODA/FSD/shellfish_status.shtml

Crabbing has been decent and improving for those crabbing from boats but slow for those crabbing from the docks. Red rock crabs are the main harvest from the docks. The best baits to use are fish, chicken or turkey legs.

COQUILLE RIVER BASIN: trout, chinook salmon

Trout fishing in the bay and rivers is open. Fishing for trout has been slow in larger streams and decent in smaller streams. The best fishing will be in the mornings and late evenings near structure like logs or large boulders. Angling is restricted to artificial flies and lures in streams above tidewater. Cutthroat trout are biting on small streamers or spinners. The water temperatures in the larger streams/rivers are getting too warm for trout so concentrate your fishing efforts on small streams with lots of shade.

A few more chinook salmon have been caught in the lower Coquille River this past week. Overall fishing for salmon in the Coquille River is slow. This is the beginning of the fall chinook run and fishing will get better in the next couple of months. 

DIAMOND LAKE: rainbow trout

Angling has been good with many people catching their limit. Most anglers are using PowerBait and spinners just off the bottom. Fish are ranging in size from 8 to over 20 inches long. Anglers are reminded that only one trout over 20 inches long can be harvested per day. Consult regulations if you wish to fish the inlet or outlet streams on Diamond Lake.  Contact the resort for the latest fishing news at 1-800-733-7593 ext. 238.

NOTE: As of July 15, Diamond Lake is currently under a health advisory due to high levels of algae found in the lake. Drinking, swallowing, and skin contact with water should be avoided. The public can still enjoy camping, hiking, biking, bird watching and fishing at the reservoir.  Fish caught in affected waters pose unknown health risks. If you choose to eat them, remove all fat, skin and organs before cooking because toxins are more likely to collect in these tissues. Boating is still an option at the reservoir, but speeds should be kept low enough to avoid spraying passengers with water. For additional information call the Umpqua National Forest at 541-225-6431 or log onto: www.fs.fed.us/r6/umpqua.   More information: www.healthoregon.org/hab

Rainbow Trout - Photo by Jim Walker-

EEL LAKE: trout, largemouth bass

Trout fishing is slow on Eel Lake. The lake surface water temperature is in the upper 60’s and trout fishing will be best in the morning or late in the evenings. Trolling wedding rings behind flashers has produced the most trout.

Fishing for largemouth bass is decent. Bass are concentrated near sunken trees and are biting on crankbaits, plastic worms, and spinnerbaits.

There is a maximum speed limit of 10 mph on Eel Lake.

ELK/SIXES RIVER:  cutthroat trout

Cutthroat fishing has been good. Anglers will want to fish early or late in the day for a chance at catching some of the bigger cutthroat that live in most of the holes in both rivers.
 
EMIGRANT RESERVOIR: rainbow trout, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, black crappie

Trout anglers will want to fish deeper areas of the lake, such as near the dam. Fishing for bass and panfish should be good. The reservoir is 75 percent full as of July 26.

Anglers should be aware that a health advisory has been issued recommending limits on consumption of all fish from Emigrant except rainbow trout. Information on the Emigrant Reservoir advisory, along with general information on mercury and fish can be found on the DHS Web site.

EXPO POND:  rainbow trout, largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill

Expo Pond is stocked with legal-sized rainbow trout, and fishing should be good for bass and panfish. The pond is located immediately adjacent to the access road at Gate 5 at the fairgrounds.

FISH LAKE: rainbow trout, brook trout, spring chinook

Fish Lake continues to produce good numbers of trout ranging in size from 8-13 inches, and boat anglers have done well still-fishing with bait.

Trollers often fish needlefish, wedding ring and worm combinations, panther martins, and any lure with fluorescent reds and greens. Anglers fishing bait will catch trout on PowerBait, Velveeta cheese, and worms.

Juvenile spring chinook salmon have been stocked in Fish Lake as part of a pilot project. ODFW is releasing the fish to see if they will feed on the exotic tui chub and fathead minnows in the lake, grow to a large size, and add to the diversity of angling opportunity in the Rogue Valley. Some of the fish are nearing legal size, and should be entering the fishery this year.

Fish Lake is 63 percent full as of July 26.

FLORAS LAKE: rainbow trout, cutthroat trout

Expect fishing to pick up a little this week with the addition of some one pound trout. Bank access is limited, so most anglers launch a boat at Boice Cope County Park. Slow trolling wedding ring spinners or fly fishing are pretty effective. 
 

Rainbow Trout - Photo by Roger Smith-

GALESVILLE RESERVIOR: rainbow trout, bass

Galesville Reservoir is open to angling year-round. In addition to trout, the reservoir has also been stocked with coho smolts the last couple years. Coho stocked last year are about 12 to 14 inches long now and have been biting recently. About 13,000 more coho smolts were stocked this spring. They should be legal-sized this summer. All of the coho smolts have been adipose fin-clipped. In Galesville Reservoir, all landlocked salmon are considered trout. Thus, there is a five per day trout limit, with only one trout over 20 inches in length allowed for harvest. Galesville was also stocked with about 1,000 adipose clipped steelhead that are 8-inches long. To date Galesville has been stocked with about 8,000 legal sized trout. Anglers are reminded all bass between 12 and 15 inches must be released, and only one bass over 15 inches may be taken per day. Galesville now has a campground. Call 541-837-3302 for information on camping and boat launching conditions.

GARRISON LAKE: rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, bass

Anglers fishing along the foredune have been catching limits of trout.  The best way to access the foredune is thru Tseriadun State Park. Boat anglers fishing for trout are having a tougher time getting to the fish through all the weeds. If anglers don’t want to fish for trout, they should try fishing for largemouth bass. 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.
 
HALL LAKE: cutthroat trout, largemouth bass

There are decent-sized cutthroat trout in Hall Lake. The best fishing is will be in the mornings or late evenings trolling spinners or small flies from a small boat or float tube. Hall Lake is deep and there is no boat ramp.

There are quite a few small largemouth bass that cruise the shoreline and sunken trees in the lake. Small jigs or small crankbaits will work best for catching bass.

HEMLOCK LAKE & LAKE OF THE WOODS: trout

Hemlock Lake was stocked with 1,000 trout and Lake of the Woods with 100 trout last week. Lake of the Woods has been stocked with 1,431 fish and Hemlock had been stocked with 7,017 in 2010 so far. Both lakes should offer good fishing.

HERBERT’S POND: rainbow trout, warmwater fish

Herbert’s Pond is a small pond just east of Canyonville on Tiller Highway. The pond has a good warm water fishery for kids including bluegill, crappie, and bass. The pond has very good bank access. Weeds are starting to make angling difficult in spots. Fishing will remain difficult until fall rains occur.

24" rainbow trout -Photo by Jessica Sall-

HOWARD PRAIRIE RESERVOIR:  trout, bass

Howard Prairie continues to produce trout for anglers despite the hot weather.  Most anglers interviewed by ODFW last week were fishing in the morning with either yellow or green floating bait. Several limits were reported and the overall success rate was 0.6 trout per hour. Catches included some fish between 15-18 inches.  Some anglers continue to troll for trout with either a Tazmanian Devil or flasher and lure/bait combinations.

The Willow Point boat ramp is closed due to construction. Bass, brown bullhead, and pumpkinseed are also available.  Howard Prairie is 73 percent full as of July 26.

HYATT LAKE:  trout, largemouth bass

Hyatt Lake is stocked with rainbow trout. Trollers using green wedding ring and worm combinations have caught trout.  Bait anglers have reported using glitter PowerBait.

Fishing for largemouth bass is very good. Hyatt is managed to provide fisheries for both rainbow trout and largemouth bass, but a large population of small-sized bass has dominated the lake in recent years. The fish are 7-8 inches in length. For anglers who keep bass, these small bass offer a good chance to take some bass home for the table. The fish are easy to catch in the warm summer months, and present a nice family fishing opportunity. Anglers may keep up to five bass per day. Hyatt is 83 percent full as of July 26.

ILLINOIS RIVER:  trout, steelhead

The Illinois River is open to the harvest of adipose fin-clipped rainbow trout and steelhead.

Illinois River flows at Kerby  

LAIRD LAKE:  rainbow trout

Located about 25 miles up Elk River, Laird Lake is an excellent place to catch a few trout. The lake is small and filled with lots of downed timber. Bank access is pretty good. Elk River Hatchery is located on the road to Laird and is good place to stop and take a quick tour.

LAKE MARIE: rainbow trout

Lake Marie is at Umpqua Lighthouse State Park near Winchester. About 4,000 trout were stocked during 2009. The lake has already received 4,505 trout for 2010, including 1,000 stocked 2 weeks ago. Anglers using PowerBait have been successful recently.

LAKE SELMAC: trout, largemouth bass, bluegill, and crappie

Fishing for largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, and brown bullheads has been good.  Anglers are reminded that long casts are not always needed to catch fish. Many of the warmwater fish species can be found close the bank at Lake Selmac and other lakes. 

Rainbow Trout - Photo by Roger Smith-

LEMOLO RESERVOIR: rainbow trout, brown trout

Recently anglers have reported catching limits of browns and rainbows at Lemolo by trolling from 8 to 71 feet deep. Small spinners, wedding rings, hot wings, and Vance's dodgers with a crawler reportedly worked extremely well.  Anglers are reminded that only one trout over 20 inches long can be harvested per day.

Lemolo Reservoir is currently under a health advisory due to high levels of algae found in the lake. Drinking, swallowing, and skin contact with water should be avoided. The public can still enjoy camping, hiking, biking, bird watching and fishing at the reservoir.  Fish caught in affected waters pose unknown health risks. If you choose to eat them, remove all fat, skin and organs before cooking because toxins are more likely to collect in these tissues.Boating is still an option at the reservoir, but speeds should be kept low enough to avoid spraying passengers with water. For additional information call the Umpqua National Forest at 541-225-6431 or log onto: www.fs.fed.us/r6/umpqua.  For additional information on access or fishing contact Lemolo Lake Resort at 541-634-6842. 

LOON LAKE: rainbow trout, bass

Loon Lake has received over 9,297 legal-sized trout to date, including 1,800 fish two weeks ago. The lake was also stocked with some fingerlings last year that should be legal-sized now. Loon Lake Resort is open, and the BLM and resort boat ramps are open. Bass and bluegill fishing has also been good recently at Loon Lake.

LOST CREEK RESERVOIR: rainbow trout, spring chinook, bass

Lost Creek has produced some trout limits recently for anglers fishing in the morning by the dam and above the bridge. Trollers fishing wedding ring and worm combinations fished deep had success, although the fish are biting sluggishly.  Approximately 1,000 larger trout were stocked at the upper end of the reservoir last week. Trollers often fish wedding ring and worm combinations behind flashers. Powerbait and nightcrawlers can also be successful. The reservoir is 81 percent full and the surface temperature is 76F. Bass fishing should be good.

MEDCO POND:  rainbow trout, largemouth bass, bluegill

Fishing for largemouth bass and bluegill should be good.

PACIFIC OCEAN AND BEACHES: bottomfish, greenling, salmon

The ocean has been rough and very windy making fishing very difficult.

Fishing for rockfish and lingcod has been excellent when the ocean has been “calm.” Fishing from shore for rockfish has been fair. Concentrate your fishing near rocky outcroppings and drop-offs.  Fishing for rockfish and lingcod is now restricted to inside 20 fathoms. Also, retention of cabezon is no longer allowed because the harvest cap for the year is close to being met.

Fishing for greenling has been good especially when fishing around rocky shorelines with some kelp growing near by. Sand shrimp is an excellent bait to use. 

Chinook salmon and fin-clipped coho salmon seasons are open in the ocean. Fishing is slow mainly due to the rough ocean.

Large-mouth Bass -U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service-

PLAT I RESERVOIR: rainbow trout, warmwater game fish

Bass can be harvested from Mar. 1 to Oct. 31. Plat I was stocked with 4,500 trout in 2009. To date nearly 4,000 trout have been stocked.

REINHART POND:  rainbow trout, warm water fish

Reinhart Pond is stocked with rainbow trout, but anglers should concentrate on bass and panfish during the warm summer months. Nightcrawlers, small spinners and spoons should catch fish.

ROGUE RIVER
To find out more about conservation, management and outreach efforts on the Rogue River, check out the new Rogue River page on the ODFW Web site.

Rogue River, lower:  chinook, summer steelhead

Chinook fishing has been pretty slow. Most of the fish are being caught downstream of Highway 101. The bait of choice is a straight anchovy or anchovy with a spinner blade in front of it. Anchovies are in short supply, so anglers may want to bring some with them when they come. Summer steelhead fishing has been slow as river flows have dropped and water temperatures in the lower river have been steadily climbing. 

Each year ODFW seines the Rogue River at Huntley Park (approximately 8 miles upstream of highway 101) from July 15 to Oct. 31 to monitor salmon and steelhead migrating upstream. Anglers wanting to fish the Rogue will find this information valuable in planning when to fish. ODFW will post this information every two weeks starting July 31. Click here to see the most current counts.
      
Rogue River flows

Rogue River, middle: chinook salmon, steelhead

Some bright chinook are passing through the middle Rogue, and summer steelhead are available. The flow at Grants Pass on July 26 was 1740 cfs and the water temperature was 70oF. Trout and steelhead have been biting small spinners, Panther Martins, and copper colored lures. 

Steelhead -Oregon Fish and Wildlife-

Rogue River, upper: chinook salmon, steelhead, trout

Upper river anglers have several options for summertime fishing. Anglers have had success on early run summer steelhead, and spring chinook continue to enter the upper river. In addition, fishing for adipose fin-clipped rainbow trout has been very good. Trout anglers should try small copper colored spinners, flies, or worms.

As of June 30, a total of 1,687 summer steelhead and 16,678 spring chinook have been counted over Gold Ray Dam. Summer steelhead and spring chinook continue to enter Cole Rivers Hatchery in good numbers.

As listed in the 2010 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations, angling for spring chinook in the river above Dodge Bridge ends July 31. The Rogue River from Gold Ray Dam up to Dodge Bridge is open for chinook, including the harvest of nonadipose fin-clipped spring chinook salmon from July 1 through Aug. 31. This is the first year that anglers will be able to try this new angling opportunity.

Jackson County has closed access to the river from a point 1,000 feet above Gold Ray Dam to a point 500 feet below the dam to accommodate work to remove the dam.  The change should not significantly affect anglers fishing below the dam.  

On July 26, the flow out of Lost Creek Reservoir was 2200 cfs, and the flow at Gold Ray was 2240 cfs. The river temperature was 54oF at the reservoir outflow and averaged 62oF at Gold Ray Dam.

Rogue River, above Lost Creek Reservoir: trout

The premier summer trout fishery in the Rogue watershed is the river above Lost Creek Reservoir. This section of the river will be stocked weekly with rainbow trout through Labor Day, and excess large trout averaging ¾ pound were released at most sites last week. Most campgrounds and high use public access sites are stocked, and a map of stocking sites is available. Naturally produced trout are available in tributary streams, along with the South Fork and Middle Fork Rogue River for anglers wanting to fish more secluded areas. Brook trout dominated the tributaries of the upper Rogue, but rainbow, cutthroat and some brown trout are also available. A recent trip by fly anglers produced good numbers of rainbows and some brook trout on wet and dry flies.

SODA SPRINGS RESERVOIR: brown and rainbow trout

Open year round for trout fishing. The North Umpqua mainstem and the tributaries upstream of Soda Springs Reservoir opened April 24, 2010. The gate to Soda Springs Reservoir has been closed for construction so access is off the Medicine Creek Road. The reservoir is partially closed. A line of buoy markers indicates the where the upstream end of the reservoir is still open for recreational activities. For additional information call the Forest Service at 541-672-6601. 

SMITH RIVER: striped bass, trout, fall chinook, steelhead

The Smith opened for adipose fin-clipped steelhead and chinook from mouth to Spencer Creek and North Fork from mouth upstream to Johnson Creek on May 22. This area also opened for catch-and-release trout fishing on May 22. However, this area is open to striped bass year-round, two fish per 24 hours, 24-inch minimum size. Fishing for fin-clipped steelhead on the mainstem Smith from Spencer Creek upstream to Sisters Creek and the North Fork from Johnson Creek to bridge 10 closed April 30. This area opened to catch-and-release trout fishing with artificial flies and lures on May 22. 

Rainbow Trout -Washington Fish & Wildlife -

SOUTH COAST STREAMS: trout

Trout season in the mainstem Umpqua, mainstem tributaries, Smith River, South Umpqua, Cow Creek, North Umpqua, and North Umpqua tributaries below Soda Springs Reservoir opened May 22. Check regulations for gear and boundary restrictions.

SPAULDING POND:  trout

Spaulding Pond is stocked with legal-sized rainbow trout.

TENMILE Basin: trout, largemouth bass

Fishing for trout in Tenmile lakes has slowed down and the best fishing will be in the mornings and late evenings. Trolling spinners or wedding rings has been producing fish.  Fishing a nightcrawler just off the bottom is also producing a few trout. Most fish have been 8 to 15-inches long with an occasional fish over 15 inches. 

Fishing for largemouth bass is decent. Bass can be found in both shallow water along the weedlines and deep water along other cover. A couple anglers reported bass are holding in pockets of open water within and/or near heavy vegetation.  Bass are biting on crankbaits, jigs, plastic worms, topwater and spinnerbaits. Best fishing is in the mornings and evenings. The water temperature is in the upper 60s.

TOKETEE LAKE: brown trout

Fishing is open in Toketee year-round. The lake has both good bank and boat access throughout. Fishing is slow. The nearby Lemolo Two Forebay was stocked recently with some rainbow and brown trout.

UMPQUA ESTUARY: sturgeon, striped bass, chinook

Ocean chinook fishing out of Winchester Bay is starting to pick up. The South Jetty has continued to provide good rockfish angling. Surfperch fishing has been spotty above Winchester Bay. Crabbing continues to improve. Both sturgeon and striped bass fishing have improved recently in the lower Umpqua. Check with the Coast Guard for new deadlines in the lower Umpqua when the bar is closed (541-271-4847).

UMPQUA HIGH LAKES AND FOREBAYS: trout

Clearwater Forebay #2 has been stocked with over 4,500 trout so far this year. Red Top Lake above Myrtle Creek also has been stocked with legal-sized trout recently, for a total of 1,500 fish stocked this year.

Other high lakes including Maidu, Bull Pup, Connie, Skookum (N. Umpqua), Calamut, Fuller, Wolf, Cliff, Buckeye, Linda, and Big Twin Lakes are annually stocked with fingerling brook trout. Over 11,000 fish were stocked in 2009 and should be legal-sized now. Over 15,000 fish were stocked in 2010 and will be catchable next season. Linda and Calamut were stocked with rainbow trout fingerlings in 2009 and 2010 instead of the normal brook trout. Anglers have reported catching some of these rainbows at Calamut. Both Linda and Calamut received some additional rainbows during mid-July 2010, with about 60 to 70 legal sized fish going into each of these two lakes.

UMPQUA RIVER

Umpqua Basin Note:

Trout season in the mainstem Umpqua, mainstem tributaries, Smith River, South Umpqua, Cow Creek, North Umpqua, and North Umpqua tributaries below Soda Springs Reservoir opened May 22. Check regulations for gear and boundary restrictions.

Huge Buck Chinook Salmon -Oregon Fish and Wildlife-

UMPQUA RIVER, MAINSTEM: steelhead, chinook, bass

Remember the mainstem Umpqua is closed to wild steelhead harvest, but remains open year-round for adipose fin-clipped steelhead. Please report anybody harvesting wild steelhead to OSP. Chinook fishing is open year round for 2 adults per day (wild or finclipped) and 5 jacks (15 to 24 inches).  Bass fishing is good throughout the mainstem.

Umpqua River flows near Elkton

UMPQUA RIVER, NORTH: steelhead, spring chinook

More summer steelhead will be entering the North Umpqua with 1,129 summers, 19 cutthroat, and 10,227 spring chinook having crossed Winchester Dam as of June 22.  Fly fishing has been successful swinging traditional flies, muddlers and leech patterns.

Remember that only adipose fin-clipped steelhead can be harvested on the North Umpqua. There is a North Umpqua summer steelhead hatchery program, so the number of fin-clipped steelhead available for harvest should increase as summer approaches. Chinook fishing in the North Umpqua closes July 31. The North is open to catch-and-release trout fishing from the mouth upstream to Soda Springs Dam.

North Umpqua River water levels at Winchester Dam

UMPQUA RIVER, SOUTH: trout, smallmouth bass

The South Umpqua is open to trout and smallmouth bass fishing. The South and its tributaries are open from Jackson Creek downstream to the mouth. Jackson Creek and above is closed to angling. Tributaries to the South Umpqua, plus Cow Creek and its tributaries require the use of artificial flies and lures. Bait is allowed in the mainstem South. Bass fishing in the South is good.

South Umpqua River water levels near Riddle

WILLOW LAKE:  rainbow trout, largemouth bass, black crappie, brown bullhead

Willow is stocked with rainbow trout, and warmwater game fish are also available.  Fishing should be good. Anglers are reminded that the Department of Human Services blue-green algae warning for Willow Lake is still in effect. The Jackson County Campground is open.

Coho Salmon -Photo by Rick Swart-

WINCHESTER BAY: sturgeon, coho, rockfish

Ocean fishing for chinook is starting to improve. Crabbing has also improved lately. Fishing for rockfish at the South Jetty has been productive recently. Various surfperch fishing has been good lately including redtail and pink surfperch. Anglers can fish for these surfperch via boat up to Gardiner or try surf fishing off beaches or jetty and harvest up to 15 in aggregate per day. Check with the Coast Guard for new deadlines in the lower Umpqua when the bar is closed (541-271-4847).

WINCHUCK RIVER: cutthroat trout

Anglers are reminded that new regulations are in effect for the Winchuck River mainstem. Starting Aug. 1 and running through Nov. 5 the mainstem and estuary of the Winchuck River is closed to all angling. The tributaries are still open per the zone regulations.

Cutthroat fishing is good. The best areas for fishing access are either in the estuary or up on Forest Service property.

OREGON COAST

Always check for health advisories by calling the Oregon Department of Agriculture’s Shellfish line at 1-800-448-2474 for updates.
Razor clams and current status of particular areas

Crabbing has been good. Crabbing from public docks or boat if available is a great opportunity for families to catch a delicious dinner. Kids often enjoy sorting out the smaller crab that can be abundant. Public crabbing docks can be found in Winchester Bay, Bandon, Charleston, and Empire.

Clamming. The Oregon Department of Agriculture has closed all recreational razor clam harvesting from Bandon north to Tillamook Head due to elevated levels of domoic acid. All recreational mussel harvesting remains open. The consumption of whole recreationally harvested scallops is not recommended. However, coastal scallops are not affected by this closure when only the adductor muscle is eaten.

Before any shellfish harvest trip, make sure to check the Oregon Department of Agriculture website for any recent shellfish closures recent shellfish closures at: http://oregon.gov/ODA/FSD/shellfish_status.shtml.

Always check for health advisories by calling the Oregon Department of Agriculture’s Shellfish line at 1-800-448-2474 for updates.

• Razor clams and current status of particular areas
• Bay clams

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  HUNTING

Cougar in a Tree - Photo by David Bronson-

OPEN: COUGAR and BEAR (opens Aug. 1)

Use the new and improved Oregon Hunting Map to see where to hunt.

DOUGLAS COUNTY

General BEAR season opens Aug. 1.  Hunters can expect an average year. The dry weather conditions will concentrate bears near streams where foraging will be better. Hunters should concentrate their efforts in the berry patches in early morning and late afternoon. Bear numbers are good with the highest numbers in the coast range, and with smaller populations in the Cascades. Successful bear hunters are reminded there is a mandatory check-in for all harvested bear within 10 days of harvest (see regulations for details). 

The COUGAR season is currently open. 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 with high deer populations using a predator call.

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.

COOS COUNTY

COUGAR seasons are now open year round in Oregon until quotas for specific zones are filled. Refer to page 41 of the 2010 Oregon Big Game Regulations for more information. Most successful cougar hunters find their success by scouting for deer and elk and looking for places where these animals congregate. Cougars can, at times, be found near these concentrations. Hunting with predator calls in areas where deer and elk are plentiful is often the most successful way to hunt cougars.

COYOTE populations are good in Coos County and they will respond to calls. However, calling coyotes on the coast range is challenging due to brush.

Bull Elk Grazing -Oregon Fish and Wildlife-

JACKSON, JOSEPHINE, CURRY COUNTIES

Wildlife pre-scouting: Now is the time for archers to begin there annual pre-scouting trips to the woods. Aug. 30 is not far away; hunters should be spending this next month locating the elk and deer herds. Much of the animals found now will be in that general location come opening season. High elevations are the place to look. Besides, it’s a great time to be in the woods to avoid most of the heat found in the valleys.

General BEAR season opens Aug. 1. Hunters can expect an above average year.  Bear numbers appear to be abundant. The coast range has the highest densities with the Cascades densities remains high this year. Due to the hot dry weather bears will be found around cooler wet drainages. As the berry crops become ripe hunters should locate these areas to find bears. The best times to look for bears are in the early morning and late evenings. Successful bear hunters are reminded there is a mandatory check-in for all harvested bear within 10 days of harvest (see regulations for details). 

COUGAR general season is state wide for the complete year or until zone quotas are met. Refer to regulations for more information.

COYOTES are abundant in our area. Hunters should have good success with calling. Focus on areas of known prey base and use calls based on that. Remember to ask for permission to hunt on private lands.  

WESTERN GRAY SQUIRREL season is only open in a select area of the Rogue unit; refer to the regulations for more detail. Much of this area has high numbers of squirrels. This is a great animal to hunt for first time hunters.

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  VIEWING

Double-crested Cormorant - Photo by Greg Gillson-

Coos County

Egrets, Herons and Cormorants

It is nesting season for egrets and cormorants in Oregon. These birds nest in traditional rookeries. In some cases, all three species nest in the same rookery and in others they nest alone. Locally rookeries can be seen next to the mouth of Catching Slough, near Glasgow and near Clausens’ Oysters and other locations in the Coos Bay area. Also, a large rookery exists on Bolon Island near Reedsport.   

Black Bears

Black bears are very active now due to the fact that they are entering the breeding season. Bears can be seen moving around near feeding areas in late evening. In mid day bears will be inactive or in heavy cover where viewing them will be difficult. Most bears are feeding heavily on grass and the growing tips of brush. Good places to see bears are in clear cuts that are a few years old where brush and grass is well established and in natural forest clearings like land slide areas.

Yearling bears are becoming independent at this time of year. They can often be seen walking down forest roads or out in clear cuts as they try to establish territories. Many of these bears are small—much less that 100 lbs. in size. Some people think they are orphaned cubs but in reality they are not. These bears can be relatively easy to find if you watch clear cuts during twilight hours.

Elk Calves and Deer Fawns

Elk calves are becoming active and visible. Now is a good time to go to Dean Creek Elk Viewing Area to see calves following their mothers. These young animals will be most visible in early morning or late evening. Be aware that Bureau of Land Management (BLM) staff will be burning grass on many Dean Creek properties in the next few weeks. This is done to improve soil and forage for the benefit of elk. During burning activities viewing opportunities will be limited.

Deer fawns are also very active now. They may be seen around the edge of clear cuts in early mornings or late evening. To see them, locate their mothers and watch the does for several minutes. Fawns will reveal themselves eventually. 7/13/10.

California Quail - Photo by Charlotte Ganskopp -

Douglas County

Gamebirds

The young chicks of California and mountain quail, blue and ruffed grouse, wild turkey and pheasants are now being seen throughout the county. Coveys of California quail are common on the Umpqua Valley floor usually associated with blackberry cover and water.  Many blue and ruffed grouse and their young are found in mid to high elevation forested areas in our local mountains. Wild turkeys and their poults are very common throughout the Umpqua Valley usually on private lands in oak savannah habitat.  Most pheasants are found in central Douglas County associated with pastures and ranches.

Osprey

Osprey chicks are starting to fledge (leave nests) in Douglas County. Our county has over 250 nesting pairs. Locate their classic large stick nest usually on a dead tree or electric pole near a river, creek or lake. Then, look for the nestlings standing on the edge of the nest practicing their lift by flapping their wings just before they take flight. 

Fish Passage

Now is a good time to see Summer Steelhead migrating upstream passing through Winchester dam fish ladder on the N. Umpqua River which is open to the public. To view the migrating Steelhead go to exit 129 on I-5, proceed southeast on 99 to the fish ladder on the north side of the river.

Jackson County

Baby Season

Quail and grouse broods are now being seen on backcountry and mountain roads.  If you are traveling early in the morning and late in the evening, you may come upon a covey of mountain or California quail or perhaps rough or blue grouse with a brood of young tagging along. They are often seen along roads that have several springs or creek crossings. You may also see a brood of turkeys.

On the Coast

Shorebirds are currently migrating north and can be observed on area beaches and the Rogue Bay. Ospreys are actively fishing in the Rogue estuary and also nesting on the Lower Rogue. Several nests are observable from the Jerry Flat Road along the Rogue River.

Brown Pelican - Photo by Kathy Munsel -

California brown pelicans

California brown pelican numbers are increasing along the coast. Many of these birds are migrating up the coast to summer here and farther north. When conditions are windy, as they commonly are in summer on the coast, these birds will fly very close to beaches and will occasionally congregate behind jetties and other points to rest. These resting flocks can be hundreds strong, creating a great viewing opportunity. Bring your binoculars.
ODFW Denman Wildlife Area

Ospreys are active on the Denman Wildlife Area. There are at least two nests around Whetstone pond. They can be seen circling above ponds and diving into the water to collect fish for them and there young. Several types of swallows are beginning to nest in the bird boxes around the Denman Wildlife area office.

Denman Wildlife Area near Central Point provides water developments for migrating and nesting waterfowl as well as habitat for upland birds. The area features a self-guided interpretive trail and excellent wildlife viewing opportunities. Reminder to wildlife area visitors: please keep your dogs under control to protect birds nesting on the area. From I-5: Take exit 33 at Central Point. Travel east on Pine Street to Table Rock Road. Turn left (north) on Table Rock Road to E. Gregory Road. Turn left at the wildlife area headquarters sign.

Lost Creek Lake

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