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June 11, 2015
CLACKAMAS, Ore. – Anglers will be allowed to fish from a boat and other floating devices on a larger portion of the lower Sandy River under a temporary rule adopted by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The temporary rule is in effect from June 12 through August 15, 2015. It allows anglers to fish from floating devices throughout a 22-mile section of the river, from the mouth of the Sandy River upstream to the bridge at Ten Eyck Road (also known as the Revenue Bridge). Fishing from watercraft is normally prohibited upstream of the Oxbow Park boat ramp under permanent Oregon sport fishing rules.
Abnormally low water in the Sandy River this year is restricting fish movement in some parts of the river, making it challenging for anglers to target fish from the river bank, according to Todd Alsbury, ODFW fish biologist. ODFW now acclimates all spring Chinook in the Bull Run River, which concentrates returning fish between Dodge Park and the Revenue Bridge. ODFW hopes that opening this portion of the river to fishing from boats will improve the success of anglers in catching a hatchery spring Chinook or summer steelhead.
“We’ve got a pretty good run of springers coming into the Sandy this year,” said Alsbury. “Allowing anglers to target them from a floating device should improve their odds of catching fish.”
Like many water bodies around the state, the Sandy River is experiencing drought conditions this summer, with flows at their lowest levels in more than 20 years.
Anglers should be aware of the challenging boating conditions in this reach of the river and it is strongly recommended that only experienced boaters attempt to navigate this section of the river. Several rapids in the reach are Class IV and can be extremely dangerous at both low and high flow levels.
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