Document text
69 °F Forecast | Road Cams Tuesday, September 28, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Rogue Valley's Finest EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend September 16, 2004 Oregon sport-fishers can expect other changes By MARK FREEMAN Mail Tribune Bait bans on the Rogue River may have taken up the lion’s share of the public debate, but they were not the only changes in store for Oregonian sport-fishers in 2005. The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission also made it legal to possess filleted or otherwise processed fish like salmon and steelhead in the field, provided they have finished fishing for the day and have reached their vehicle. The change, which was recommended by Oregon State Police troopers, allows anglers to clean and possess game fish at fish-cleaning stations. The current rules said fish cannot be filleted until anglers reach their homes — even if they live outside Oregon. This was the most far-reaching change among a set of new rules the commission adopted Friday in Salem. The new rules begin Jan. 1. Another change for western Oregon is the lowering of the size limit of adult steelhead from 20 inches to 16 inches. Advertisement The change allows anglers to keep smaller "jack" steelhead as part of their daily limits. It mirrors the size limit used on the Rogue River since the early 1990s. Also in the Southwest Zone, the commission opened the main stem of the Umpqua River for winter steelhead similar to those on the Rogue. Umpqua anglers will be able to keep one wild winter steelhead a day, and up to five a year, from Jan. 1 through April 30. Year-round harvest of adipose fin-clipped steelhead will continue. The commission kept the restriction of a single, unweighted artificial fly July 1 through Sept. 30 in the North Umpqua’s flies-only section. However, the rest of the year, anglers now will be able to use weighted or unweighted flies, provided they have barbless hooks. For the past four years, anglers had to use unweighted flies year-round as a way to curb excess catch-and-release fishing on wild summer steelhead during hot summer months. Like the Rogue bait-ban change, the new rule was pitched as a compromise by opening fly-fishing to weighted flies when fall and winter water conditions are less stressful on wild steelhead. Like they did on the Rogue bait-ban proposals, the commission unanimously rejected three staff and public proposals to allow anglers to keep some cutthroat trout in some all-wild runs in north-coast streams. Catch and release fishing for these coastal cutthroat, however, will remain open. The commission also rejected requests to allow anglers to keep some grass carp in Devils Lake near Lincoln City. The fish were planted there to feed on weeds, and the commission panned harvest of them over concern that killing grass carp could cause a resurgence in water weeds there. Also, anglers can fish from boats on portions of the Sandy River beginning in January. Reach reporter Mark Freeman at 776-4470, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities