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http://www.omniture.com --> Sections Home Page Local News AP News Blogs Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Multimedia Photo Gallery Readers Photo Gallery Sports Tempo Weather Road Cams Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Distinctly Northwest Readers' Choice Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Moving Here Movie Listings TV Listings Volunteer Customer Service Advertise With Us Media Kit Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map --> Email Story to a Friend March 8, 2007 Fishing and Hunting Report River Outlook ROGUE — The Rogue was holding its own river-wide despite fresh storm fronts dumping rains and dirtying the stream throughout the basin. But conditions remain good enough to make the upper Rogue the best bet for now. A combination of fresh winter steelhead and Wednesday's recycling of about 300 spawned-out summer steelhead from Cole Rivers Hatchery has the upper Rogue unusually steelhead-rich for early March. The water levels are high and will climb as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers juggles water-releases from Lost Creek Lake. But there's good color, which means focus on steelhead that are on the move. Roe and corkies or puffballs are the offering of choice. High flows make it tough for plugging, and don't forget worms and watermelon corkies right after the rain. Through March 1, 2,869 winter steelhead have been counted going over Gold Ray Dam. That's fairly good for this time of year, and there's also plenty of hatchery steelhead in the mix. Advertisement The Grants Pass area was just pulling into fishing shape Wednesday when the latest rains hit, so its availability is questionable. Flows weren't too high at 5,300 cubic feet per second, but the turbidity was 13 NTUs. That's about as dirty as you can get for steelhead fishing, but the turbidity was dropping and sometimes that can really trigger migration and a great bite on roe, corkies and sandshrimp. If recent rains reverse the cleaning trend, then it could be out of shape just as quickly as it pulled into shape. The lower Rogue was high and dirty, but plenty good for plunkers. A few fresh steelhead are in the mix. No spring chinook salmon have been verified caught in the lower Rogue, but a few anglers have been spooled and lost fish believed to be springers. Downstream from the hatchery to the mouth, anglers may keep one wild steelhead a day over 24 inches, and no more than five of those per season. Fin-clipped hatchery fish over 16 inches can be kept as adults, and up to two a day for those (except it's just one hatchery fish if you keep a wild steelhead that day). Many of the steelhead are cookie-cutter, 5-7 pounders for which the Rogue is famous. Some big steelhead in the 15-plus pound range, however, have been caught already this year. For daily flow reports out of Lost Creek Lake, call 800-472-2434. APPLEGATE — Fresh steelhead are present throughout the Applegate, and fishing has slowed thanks to high, dirty flows. No winter steelhead have reached the fish trap at Applegate Dam as of earlier this week. More fish are in the lower section, but the water is so much better for steelhead fishing farther upstream. The trick is to find the middle. When fishing improves, roe and spoons will work best, but don't shun worms and corkies. Fly-fishing will improve as the water level drops. All wild steelhead must be released unharmed, and no fishing from a floating device. Most of the Applegate is on private lands and access is limited. CHETCO — The river was flowing over 5,000 cubic feet per second Wednesday and rising, but the river had enough good color that guides were hitting four to six steelhead a day earlier this week. About 30-40 percent of the fish are fresh, with the rest either ready to spawn or spawned-out kelts headed back to the sea. Angler can keep one wild steelhead a day and up to five a year as part of their limits. Hatchery steelhead are less prevalent than wild steelhead. ELK/SIXES — Both rivers were up and rising Wednesday, but still in fishable shape for winter steelhead fishing. Winter steelhead are well-distributed throughout both rivers. The Elk and Sixes get a late splash of fish each February and March, and these steelhead are aggressive biters of plugs. ILLINOIS — The Illinois is high and muddy and out of shape for winter steelhead fishing. That pattern could continue as more rain and snow are forecast for the region. The trick will be when and how fast the snow melts. Freshet-like conditions could remain in place indefinitely. Virtually all the steelhead are wild and must be released unharmed. Also, no bait is allowed. UMPQUA — The main-stem Umpqua in the Roseburg area and the South Umpqua were rising and too dirty for steelhead fishing, and conditions could be poor until the weekend. When conditions improve, look for excellent steelhead fishing to continue on the South Umpqua, which has been one of Oregon's hottest steelhead streams this season. Steelhead also are moving into the North Umpqua as well, and the water is clean enough that some catches were coming in Wednesday. Sturgeon fishing has improved in the estuary now that more dirty water is sucking sturgeon into the bay. COOS — Steelhead fishing has slowed amid high, turbid water. The season runs through March. COQUILLE — The South Fork was high but fishable earlier this week, and new rains threaten to stall what has been a very good winter steelhead fishery this season. Fish plugs from driftboats, or small clusters of roe in deeper, slower water. Lake Outlook HOWARD PRAIRIE — The lake is closed to angling. HYATT — The lake is closed to angling. LOST CREEK — The lake's surface temperature has improved slightly, but conditions remain cold enough to keep the trout bite slow and but the freeze on smallmouth bass fishing. Bait-fishing upstream of Peyton Bridge remains fair at times despite an increase in inflows, but effort is very light. The fish are concentrated, so they might be tough to find. EMIGRANT — Winter weather conditions and regular winds have hampered trout fishing near the park and around the earthen dam. Cold water also has slowed the warmwater catches. A health advisory has been issued about eating all but trout from the lake because of elevated mercury levels. APPLEGATE — Trout fishing has remained poor for both legal-sized rainbow trout and stocked salmon, which tend to school at rocky points. Anglers can keep up to five rainbow trout or stocked salmon a day, but only one fish can be more than 20 inches long. Also, no bass between 12 and 15 inches can be kept, and only one bass larger than 15 inches can be kept. EXPO POND — One of the ponds near Gate 5 has been stocked with excess summer steelhead from Cole Rivers Hatchery. They are biting woolly buggers and small Panther Martin lures. Action is slow and the water is cold. Only one of these steelhead over 20 inches can be kept daily. KLAMATH/ AGENCY LAKES — Fishing for large Klamath trout has slowed throughout the lake during extremely cold weather conditions. Ocean Outlook The ocean outside of Brookings is forecast to be rough for the next few days and probably not good enough for bottomfishing or crabbing. Lingcod fishing has been excellent earlier this week outside of Brookings when weather allowed for easy passage. Dungeness crabs are very plentiful throughout South Coast estuaries, but the vast majority of crabs this season has been undersized. Perch fishing has been good off the beach at Kissing Rock near the mouth of Hunter Creek as well as the rock bay at Ophir. But wait for the surf to die down at least two days before trying again. The entire Oregon coast is now open for razor clams, bay clams, and mussels. Before doing any clamming, check for any updated 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 www.dfw.state.or.us/MRP/shellfish/razorclams online. Hunting Outlook JACKSON — Cougar hunters are reminded to buy a 2007 cougar tag. With low snow levels cougars tracks maybe easily located along ridge lines. Predator calls have been successful for cougars. Watchable Wildlife ROGUE — A covered viewing station on the Denman Wildlife Area provides a good opportunity to view waterfowl, egrets, raptors and songbirds. The structure was built by the Oregon Hunters Association and is accessed by a paved, wheelchair-accessible pathway. It is on Whetstone Pond, just north of the ODFW office. GENERAL — The Oregon Coast Birding Trail Guide at www.oregoncoastbirding.com is a Web site that highlights great birding opportunities all along the Oregon coast. It's divided into sections of coastline, and the north coast is only a click away from the main home page. Links to checklists and sponsors can be found on the home page as well. COAST — Gray whales are migrating south from the Bering Sea on their way down along the Pacific coast to the Baja area. Late December and early January is the peak of the migration season, but the migration continues through March. There are a number of excellent places to view the whales from. From north to south, including Harris Beach near Brookings and Cape Arago near Charleston. Binoculars are recommended. Advertisement Copyright © 1997-2007 Mail Tribune, Inc. 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