PACIFIC OCEAN AND BEACHES: bottomfish, surfperch, Dunganess crab

When the ocean has been “calm” fishing for rockfish, greenling and lingcod has been good. Fishing from shore for rockfish and greenling has been decent. Concentrate your fishing near rocky outcroppings and drop-offs.

Surfperch fishing has been decent if you can find a beach with smaller waves. Good baits to use for surfperch are sand shrimp or sand worms. Best fishing is typically on the incoming tides

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:  winter steelhead, spring chinook
Steelhead are still on the move, but lower flows and clearing water conditions having slowed the bite. Boat anglers are producing the best, with plugs the bait of choice.  Public bank access is really good on the Lower Rogue from Quosatana Creek campground to the old Mill Site just above tidewater. Boat anglers can launch their boats at the Port of Gold Beach, Lobster or Quosatana Creek campgrounds.  No reports of any spring chinook being caught, but usually around the first week of March anglers can expect springers to start showing up.

Rogue River flows

Rogue River, middle: steelhead
The river is low and clear. Side-drifting roe, watermelon corkies, and worms have been catching steelhead. The flow at Grants Pass on Feb. 22 was 1575 cfs. 

Rogue River, upper: steelhead
Steelhead fishing has been slow on the upper river. Side-drifting roe or egg patterns near the bank can be effective for steelhead. As of Feb. 15, a total of 3205 winter steelhead have been counted over Gold Ray Dam.
On Feb. 22, the flow out of Lost Creek Reservoir was 910 cfs and the flows at Gold Ray were 1399 cfs.

Rogue River, above Lost Creek Reservoir: trout
The Rogue River above Lost Creek Reservoir is closed to fishing. It will open again on April 24.

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 close to trout fishing from Nov. 1, 2009 until April 24, 2010.

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

Open for adipose fin-clipped steelhead and chinook from mouth to Spencer Creek and North Fork from mouth upstream to Johnson Creek. This area is also open to striped bass year-round, two fish per 24 hours, 24-inch minimum size. Fishing is also open 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 through April 30. 

SOUTH COAST STREAMS: trout

Trout season in the Umpqua tributaries, Smith River, South Umpqua, North Umpqua tributaries below Soda Springs Reservoir and Cow Creek basins are closed until May 22 when trout season re-opens. The mainstem Umpqua and mainstem North Umpqua to ½ mile downstream from Soda Springs Dam are open year-round for catch and release trout.

TENMILE Basin: steelhead, largemouth bass

Steelhead - Oregon Fish and Wildlife-

Fishing for steelhead in Tenmile and Eel creeks has been decent but has recently slowed down. Fishing near the acclimation sites (mouth of Saunders Creek and mouth of Eel Creek) have produced the most action. Many steelhead have also been caught in Eel Creek. The peak of the steelhead run into Tenmile and Eel creeks is typically later than the peaks in the neighboring rivers.

Fishing for largemouth bass in Tenmile Lakes has been slow. The colder water temperature in the lake will have the bass a little sluggish. Bass should be near the shorelines next to weedlines or fall trees. Use slow moving baits/lures until the water warms up.

TOKETEE LAKE: brown trout

Fishing is open in Toketee year-round. The lake has both good bank and boat access throughout. Fishing is slow.

UMPQUA ESTUARY: sturgeon, bass, chinook

Both sturgeon and striped bass fishing have been slow in the lower Umpqua. Crabbing has also slowed down recently. Sturgeon fishing tends to improve in February and March. 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 was stocked with over 4,000 trout in 2009. Other high lakes including Maidu, Bull Pup, Connie, Skookum (N. Umpqua), Calamut, Fuller, Wolf, Cliff, Buckeye, Linda, and Big Twin Lakes were stocked with fingerling brook trout in 2008. Brook trout stocked in 2008 are about 6-10 inches now in most lakes. In 2009, all lakes were again stocked with brook trout except Linda and Calamut which were stocked with rainbow trout fingerlings. These high lakes will remain open until snow closes the roads. 

UMPQUA RIVER MAINSTEM: steelhead, coho

Umpqua Basin Note:
The number of hatchery winter steelhead will start improving this winter. The number of 2-salt winter steelhead will still be relatively low due to rearing loses at the hatchery. However, the number of 1-salt hatchery steelhead will be about normal since over 90,000 South Umpqua hatchery steelhead were released in 2009. Angling opportunity and catch rates throughout the basin will also be good due to the strong wild steelhead population; however, only hatchery steelhead can be harvested. During the Umpqua Fishery Enhancement Derby a 32.5 inch long hatchery fish was caught.

Mainstem: steelhead
Remember the main stem Umpqua is closed to wild steelhead harvest, but remains open year-round for adipose fin-clipped steelhead. The recent warm rain helped move the steelhead throughout the basin. Angling has been good recently in the lower mainstem for catching and releasing wild steelhead. Please report anybody harvesting wild steelhead.

Umpqua River flows near Elkton

UMPQUA RIVER, NORTH: steelhead

Remember that only adipose fin-clipped steelhead can be harvested on the North Umpqua. Fishing has been good on the North. Through the middle of January nearly 1,500 winter steelhead had crossed Winchester Dam. 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: steelhead

The South Umpqua opened for winter steelhead on Dec. 1. Fishing is good and steelhead are being caught from Canyonville down to River Forks. Hatchery fish are already being caught in the Canyonville area by boat and bank anglers. The number of hatchery steelhead should start improving this winter. Last year 91,000 hatchery smolts were released and this year over 100,000 smolts should be released. From 1999 - 2006, the South Umpqua hatchery program released an average of 83,000 smolts. Most Umpqua steelhead come back as 2-salt fish, so while fishing for one-salt hatchery fish will be average, fishing for hatchery fish will improve even more in 2011 and 2012. Only adipose fin-clipped steelhead can be harvested.

South Umpqua River water levels near Riddle

WILLOW LAKE:  rainbow trout, largemouth bass, crappie, yellow perch, bullhead

Anglers should try using floating bait or worms. Casting lures or flies can also be effective. Fishing has been slow.

Black Rockfish - Oregon Fish and Wildlife-

WINCHESTER BAY: sturgeon, coho, rockfish

Fishing for sturgeon is slow. Crabbing has slowed down lately. Fishing for rockfish at the South Jetty has been productive recently. Surfperch fishing has also been good near the South Jetty and at Gardiner. Check with the Coast Guard for new deadlines in the lower Umpqua when the bar is closed (541-271-4847).

WINCHUCK RIVER:  steelhead

Public access is limited in the lower river, but there is plenty of opportunity on Forest Service property in the upper river. Anglers will want to check the regulations prior to fishing as there are deadlines and angling restrictions