ReelNorthwestAnglers.Com

Very slow out there right now seems like the Chinook have a good case of lockjaw. The release of the water at Bonneville seems to have slowed the bite very similar to what happened this spring making things a bit frustrating. I did manage to hook into a decent fish in the lower columbia fishing with Double D this Saturday. It was a decent fish but came unbuttoned at the boat as we went to net it….Later in the day Todd got a really nice jack for the BBQ! Nice job Todd. It was a ton of fun anyways always good fishing with Todd. Also met a fellow named Paul who has a guide service in Mexico. Great guy and I am gonna head down to Sayulita Mexico in Sept. to chase Roosterfish. Double D gave it another try Sunday in the lower river as I went upstream chasing them. Again we had a quick hook up near Frenchman’s in the evening that came undone also. I plan on hitting another spot further up stream that is a good producer for me annually so I will report back tomorrow with the results… If your headed out and the tide is not an outgoing, or your fishing shallow like I am because of the water release try one of these. These look like a spinner but are boyant. I use these with good success in years when the tides don’t cooperate or if I’m fishing shallow water do to water being released like now. Check out the pic and leave a comment if you need help with making these.

Last year Jeff and I started an annual Father’s Day tradition of fishing for a half day on a local favorite river for springers. Its not a serious trip, but more of a get together for a couple of guy’s that have gotten so busy with everyday life and raising young families. This year was also very special because our good friend Jim Davis was able to join us making it a very well rounded crew. We have all fished together for almost two decades and have grown as individuals so much over the years. With all of us now having young ones running around the trips are less frequent of course, making this annual event even more well deserved…Boy has the fishing conversation changed over the years from being fish crazed bachelors to responsible parents. None the less a good time to be had!

Here is a beautiful spring Buck that we released. “Hey go make some babies its Father’s Day after all!”  Remember to use barbless hooks, a net that is easy on these guy’s, and LEAVE THEM IN THE WATER for a better chance at survival.

Well here are the regs for the upcomming coastal season and its pretty grim. Looks like I will be spending most of my season up on the Columbia or in the ocean. Gonna miss drifting the Tillamook streams this year…Its only gonna take a trip or two to get my season limits.

ODFW RESOURCES
News Releases for the year 2009
 Commission approves coastal coho, fall chinook seasons
June 5, 2009
SALEM, Ore. – The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission on Friday approved a wild coho salmon season for four coastal rivers this fall based on predictions of a large coho return to the coastal rivers and streams.
At the same time, the Commission adopted emergency regulations for the fall chinook salmon that close some rivers and reduce the harvest limits on many others. For the second year in a row biologists are predicting poor returns of fall chinook to Oregon’s coast.
Wild coho fisheries opening in September
Starting Sept. 1, anglers will be allowed to retain adult wild coho caught in the tidewaters of the Nehalem, Yaquina, Coos and Coquille rivers.
The new fishery is a culmination of good ocean conditions and strong conservation efforts that have improved salmon habitat over the past 15 years, according to Robert Buckman, ODFW district fish biologist.
Wild coho are still listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act, but conditions have improved enough that biologists believe modest harvest by sport fisherman will not put the population at risk.
“We think this strategy is consistent with conservation and sustainability of wild coho,” Buckman said, noting that a similar approach to coho fishing at Siltcoos and Tahkenitch lakes has worked well since it began in 2003. “The biology is very convincing that projected harvest rates do not present any significant risks to these coho populations.”
Anglers may retain up to one wild adult coho and one jack coho (coho smaller than 16 inches) per day, with a maximum of five adults and five jacks for the season, which runs through Nov. 30 or until a harvest quota of 4,000 fish is achieved. Each river has its own quota, ranging from 500 to 1,500 fish, and will close if that number is reached. The harvest limit is 6 percent of the total number of coho biologists expect will return to the four rivers this fall.
Chinook anglers will face reduced bag limits
While returns of coho salmon appear strong, biologists are predicting weak returns of fall chinook to coastal rivers and streams. In response, the newly adopted regulations were crafted to try to maximize fishing opportunity while protecting weak stocks.
“During the public comment period we heard over and over that people wanted us to keep as many rivers open as possible, even if it meant reduced bag limits,” said Ron Boyce, ODFW ocean salmon/Columbia River program manager. “We’ve been able to keep a full salmon season in most areas but anglers will have to pay special attention to the bag limit for the river they’re fishing.”
The coastal fall chinook season begins Aug.1 and continues through the end of the year.
This year, ODFW biologists have set river-by-river daily and seasonal bag limits based on the relative strength of the predicted return to that river. Harvest limits range from one adipose fin-clipped adult chinook per day and two fish for the season on rivers with weak stocks, to two fish per day and 10 for the season on rivers with more robust populations.
In addition, there is a seasonal limit of 10 non fin-clipped chinook salmon for all waters (Northwest and Southwest coastal rivers and open ocean terminal areas at the Elk and Tillamook rivers).
Three fisheries, the Nehalem and Winchuck rivers and the Chetco terminal area, will be closed to the harvest of chinook salmon.
Rivers with a bag limit of one per day and two per season: Siletz, Yaquina, Yachats, Alsea, Floras, Sixes, Hunter Creek, Pistol and Chetco.
Rivers with a bag limit of one per day and five per season: Necanicum, Tillamook Basin, Tillamook ocean terminal area, Nestucca, Salmon, Siuslaw, Umpqua, Coquille, Elk River and Elk ocean terminal area.
Rivers with a bag limit of two per day and 10 per season: Coos and Rogue.