Wednesday, July 22, 2015 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
7
Metolius River not affected by fishing restriction
The Metolius River will
remain open for angling under
normal hours, despite state-
wide restrictions enacted last
week.
Last Thursday, the Oregon
Department of Fish and
Wildlife curtailed fishing
hours on most of Oregon’s riv-
ers to avoid additional stress
on native fish already suffer-
ing from high water-temper-
atures and low stream-flows
from this year’s drought. The
cold, spring-fed Metolius was
among several reaches of
water exempted because they
are less prone to high-water
temperature risks.
The closure announcement
has caused some confusion
and alarm in the local fishing
community.
“While the ODFW emer-
gency closures on some riv-
ers in Oregon is not only big
news, it is also responsible
and a good thing to do on riv-
ers where salmon are dying,”
said Jeff Perin, of The Fly
Fisher’s Place in Sisters. “That
said, people around Bend and
Sisters are not understanding
the press releases and misin-
formation and rumor are run-
ning high.”
The Deschutes River
above Macks Canyon, the
Crooked River (from mouth
to Bowman Dam) and Tumalo
Creek are also exempted.
“Most of the Central
Oregon rivers we fish are
not effected by the ODFW
closures that were published
(July 16),” Perin noted.
“People are freaking out for
no reason. There is so much
misinformation circulating
about this closure thing I think
it is important to inform our
friends that fishing Central
Oregon is as good as it always
is. The water remains cold,
and flows are great. Come
fishing. Book a trip. Go on
your own. Whatever. Just
don’t get swept away from the
hype that is surging through
the news right now.”
Closures are as follows:
Effective Saturday, July
18, and until further notice,
all waterbodies defined as
streams in the 2015 Oregon
Sportfishing Regulations
are closed above tidewater
(where applicable) to fishing
for trout, salmon, steelhead
and sturgeon from 2 p.m. to
one hour before sunrise.
Angling for these species
is now prohibited at all times
in the Willamette River down-
stream of Willamette Falls,
including the Clackamas
River up to the Interstate
205 Bridge, the Multnomah
Channel and the Gilbert River.
The following sections of
the John Day River will also
have complete closures: The
mainstem of the John Day
River above Indian Creek
near Prairie City; the Middle
Fork of the John Day River
above Mosquito Creek near
the town of Galena; the North
Fork of the John Day River
above Desolation Creek and
Desolation Creek.
“Earlier this month, we
indicated that if these drought
conditions continued, we may
have to close or restrict some
fisheries,” said Mike Gauvin,
ODFW’s recreation fisheries
manager. “These are difficult,
but necessary actions to pro-
tect native fish already suf-
fering from extreme drought
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conditions.
“This doesn’t mean that all
fishing has to stop.” According
to Gauvin, most streams will
still be open in the early hours
when water temperatures
are cool, and there are many
great fishing opportunities in
lakes, reservoirs for hatch-
ery stocked rainbow trout,
warmwater fish, like small-
mouth bass or crappie, as well
as all of the ocean fisheries.
“As extreme weather
events become more frequent
due to climate change, we
need to be prepared for the
stress these conditions will
have on fish, wildlife and
their habitats,” Ed Bowles,
Fish Division administrator
said. “Planning for the effects
of these changing climatic
conditions presents a unique
challenge for us, yet we are
committed to doing our best
to enhance resiliency to cli-
mate change and avoid signif-
icant impacts on our natural
resources.”
ODFW already imple-
mented emergency regula-
tions on several other rivers.
In addition, trout stocking
schedules and locations have
been adjusted and some hatch-
ery fish have been released
early as a result of high water
temperatures. Elevated water
temperatures have led to
salmon, steelhead, and stur-
geon deaths in several rivers.
Gauvin encourages the
public to report sightings of
stranded fish, or other wildlife
distressed by drought, to the
department and to take pre-
cautions when fishing during
these drought conditions.
On days when tempera-
tures soar, anglers can do their
part to reduce the stress on
fish by adopting the following
measures:
• Fish early in day when
water temperatures are cooler.
• Use a thermometer to
check water temperatures fre-
quently. Stop fishing when
temperatures exceed 70
degrees.
• Consider changing loca-
tions to high-elevation lakes
or shaded streams near head-
waters. These places are often
cooler.
• Use barbless hooks so
you can release fish easily
without harming them.
• Use the appropriate gear
and land fish quickly. The
longer the fight, the less likely
the fish will survive.
• Keep the fish in the water
when you unhook it, and
cradle the fish upright until it
revives enough to swim away.
• Use your judgement. If
conditions where you want
to fish seem especially severe
(low, hot water), consider
fishing somewhere else where
water conditions are better.
• Check the regulation
update pages on the ODFW
website before you head
out to make sure temporary
emergency regulations have
not been put in place for the
waters you want to fish.
Gauvin recommends
anglers check the weekly
Recreation Report on the
ODFW website for updates on
stocking, water conditions and
boating access.
In addition to fish and
fishing-related actions, the
dry, warm weather could
increase the danger of wild-
fires. Wildland fires can
destroy hundreds, sometimes
thousands, of acres of habi-
tat. Late-season fires may
also affect hunting season
dates, hunting opportunities,
and the condition of winter
range for deer, elk and other
species. Fewer water-holes
means wildlife will have to
travel farther for water. Leave
wildlife access to water by not
camping at water sources.
Less water will also
increase competition for
placement of hunting blinds
amongst hunters. Setting up a
blind at a water-hole is a com-
mon and lawful practice, but
hunters are asked to be extra
considerate of other hunters
and wildlife this year. Also,
follow land managers’ regula-
tions and don’t set up blinds
too early or leave them indefi-
nitely. BLM allows hunting
blinds to be up for 10 days.
U.S. Forest Service requires
a permit and also has a time
limitation.
The Bureau of Land
Management does not allow
camping within 300 feet of
water sources; U.S. Forest
Service rules vary by forest
and area.
In the effort to raise aware-
ness of the dire conditions that
Oregon faces this summer,
Governor Kate Brown’s office
has created a website for more
information,www.drought.
oregon.gov, and launched the
“#ORdrought” campaign.