community news
july20
2017
3
OSU Day at the
ODFW Asks Anglers to Give
Region’s Steelhead a Helping Hand Columbia County
Facing some of the lowest steel-
head returns on record, the Oregon De-
partment of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW)
has already curtailed steelhead fishing
seasons throughout the Columbia River
basin by adopting rolling season clo-
sures, reduced bag limits, and a night
angling closure for all species.
Additionally, ODFW is ask-
ing anglers to further help the region’s
steelhead by adopting ODFW’s best
handling practices when they’re out on
the water this summer.
“Positive voluntary efforts may
reduce the necessity for future manda-
tory regulations,” said Tucker Jones,
ODFW’s manager of Ocean Salmon
and Columbia River fisheries. “If a per-
son happens to intercept a wild steel-
head, or any steelhead during a reten-
tion closure period for that matter, it is
imperative that they do their utmost to
ensure its survival by using best han-
dling practices.”
ODFW lists best handling prac-
tices on Page 13 of the 2017 Oregon
Sport Fishing Regulations. These prac-
tices include:
• Use barbless hooks (even where not
required)
• Use tackle strong enough to bring
your fish in quickly
• Land fish as quickly and carefully as
possible
• Avoid removing the fish from the wa-
ter
• If taking a photo, cradle the fish at wa-
ter level and quickly take the picture
• Remove hooks quickly and gently
while keeping the fish under water
• Use long-nosed pliers or hemostats to
back out a hook
• If a fish is hooked deeply, cut the line
near the hook
• Revive fish (point them into slow cur-
rent or move them back and forth until
gills are working.
• When possible, let the fish swim out
of your hands
• Fish when it’s cool out – likely early
in the morning or late in the afternoon –
fishing is better and stress on fish is less.
Upriver summer steelhead fore-
casts are very low this year at approxi-
mately 119,000, compared to 5- and 10-
year average actual returns of 236,000
and 315,000, respectively. Wild up-
river summer steelhead forecasts are
low as well, with a forecast return of
just 34,000 fish versus the 5- and 10-
year average actual returns of 87,000
and 105,000, respectively. Snake River
wild “B” steelhead returns are the most
imperiled, with a forecast of just 1,100
fish.
With returns of steelhead so
low, another strategy is to not target
them and focus on other species, in-
cluding warm water species such as
bass, walleye, and pike minnow. These
species are not only fun to catch but
they also prey on juvenile steelhead and
salmon.
For more fishing ideas and
opportunities, please visit ODFW’s
online Fishing Resources Page http://
www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/fishing/.
Fair July 22, 2017
Come meet Benny the Beaver
on the promenade from 3 to 6 pm
on Saturday, July 22 with free photo
opportunities and to learn more about
the OSU Extension Service in your
community. At 7 pm, Benny will be
at the Rodeo Grand Entry – wear your
OSU gear! For more information,
contact
woody.davis@oregonstate.
edu or (503) 397-3462.
Publisher and Managing Editor
Scott Laird
503-367-0098
scott@vernoniasvoice.com
Contributors
Chip Bubl
Tobie Finzel
Shannon Romtvedt
Robert Schattschneider
Public Invited to
Comment on State
Transportation
Plan Draft
Photography
Scott Laird
Want to advertise?
Have an article?
Contact: scott@vernoniasvoice.com
The public is invited to review and com-
ment on the draft policies and strategies
in the new Oregon Public Transportation
Plan in an online open house at http://
optpfeedback.org. Input is being accept-
ed through August 31. The policies and
strategies are core elements of the plan;
when finalized they will guide invest-
ments locally, regionally and statewide
in services such as fixed-route bus lines,
door-to-door buses, streetcars, light rail,
transportation between communities and
more. Share your input now to help im-
prove these core elements of the plan!
For an overview of the plan and process,
see the project fact sheet at http://www.
oregon.gov/ODOT/Planning/Docu-
ments/OPTP-July-2017-Fact-Sheet.pdf.
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PO Box 55
Vernonia, OR 97064
503-367-0098
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Vernonia
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