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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (April 8, 2017)
SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ SATURDAY, APRIL 8, 2017 3 B ODFW to ‘harrass’ cormorants and protect young fish Harassment, or “hazing,” of double-crested cormorants is set to begin soon in several areas along the Oregon Coast in an effort to improve survival of juvenile salmon. Double-crested cormorants are fish-eating waterbirds that occur throughout the state. The species is an Oregon native, and is particularly prevalent on the state’s estuaries during April through October. Research indicates cor- morants can consume signifi- cant numbers of juvenile salmon during this time period. To reduce the threat to young fish, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) is Fishing from 1B the Wilson should be dropping into prime shape by mid-week working with several nonprofit and local governmental organi- zations to haze cor- morants on six coastal estuaries over the next two to four months. Hazing will involve driving the birds from locations where juvenile salmon are seasonally concentrated, toward areas where non-salmon fish species are more abundant. Workers will use boats and, on some estuaries, small pyrotechnics, to accomplish the task. Hazing is intended to increase the survival of both wild-spawned and hatchery salmon juveniles as they and into the weekend, and there are plenty of hatchery and wild fish throughout the system. It’s always a good idea to check the river levels before heading out. There are still some big fish coming off the Wilson this year. All the usual techniques such as side drift- ing, float fishing, drift fishing, or pulling plugs or divers and bait should be effective. During high water use brighter colors and larger presentations. ODFW has coordinated the cormorant hazing project for the last eight years, although cormorant hazing in some form has occurred at some Oregon estuaries intermittently since 1988. Hazing will continue through May 31 on the Nehalem, Nestucca, and Coquille river estuaries, and on Tillamook and Alsea bays. The program will continue through at least July 31 on the lower Columbia River, where hazing will occur at a variety of locations, including Young’s Bay, Blind Slough, and Tongue Point. PONDS: trout perch, crab Recreational crabbing is open along the entire Oregon coast. Bottom fishing has been good when the ocean condi- tions allow. Fishing for bottom fish is restricted to inside of the 30-fathom curve. Recreational harvest of razor clams is closed on the entire Oregon coast due to ele- vated levels of domoic acid. The recreational harvest of mussels is closed from Cape Arago (south of Coos Bay) to the California border. Before any shellfish harvest trip, make sure to check the Oregon Department of Agriculture website for any updates. Surf perch fishing has been good when ocean swells are small. Surf perch anglers will do the best fishing with sand shrimp or Berkely Gulp sand worms. O CEAN S ALMON : The ocean recreational Chinook salmon fishery off Oregon is currently open from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mt. fthrough April 30. Fishing effort and catch have been slow so far. Ocean salmon fishing sea- sons for 2017 are still being developed. Look for updates on the 2017 seasons. B OTTOM F ISHING : When the weather allows, fishing in the winter months for lingcod and rockfish can be fun and successful. The ocean fishing is good, private boats had about 5 rockfish per angler and near limits of lingcod for everyone. Charters had near limits of rockfish and at least one ling- cod per angler. R EMINDERS : • Bottomfish is restricted to shoreward of the 30 fathom line (defined by waypoints). • Cabezon season is closed; it will reopen July 1. M USSELS : The recreational harvest of mussels is open coastwide. R AZOR C LAMS : Razor clams remain closed along the entire Oregon coast due to elevated levels of domoic acid. This includes all beaches and bays. B AY C LAMS : Bay clamming is open along the entire Oregon Coast from the Columbia River to the California border. Check the ODFW Shellfish website for where and when to harvest your favorite bivalves. C RABBING : Ocean and bay crabbing is open coastwide. Bay crabbing has slowed down as it typical- ly does this time of the year. Recent reports are about 2-3 crab per person in the ocean. Hazing will involve driving the birds from locations where juvenile salmon are seasonally concentrated migrate to the ocean. Some of these spring migrants represent species that are experiencing conditions of conservation risk, including coho salmon, which is federal- YAQUINA RIVER: HUGE ESTATE SALE Fri./Sat, 4/7-4/8 10am-3pm 1655 W. 15th. Aunt’s large estate was relocated from Eugene to empty her home. Contents include NEW clothes, kitchenware, misc. Household Items, & décor. Lots of brand new items. Items are sold AS IS & CASH ONLY! ly threatened in Oregon under the Endangered Species Act. Hazing workers are being provided by the Clatsop County Fisheries Project, Port of Nehalem, Port of Bandon, North Coast Salmon and Steelhead Enhancement Fund and the Alsea S p o r t s m e n ’s Association. ODFW will provide a portion of the funding and program oversight, and will conduct some hazing opera- tions itself to protect hatchery releases on the lower Columbia River. Fri.,/Sat., 4/7-4/8 9am-3pm 88038 Windy Leaf Way, Moving must downsize, jewelry, furniture, tools, household & misc. Items. FREE garage sale signs 541-997-3441 with your ad Steelhead The Yaquina River and Big Elk Cr. are open for steelhead. Fishing is fair. Wild winter steelhead can be retained on Big Elk Cr. with a daily and annual bag limit of 1/day and 3/year. The Yaquina River is open for hatchery winter steel- head. Casting spinners, drifting bait or using a bobber and jig can be effective. COOS COUNTY LAKES and Do your part and volunteer today to help support these local non-proft organizations in our community! Volunteer•Get involved•Donate Florence Food Share Ask us about volunteer opportunities. 2190 Spruce Street • P.O.Box 2514 Florence, Oregon 97439 (541) 997-9110 info@fl orencefoodshare.org Food Backpack for Kids Together, No Child Will Go Hungry Your tax deductible donations helped us feed 84 Florence/ Mapleton area children in March Mail donations to: PO Box 3347 Florence, OR 97439. Call 541-997-2497 for more information. Helping Hands Coalition Assisting those in need in our Community. Free Hot Meals Mon-Wed-Fri: 11:30 AM - 1 PM NEW LOCATION SOON United Methodist Church, 333 Kingwood, Florence Call 541-997-5057 to Volunteer Meals on Wheels and Cafe 60 Meals on Wheels are available to people over the age of 60 who cannot get out much due to illness or advanced age and who are not eating properly, regardless of income. Cafe 60 is available for those who prefer to make new friends in a dining room setting. 1570 Kingwood PO Box 2313, Florence 541-997-5673 laneseniormeals.org Peace Harbor Volunteers Join the Peace Harbor Hospital Volunteers, you will fi nd an area of interest in a caring organization. 400 9th Street, Florence 541-997-8412 ext. 209 Us Too Florence Saving men one PSA test at a time. “Someone to talk to...who understands!” 541-997-6626 maribob@oregonfast.net www.ustoofl orence.org To include your organization in this directory, please call us @ 541-997-3441 Excess hatchery steelhead have been stocked into Saunders Lake, Middle Empire, and Lower Empire lakes. Fishing regulations for these stocked steelhead in Empire Lakes and Saunders Lake are just like the trout reg- ulations: anglers can keep 1 fish over 20-inches per day and only need their fishing license. Trophy trout were stocked last week in Bradley Lake, Empire lakes, and Johnson Mill Pond. Fishing for trophy trout was good in Empire Lakes this past week for anglers using small spinners or using Powerbait. ODFW is implementing a tag reward trout study on Empire Lakes for 2017 in which anglers will be asked to report tagged trout that are caught. Anglers can report tags on the ODFW website. TENMILE BASIN: Trout, bass, steelhead Trout fishing in the streams of the Tenmile Basin are closed until May 22. Trout fishing in Tenmile Lakes, Eel Lake, Saunders Lake are open all year. Steelhead season is open in Tenmile Creek and Eel Creek until April 30. Steelhead fish- ing has been very slow in the Tenmile Basin. In the Tenmile Basin, one additional hatchery steelhead may be retained per day for a total aggregate of three adult fish harvested daily. Largemouth bass fishing has been slow but will be picking up as the water temperatures warm up. Anglers are catching bass near structure or on the deep end of the weed lines using jigs or rubber worms. UMPQUA RIVER, SOUTH : Steelhead Good numbers of steelhead are being caught up to and above Canyonville and anglers are hooking into a few hatch- ery fish. Pay attention to river gages for the South as it has been high and unfishable a large portion of the time this season. The South Umpqua will likely be a little high for most anglers this weekend. WINCHESTER BAY: Bottomfish, perch Fishing for bottom fish in the Triangle and South jetty has been successful. PACIFIC OCEAN and BEACHES: Bottomfish, surf Deadlines for press releases are Mondays and Thursdays by noon. Email them to: P RESS R ELEASES @T HE S IUSLAW N EWS . COM . Get Results...List With Ed. Siuslaw News + Ed Kopilec Principal Broker 541 991-8630 Dunewood Dr #54 – Wide elevated corner lot with pri- vacy and views! Overlook dunes and wetlands in this beautiful development with underground utilities, septic approval and Heceta Water. $110,000. #2627- 16636856 1749 Highway 101 • 541-997-1200 www.shoppelocal.biz
