SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2017
3 B
Crab harvesting reopens along portions of Oregon coast
The Oregon Department of
Agriculture and the Oregon
Department of Fish and
Wildlife
announced
the
reopening of recreational and
commercial bay crabbing from
the north jetty of the Coquille
River to the north jetty of
Coos Bay on Wednesday.
The reopening includes crab
harvested in bays and estuar-
ies, and on beaches, docks,
piers, and jetties.
Crab samples taken from
the area indicate levels of
domoic acid have dropped and
remain below the alert level.
The recreational crabbing
season in the ocean closed
coast-wide on Oct. 16.
Crab harvesting remains
closed from the California
Fishing
border to the north jetty of the
Coquille River (including the
Coquille estuary), and from
Tahkenitch Creek (north of
Winchester Bay) to Cape
Foulweather
(north
of
Newport).
Crabbing north of Cape
Foulweather to the Columbia
River remains open in bays
and estuaries, and on beaches,
docks, piers, and jetties.
Wednesday’s test results
and health advisory come at a
complicated time of year for
Oregon’s crab fisheries. By
rule, Dec. 1 is Oregon’s earli-
est annual start for ocean crab-
bing, for both commercial and
recreational fisheries.
However, this year, due to
low crab meat yield and ele-
from 1B
renowned for its crappie and trophy
bass fisheries, and the site of bass
tournaments. Anglers should also try
one of the many smaller lakes scat-
tered along Highway 101 and
throughout the coastal dunes area, or
Triangle Lake closer to the
Willamette Valley.
The warmwater fish available in
the south coast area include:
Largemouth bass, smallmouth bass,
bullheads, black crappie, bluegill,
pumpkinseed, yellow perch, green
sunfish, warmouth and channel cat-
fish.
North and South Tenmile Lake pro-
vide some of the finest warmwater
fishing on the Oregon coast. Located
on the east side of Hwy 101 mid-way
between Reedsport and Coos Bay, the
combined lakes offer nearly 2,000
acres of water and miles of shoreline
to fish for largemouth bass, bluegill,
crappie and brown bullhead catfish.
Much of the property around
Tenmile is privately-owned and the
lakes are best fished by boat, but a
fishing dock at Tenmile Lake County
Park in the small community of
Lakeside is wheelchair accessible and
a great spot for kids. There also is a
campground and boat launch at the
County Park. Spinreel Campground
(US Forest Service) on the west side
of Hwy 101 offers camping for those
wanting an extended stay.
Several area resorts and marinas
also provide camping spaces, lodging
and boat rentals.
health advisory; opens after
Dec. 1 in ocean areas where
biotoxins are below the alert
level.
• Commercial ocean crab-
bing – Delayed in all areas
until at least Dec. 16.
• Commercial bay crabbing
– Commercial bay crabbing is
re-opened in Coos Bay on
Monday, Nov. 27; commercial
bay crabbing remains closed
from the California border to
the north jetty of the Coquille
River (including the Coquille
estuary), and from Tahkenitch
Creek to Cape Foulweather.
Commercial bay crabbing
remains open at this time in
bays and estuaries, and on
beaches, docks, piers, and jet-
ties within the areas that are
vated levels of biotoxins in
some areas, much of Oregon’s
ocean area remains closed to
crabbing after Dec. 1.
Additional testing for meat
yield and biotoxin levels will
continue at least through the
end of December.
For both recreational and
commercial crab fishermen,
below is a simple guide for
what is currently open and
closed.
Before you go crabbing,
please confirm the status of
ODFW/ODA harvest areas
relative to concerns about ele-
vated biotoxins at the website
below.
• Recreational crabbing –
Currently open in all bays and
estuaries that are not under the
The shoreline of North and South
Tenmile is varied as a number of
streams flow from the coastal
foothills and into the lakes creating
several large arms and many smaller
bays and inlets dotted with pilings,
docks and boat houses. Both lakes are
shallow with an average depth of
about 15 feet and abundant aquatic
weeds, willows and bank vegetation
that provide excellent cover and pro-
ductive habitat for warmwater fish.
Fish generally range from 1 to 4-
pounds, but a 6-pound bass is not
uncommon. Bass fishing is best dur-
ing periods of warmer water from
spring through early fall.
When spring water temperatures
reach about 60 degrees F, the bass
move into shallower water to spawn.
During the spawn, lures and jigs that
imitate prey such as small fish and
crayfish, and soft plastic worms work
well.
Spinnerbaits, buzzbaits and other
surface lures are also effective.
Anglers should target areas around
willows, docks, logs or vegetation
that provide a combination of cover
and patches of open water. Good
locations include the Black’s Creek
arm and railroad trestle crossing on
North Lake, and the Coleman and
Templeton arms of South Lake.
• Crappie
Anglers catch crappie in both lakes
with good fishing in the spring and
throughout the summer. Best fishing
is in the calm water along the shore-
line, in the many small coves and
inlets. Crappie anglers should target
shaded areas with wood structure
including submerged brush and trees,
downed logs and docks.
The fish are often found in schools
at depths of 10-15 feet. A good set-up
is light spinning tackle with 4-pound
test line and a light-colored 1/32
ounce jig. Have an assortment of gar-
land-style and curly tail jigs in a vari-
ety of bright, neutral and dark colors
and sizes.
Use a tapered panfish bobber and
change the depth of the jig until you
find fish. Allow the jig to sink then
retrieve slowly.
Fishing is best early and late in the
day, but a mid-day breeze can also
trigger a bite. Crappie abundance can
go through cycles every few years so
check with ODFW for the latest
information.
• Yellow perch
For yellow perch, you can fish the
same areas of the lakes and use a
similar set-up as for crappie, but try
baiting the jig with a piece of worm.
A size-8 hook baited with worm and
rigged 1-2 feet above a sinker fished
on the bottom will also work. Perch
will most often be found in deeper
water than crappie.
Like crappie, perch fishing is best
from spring through fall, but they can
be caught year-round, even during
winter.
• Bluegill
Bluegill fishing is best as the water
warms during the summer. Bluegill
will be found in shallow areas with
less woody structure, but more vege-
tation.
During the late summer and early
fall they can be caught in the canal
between North and South Tenmile. As
with crappie, light spinning gear
works well, but smaller jigs and
hooks are needed. A small hook bait-
ed with a piece of worm or other pan-
fish bait and suspended 10-18 inches
below a bobber can be extremely
effective.
Bluegill are aggressive biters, but if
you give them too much time they
will steal the bait off your hook -- pay
close attention to your bobber. They
will feed throughout the day and are a
great target for young and beginning
anglers.
• Brown bullhead
Spinning tackle also works well for
the brown bullhead catfish, which are
abundant and can reach up to 13-
inches long. Worms or baits with a
strong odor are effective, particularly
when fished near the shore in the
evening or at night.
Use 6-8 pound test line and a slid-
ing egg sinker placed above a barrel
swivel. Below the swivel, tie your
hook to the end of an 18-inch leader.
The sliding sinker allows the fish
to take the bait without feeling the
weight of the sinker. If you’re fishing
in an area with weeds, a float can be
used instead of a sinker to suspend
the bait above the weeds.
C LAMMING AND C RABBING
• Dungeness crab: Daily limit of
12 (males only). Minimum size of 5
and 3/4 inches. Correct size is meas-
ured as a straight line across the back
(caliper measurement) in front of, but
not including the points.
Ocean waters are closed for
Dungeness Crab Oct. 16 – Nov. 30.
not under the health advisory.
• All commercial bay crab-
bing will be closed as of Dec.
1 along with the delayed sea-
son for the commercial ocean
fishery, according to existing
ODFW rules. This year, the
commercial ocean fishery is
delayed from Dec. 1 until at
least Dec. 16.
Despite the closure, crab
and shellfish products sold in
retail markets and restaurants
remain safe for consumers.
For more information, call
ODA’s shellfish safety infor-
mation hotline at 800-448-
2474 or visit the ODA shell-
fish closures web page at:
www. oregon.gov/ODA/pro-
grams/FoodSafety/Shellfish/P
ages/ShellfishClosures.aspx.
May be taken using crab rings,
baited lines, or pots (limited to 3
rings/lines/pots total, per person); by
hand, dip net, or rake. Holding pots
or devices, or live boxes are only
allowed in bays and estuaries, and
may not hold more than two daily
limits.
• Red rock crab
Daily limit of 24 of any size or sex.
May be taken using crab rings, baited
lines, or pots (limited to 3
rings/lines/pots total, per person); by
hand, dip net, or rake. Holding pots
or devices, or live boxes are only
allowed in bays and estuaries, and
may not hold more than two daily
limits.
For the serious crabber, Dungeness
and red rock crabs can be found in
the open waters of the marine zone.
Bays, beaches, estuaries, tide
pools, piers and jetties are open for
crabbing all year, 24 hours per day.
• Razor clams
Daily limit of first 15 dug (no sort-
ing or releasing). Razor clams may be
taken by hand, shovel, clam gun or
tube with opening, no less than 4”
(cylindrical) or 4” X 3” (elliptical).
Razor clams are closed July 15 to
Sept. 30 north of Tillamook Head
(Clatsop County).
• Bay clams (Butter, littleneck,
gaper and cockle): Daily limit of 20
in aggregate, only 12 may be gapers.
May be taken by hand or hand-pow-
ered tools.
• Purple varnish clams: Daily
limit of 72. Other Clams (softshell,
piddocks and others not listed) Daily
limit of 36 in aggregate.
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