THESIUSLAWNEWS.COM
WEDNESDAY EDITION | DECEMBER 16, 2020 | $1.00
A need for speed
Community
&
Lifestyle
ODFW REGIONAL
FISHING REPORT
www.dfw.state.or.us/RR
MID-COAST LAKES:
Some mid-coast lakes are
stocked with trout in the spring
and have some hold over oppor-
tunities as well as native cut-
throat trout that remains open
all year. These lakes include: Big
Creek Reservoirs, Mercer,
Munsel, Cleawox, and Siltcoos.
Wild coho fisheries in Siltcoos
and Tahkenitch lakes are open
and provide a unique oppor-tu-
nity to catch a coho in a coastal
lake.
SIUSLAW RIVER: Winter
steelhead
Winter steehead will start to
show up in the Siuslaw system in
December and typically peak in
January and February. The
Whitaker Creek area on the
Siuslaw is the best location to
target the returning hatchery fish
and should improve when we get
the next shot of rain. Hatchery
fish are also planted in Lake
Creek and are released into
Green Creek. These returning
hatchery fish will start to show
up in December and peak in
January and February.
Cutthroat trout fishing is
closed for the season.
See
Entrance Siuslaw River
Low Tide
Dec. 16
1:26am / 7.0
12:28pm / 8.8
Local teen BMX racer reaches ‘Grands’
“I
FISHING 3B
Tide Tables
High Tide
COURTESY PHOTO
Florence BMX racer Jake Roberts, 16, recently reached the semi-finals of the USA/BMX 2020 Grand Nationals along a road that
has included literally thousands of races and trophies.
6:40am / 3.1
7:35pm / -1.5
’m one of the only
ones that listen to
music when they
ride,”
Florence
resident and BMX racer Jake
Roberts said. “At the [starting]
gate, you’ll have a cadence.
People will get confused be-
cause I have full blast music.”
At just 16 years old, Jake
has competed in some of the
biggest BMX competitions in
the world. In 2015, he had the
most district points earned
nationally, and that was out of
everybody who races, no mat-
ter what age.
And a few weeks ago, he
made the semi-finals at the
USA/BMX 2020 Grand Na-
tionals, known as the Grands.
“We’ve dedicated a lot to this
over the years,” Jake’s moth-
er Andrea said with a laugh.
There’s the time — Three days
a week traveling to Eugene for
the local races there, then the
national trips.
“Racing takes up a lot of
time,” Jake said.
And then there’s the ex-
penses — Entrance fees, travel
fees, equipment.
“It’s a lot, but it’s fun,” An-
drea said.
And despite the accolades
and the tense moments, that’s
the most important thing
about racing.
“I get to ride and relax and
be with all my friends,” he
said. “And there’s people who
take it dead seriously, and
when thy don’t win a race they
get all pissy and end up quit-
ting eventually. If you’re not
having fun, what’s the point in
doing it?”
The fun begins at the start-
ing gate, where up to eight
riders wait with extreme con-
centration for the race to start.
They start behind gates on a
hill that can be as low as two
meters high, or as tall as seven
for the pros.
While most other riders are
listening for auditory clues,
Jake listens to his music, posi-
tioning his body for the start.
“You kind of want to be
tall and bend your knees a
little bit. And then you roll
your wrist forward,” he said.
“When you see the light indi-
cate, you go.”
When it turns, the players
snap out of the gate.
“You go down, and it’s going
to be different jumps. There’s
three four jumps, straights, a
corner,” Jake said. Some tracks
he’s ridden so much he could
do it blindfolded — “Pretty
easily,” he said — but some
tracks you only get 20 min-
utes of practice time on, and
the course is usually crowded
with the other 80 riders com-
peting in the tournament.
So, getting a good snap out
of the gate is crucial to
See
BMX 3B
Dec. 17
2:15am / 7.0
1:15pm / 8.4
7:31am / 3.3
8:21pm / -1.1
Dec. 18
3:04am / 6.8
2:03pm / 7.8
8:25am / 3.4
9:07pm / -0.5
Dec. 19
3:54am / 6.7
2:55pm / 7.0
9:23am / 3.4
9:54pm / 0.1
Dec. 20
4:43am / 6.7
3:53pm / 6.3
10:28am / 3.4
10:43pm / 0.9
Dec. 21
5:33am / 6.7
4:59pm / 5.7
11:39am / 3.2
11:33pm / 1.4
Dec. 22
6:20am / 6.8
6:15pm / 5.3
12:50am / 2.8
South Slough offering in-person, socially distanced activities
A variety of programming
is being offered at South
Slough National Estuarine
and Research Reserve this
December for individuals
and families seeking safe
activities outside of the
home.
• South Slough Paddle
Trips (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.)
will be held today, Dec. 16
and again on Wednesday,
Dec. 30
Experience the rich cul-
tural and natural history of
the South Slough on a trail
that flows with the tide.
During the two-mile pad-
dle, experienced guides will
show visitors rarely seen ar-
eas of the Reserve.
Attendees can bring their
own kayak or canoe, or rent
one of the Reserve’s sit-on-
top kayaks.
Feet and legs may get
wet and muddy at launch
points.
Meet at the South Slough
Visitors Center located five
miles south of Charleston
on 7-Devils Road. The pad-
dle trip is free; however,
kayak rentals are $20 each.
Registration is required,
and the trip is limited to six
participants. There is a 48-
hour cancellation policy to
receive a full refund.
Register at www.souths
loughestuary.org.
• All About Crabs! (10 to
11:30 a.m.) Friday, Dec. 18
and Tuesday, 22.
Visitors are invited to
learn about the amazing life
cycle of crabs, their impor-
tance to the local economy
and discover the various
techniques for capturing
this delectable Crustacean.
Dress for the weather and
meet at the Charleston Vis-
itors Center.
Registration is required,
and the event is limited to
six participants.
Register at www.sout-
sloughestuary.org.
• Millicoma Marsh Bird
Walk (10 a.m. to noon)
Tuesday, Dec. 29.
Come enjoy great views
of the bay and one of the
best birding spots in Coos
County. Interpreter and
binoculars provided.
Dress for the weather and
meet in the parking lot di-
rectly behind Millicoma
Middle School on Fourth
Ave. in Charleston.
Registration is required
and limited to 6 at www.
southsloughestuary.org.
A week or so prior to the
See
SLOUGH 2B
Commercial
crabbing season
opens today
The commercial Dunge-
ness crab fishery will open
on most of Oregon’s coast as
of today, Dec. 16, two weeks
later than its original open-
ing day of Dec. 1 due to low
meat levels.
Dungeness crab will be
ready to be harvested just in
time for the holidays from
Cape Falcon south to the
California border.
Prior to the opener, crab
vessels set gear from Dec.
13 onwards, using the “pre-
soak” period of time to set
gear in anticipation of the
first pull of ocean crab pots
today.
The recreational crab
See
CRAB 2B
Happy Holidays one and all! I just looked at the calendar and realized that it will be 9 days til Christmas when the
paper comes out. Wow, where did the time go?
We did do some decorating to get in the spirit but I have to say this will be one of the first years I haven’t
sent out cards. So, if anyone is reading this....Merry Christmas and may the New year be much brighter!! I
know that’s cheating but time just got away with me.
Be well, stay safe, wash your hands and wear a mask!
100 Hwy. 101, Florence, OR • 541.997.7777
Lynnette Wikstrom
Broker
“We’re next to the Bridge.”
lynnette@cbcoast.com · Cell: 541.999.0786
COAST REAL ESTATE