FISHING

MID COAST LAKES: The rainbow trout stocking season is under way and will extend into June. Here is a list of lakes that will be stocked in April: Elbow Lake, Alder Lake, Buck Lake, Dune Lake, Georgia and North Georgia Lakes, Olalla Reservoir, Perkins Lake, Siltcoos Laggon, Big Creek Reservoirs, Carter Lake, Cleawox Lake, Lost Lake, Mercer Lake, Munsel Lake, Siltcoos Lake, Thissel Pond, Woahink Lake and Devils Lake.

SIUSLAW RIVER: Angling is closed above tidewater except for winter steelhead fishing from Whittaker Creek boat ramp downstream 200 yards below Wildcat boat ramp through April 15. Fishing should be slow to fair for the week. Wild steelhead are increasing in number this time of year. Anglers are reminded to keep the fish in the water while releasing.

SMITH RIVER: The Smith is currently open for adipose-fin clipped steelhead from the mouth upstream to Sisters Creek on the mainstem and the North Fork Smith from the mouth upstream to Bridge 10. Good numbers of stripers have recently been sighted in the North Fork of the Smith River. Striped bass season is open year round, two fish per 24 hours, 30-inch minimum size. The North Fork is open to Johnson Creek for stripers.

WINCHESTER BAY: Fishing remains slow for sturgeon and Chinook salmon, although spring Chinook started to arrive.

LAKE MARIE: Lake Marie at Umpqua Lighthouse State Park near Winchester Bay was stocked with about 2,000 catchable trout recently.

UMPQUA RIVER: Remember the mainstem Umpqua is now closed to wild steelhead harvest; it remains open year-round for adipose fin-clipped steelhead. Spring Chinook have started coming up the Umpqua and a nice 31-pound springer was about 4 miles below Elkton. From Scottsburg to Elkton tends to be the best angling for the early spring Chinook. Water flows will continue to drop through the weekend and water temperatures should rise as the weather warms. This should cause the fish to start moving.

TENMILE BASIN: Steelhead fishing is likely slowing down now. Spinreel Park has good bank access. Anglers willing to walk the sand dunes downstream will find additional space and good chances at catching fish. This lake fed system is often clear and fishable when other local waters are high and muddy.

Tenmile Lakes are open year-round, and holdover trout are available. Warmwater fish species such as bass, bluegill and crappie are in Tenmile Lakes. As we move into spring, sunny days will start to warm the water and improve fishing.

DIAMOND LAKE: The lake is closed to fishing until April 26.

LOON LAKE: Loon Lake has been stocked with about 3,500 catchable trout to date. In addition, there were almost 6,000 sub-legal trout stock last fall that should be approaching 8 inches for legal harvest.

COOS COUNTY LAKES: Large trophy trout have been stocked in Bradley Lake, Empire Lakes, and Johnson Mill Pond. This week, additional legal trout were stocked in Bluebill, Empire Lakes, Johnson Mill Pond, Powers Pond, Saunders Lake, and Sru Lake. Besides holdover trout from previous stockings, most local lakes hold warmwater fish species such as bass, bluegill and crappie. Fishing for warmwater fish will improve as water temps start to increase.

COOS RIVER BASIN: This time of year brings the steelhead fishery to a close for most anglers although it is still open in the South Coos and forks of the Millicoma through April 30. Anglers will find less crowded conditions, the opportunity to fish areas that may have been too crowded earlier in the year, and a few fish still around. The West Fork Millicoma has good public access on the Elliott State Forest, where many steelhead are caught. This fork will come back into shape quickly after high water periods but also gets extremely low and clear during dry periods. The Millicoma Interpretive Center has a small section of closed water in front of the facility with fishable water downstream. The Nesika Park area on the East Fork also has good public access. Access to the South Fork above Dellwood requires a permit from Weyerhaeuser Co., available at Airport Heights and TNT Markets. Weyerhaeuser is no longer issuing these permits at their Dellwood office. The stretch of river above Dellwood has good bank access and an acclimation site near mile 5 where fish will hold.

Perch angling is typically fair this time of year but few reports have come in lately. Anglers should cast their bait, shrimp works well, around rock or other structure.

COQUILLE RIVER BASIN: We are nearing the end of the steelhead season but good fish could still be available. The South Fork, which is popular with drift boaters and also has some bank access, has had a great year; it fishes best when the Powers gauge is below 4 feet. Some nice fish are still being caught on the South Fork with good reports still coming in. Steelhead have been observed in the East Fork, which has steelhead returning to an acclimation site near Frona Park. The Middle Fork Coquille does not have a hatchery program but is a nice place for anglers wanting more solitude that don’t mind releasing their fish.

POWERS POND: Powers Pond was stocked again this week. Warmwater fish are present all year and angling should improve as the weather warms.

BEN IRVING RESERVOIR: Ben Irving Reservoir, west of Winston, has been stocked with about 3,000 trout to date, and will receive more trout in mid-April.

FLORAS LAKE: Shore access is limited, but anglers can put a boat in at Boice Cope County Park. Anglers should keep an eye on the weather and target the lake when winds are light.

ELK/SIXES RIVER: Closed to salmon, steelhead and trout until May 24.

GARRISON LAKE: Bank access is limited to the State Park or 12th street boat ramp. The best way to fish Garrison is slow trolling wedding ring spinners or flies. Anglers should keep an eye on the weather and target the lake when winds are light.

LIBBY POND: Fishing is slow. Anglers will want to hit the lake in the early morning or late evening for the best success. One of the best methods to catch fish at Libby Pond is fishing PowerBait just off the bottom. Anglers can also do very well fly fishing or casting spinners. The lake is private and no boats are allowed. Anglers are also reminded to pick up all trash.

LOWER ROGUE RIVER: Slow. The lower river is low and clear. Both boat and bank anglers are having a tough time getting fish to bite. Boat anglers will want to target the area around Elephant Rock and Ferry Hole to target fish moving in on the tides. Spring Chinook usually move along the inside bends of rivers, in about 4 to 6 feet of water. Anglers are reminded that there are new regulations in effect for spring chinook on the Rogue River.

ODFW will be radio tagging spring Chinook in April, May and June in the lower Rogue River. Spring Chinook will be captured by tangle net, seine or hook and line. Efforts to capture spring Chinook may interfere with an anglers fishing.  

CHETCO RIVER: Closed to salmon, steelhead and trout until May 24.

SOUTH COAST LAKES AND PONDS: Fishing is slow on all lakes and ponds.

SOUTH COAST STREAMS: Trout season is closed in the Umpqua, Smith River, South Umpqua, North Umpqua and Cow Creek basins.

PACIFIC OCEAN AND BEACHES: Spring can be a great time for surfperch fishing from the beaches. The best areas are generally the steeper beaches. Anglers should cast into the surf with enough weight to hold your setup from moving with the current. Sand shrimp is a common and effective bait but others can work well also.

Bottom fishing is generally good in the winter when the water conditions are calm. A few anglers have made trips and reported good fishing. Anglers should be cautious of the ocean and bar conditions which can change quickly.

CURRY COUNTY BEACHES: Perch fishing is picking up on many of the beaches around Port Orford, Gold Beach and Brookings. The best conditions for catching perch are an incoming tide and low surf.

SHELLFISH

The entire Oregon coast is open for recreational shellfishing. Always check for health advisories by calling the Oregon Department of Agriculture’s shellfish line at (800) 448-2474 for updates.

Crabbing is fair with a few soft crabs showing up in the catch. Crabbers are encouraged to return soft crabs with little meat back to the water. Crabbing from public docks or boat if available is a great opportunity for families to catch a delicious dinner. Kids often enjoy sorting out the smaller crab that can be abundant. The Coos Bay shoals (20-30 feet deep) along the inside of the North Spit from Empire to Charleston is a good area for crabbing. Public crabbing docks can be found in Winchester Bay, Bandon, Charleston and Empire.

VIEWING

MARINEMAMMALS:Coos County has a large population of marine mammals including seals and sea lions. These animals have their young in late winter through early summer. The young animals can be entertaining to watch as they learn to swim and hunt for themselves.

But please, keep your distance. It is best to observe them from rocky bluffs or other vantage points that are far enough away so you don’t disturb them. If you find lone pups, avoid approaching them. Not only is it against the law, it is best for the animal, as mothers commonly leave young animals on beaches while they feed in deeper water. Disturbing pups may put them in danger.  

MINUSTIDE:A minus tide after noon today, will make for good tide pooling. Look for anemones, hermit crabs, sea urchins, small fish, jellyfish, sea stars, barnacles and other animals of the intertidal region. High surf can make tide pooling on the ocean beaches uncomfortable and dangerous, so if seas are rough try looking for wildlife in the mud flats of coastal bays and rivers.

WHALEWATCHING:To watch the winter migration, which continues throughApril, it is best to pick a calm day and find a viewpoint that is high enough to spot the spouts that will be a few miles offshore. Learning good binocular technique will help spot the whales. Gaze out onto the ocean, focusing on medium distances until you see a puff of white. Then raise your binoculars while continuing to look at the place you saw the puff. This technique takes some practice, but generally works better than swinging the binoculars around looking for something. Just keep your eyes focused on the whale and raise the binoculars to your eyes, looking through them, not into them.

Information from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.