From the Rowers Seat - Oregon Fishing Report

Southern Oregon Fishing Report 4-29-08

Upper Rogue Steelhead

Though there are decent numbers of winter steelhead in the upper river, the count over Gold Ray as of 4-20-08…Winter Steelhead = 7,884 and counting. The water levels and temps have created a lock-jaw effect making the fishing difficult. Best bet is side-drifting bait or yarn balls. Once the weather stabilizes and stays warm fishing conditions could improve.

Spring Chinook fishing on the lower Rogue has been pretty dismal with the water low and very clear. While rainfall helped both these conditions slightly this week, catches haven't improved. As predicted last week the snowmelt has caused the water temperature to drop in the Grants Pass stretch and stalled winter steelhead fishing. The upper river is slow although four springers had been counted at Gold Ray Dam as of April 17th.

On the Umpqua, while bright winter steelhead are still available in the Umpqua mainstem, the run is well into the wind-down mode With fresh springers being taken now, the focus is on Chinook. Steelheading is holding up fairly well on the South Umpqua with a few hatchery fish being taken. The North Umpqua above Soda Springs Reservoir opens April 26th for trout. The South and mainstem Umpqua remain closed for trout.

Winter steelheading is about wrapped up on the Coos system. Perch fishing has been fair to good in Coos Bay.

The Coquille will close to steelhead on April 30th but it has been all but over recently. It will re-open to trout angling on May 24th. In the meantime, there's not much here to attract fishers

The original release from the ODFW on Friday, April 18th, regarding ocean fishing south of Cape Falcon to the California border was in error. Chinook fishing will not be allowed but the Coho season will be open June 22nd to August 31st, seven days per week with a bag limit of two fin-clipped coho per day for a quota of 9,000 fish.

That’s all from the Rowers Seat

And I’m Tim Treadway

Fish On

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