Steelhead Starting to Show

Greetings Anglers,

Winter steelhead are starting to show in good numbers on the Oregon Coast. These are just two of the several wild beauties hooked earlier this week. All your favorite techniques will work on these aggressive fish.

Here's this week's Siuslaw News story...

High Water Options for Steelhead and Salmon

We’ve all been there – you work hard all week and wait anxiously for the weekend. It starts raining Thursday night and pours all day Friday. By Saturday morning, your favorite river is 5 feet higher than you like to fish it and the color of café latte. Most fisherfolks would give up, but I say that’s a mistake! You can still catch fish under these conditions. I’ve had some of my best days during high water, when other anglers are still cleaning out the garage, or, even worse, sitting on the couch. There are few things more satisfying than catching fish when others think you’re crazy for even trying.

The “Whys” and “Wheres” of High Water Fishing
Simply put, you fish during high water because its when fish are moving. High water makes it easier for fish to navigate barriers such as falls and rapids. Rain is the cue for salmon and steelhead to move upriver for spawning. You can’t count on being able to find the fish as you would under normal water conditions. Let the fish find you. Also, forget about those favorite runs and drifts where the fish will be when the river drops and clears. Fish moving upstream will choose the path of least resistance, meaning they will be moving right along the bank, often within 10 feet of shore. There are several reasons for this. Salmon and steelhead will choose the path of least resistance. Moving along the bank means the fish are staying out of the main flow, which means they are using less energy. Imagine being faced with either moving slowly through the blackberries or taking a game trail, my guess is you will take the trail! Also, the softer flows available along the shore means less sediment in the water, which makes it easier for the fish to respire. Salmon and steelhead moving along the shore will be especially true in rapids. With high winter flows, the edge of the river might be the only place these fish will be able to move upstream. Concentrate your efforts near or in rapids, and very near the bank. These are the areas through which the fish will move.

Please join me next week as I talk more about high water options for salmon and steelhead.

See you on the water,
Action Jackson

(Please send comments or questions to Action Jackson at 268-6944 or www.actionjacksonfishing.com)

Reduce The Limit For Wild Salmon and Steelhead

Fall chinook runs on the Oregon coast this year are very depressed. As I’ve mentioned in previous articles, fish runs in world-famous fisheries such as the Rogue River, Umpqua River and Tillamook Bay are so low that it’s caused alarm bells to go off with the Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife. This fall’s poor run comes on the heels of terrible spring chinook numbers on the Rogue, Umpqua and in the Willamette Valley.

You might say, “Hey, I got my fish out here in the river. I saw a bunch of fish caught. What’s the big deal?” Remember, the fall chinook run on the Siuslaw was one of the strongest on the Oregon Coast, but was still only an estimated 30% of last year’s run. Spawning fish estimates throughout the basin show that this year’s run is very poor. I’ve seen it myself on Knowles Creek: I’ve been walking the entire lower creek which is a traditional chinook stronghold. And very few fish are around. In years past, by this point in the season I would have seen 200-300 fall chinook and dozens of redds. This year it’s been less than 20 chinook and less than 10 redds.

This is bringing me around to the point of my article – that it’s time to reduce the statewide limit for wild salmon and steelhead.

How Many Fish Do You Really Need?
If an angler filled their salmon/steelhead tag exclusively with fall chinook (20 fish) at approximately 25 lbs. each that equates to 400 lbs of fish. If you only got 35% fillet (you’d probably get more), that is 175 lbs. of pure meat. A person could eat a ½ pound of salmon almost every day of the year (350 days). Believe me, experience tells me that nobody is going to do this. I got sick of eating salmon every day after just a couple of months. I don’t care how many different recipes you have. Someone out there is going to say “I have a family to support and I depend on those fish.” Fine. Take your wife and kids fishing with you and you’ll still have enough salmon to stuff the whole gang.

Drop The Limit To 10 Wild Fish Per Season
Ten wild salmon or steelhead per season is more than enough. The remaining 10 spots on the tag could be used for halibut, sturgeon or hatchery fish. And if 10 salmon aren’t enough for you, buy a Hatchery Harvest Tag which allows you to harvest 10 more hatchery salmon and steelhead. The cost is $12 and there’s no limit on the number of tags you can buy.

We as anglers and lovers of the resource owe it to the fish to do everything we can to make sure runs remain strong. This is something easy we can do to help save our fish runs. So many times in the past we’ve over-used a resource until it was too late. We shouldn’t let individual greed and the attitude of “I’ve got to get all that’s coming to me” destroy something we all love.

See you on the water,
Action Jackson

(Please send comments or questions to Action Jackson at 268-6944 or www.actionjacksonfishing.com)

2nd Annual What To Get The Angler On Your List for Christmas

With the holiday season just around the corner, its time to think about the angler on your gift list. Last year’s list was geared toward the angler in the family while this year’s list includes some gifts that the whole family can enjoy. These items will add to the experience on the water and help you capture those great times. These are things no fisherman should be without.

Digital Camera. Want to see if that picture of your big bass or trophy trout turned out? Find out instantly with a digital camera. Prices have come down significantly over the past few years on quality cameras. The software is easily downloaded on your computer and you can share photos with family and friends around the world. Olympus, Sony, Canon and several other manufacturers make quality cameras that are very user friendly. Got no one to send a picture to? Send ‘em to me, I love looking at fish pictures.

Binoculars. During my trips on the rivers and coastal lakes this year, my guests and I have seen elk, deer, bear, otters, beavers, weasels, mink, seals, eagles, osprey, hawks and all sorts of waterfowl. A great day on the water can be made even better by having a small pair of binoculars on the boat. Also, they’re handy for checking out other boats and what they’re using for bait. Bushnell Corp. (www.bushnell.com) is a quality American manufacturer that has a great product line.

Inflatable PFD. This item made the list last year, and it made it again this year. A PFD is an absolute necessity on the water. Stearns Sospenders® are lightweight and more comfortable than any other flotation device out there. Plus, they can save your life. What better gift is there? www.stearnsinc.com

Salmon Trolling Rod and Reel. The Berkley® Air® IM-7 rod, rated extra heavy, 15-50 lb. test (www.berkley-fishing.com) teamed with the Abu Garcia® Ambassadeur® C3 model 6500 (www.abugarcia.com) is a great salmon trolling combo. The rods are strong enough to take on the biggest fall chinook, yet sensitive enough to let you know when a fish is just starting to chew on your herring. The reels have large capacity spools and a clicker. This is a great setup for the price.

Bucket Potty Seat. Sometimes you’re a long way from a bathroom and instead of pulling off when the bite is on, just go right in the boat! The Bucket Potty Seat is a 5-gallon bucket with a secure toilet seat that, if you have one on the boat, will let your guests piddle comfortably while you keep the baits in the water. It’s available online through West Marine, www.westmarine.com (type in Model # 597443). Just make sure to put the lid down when you’re finished.

Rain Bibs. Grundens® Hercules® 16 bib pants are a necessity if you’re going to get wet. I pretty much live in mine all fall and winter when I’m in the boat. They’re tough, completely waterproof and will last for years. This is the stuff the professionals use. Try them out and you won’t go back. www.grundens.com.

These are just a few of many ideas that any Oregon angler will use. If you still aren’t sure, give me a call and we can talk about some more gift ideas.

See you on the water,
Action Jackson

(Please send comments or questions to Action Jackson at 268-6944 or www.actionjacksonfishing.com)