News From Around The Area

Fall is just around the corner and the fish can feel it. Things are picking up and good fishing is just around the corner. Last week’s rain (over 2 inches in Mapleton) will cool the water down and draw fish in. Here’s what I’ve seen the last few days and what others are reporting:

Fish Are In On The Umpqua
A good bite has been happening on the Umpqua recently. Fish down toward Winchester Bay for a chance at both clipped Silvers and Chinook. Last week fish were caught up to Reedsport and above. Herring are the bait of choice and most anglers are running them with flashers. My experience is that there doesn’t seem to be as much debris in the water on the Umpqua, making it easier to run flashers. As with the Siuslaw, most boats move with the tide, making it easier to keep your presentation on the bottom and in the strike zone. Over the weekend there were quite a few boats, so fish the weekdays for less traffic.

Crabbing Picking Up
Crabbing is starting to get a lot better during the last couple of weeks. All your favorite crabbing bays (Alsea, Siuslaw, Winchester) are producing good catches. Best crabbing will be found during the incoming tide, close to the mouth. Recent rains should not slow down catches as there’s not enough fresh water to push crabs out. Many different baits will produce, including shad, tuna heads, chicken or turkey, salmon carcasses, etc.

Not Too Early For The Siuslaw
Though more fish are present down south on the Umpqua, a few fish are starting to show on the Siuslaw. Fishing will get better as the water cools. Some fish have been checked in for little effort.

Know Your Closed Area
Last Friday I ran into some very nice guys from the U.S. Coast Guard, Siuslaw River Station. They informed me that when the Rough Bay Warning Lights are on and the bar is closed, the area downriver from Marker #4 is restricted. If you have any questions, you can call the U.S. Coast Guard recorded message at (541) 902-7792. Next, you can tune your AM/FM radio to 1610 AM. You can also hail the Coast Guard directly on your VHF radio channel 16.

See you on the water,
Action Jackson

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