Regulation Changes I’d Support

In last week’s article, I wrote about ODFW accepting input on sportfishing regulation changes (from Dec. 1, 2007-Feb. 29, 2008). Input can come from any interested party. Materials can come from the ODFW website at www.dfw@state.or.us or write them at: Angling Regulations, 3406 Cherry Ave. NE, Salem, OR 97303. Over the past few months I have suggested sportfishing regulation changes that I feel are needed here on the Siuslaw. I’m putting them together here in case anyone else out there feels the same as I do and would like to tell the state so.

Drop The Limit To 10 Wild Fish Per Season
As it stands right now, an angler could fill the 20 spots on their tag all with wild chinook from the Siuslaw River if they wanted. In years when the run is depressed (such as 2007), that is too many. On other coastal systems in Oregon, there are limits on how many wild chinook may be taken per year. Only 10 fish per season can be taken from all Nehalem, Tillamook and Nestucca bays and streams. These are large systems that produce a lot of fish. The Siuslaw is getting more and more pressure every year.

Ten wild chinook from the Siuslaw per season is more than enough. The remaining 10 spots on the tag could be used for halibut, sturgeon or hatchery fish. And if that’s not 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.

Time To Close Upper Siuslaw and Lake Creek
It may be time that ODFW consider closing portions of Lake Creek and the Siuslaw until later in the season. Many salmon fishermen without a boat depend on fishing these areas, and that fresh salmon can be caught there, even in low water. But snagging is a problem that needs to be addressed. If the Siuslaw was closed from the confluence of Lake Creek upstream until December 1, there would still be plenty of good locations folks could reach from the bank. Here’s a story that might make your stomach turn: a large, dark chinook was brought in just because the guy who caught it thought it was big enough to win a big fish contest. After weighing it and figuring out it wasn’t big enough to win, he tried to give it away to people in the store. Obviously the only reason he kept it was for the contest. If you aren’t going to give that fish the respect it deserves, then don’t fish. I hope the carcass ended up back in the stream, but chances are it ended up in the bushes somewhere between Mapleton and Deadwood. Close spots where people can target dark fish. Close Lake Creek and the Upper Siuslaw until later in the fall.

See you on the water,
Action Jackson

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