News From Around The Area

Chinook are starting to show in better numbers from Florence upriver. Tides are building this week and will bring more fish into the river. Also, if all the traffic in one part of the river is getting on your nerves, move upriver. Rolling salmon have appeared in Mapleton, so fish are throughout tidewater. While most folks are trolling herring, don’t be afraid to troll spinners or wobblers either. We were out last Thursday and the herring weren’t getting bit. We switched over to spinners and ended up with 3 fish to the boat, plus a couple of missed fish.

If It’s A Coho, Let It Go!
Oregon State Troopers have confiscated coho salmon mistakenly kept over the past several days. Not only will you get a ticket, you can also lose your fishing equipment. If you’re not sure which fish is which, here’s a few features you can use to identify your catch:

Coho (silver) salmon have small spots on the dorsal (top) side of the fish, and have spots on the upper lobe of the tail ONLY. Also, the coho salmon’s gumline is white or light gray. Males have a bulbous nose which helps in identification. Typically coho salmon are much smaller than chinook, but don’t use this as a distinguishing characteristic. Some chinook come back as 3 year-old fish and will be very similar in size to a coho.

Chinook (king) salmon usually have larger, irregular shaped spots on the back, and have spots on BOTH lobes of their tail. Also, chinook salmon have a black gumline (this is where the name “blackmouth” salmon comes from). Most chinook return to freshwater as 4 year-old fish, but may return older and larger. A salmon that is 30 lbs. or more is most definitely a chinook.

Several anglers have already caught coho in the river. Even though most of these fish are still out in the ocean, its not too early for them to be caught. Don’t use run timing as a distinguishing characteristic. There’s a nice display at the ramp in Old Town showing the differences between the two species.

Reminder: Lake Creek Closed To Salmon Fishing in 2008
Trooper Lea also wanted me to reminder folks that Lake Creek is closed to chinook fishing for 2008. There have been reports of people fishing the area and troopers don’t want to ticket anglers who didn’t know the regulations. Popular spots along Lake Creek have been posted, but signs have been removed. Oregon State Police will be watching Lake Creek carefully to make sure regulations are being followed.

See you on the water,
Action Jackson

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