October Fish Starting To Show

Last week the fishing in upper tidewater was tough. Most fish moved up the river with the rains. During the last few days signs that another large group of chinook are in the river were many: we saw several anglers hook up while trolling above C&D Dock. Trolling herring or spinners and bobber fishing with sand shrimp or eggs (or both) will produce good catches for the next several days. Building tides will bring in fresh chinook this week.

Questions About Siltcoos and Tahkenitch Dam Opening
A fisherman stopped me at the ramp on Siltcoos Lake on Sunday and asked me some questions about water releases on the lakes. While I couldn’t answer them at the time, I did some research. Here’s what I found out: according to George Westfall, ODFW biologist, the dams are controlled by International Paper and there is no set schedule for opening the dams. Both dams have fish ladders that allow Coho and Cutthroat to pass them. The dams are opened in the late fall to prevent flooding, and Siltcoos is drawn down to 6 feet above sea level on or about Nov. 1 per an agreement with Dunes City.

Vehicle Break Ins Can Ruin A Good Outing
When we got back to the ramp on Tahkenitch on Sunday, I noticed that one of the vehicles had its canopy window smashed. What a bummer. Usually the low life thief gets away with a few dollars worth of items, but it’ll cost you several hundred to replace the window. Here’s a few things you can do to avoid a costly insurance claim.
Don’t leave anything of value in the car, period.
Pay attention to other vehicles in the parking lot. Someone could be scoping you out.
Avoid parking in secluded areas if possible.
Report suspicious activity. If you’re the victim of a break-in, report it. While you’re not likely to get your wallet back, you might stop another vehicle from getting its window smashed.

Report From The Lakes
We fished both Tahkenitch and Siltcoos on Sunday. Water temps at both lakes were good, and Tahkenitch looked great. We talked to a couple of boats in Five Mile Arm who reported catching jacks the day before. Coho are present, but not in great numbers. On Siltcoos, the algae bloom turned the water pea green. No one we talked to had done any good for salmon, but trout fishing was good. We caught several nice trout while trolling for silvers.

See you on the water,
Action Jackson

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