Siltcoos Fishing Is Good

Hello Readers,
Fishing is picking up on Siltcoos Lake. In two trips last week, we hooked several fish, landing 9 and keeping 7. Both trips resulted in boat limits early! Good dates are still available for November, which generally brings the best fishing.

See You On The Water,
Action Jackson

Come and Get Em!

Good numbers of chinook are in the river. Fishing has been very good this fall. Bobber fishing, trolling and even casting spinners will produce fish from the mouth to Swisshome. Tidewater fishing will hold up until we get good rains, then either move upriver or take advantage of some of the wild coho fisheries available on the Central Coast.

See You On The Water,
Action Jackson

Prediction: 22,000 fall chinook!

ODFW's prediction for this fall's run size on the Siuslaw is 22,000 fish! Chinook have been starting to show in good numbers. This weekend the fishing fell off some with poor tides, but fishing will get better and better. So get out as soon and as often as you can.

Steelhead and Stripers

Greetings Readers!
I have not posted in quite some time, and I apologize. I will do my best to give area updates and post regularly for fall chinook and coho season on the Siuslaw and coastal lakes. We managed a late-season trip for steelhead and stipers. What a combination. We hooked 2 steelhead, landing 1 and went 1 for 1 on stipers, landing a 27-inch fish.

The striper fell to a 4 1/2 Yozuri Crystal Minnow, blue back. This Crystal Minnow was a very slow sinking version. Now is the time to go and try for these fish on the Umpqua/Smith River system. They should be aggressively chasing the schools of out-migrating salmonid juveniles. Here's a couple of photos from our last trip.

See You On The Water
Action Jackson

Breaking Rods On Fish Is Fun!

Fishing has been pretty good here on the Siuslaw. Expect good fishing this weekend (Oct. 17-18) unless high winds make controlling the boat difficult. A big thanks to Josh, Rick and Dave who were on my boat over the weekend. Who says breaking a rod sucks! We think its great!

October Fishing Picking Up

Hello Readers
Sorry for the long delay in posting. The fishing has been picking up on the Siuslaw. Good numbers of chinook began showing in Mapleton over the weekend. Many of the fish were smaller 3 year-old fish ranging from 10-15 lbs. Look for pictures soon.

Fishing License Fees Increasing in 2010

The Oregon Legislature recently approved large increases in fishing and hunting license fees for 2010 (and beyond). ODFW agency representatives are shining the best light possible on the fee hikes that sportsmen might have a tough time swallowing. Fee and tag increases are to help offset the increasing costs of managing fish and wildlife in Oregon, and also offer us the following:
· Habitat restoration projects to benefit deer and elk populations
· Increased trout stocking for lakes, ponds, reservoirs and rivers
· Two additional Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division officers in Central Oregon
· A two-pole option: A new $17 validation will allow licensed anglers to fish with a second fishing pole and line on most lakes, ponds and reservoirs
· Fish passage and riparian and in-stream habitat enhancement programs
· Additional funding for commercial fishing law enforcement

And here’s what you really want to know – how much are fees and tags going up? Here’s a partial list. The whole list can be found on the ODFW website at http://www.dfw.state.or.us/agency/budget/. There’s a box on the right side of the page that will link you to the fee increases.
· Annual Resident Angler - $33.00 (was $24.75)
· Combined Angling Tag – $26.50 (was $21.50)
· Annual Resident Combo Hunting/Fishing - $58.00 (was $43.75)
· Annual Nonresident Angler - $106.25 (was $61.50)

The Resident Shellfish License is still a good deal at $7.00 (was $6.50) as is the Hatchery Harvest Tag at $16.50 (was $13.50).

There are definitely some things that caught my attention in the ODFW press release. First, increased trout stocking in local lakes will do little more than feed the cormorants unless stocking methods are changed. Hatchery planting should take place in the late evening or overnight. It will give fish a chance to disperse and maybe give us a chance to catch them. More stocked fish being delivered the same way won’t help. I am very willing for fee increases to go toward enforcement, especially in the ocean and on the Columbia River. Too many fishermen feel like its not against the law if nobody sees it. On the other side – fee increases really hurt the average guy who wants to introduce the family to the outdoors. Sometimes it feels like we’re moving toward how they fish in Great Britain: only the rich can afford to fish for salmon and trout. Everyone else is reduced to fishing for rough fish.


See You On The Water,
Action Jackson

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