[ODFW-News] Still many opportunities for marine sport anglers

[ODFW News]

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife 	
For more information call 800-720-6339 (ODFW) or 541-867-0300, Ext.
226	
Internet: www.dfw.state.or.us  


For immediate release	Wednesday, September 1, 2004

Still many opportunities for marine sport anglers

NEWPORT - The closing this week of the sport rockfish fishery still
leaves sport anglers with many fishing opportunities in coastal Oregon.
The closure goes into effect on Friday, Sept. 3, and includes all
rockfish, lingcod and greenling. Fishing for cabezon closed earlier in
August. "The Columbia River salmon fishery continues to be good this
year," said Curt Melcher, a salmon fisheries biologist for Oregon
Department of Fish and Wildlife. "The Buoy 10 fishery, which has been
good fishing this year, will remain open for adipose fin-clipped coho
and steelhead through December and will be open for chinook retention
through Labor Day. The main stem of the Columbia River from Tongue Point
to Bonneville Dam is also open for salmon and steelhead and will likely
remain open through September." "Ocean salmon angling has been good
this year," according to Eric Schindler, a fisheries biologist for
ODFW based in Newport. Opportunities in ocean waters are:

* Leadbetter Pt. to Tillamook Head is open for all salmon except
non-adipose fin clipped coho. The season is expected to last until Sept.
30.

* Cape Falcon to Humbug Mt. is open for chinook through Oct. 31.

* Humbug Mt. to the Oregon/California Border is open for chinook
through Sept. 12.
 There are also excellent chinook fishing opportunities in coastal
estuaries. The saltwater fishing opportunities don't end with salmon.


Pacific halibut opportunities include:

* Between Cape Falcon and Humbug Mt. the fishery is scheduled in
all-depth waters for Sept. 3, 4, 17 and 18 and Oct. 1, 2, 15, 16, 29 and
30.  Additional fishing days may be set.  The fishery in the same area
is open seven days a week inside the 40-fathom line through October 31.

* South of Humbug Mt. the fishery is open in all-depth waters through
October 31. 
"The albacore tuna fishing should remain good through most of
September and some fish should be available into October," said Don
Bodenmiller, project leader for marine recreational groundfish fisheries
for ODFW. "The ocean remains open for tuna and other pelagic species
like mackerel."

Other marine species remain open as well. There are plenty of
opportunities to fish for a variety of flatfish species such as starry
flounder, Pacific sanddab, and sand sole.  Flatfish are found primarily
over sand or gravel bottoms.  To fish for these species, anglers should
use smaller baited hooks and make sure to fish on the bottom. Also
surfperch angling remains open with several popular species available in
the estuaries and along sandy beaches.  Anglers fishing for surfperch in
the estuaries should look for areas with structure such as pilings. 
Anglers fishing the surf should cast into about the third line of
breakers and target areas of the beach with deeper pockets.  Surfperch
are usually caught using bait on smaller hooks. But some anglers use
lures or flyfish using artificial baits that resemble shrimp. There are
numerous shellfish opportunities in coastal estuaries, such as Dungeness
crab and bay clams. Shellfish enthusiasts are reminded that razor clams
are scheduled to open north of Tillamook Head on Oct. 1.  Anglers are
reminded to consult with local ODFW or OSP offices for emergency angling
regulation changes. Anglers are reminded that salmon and halibut require
a harvest card and all fishing requires a license. Harvesting shellfish
requires a shellfish license. Those under 14 don't need a license.