Scott,

 Thought I would let you know what's up on the Loop since reports seem to be a little slow coming in. Still getting fresh fish everyday as you can see in the photo but the numbers are way down. The river level is still high for drifting, the color is phenomenal and the water temp has remained around 42 degrees for a couple weeks. we've been plugging and side drifting. No Bass yet however they should start poking there heads out soon.

Todd Harrington

Hi Scott,

A little late but here's pics of some chromers caught on the Siuslaw early last week. Hooked seven, boated eight (all of which were natives, thereby assuring a kiss and a quick release to go and do their thing!).  The natives with a few hatchery fish are still coming in and there are fish around!

I attended the fish allocation process in Salem on February 8. This was regarding the Columbia system which includes the McKenzie and upper Willamette, in the neck of the woods where I presently reside. The allocation process is an ongoing (ie: never ending) work in progress, but I'd like to invite all the sports fishers who read your reports to take a look at and give a thought to joining and supporting the CCA (Coastal Conservation Association) if they haven't already done so.  We had several hundred members show up at the meeting to support limiting/ending gill nets on the Columbia as well as limiting the incidental catch of all salmon and steelhead in other Northwest river systems. The CCA has been around for some time and done a lot of good on the South and East coasts of the US.  They got stripers and redfish listed as a game species. Gary Loomis of G Loomis Rods helped bring them to the Northwest. Now it's time to take advantage of what Gary did and get active and involved here in our own individual home river systems. As recreational fishermen (and this can include target specific commercials as well) we need to take an interest in our own fisheries as well as how our migratory fish are harvested to the north of us: read that as Canada and Alaska. A number of studies indicate that Oregon's runs of  salmon and steelhead over the past two or three years have been dramatically impacted by fishing/harvest practices to the north. This is not to say that habitat, management and other practices play no role, but that over fishing and harvesting to the north has had an impact on the number of our fish that return to home waters.

 If any of your readers are interested in getting more information on how to become involved with restoring our fish runs they can get additional information at: Click Here For More Info on what you can do to help
The least we can do as avid fishermen/fisherwomen is to help assure that our children and grandchildren have a chance to fish for and catch those beautiful salmon, steelhead and searun cutthroats that are a part of our heritage as Oregonians. 

Tight lines!

Lauran

Hi Scott,
Here is another Umpqua River Beauty and a shot of my arsenal, even in the high dirty water. plugging has been highly effective with the recent weather change I'm even having thoughts of Springers!   somebody hit me.

Todd Harrington

www.fishinglivingwaters.com

Hi
Went out Saturday and caught this nice 32" Steelhead on the Elk.
Weather was over cast.

Dave

Scott

Hi Larry, I fished the upper South Umpqua today with my brother for just a few hours.
Never got so much as a bump till we found a run with full sun on it.  I
hooked 2 and landed 1 all on yarn balls.  The 1 landed was about 8 or 9
pounds as was the one that broke me off (bad spot in my leader I'm sure).
The water is so cold that they aren't biting well nor putting up much of a
battle, but I had to get out of the shop and fish today...being behind is
better than the other way but man the hours of building boats so others can
do what I can't is killing me!  But I got to pull on one so my energy and
drive are restored.. Larry www.riverwolfboats.com

Hi Larry thanks for the report. at least you caught one for the smoker plus having had the fun of having one break off. one that has a boat building business is well aware that business before pleasure.. Larry you always seem to find time to fish when fishing gets hot. have a great year. tight lines.

  Hi Larry, Here is a picture of a chromer I am holding for a client caught recently on the N. Umpqua river. The water is really cold and they are light biters but the fish are there.  Tight Lines,  Doug Warren       www.loganet.net/dougsguideservice 

Hi Doug, thank you for the report and picture.  looks like a dandy steelhead. one more happy client.  I have to say  that water does look cold, but with fish like that, one does not seem to notice.  will not be long and the ole springers will be here. tight lines and have a great year  Doug.

Hi Larry, I had a super day on the Alsea River today! My brother Randy and I fished with Stan Steele, it sure was nice being in the front seat of a drift boat for a change! We caught 14 steelhead, kept 4 hatchery fish for the table plus two nice natives we kept in a live holder for the hatchery program. Caught them all on eggs, with pink yarn, fished under a bobber. We even had a double-header, with twin 10-pound fish. A very memorable day. Rod Lathrop.

Hi rod, thank you for your report. it is nice when you can just sit there and fish. let the others do the rowing for a change. no complaints when your boat can catch 14 steelhead. I would call that pretty good fishing. love that bobber fishing. start up the smoker.. time for the springers . are you ready for them ? "tight lines"  rod.

I'd sure like to be on the upper North Umpqua over the next week or so, because the lower part of the river has been fishing well for the past week.  Decent numbers of 8-10lb hatchery fish, with an occasional up to 12lbs.  I've been on the "one before breakfast and another at lunch hour or after work" plan (knocking furiously on wood) since last Friday.  Hope it lasts a little while longer, anyway, until springers are here in earnest.  Heard a reliable report of a Springer caught by a local Springer specialist this last weekend

right at the top of Cleveland rapids.  However, I didn't see the fish myself so, of course, the local coffee klatch will not believe (ah, how much of our sport is like a peter pan series).  Nonetheless, since then the local Springer guru has been back bouncing His rear off most days and he's always been my barometer on their arrival.  So - if these steelhead slow down (hope not, not yet anyway) I'll be making the slow conversion over the next couple of weeks to Springer madness.  Incidentally, my personal earliest Springer was on a February 3rd about 4 years ago, although that was just below Sawyers Rapids and not this far upriver. The buck in the picture was caught yesterday afternoon.  Pretty aggressive upriver guy -hammered that yarn ball down past His gills and it ticked Him off and he did not want to come in at all before a

truly groovy aerial display.  However, after one of the single most ugly netting efforts I've ever seen or even heard about - he decided to join us for dinner. Tight lines to all. Wayne Shammel

Hi Wayne thank you for the report and picture. would be nice to hear that the springers are starting to arrive. one does hear a lot of fishh--y stories. so just who does one believe ? sawyers rapids is a great place to start on those springers. it is getting to be that time. have a great fishing year Wayne. tight lines.

Larry, I fished Sturgeon the last 3 days.  Caught fish all three days, and ended up with these two keepers.  Day one and two we fished around 12, today we went Higher and fished above Brandy Bar.  The first picture is of PEGGY GOODPASTER  and her 58 inch keeper, the second picture is of SUE JOHNSON and her 43 inch keeper. I am switching back to Steelhead, and keep you posted........Bob Cobb  www.cobbreelfish.com   

Hi Larry:     Here is a picture of my son Jacob and His first Steelhead.  10 years old and he hooks and lands His first Steelhead.  I had to wait into my twenties for my first.  I was thrilled to be apart of a moment he will remember for a lifetime.  We went out for just a few hours after church and caught it about an hour before sunset on Ten Mile cr. as you could probably guess from the dune in the background.  Good times for father and son.

thank you for the report and picture tom and Tammy raglan.  Jacob, what a great steelhead you have caught. I bet he put a bend in your pole. you will remember this fish the rest of your fishing day's. the first one you never forget. I bet you dream about this one. you have made your mother and dad real proud of you. "Now is the time to ask for you're own boat"   tight lines always..

Hi Larry. I read your column often and thought I would contribute a report from the N. Umpqua where I live. I caught this nice buck yesterday, Feb. 11th, on an orange corky. Lots of fishermen up here now. The weather is beautiful and the fish are cooperating I believe this is about 8lbs or so. A fisherman's guess. A hatchery buck at that. Good luck to all! Malcolm Stone

Hi Malcolm, welcome to our site and thank you for you're report and picture. Yes we finally got a few nice days and more coming. The fishing can only get better. That is a dandy looking steelhead. Great picture. Hope to see many more reports and pictures from you. "Tight Lines" to you Malcolm.

Hey Larry,  The guides are Hitting the South Umpqua really hard in the Stanton Park area of Canyonville daily since the river has dropped and is now that "steelhead green" color.  Success has varied from day to day but I have heard of boats limiting out in that particular area.  Bank pressure is also High in that area.  The Myrtle Creek area has also been getting pressure with a lot of guides from the Rogue River area fishing from the gravel bar in town down.  The North Umpqua is starting to produce some fish as well.  Good to hear they are starting to pick up some sturgeon in the lower river.   It wont be long and we will be reading about that first spring Chinook being caught as well. Limited trips for winter steelhead are still available and can be booked by going to www.hookemdano.com or calling direct to Dan Alverts' guide service @ 541-817-2491.  Good luck to all and hope to see you on the river.

Hi Dan welcome, thank you for your report. yep fishing is starting to pick up. it has been a long wet winter but that is Oregon. about time all you guides put your noses to the grind stone again. the sturgeon are starting and like you say springers, will be here shortly, there are a few striper's being caught also on the smith. hope you have a banner year. keep in touch.   tight lines

Mr. Moore, Today WE fished the Coquille, landed two, broke one off at the boat, and had two others on.  It seemed the other boats around us did about the same.  There were ALLOT of boats.  I am switching to Sturgeon for the next 4 days, so I will keep you posted on that.  Thanks, Bob www.cobbreelfish.com 

Well hello Mister Cobb. Thank you for you're report. I have been wondering where you have been hanging your hat. Keep missing you on the radio. According to you're buddy Mister Hannah the strugeon are just waiting to be caught. Seems the problem is most are too big to keep, so I suggest you take Peggy, she always catches the keepers. "Tight Lines"

mspringer@cmspan.net  (541) 430-1565 http://www.springersguideservice.Com

Larry. Apparently I missed some web postings by a non believers about Roberts posting, I just wish I had the opportunity and skill to do as well as Robert does. When you have that type of skill and you are willing to share it that is a true gift. I would welcome the opportunity to talk with Him to learn some of His skills. On the North Umpqua between the Narrows and boundary I watched a gentlemen catch and land 3 Steelhead in about 15 minutes using a lure. On the other side of the river a gentlemen caught 2 more in about the same amount of time using eggs. I tried for half an hour in the same spots and never even got a pick up. It takes time and dedication to get that good and you must really enjoy the sport to be that good. To Robert and others
who catch and keep or  release to help programs like S.T.E.P.. I congratulate and envy you, to those doubting that ability and skill I feel nothing but apathy and you need to improve your skills. I know the feeling of those
skills because I can go to my favorite fishing lake, Diamond Lake, and in less than an hour and 1/2 my boat can and does limit out and I don't start fishing until after 9 A.M. It is all about presentation and timing and
knowing the area also helps a lot.

Chuck

Hi Chuck, thank you for your email. As you know about fishing, some people have it and some people don't. I have seen your reports and pictures from Diamond Lake many times over the past couple of years. "Tight Lines"

2-8-2006

Hi Larry,

Catching the numbers of Steelhead that Robert is talking about is very possible.  The owner of Rainbow King Lodge owns 1/2 mile of river on Three Rivers in Hebo, Oregon.  It happens to be the first 1/2 mile below the fish hatchery.  In December and January 15 to 20 fish days are the norm, and 60 fish days are common.  He also gets $8,000 dollars for 6 fisherman for three days. I always assumed that Robert had something like this going.  Fish like that are not caught on public water day in and day out.  I have had 20 plus fish days on the Umpqua before, but never two days in a row.  I never doubted he was catching that many fish, just after I went to the South Fork, I don't think that was the river.  The West Fork seemed more logical, and fish able on Saturday. Back to the SHED, the step program at Daniels Creek.  What a great thing to get involved in.  It operates on donations alone.  He has been putting 650,000 smolts in Daniels creek alone for the past four years.  Watch the Coos system for Fall Chinook this year.  With out people getting involved and programs like that one on Daniels Creek, there would not be fish for the sport fisherman to catch. Sorry to be so long, but thought I would put my two cents in. Thanks Gus  www.rainbowking.com

Thanks Gus for putting in you're two cents worth. We need all the help we can get. I'm glad to hear that so many smolts are being released in Daniels Creek. You are so right, without the S.T.E.P. program what would our fishing be? These fellows in the program use their own time and allot of their own money so that we will have fish in the future. Donate a few bucks to them when you get the chance, it's money well spent. "Tight Lines"

Ok.  Fishing reports it is.  As for me - as to Robert's reports - I'm going to take them literally and remain jealous and hope that sentiment stirs some extra efforts on my part.  North Umpqua coming into great shape right now.  We caught 3 hatchery steelhead (including 2 downers) this weekend   (one Saturday; 2 Sunday) above the forks, side-drifting in some clearing but still pretty stained water.  Nothing of great size, biggest about 8lbs..  Was surprised by the aggressive downers already, but I guess that's what we get with the floods this year.  There was very little pressure in most of the holes and in fact, the annual Umpqua fishing derby scratched due to the stained water (people electing to take their guided trips later in better water).  Some of us were set to fish this last weekend and did it anyway!  Plunkers at River Forks park did OK also this weekend; I am aware of 8 fish caught there over the weekend, there

may have been a few more.  I also saw one caught at Amacher on Sunday and another boat claimed one on Saturday, but that area has been (when I've been there so far this year) a lot less productive than I would have expected.  Maybe the normally holding fish have shot past in the Higher water?  P.S. there are low water aerial photos of the entire Umpqua basin on the Douglas County website.  They have good enough resolution to find (if you download the photos and blow them up with an image program) major structure and pick out rocks bigger than an ice chest (in the shallower runs anyway). 

A great way to scout  new anchoring areas, anyway, if you don't know them already. I map and photo many of the rocks in my favorite runs also and it has helped, a bit anyway I think.  I don't catch many more fish, but we tend to find them quicker if they're in the hole.  Note that the floods this year have been forceful enough to make some very large structure changes (even boulders moved in the cocoa Highway this year) so the scouting starts fresh.  Tight lines to all!!   - Wayne Shammel

Hi Wayne, than you for your reports and information on low water aerial photos. Just in time of the Springer fishermen to locate their runs and rocks. Great, just had a report yesterday that on the Elk, most of the Steelhead are downers there also. Things are shaping up pretty good. Although there have been a few reports on sturgeon, they are here. Springers will soon be making their runs. Looking for a great fishing season in 2006.

Hello, my name is Derek. I have never inputted anything on this page, so I thought I would start.

On Sunday the 5th my brother Brandon and I fished Below marker 12 for sturgeon with no luck. Although we witnessed 1 shaker and 1 oversize caught. We also saw a very large one jump not too far from the boat.   I am interested in fishing sturgeon on the Umpqua some more, so any reports other people have would be great.

Hello Derek , welcome and thank you for you're report. That is what fishing is all about. Some days  you catch and some days you catch something and then there are those days when you should have stayed in bed. Stick with it and sooner or later you will catch one, they are there to be caught. I will be looking for a report and picture of you and you're sturgeon soon. "Tight Lines"